Conventions without Me

I wonder how Dragon*Con went. This same weekend that I wasn’t there, I got an e-mail from Orycon about the programming survey. They are saying this is a second or later reminder, but I never got any of the earlier ones. I’m going to make a good attempt to get to Orycon again this year. I like to get back to Portland when I can. I’m not sure if my heroine Kelley Eskridge is on the final Endeavor Award ballot, but if she and Nicola Griffith are going to be there, that’s that much more reason to get myself up there. I like to have that weekend to see my friends, hang out and actually pretend to be an SF pro for a few days (the Orycon people make that easier than D*Con, that’s for sure.) My panel last year about Luddite Science Fiction remains one of my most pleasant convention experiences ever and I’d like a shot to duplicate that experience. I only wish that the convention didn’t happen out in the wilds of Jantzen Beach and was closer to downtown. More good stuff happens downtown. I do like to get back to Powells every year or two. It was amazing when I worked a short walk from there, and I never took it for granted that I was a lucky bastard that I could just take my coffee breaks at this wonderful place.