Everyone Expects the Fannish Inquisition

The external AC power supply for my camera being one of the things in the Missing Box, I had to make due with batteries. Thanks to Cheryl for picking up a 12-pack and to everyone else who offered to do so as well. I ended up using only four batteries, but would have needed another two had we gone much longer. (Chairman Karen Meschke graciously held proceedings up for a minute when I had to change batteries.) And thank goodness that Lisa's tripod did arrive, and it worked well. I did give Lisa's regards and have told people this weekend that she and travelswithkuma wish they had been able to make the trip.

I ended up acting as de facto timekeeper for the requested ten-minute limit on presentations and questions per group/year because I had the time-elapsed display in the camera. I recorded all of the Worldcon, NASFiC, and bid presentations, followed by the presentation by San Jose to host the 2010 SMOFCon. SFSFC's bid was the only one left standing, and thus we'll host SMOFCon 28 in downtown San Jose the first weekend of December of next year. Buy your memberships early -- the web site is up and we're selling memberships (currently $50) now.

I have all of the presentation video, but because my primary computer is offline at least until I get back to Oregon next weekend, I have no convenient way to manipulate the files, so I won't be able to upload the videos until then. Ben Yalow used a memory-card reader to get copies of the raw files off the camera's card, and I'll offer the file to anyone here at SMOFCon who also wants them, but getting the files edited, titles added, etc. will have to wait.

Poker? I Hardly Know 'er!

The SMOFCon Probability & Statistics Seminar on Saturday night went very well. Because we finished the Fannish Inquisition more or less on time, we had time to get over to the "Birds of a Feather" space (a large alcove off the atrium which had been pipe-and-draped off with round tables in it) and set up the tournament.

( Card game natter )

Everyone seeme to have had a good time, and I got lots of thanks from everyone. I in turn thanked everyone for playing because I had a good time (even though I didn't win) because everyone worked together to make the event happen, cooperated, and in many cases people got to know each other better over the cards who might not have actually taken the opportunity to talk with each other. It's sort of a social mixer with a cash prize.

Wrap It Up

Tonight I joined a nice group for a relaxing (i.e. we didn't have to hurry back for a program item) dinner at Chez Nous French restaurant, where I ordered one of the locally-sourced items: rabbit confit, which I found very nice. Having had a good blood sugar reading earlier today, I felt I could also hazard the creme brulee dessert before waddling back to the hotel. There I spent the evening smoffing on various subjects (Hugo Awards, Worldcon politics, plans for SMOFCon next year) and other things while taking it relatively easy hanging out in the atrium.

It was a very good convention, and I had a good time and feel a lot was accomplished. Because of the computer problems, I just haven't had enough time to write about it all. I refer you to other people's con reports for details. I hope we do as well next year in San Jose.

Now I have to get to bed facing a 6:30 wake-up call to give me time to get dressed and fed, then to walk down to the post office to mail the poster tube to Oregon and get back to the hotel and get a taxi to the airport and stage two of the trip. After all, Monday is a work day for me, albeit one where I'm traveling on the company's expense. Speaking of which, I called Alaska Airlines and cancelled my return ticket. As I expected, the value of the ticket was less than the change fee, and thus it's a write-off.

Sleep, must get sleep.