I’m so not used to having a Monday off after a con that I forgot that I’d put in to have today off. That’s okay, because it affords me some much-needed extra sleep and the chance to do my Readercon write-up in what is, for me, record time!
That doesn’t mean I have the brainspace for anything coherent. I’m doing this while I’m awake, typing up little bits here and there, and then I’ll set it to post after I get to bed. Then once I’ve had more sleep and time to reflect, I might talk about some panels later.
1
I think I’ve lost my con “honeymoon period.” But that’s a good thing in that I don’t waste too much time and energy anymore feeling like I’m taking up valuable oxygen better spent on Chiang, Datlow, Edelman, Di Filippo, Van Gelder, Hand, McHugh, Link, Kessel, Clute, &c. Hence, I didn’t take as many pictures of panels and readings this time around, though I have a few. I have yet to really look at which are worth posting.
2
Every year, I feel conflicted about buying books at Readercon (and other cons, for that matter). I don’t have unlimited space for physical books and I damn sure don’t have unlimited funds. Most Readercons though, I tell myself, “Screw it,” and buy large quantities anyway. This year though, the internal conflict came to a head to the point where it actually killed my buzz walking into the Bookshop. Still, I didn’t come away empty-handed. I just bought more strategically…
3
I’ve reached the point where going to cons is (slightly) less about the programming and more about connecting or re-connecting with people. And I got to do that with 99% of the people I wanted to see. But on the other hand, I felt that having precious little public space to sit and congregate (due to hotel construction) led to four days of “catch-as-catch-can,” with a number of folks (i.e. others who told me they’d felt this way, too) trying to catch-as-catch-can everyone else they wanted to talk to.
4
All that to say that when I had time with people, I didn’t always have the space and vice versa. But it wasn’t impossible, obviously. When I could have space and time at the same time, it was AWESOME.
5
Having said all that though, I felt the love!
6
I could shout-out/link everyone I talked to, old and new, but there were just too many! Some folks have already found me on
Twitter!
7
8
Panel note-taking with Evernote on mobile devices + swipe typing = WIN!
9
Most valuable panel to me, “The Work/Work Balance.” There might’ve been very little that I hadn’t heard before, but hearing from seasoned–and I mean seasoned–professionals that the solutions are as old as the problems was exactly what I needed at this point in my life.
10
Money quote:
“No future I ever envisioned had Republicans in it.”
– Howard Waldrop, during “The Real Utopia” panel before going on to talk briefly about all the goings-on in his state of Texas.
#
I WILL give a shout-out to the ConCom and everyone who volunteered. Thanks for the memories and hopefully I’ll see y’all at Readercon 25!
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As I recall, Waldrop's "Texas-Israeli War 1999" (a futuristic novel when I *first* read it) had some Republican-esque figures in it!
Shock I is a good collection. I have that entire run with those covers (Ian Miller, IIRC). Matheson is a master of the short form. Enjoy!
I think Howard was talking about Texas Republicans as they are today; it was interesting how animated he became!
Shock III was also for sale, but I already had it. The dealer might have been slightly annoyed… 🙂