NOREASCON 4 continued...

with a little detour into my thoughts about fandom, at least as it seems to have evolved for me.

Last night I was thinking about conventions and realized that it has been over 25 years since I began attending them. For the most part, I have stuck to regional cons (Boskone, Arisia, Lunacon, Readercon) and the occasional Worldcon (Noreascon 2, 3, 4 and the world cons in Atlanta, Orlando and San Francisco). I mention this because my experience of cons has a northeast bias. In any case, when all is said and done, I am a reader. I like to read and am compulsive about reading (hence my other blog) and yet at cons I rarely attend a lot of panels (except Readercon (where the panels are often great)) but instead spend an inordinate amount of time socializing with other fans and rarely are we discussing books. We tend to talk about cons. Or catch up on our lives since the last con. Not that there is anything wrong with that! And in reality, I had some great discussions at Worldcon.

Most notably was a stop at Borderlands Books (made in my incessant desire to score a copy of the novel Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell (just published, got it at Borders when I got home)), whereI had a delightful conversation with the merchant about current fantasy and mystery (and he recommended a novel that combines both and for the life of me I can't remember the title!) novels -but also ended up dwelling on the concept of whether the moment of death stretches on forever for the person dying. So, if you die in your sleep you are merely sleeping and hopefully having lovely dreams, but if you are involved in a violent death that is where you linger. Not a thread I'll likely be conversing about with the other moms at the busstop...

Well, the other factor is that our kids really enjoy cons now and this changes things as well. We spend more time at the kid friendly activities and the pool! In the evening, after they are asleep (and we are not of the "let them stay up with us until dawn" school of parenting), we switch off with each other if anyone wants to go to parties or socialize with other fen. And we eat more or less on schedule and three meals. The kids and John really like costuming so I find myself more involved in an aspect of con going that was never at the top of my list. I always enjoyed seeing masquerades if they didn't coincide with other things, but now often make costumes and help the kids and John with them.

I realized this past week-wned that I missed reading fanzines regularly and picked some up or their email addresses so I could start again (well, I always get Ed Mesky's, Niekas and Entropy when they occur). This has included Ansible and Emerald City to start. I used to love APAs but I guess a blog is sort of a solitary APA.....

Back to the con:

Saturday was spent helping in Children's Activities sometimes with my children, somtimes not. At some point after lunch (the food court at the Pru-which is where we ate most of our meals. I especially liked the tex-mex place) John took both with him for the MuppZ masquerade entry rehearsals and to swim. I got to see more of the Art Show and also the dealers room. The only purchase made at the con was for Noah. His newest baby:cuthulhu. It's very soft and cuddly. Noah made him a beaded collar too. I'm sure Lovecraft would be horrified. John and I had the kids go to babysitting for a couple of hours after dinner so we could go to the Hugos. Neil Gaiman was witty and great to listen to as MC and we especially enjoyed hearing Bob Silverberg recall earlier days. It was a little odd seeing the screen announce the winner of an award early once or twice, but these things happen. John got the kids around 10:30 and went to bed, I ended up bumping into various fans and chatting and attending a few parties (most notable the Arisia mini-con). I was asleep before 3am.

See? By now (if not paragraphs earlier) you are realizing that my con going is somewhat less exciting than yours....

Oh and I attended the knitting circle at the con suite earlier in the day, where a lovely woman (she currently lives in Germany and I forgot her name!) have me a hat she had just crochetted and another woman gave me a drop spindle made with a cd-rom, complete with instructions and fleece. I enjoyed my time spent spinning (rather ineptly) and was delighted to finally learn how to use a drop spindle.

OK, no more blogging until I manage to get some pictures up. None of us, as I forgot the camera, but of the things made, aquired etc......

Comments

[Adria]

I guess my first attempt at commenting did not make it. I'm so glad to see you at the Convention. I have had such a whirlwind weekend.
I hope to see you again soon. Maybe Philcon? or just Arisia. Whichever comes first.