Contemplation

[threemonkeys]

As usual, nothing that is in any way a proper con report. Just throwing stuff out there.

I was most impressed with the organisation of the con. There were a few glitches but nothing that couldn't be lived with. It is just a pity that there were not more people there to enjoy it (OK, that is down to organisation too, but you know what I mean).

I was very happy to see lots of programming items. I didn't attend a whole lot but the option was always there and I did end up attending more that I have for a while. The con bid for '09 made a big thing about having less programme items - idiots, they need a good kicking. The '09 con will be in Auckland at QB weekend (big tick on that one). I am rather concerned about one trend though - both the '08 & '09 cons will have australian fan guests of honour - just what does that signify?

The quiz went well I think. If the only complaints I received were about a couple of typos then I can feel pretty happy. I was very pleased to see that the team that included Russell Kirkpatrick was even able to answer this one "Name the author who wrote the 'Fire of Heaven' fantasy series and this year had the first book of the 'Husk' series published."

I think this is the first time at a NZ con we have managed to have both FFANZ delegates as well as DUFF and GUFF delegates all together at a con. Dave & Ang were great fun to have join us. The other guests were excellent too. Although I wasn't all that impressed with Eric Flint in some respects, he had a lot of very interesting things to say.

The walls in the hotel rooms were really thin and the rooms were very small. It is an old building with refurbished rooms but the age did show through - including rather disconcertingly the lift. On the plus side, they never ran out of beer (even if they had to keep nipping out the back to restock the bar fridge), there was a good range of con room sizes and there were no run ins with the staff. I was a bit worried that it might just be slightly too far from the rest of town for easy walking, but in practice it wasn't an issue at all. In fact, so easy was it to get to places of use that I didn't eat a meal at the hotel. That may be the first time ever. Lots of good meals actually - there was always a group available to join or gather.

The Aussie SF scene panel was pretty good - we covered all the bases that I wanted. Anybody who agrees to be on a panel and then professes to being a girly swot should be encouraged as they do lots of preparation (yes I do mean you Rowena). Of course with Dave & Russell you just need to wind up the big key and away they go.

I am no longer on the SFFANZ board. Hooray. I am now free of any fan positions for the first time in 15 years. To do this stuff, you need energy and enthusiasm. I don't seem to have enough to go around at the moment. Perhaps in a year or two I may be able to get back into it. The AGM was its usual rambling unstructured self, but all the issues god dealt with and there were more than usual to get stuck into this time.

No room parties. Not one. Nothing. One was advertised but then cancelled - well it was moved to the bar. The small hotel rooms & thin walls were a factor but it is much more than that. No room parties. None. We are so so so sad. There was plenty of other socialising going on and the bar/lounge area was busy. But no room parties. None. Oh where, oh where are the young fans who are serious about their parties?

Time to start thinking about packing for Convergence.

Comments

[gillpolack.livejournal.com]

I'm impressed with Russell's literary knowledge. I can see lots of stirring potential in knowing about it, too :).

I don't know about Melbourne, but winter has hit early in Canberra, so it's *cold*. Last year I just packed a light jacket - this year I might have to take my big coat.

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

I told Russell that there would be two questions where he would know the answers. That was one and a pictorial question showing Greg Benford was the other - I didn't even hear a whimper from Russell.

Actually, I think he surprised himself by how many answers he knew.

(I plan to layer for Melbourne weather - I expect it to be pretty much like Welly at this time of year)

[gillpolack.livejournal.com]

I want to be there when Russell next runs into Greg Benford and asks him "Do you write fantasy novels yet?"

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

What a nice thought.

[russellk.livejournal.com]

My first question to Dr. Benford will be 'Have you developed social skills yet?'

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

If the situation ever arises that you meet again, we can but hope that you will be outselling him by a huge margin and you are the GOH.

[stephanie-pegg.livejournal.com]

"Oh where, oh where are the young fans who are serious about their parties?"
They're buying houses and having babies, which is sucking their energy and enthusiasm, rather.

I found the hotel layout quite weird, actually, everything was tucked off a long windy corridor so you had to walk for ages to get anywhere. And while there was a lounge, it was at one end of the chain of rooms and down a staircase, so you had to make a deliberate effort to go there rather than passing through on your way to other places, and casually saying hi to people as you passed. I miss having a central place to socialise in, I guess.

I thought the programmed items were of very high quality, although I got bored in Eric Flint's GOH speech. He'd spent twenty minutes talking about publication dates and didn't look like he was going to change over to amusing anecdotes any time soon. The guy who gave the lectures on Western magic and Voodoo was cool. (Names? I need no stinking names... (sorry)) And talking to Dylan Horrocks was just neat. :-)

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

Yes the connections between the rooms wasn't the best but I have seen waaaay worse layouts at cons.

