Let the SMOFfing Commence

I brought both my laptop computers to ConStruction. The primary machine briefly connected, then quit. The backup machine (on which I'm typing this entry) connected with no problem. I reckon the card in my primary machine is either failing or a connection has come loose. I will check the connections later. If it's the card, well, I can always transplant wireless cards.

Cindy Scott and I are sitting here doing registration for ConStruction, which is very informal. We have the pre-registered badges sitting out in the open in front of us, and Cindy is making badges for the walk-in members. Cindy thinks we will run out of badge blanks -- she made 35.

I knew that we had "Registration and a Cup of Coffee" billed on the schedule. I didn't realize it included bagels and fruit as well. Fortunately, Cheryl and I looked in on the room as we were heading to Starbucks for breakfast at 8:30, and realized that we didn't have to go there. The early birds get the warm (bagels).

In a few minutes, ConStruction Chair Jan Price will start the conference with opening remarks and scheduling instructions. After some of the mob scenes with which I've been involved with Worldcons and other large conventions, the relaxed atmosphere of a 35-person conrunner conference is rather refreshing.

Your Poll of Polls

In case you're not following the feed from sfawardswatch, you won't have seen that the Poll of Polls is now open. This lists those works that have won the major awards this year like the Hugo, Nebula, Locus, etc. and asks you to pick which one you think best -- unless you think none of them were any good, in which "No Award" is still an option.

Nobody Cares About Worldcon

One of the program items here this afternoon at ConStruction was "What Is This Thing Called Worldcon?" on which I was scheduled along with the other two SFSFC Worldcon chairs (Tom Whitmore and David W. Clark). However, when 4 PM rolled around, the only people in the room with us were people who already what I would call "usual suspects." Most of the attendees were clearly more interested in "Talent! Your Event Is As Good As your Totally Awesome Staff!" We therefore decided that holding the panel as such was pointless. Some of the attendees (and one of the panelists) went next door to the other event. The rest of us sat around plotting fannish mayhem smoffing about various topics, including convention guests of honor, fan funds, fanzines, and sundry other fannish topics.