Kevin Standlee: Fandom Is My Way of Life

I realized that I still have one Worldcon video left to upload. I'd forgotten about it because while it's on my camera, I was in front of the camera, not behind it: the Girl Genius Radio Theatre performance. I don't have time to work on it now because I must do Day Jobbe stuff today to make up for last Tuesday, but I will get around to editing it together. It's going to be extra work because I plan to release it in six parts, since we did two three-part radio plays.

I'm feeling much better, although I'm still coughing a lot and probably will be for a couple of weeks, but at least I've had the energy and time to edit up more Worldcon video, including the Opening Ceremonies and Closing Ceremonies. Follow the links to ConReporter.com for the videos.

Even the very simple editing (adding titles) is time consuming, because it takes MovieMaker at least as long to convert the videos to their final form (generally down-converting them in size from their originals so that there's some chance that you can actually view them on most internet connections) as their actual playing times. And it uses every bit of the computer's processor to do it, so I basically set up a conversion job and go away for an hour or so, then come back, start the upload to Vimeo, then go away again for another hour while the files upload.

It doesn't help me when I discover typographical errors after I post the video, like I did with the Worldcon Chairs Photo, because then I have to fix the source, regenerate the video, re-upload it, wait for Vimeo to clear it, then delete the first upload. Fortunately, it appears that nobody noticed the typo'd copy during the hour or so it was up there before I replaced it.

Last night (and this morning), I finally got the videos of the Australian Awards Ceremony and the Hugo Awards Ceremony that I shot during Aussiecon 4 processed and uploaded to Vimeo. These files take a long time to process and almost as long to upload, even with a good internet connection.

Still to process: Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Robin Johnson's GOH speech, and the Former Worldcon Chairs line-up. I'll probably do the last of these first, because it's short.

To me, Aussiecon 4 was an enjoyable symphony with some sour notes in the final few bars. I'm trying not to let those closing problems color my entire experience, but in light of how hard I worked on these things, I'm not feeling particularly good.

Those of you who follow me know that I made a big issue over the election to the Mark Protection Committee being a policy referendum on my own performance and leadership abilities. The attendees of the Business Meeting itself responded by returning me to office, apparently (I haven't seen the details) overwhelmingly.

The MPC itself, however, chose to ignore any signal this may have sent. The MPC has 14 members, and thus a quorum of eight. The MPC finally managed a quorum on Monday morning, just barely. I put forward my name for the Chairmanship, but the members voted 5-3 to give it to Ben Yalow.

The MPC then voted to adopt a policy (I certainly don't agree with it, but I'm outvoted) that says than anyone who accepts election/appointment to the MPC or to any of its subordinate committees (which includes the Hugo Awards Marketing Committee) must agree to decline nomination for a Hugo Award in the subsequent year.

Although the MPC continued the Hugo Awards Marketing Committee (HAMC), appointing Rene Walling as Chair, and although the MPC offered all of the incumbents re-appointment, I'm sure nobody is surprised the Cheryl was obliged to decline reappointment to the HAMC under those circumstances. This leaves me, the website assistant maintainer, responsible for doing all of the work. I don't blame Cheryl at all about this. The newly-adopted policy makes it impossible for anyone who is a potential plausible Hugo Award nominee to volunteer to help with the committee to market and promote the Hugo Awards or any other MPC subcommittee.

From my discussions with a number of the principle players in the little drama in the SMOF-filled backroom this morning, I think it pretty clear that a number of the individuals involved hadn't heard my speech on Saturday or anything else I'd said earlier. At least two of them appear to me to have been completely unaware of the issues. To that extent, I did a bad job of communicating.

Lest anyone claim I'm leaking privileged information, note that the MPC meetings are open to the membership (a couple of members attended), and that I've already sent the MPC (including the members not present at Aussiecon) a summary of actions taken in Melbourne, and I've also advised the members of the Hugo Awards Marketing Committee of the changes.

I'll have more to say about this when I've had more time to think about it, but I'm not at all happy. But right now, I need to repack my luggage and get some sleep.

An amazingly busy evening and night around the Hugo Awards. I really don't have the time or energy to write the full story. I'm pleased at how well the CoverItLive coverage of the ceremony went — over 200 people were in there — but I'm disappointed at how difficult the video live-streaming was. The problem was that we didn't really have any way that I know of to stress-test a broadcast where more than 100 people wanted to watch, as opposed to the 3 or 4 people watching our "test" broadcasts of the Business Meetings. There was no apparent problem with the signal here at the convention centre, which was consistently strong, but every time we got beyond about 40 people watching, the software started complaining and eventually the server would stop responding. I don't know if this is a function of a not-particularly-whiz-bang computer driving the video or what.

While despairing over how the live video would come and go, I could at least look forward to being able to put out the separate recording of the ceremony. Except that somewhere along the line, the Sony shut off recording. I think there must be something about that camera that inists on stopping after a while. I'm probably going to need to deliberately introduce a brief stop-and-start at least once an hour to be safe.

But I'm told I shouldn't be too hard on myself. The ceremony itself went quite smoothly, and I'm very happy with the results. Congratulations to everyone who won, especially Cheryl, who collects her third Hugo Award, this time as one of the editors of Clarkesworld. And I'm also quite happy that Phil & Kaja Foglio were here to collect their Hugo Award for Girl Genius.

At 4 PM on Saturday, the Girl Genius Radio Players took to the stage before a packed house (I'll guess around 200-300 based on the room capacity) to perform Revenge of the Weasel Queen (which I'd seen performed before) and Agatha's Big Date (which I had not). As the Narrator, I had big expository chunks of lines at the start and a wind-up at the end, but little in the middle of each episode. Fortunately, each of these was a three-part episode.

