Into the Breech

We were too tired and had too many other things to do, like research for this morning's panel and some decision-making about our return trip, to go over to the Sheraton for the night-before-the-con parties. Even so, I didn't get to sleep as early as I'd wanted, and so I'm starting the convention at a sleep deficit. Normally I try to put my tourism after the convention, but the circumstances of this particular trip meant that we had to put some before or else we wouldn't have had it at all.

Thank goodness we brought things so that we can have breakfast in the room. This will save a lot of time, and time is something of which you never have enough at a Worldcon. After breakfast, I will go down and take the van over to the Convention Center, where strong people will take the mimeograph away, hopefully never to darken the doors of my minivan again.

One Mimeograph Delivered

I drove to the loading dock that I'd seen while driving to the hotel yesterday, only to find that it was the wrong dock and that I had to drive around to the other side of the convention center. There, I was glad I hadn't come 30 seconds later, for a rental truck came in behind me and had he been in front of me, I would probably still be waiting for a dock slot. As directed, I backed into the dock space, called the person I'd been directed to call, and explained too the dockmaster that the heavy mimeo, the box of paper, the loose ream of paper, the light box, and the typewriter all go to Exhibits, while the box labeled "Site Selection" goes to Site Selection in the Fan Tables area. They said that they'd figure it out and I drove back to the hotel.

After getting back to the room (carrying what I hope are the last bits of kit we'll need during the con and that we won't have to drive anywhere again until Monday morning), I called Glenn Glazer to report the arrival of the mimeo. To my relief, it turned out he was standing with the gear at the mimeo exhibit as I spoke to him. The Site Selection box had not been accidentally dropped with the mimeograph, so I have some hope that it actually made it to Site Selection.

In a few minutes we'll go ahead and head over to the convention center and try to get our bearings. While the exhibits material was what had me the most fretful, I still have lots of things to do today, including Lisa and my panel on "Has the Internet Destroyed Ham Radio," a panel later today on "Introduction to the Business Meeting," the Opening Ceremony in which I have a bit part, and (later tonight, in the Sheraton) the Mark Protection Committee Meeting. I also have a stint sitting at the SJ 2011 Westercon bid table. I don't envy Glenn Glazer, who is facing some staffing shortages as some people we'd hope would be available have either had to cancel attending or have medical emergencies that are going to, at the very least, distract them.

Running Around

The Amateur Radio was amazingly well attended for being 11:30 on the first day of the con -- it was program item #4. It went quite well, I thought, and Lisa seemed to enjoy herself.

We got the SJ2011 table set up and open and I did a shift. Lisa spelled me long enough for me to get a light lunch.

Hardly anyone turned up for the Introduction to the Business Meeting panel, which is typical. I suggested that sometime we try holding this panel after the Preliminary Business Meeting.

I remembered to have a food bar mid-afternoon so I wouldn't get faint before the Opening Ceremonies.

My part of the Opening Ceremonies (run across stage, wave for gophers to bring seats on stage) went smoothly, and indeed the entire OC came together quite well, "All right on the night," as the saying goes.

Now I'm off to the Mark Protection Committee meeting in the Sheraton. Sometime around the end of this meeting we should be finalizing the WSFS Business Meeting agenda, and either I or Pat McMurray -- who may be landing at Denver International as I compose this -- can hand it over to Gary Blog of Denvention, who will arrange for printing for tomorrow's Business Meeting.

Then Lisa and I must get dinner, by which time I'll really need it!