David Brin on Nippon 2007

Over in the Emerald City weblog, David Brin writes an enthusiastic letter about Nippon 2007, the Worldcon in Yokohama two years from now. He writes of a proposal he made that N2007 focus on how the advent of a Japanese Worldcon "will feature profound shifts in the world’s 'centers of gravity.' Especially in the realm of ideas."

( Further quotes from Brin's letter )

It's all very positive, and Cheryl adds her own endorsement at the end. I, however, am more pessimistic, and have added my own wet-blanket comments to the entry. I don't expect much turnout from the English-speaking western fans or authors, myself. I fear we're going to have a giant Japanese National Science Fiction Convention with a few hundred westerners at most over in one corner huddled together. For most people who have made the Worldcon a part of their lives for a while, 2007 won't even exist -- and I doubt many of those people will go to the NASFiC, either.

I want to be wrong about this, but the number of people who voted for Japan who said variations on, "Oh, I can't possibly attend, but the Worldcon should go to Japan" worries me.

I plan to go, but I wonder how many other Worldcon regulars will be there.

Gotta Go

Okay, now I'm running a little late. I'd hoped to get over to O'Hare and checked in with enough time to phone into my departmental staff meeting (every two weeks at 0830 Pacific Time), but now I don't think I'm going to make it. Well, my director knows that there was a good chance I wouldn't be there.

Home

I have made it home more or less safely.

( Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, but not in that order )

Now I need to unpack and get some sleep.