If I do say so myself, I think I did great. I know I had a wonderful time chewing up the script and delivering the narration in the style informed by Cheyenne Wright's interpretation of the material. The other players really got into it as well, and I had an utterly marvelous time doing this show, and I very much hope to get a chance to do it again.

After the show, I went back to Phil & Kaja's table in the Dealers' Room and told them that I expect that we'll want to do this at Westercon next year. Phil said that would be good and asked if I would have the time to be in the play. I said, "I'm your Guest of Honor Liaison — I'd darn well better have the time!" I then posed for a photo with Kaja and Phil.

( If I look smug and pleased, it's because I was, big time )

I spend so much time on the "business" side of conventions that some people may not even be aware that there are things I really enjoy doing aside from Business Meetings, panels about conrunning, and maybe a game show now and then. I was so pleased that their show fell during one of those blocks of time where I actually had no other calls on me.

I set up the tripod and recorded the performance. I will upload it when I get a chance, but it's unlikely to happen before I get home due to bandwidth issues (including how much time I have available to process stuff!)

My report of the Saturday Main WSFS Business Meeting is now online at ConReporter.com.

This is my report on the Preliminary Meeting that appeared in this afternoon's Aussiecon 4 newsletter.

( Here be SMOFS )

There should eventually be a low-resolution video of the PBM once Vimeo gets around to processing it.

Update, 4 Sep 0700: Vimeo had unspecified difficulty with the file, but as of this morning in Melbourne, the video is now live.

I can access the executive lounge at the Hilton, which has free wi-fi. I'm not up to spending large sums for the connection in the room. I may spring for connectivity in the convention centre a couple of times; I'm not sure. And of course it depends on whether the service even lets me do so, since the mobile phone I got yesterday won't let me use a non-Australian card to recharge it. I need to go to a shop sometime today to put some minutes on it, or otherwise I can only receive calls, not make them. If you don't have an Australian credit card, you can recharge the minutes in person at certain shops, but not online using a credit card.

I did go to dinner on the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant last night, the start/end of which is a block from the Convention Centre. I had a nice steak and a blood-sugar-raising chocolate mousse that I enjoyed a great deal along with a tour of parts of Melbourne from on board the tram that has been converted to a restaurant. Now I understand one of the reasons the meal is relatively expensive: there's a bunch of alcohol included in the price: sparkling wine, dinner wine, after-dinner drinks. Not having any appreciation for the taste of alcoholic beverages, this was lost on me. But I still enjoyed myself a lot.

Knowing how streetcars work, I was not at all surprised when we reversed direction a bunch of times. The trip is not circular, but out-and-back, and requires the streetcar to change ends several times. This was disconcerting to the group sitting next to me, who kept complaining about the car "going backwards." I was sitting at one end of the car, which is all wood and mirrors and curtains and very pretty, but a couple of times one of the tram operators opened the end door (covered in mirrors), and you could see the regular tram control stand at my end of the car.

It was a great trip on the streetcar restaurant, and if I'm here in Melbourne again sometime, I might well do it again. Maybe next time I'll even spring for the late dinner, rather than the early (shorter, less expensive) early dinner. But in this case, I was happy to be on the early seating because it meant I could get to bed relatively early -- but still 4 AM by Pacific Time. I slept well and woke up on my own at 7:30, so, fingers crossed, I'll not have too much trouble adjusting to the time down here. I don't have time for jet-lag.

What with leaving for the train station early on account of being so antsy to get started, having to walk from the Coliseum Amtrak station over to the BART station, having to wait for the station agent to re-code my ticket so it would actually work after the balk last weekend, and having to change trains at Balboa Park, it took around 2 1/2 hours to get to SFO, but that's about what I expected.

My thanks to Lisa for suggesting that I should be able to couple my two large bags together. I could indeed do that. Having nearly a maximum train-wait at Coliseum, I took a picture of what the luggage train looked like.

( Traveling heavy )

While the Airport BART station is not convenient to much of SFO, it's terribly convenient if you're flying United International, as their check-in counters are nearest the BART gates. As I approached, I got a little worried because the check-in signs were talking about flight to London and Frankfurt. I went down to the First Class line and wouldn't you know that it was the only place that was busy? It's apparently also where special groups are checked in, and there were a bunch of people there. Another agent came down and waved me to the Business Class check in counter, where there was nobody. I was way early for the flight, after all.

The agent confirmed that this was indeed where to check in for the Sydney flight, and when I pointed out what the signs over his head said, he said, "Oops, nobody changed them. I'll tell them after I check you in."

Checking my bags was routine, and there was no wait for me to enter the security area. It's a very quiet night at SFO. It took me quite a while to decompose myself for Security, what with carrying a laptop and a CPAP and also having the Magic Bag of Liquids. Worse, I couldn't seem to clear the metal detector, which must have been turned up to read-your-fillings levels. Eventually I managed to get through and put myself back together again.

By then I was starting to feel a little faded out and considered buying dinner at one of the places air-side, but decided to go ahead and go to the Lounge instead, given that it's probably the only time in my life that I'll ever be able to be here. This was the correct choice.

( It's pretty nice )

I availed myself generously of the food, including noodles, sushi, shrimp, cheese, and fruit. Along with a couple of cups of coffee (since I need to stay awake for a couple of hours after we take off as part of the anti-jet-lag program), I felt much better.

I fiddled around with the wi-fi for a while, got my e-mail, and somehow managed to get the photos uploaded, slowly. Don't expect me to send lots of photos if my connectivity is like this the rest of the trip.

They're shutting down the food bar because my flight boards in maybe 20 minutes, so it's last orders here. Next stop: Sydney (briefly), then Melbourne. Thanks for the good wishes people have sent me.