I didn't actually go to Eric Flint's GOH speech - but I did catch him at other times which formed the opinion above. Actually instead of his GOH speech we went to dinner instead - that was one of the minor quibbles with the programming - those types of items should have been a bit earlier.

David Cake (FFANZ delegate) did the magic & voodoo shows - he is in welly for a couple of days yet - come along to the malthouse tomorrow (tuesday) evening and he will be there along with a few others.

[russellk.livejournal.com]

Agree with this, especially your comment about Dylan Horrocks. Fascinating fellow, great comic book writer, who sees cartooning as cartography. I tell you, inviting him as a GoH at an Aussie con would be a very astute move.

[thoatherder.livejournal.com]

Perhaps the new fans don't know about room parties. Perhaps .. Ghods I don't know.

One thing I have noticed is that the whole idea of the party seems to have died out in society, or at least in the society I live in.

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

It isn't that the young fans don't know about room pariies - its that the young fans don't exist. At least not in any significant numbers. Fandom here is getting old. We are not attracting the next generation in. There are many many barriers to this as you well know, but it isn't impossible. Perth manages to have an ongoing renewal of fandom and other Aussie cities have had younger waves come in recently. If I knew how to replicate those things here I would do it but they don't quite translate well.

[darthsappho.livejournal.com]

There _was_ an elevator party for a while last night 8) Would have lasted longer if there'd been more traffic. There should really have been a bid party for Conscription, though.

I was quite happy with the hotel. The layout wasn't ideal, but the lift was great, and it was _cheap_ (we booked directly through the hotel, rather than via the con) and within easy walking distance of food. My main concern was that the main hall would feel too big and empty, but that turned out not to be the case.

And yes, the Quiz was excellent.

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

Now remind me, just who was it who won the quiz again? ;-)

[russellk.livejournal.com]

I've been trying to find that big key to put it away, Ross. I'm getting in to more and more trouble because of it. And our quiz team did well on the literature questions but sucked big time on the TV programs.

I really enjoyed this con. My comment about the GoH was 'Eric Who?' but I thought the others were value.

Have fun at Convergence!

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

Ta, I will try.

[gillpolack.livejournal.com]

If you don't enjoy Convergence, tell Russell how brilliant it was anyhow :).

[russellk.livejournal.com]

I will, in fact, be at Convergence - well sort of. Just booked flights for the Monday. See you there!

[gillpolack.livejournal.com]

I can see I'd better save one piece of chocolate till Monday, just for you :).

[cat-i-th-adage.livejournal.com]

It seemed a bit on the quiet side, to me.

On the other hand, I scored an autograph from Fred Gallagher. What an autograph - I shall have it on the net for other MT fans to drool over by tomorrow. :-D

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

Fred seems very cool. I was mildly disappointed that half the teams in the quiz didn't know the Megatokyo question. Lets hope that it sparked their curiosity.

[thoatherder.livejournal.com]

Oh fuck! Fred Gallenger was there?!! If I'd known that I might have made a serious effort to go. What was the Megatokyo question?

For me, cons don't have enough interesting people at them to talk to, to warrant shelling out the money to go. They don't have enough interesting people because I'm not in the 'scene' anymore, so I don't know who is and isn't interesting. It's a vicious circle.

[mundens.livejournal.com]

Fred was, and he is a very nice guy.

If you have come along you might have been able to have dinner with him as we did! :)

[cat-i-th-adage.livejournal.com]

I hope he enjoyed himself at the Con. I couldn't help thinking afterwards, maybe he'd have enjoyed just a few drooling fanboys 'n' girls, instead of the quietly appreciative people hanging around (while I was there, anyway. There may have been drooling fans when I could not see them).

[mundens.livejournal.com]

He had one real fan boy who ran down to Borders and back again after Fred's talk, just to buy the manga so he could get Fred to sign them.

But he was cute and not drooling at all. :)

[cat-i-th-adage.livejournal.com]

If I'd had any hope of getting a poster, I'd have done the same. :-(

Your icon appears to be from Wolf's Rain. (Just trying to establish some fan street cred, here.)

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

His name was Matthew and it was his first con (one of the very few) - he came there just for Fred.

[darthsappho.livejournal.com]

I would have drooled more if he'd been around when I wasn't otherwise occupied - one of the drawbacks of a very full program of events. I somewhat regret rushing off to get to the quiz after he drew me a wonderful sketch, but I would have regretted missing the quiz too...

I think the question was something along the lines of "what comic are these characters from?" with pictures of Piro, Largo, Kimiko, and Erika. Will you be breaking the vicious circle next year?

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

Indeed, that was the question. To get it right, all you had to do was have seen the comic so that was why I was disappointed in the number of people who didn't get it.