These Things Three

[mmerriam]

I have been invited to be the guest speaker at a teleconference for a group of blind fiction writers and poets. One of the members read the piece I have up at Breath and Shadow and sent me an email, asking if I'd like to take part in a discussion session with their moderator, followed by Q&A with their members. The moderator said it follows a format similar to the one on Inside the Actors Studio. Of course I agreed! I am both honored and boggled.

I've settled on the conventions I'll be attending this year. I'll at Con of the North (gaming con), Minicon, 4th Street Fantasy Convention, CONvergence, and Diversicon.

Since all these conventions are local, careswen and I will only be staying at the hotel for Con of the North (because we need someplace to change into costumes for the nightly LARPs) and CONvergence, (because I always end up on too many programming items and because the con is super-frantic, making it important to have someplace quiet to retreat to). We'll be driving back and forth to Minicon and 4th Street (both of which are close to our home) and I suspect I'll only be at Diversicon on Saturday.

Finally, I'm thinking of taking an internet sabbatical in February. I would only be checking email twice a day, and staying off the internet and all the networking sights I frequent for one month. Unless, you know, I sold a book and needed to make an announcement.

I take sabbaticals from the news from time-to-time where I won't watch news, listen to news, or read news, because honestly, it depresses me. I've feeling that way about the internet in general and blogs in particular for the last couple of months. There just seems to be an awful lot of doom and gloom and bitching and fighting and anger out there right now, and while I know it's always been there (because I've been on the net for a long damned time) I find myself just--out of energy for trolling, internet slapfights, flame-wars, and even heated-if-polite discussions. This has begun to affect both my mood and my writing negatively, and it needs to stop. I'm thinking I need to step away for a while, hit the reset button, and get myself pointed back in the right direction again.

Comments

[haddayr.livejournal.com]

Goddamnit, why not WisCon?

Oh. I mean: how cool about the guest speaker thing!

I really should go to Diversicon, though, so at least I'll see you there.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

I'm not doing any travel conventions this year, it's just too much money, and with careswen back in grad school, we might not have the time to travel. I'm actually waffling on going to 4th Street as I write this, but we will be at Diversicon for sure.

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on the honor of being invited to speak at the conference!

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[tiny-wings.livejournal.com]

That's so awesome about guest speaking at a conference! You'll have to tell us about that!

I think you are suffering from mercury retrograde :-(

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

I'll make a post after it's over and let everyone know how it went.

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean about the news; I avoid it for the same reason.

I hope that your haitus will give you the peace and boost that you need. You'll be missed if you do decide to go quiet.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

I think I just need some peace and quiet for awhile. Lately the internet has been too much noise and not enough signal.

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

Lately the internet has been too much noise and not enough signal.

Having been absent myself, I hadn't really noticed, but when it gets that way, oh heck yes, it can be exhausting and aggravating.

[careswen.livejournal.com]

Something useful about the hiatus might be that it will help you decide how much of this stuff you really need in your life. You can eliminate the things that have little-to-no value, but still keep the useful stuff, and return to it after your break with renewed enthusiasm. A problem with the internet has always been the signal-to-noise ratio, so we have to work harder at filtering out the noise. But (if I may add another metaphor) don't throw the baby out with the bathwater -- how will you keep up with your close friends without LJ?

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

I think getting away form all the noise is a what I need the most. There is real signal I need to get away from as well, because it has begun to affect what I'm doing as a writer in a negative way (basically making me second-guess and freeze-up). As for keeping up with my friends, I may designate X hours a day, one day a week, to read the journals of my nearest-and-dearest.

[dmbaird.livejournal.com]

Kudos on the speaking engagement - having seen you in action , I am NOT mystified that they invited you.

I understand the static-to-noise ratio issue. There are so many hours in the day & we must choose how best to spend them.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

The funny thing is, at conventions, doing speaking/reading gigs, and presentations, that is Michael performing, and I'm always way uncomfortable on the inside, not matter what I'm projecting outward. At parties and such, I tend to be quiet and sit along the wall, hoping not to draw attention to myself. I think you saw a little of that when we went to lunch at Fat Lorenzo's during 4th Street, though.

[dmbaird.livejournal.com]

I can relate. Most social gatherings are performances for me. I have the pathological need to be entertaining whenever I'm around others (hence, Renfest). I don't find it uncomfortable as much as exhausting, and I need to recharge with quiet, alone time.

[joelarnold.livejournal.com]

Congrats on the speaking engagement!

As far as a sabbatical from the news/internet, I think everyone should do that every once in a while! It's good for the soul.

[queenofillusion.livejournal.com]

When and where is Diversicon? I'm looking for a (cheaper) alternative to attending 4th Street...unless, 70 bucks suddenly drops in my lap.

(looks upwards expectantly)

V

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

http://www.diversicon.org/

It's the end of July / first of august, is in St. Paul in the Midway / Bandana Square area, and is $25 person person until the Ides of March.

[matastas.livejournal.com]

Can you register on-site for Con of the North? ANd what're y'all playing in? Now that I look at the site, it looks like it might be fun.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

On site Registration Costs:
Entire Weekend $37
Friday/Saturday or Saturday/Sunday $32
Saturday Only $27
Friday or Sunday Only $22


Kev

Friday 14-18
1st Agricola
2nd If these walls could talk
3rd Attack of the Skymaster

Friday 18-20
Mississippi Queen

Friday 20-02
1st Underwhere
2nd Imperial
3rd: (20-22) Kremlin, (22-02) Agricola

Saturday 10-12
Micro Mutants

Saturday 12-14
Gladiator Wars

Saturday 14-18
1st Mall of the Dead
2nd The Venture Brothers

Saturday 18-02
1st Island of Baron Wulfenbach
2nd (18-20) Ingenious, (22-02) Big Score II
3rd (18-20) Settlers of Catan

Sunday 10-12
1st Union Pacific
2nd Firefly Munchkin

Sunday 12-16
Red November

======================

MICHAEL

Friday 12 – 14 (Noon – 2pm)

Ticket to Ride
Alternative Choice: Citadels and other games

Friday 14 – 16 (2pm – 4pm)
Games of the Middle Ages: Dice Games
Alternative Choice: Nuclear War!

Friday 18 – 20 (6pm – 8pm)
Survive!

Friday 20 – 02 (10pm – 2am)
Underwhere

Saturday 10 – 14 (10am – 2pm)
So, you’ve all met in a tavern…
Alternative Choice: Card Games, Short & Sweet

Saturday 14 – 18 (2pm – 6 pm)
Mall of the Dead
Alternative Choice: Last Train from Paris

Saturday 18 – 02 (6pm – 2am)
The Island of Baron Wulfenbach
Alternative Choice: Ruins of Undermountain (Saturday 20 – 02)

Sunday 10 – 12 (10am – Noon)
Games of the Middle Ages - Card Games
Alternative Choice: Nuclear War!

Sunday 12 – 14 (Noon – 2pm)
Red November

======================

Sherry

For each time block (or overlapping group of time blocks), I have listed a first choice and alternates, numbered in order of preference.

For lines that have have "___ AND ___", if only one of them is available, I'll take it.

FRI 14~22

1. 14-20: The Ruins of Undermountain AND 20-02: Underwhere
2. 18-22: Combat Diplomacy
3. 18-22: Through the Portal
4. 18-22: The Giant's Saddle or Along the Bridle Path
5. 18-22: Arkham Horror
6. 18-22: World of Warcraft Adventure Game
7. 20-02: Arkham Horror: Black Goat of the Woods
8. 20-02: Expedition to Undermountain
9. 20-02: Keep on the Borderlands
10. 14-20: Clay Olympics

SAT 10~14
1. 12-14: Munchkin Booty
2. 10-14: Al-Qadim: The Fountain of Small Sorrows
3. 10-14: The Great Dungeon Challenge
4. 12-14: Little Green Army Men vs. Plastic Dinosaurs
5. 10-14: So, you've all met in a tavern

SAT 14-18:
1. 14-18: Mall of the Dead
2. 14-18: Last Train from Paris
3. 14-18: Dragon Repellent

SAT 18~02:
1. 18-20: The Island of Baron Wulfenbach
2. 20-02: The Ruins of Undermountain (skip this if I get an Undermountain event another day)

SAT 14~02 alternate alternates: (USE THIS LIST ONLY IF NO TICKETS ARE GIVEN ME FOR THE TWO LISTS ABOVE THAT OVERLAP WITH THIS IN TIME)

1. 14-20: Random House
2. 14-16: Little Green Army Men vs. Plastic Dinosaurs AND 18-22: Rumors, Plunder, and Treachery
3. 14-18: Rumors, Plunder, and Treachery
4. 20-02: Al-Qadim: The Fountain of Small Sorrows (skip this if I have Al-Qadim event another day)
5. 14-18: Avatar: After Sozin's Comet

SUN 10~18
1. 10-16: The Ruins of Undermountain (skip this if I already have a ticket for another Undermountain event)
2. 10-12: Munchkin-Firefly Munchkin AND 12-14: Red November AND 14-18 Runebound "Rise of the Dragonlords"
3. 10-14: Serenity: All in Good Time AND 14-18 Runebound "Rise of the Dragonlords"
3. 14-18: World of Warcraft Adventure Game (skip this if I already have a ticket for another World of Warcraft event)
4. 10-16: Arkham Horror: Kingsport Horror (skip this if I already have a ticket for another Arkham Horror event)
5. 10-16: Descent Tomb of Ice
6. 10-14: War of the Ring AND 14-18 Runebound "Rise of the Dragonlords"
7. 10-14: Play Ball: The Minor Leagues AND 14-18 Runebound "Rise of the Dragonlords"
8. 14-18: Play Ball: The Call-Up
9. 10-16: Clay Olympics (skip if I already have a ticket for this event on Friday)