The WorldCon of Non-Serious Fanesque LJs

By the way...

2008-05-05T16:54:52Z

The Handicapping the Hugos issue of THe Drink Tank is now out!

Thrill! to the un-sane predictions of Mr. Chris Garcia as to who will win!

Stare in Awe! at the comments from Niall Harrison that contridict Chris Garcia at every logical turn!

Gasp! at the Fan Hugo predictions!

Vomit in Terror! as Chris says that a Mainstream author should win Best Novel!

All of this is available on eFanzines.com!
Chris

CostumeCon Wanted!!!!

2008-05-05T16:25:35Z

OK, I've just started the CostumeCon issue and it's gonna be one of the prettiest issues I've ever done.

If you were there, you should have read the fine print. You are REQUIRED to submit a review of the con to me. I'll show you sometime where it's written, but until then, trust me.

CHris

have you foresaken me, great LJ Hive Mind?

2008-05-02T21:19:52Z

No one, not one of you, told me of the joy that is Pandora and the Music Genome Project.

Have I displeased you? Can I make amends (short of buying you a pony?)

It's the greatest thing ever and I was forced to stumble upon it like some shnook using Yahoo. YAHOO for Pete's sake! Y'all's a bunch of creeps for not lettin' me know.

Now, I also realise that I might be redirected to a hundred posts that I miussed where people told me of this miracle radio-station preparer, and to those of you, I apologize, though the fact that you did use BIGGER TYPE is still unforgiveable.

I've got a B52s station and a Goldfrapp one going. THe Goldfrapp one is a lot of fun.

And if any of you have Reviews or anything about CostumeCon26, send them my way. I'm planning the next issue to have a lot of LoCs, a few reviews and another FMS from Steve Green!
Chris

Chris

CostumeCOn Question

2008-04-29T21:41:55Z

Anyone know where I can find a full list of the entrants and titles of the entries for both Masqs? I've got names I need and I can't find them anywhere.

I've found Howeirds and Kevin's photos, but I'm looking for more.
Chris

CostumeCon/CorFlu

2008-04-28T15:18:18Z

Well, I did it. I got through the Masquerade and I managed to survive the rest of the con.

I had a lot of fun.

There's a DVD of the Masq and I have to watch it for three reasons. : first I need to see what the original version of my COn report was like. I had written it and to buy some time, I read it to the audience and then somehow I managed to delete it without thinking. I think it was a good piece, though. I also have to find some fo my jokes.

The Historical Masq was really good too. Mr. Hartlove did really good job MCing and I thought all the entries were really nice. Now I just have to find the year when the Randy Savage interview before WrestleMania 3 is eligible for the Historical Masq and I'll enter!

I wish I'd had a chance to look in on CorFlu goings-on, but I was too busy running around. I'm plannign on hosting the 28th CorFlu during 2011 in San Jose (SiliCorFlu? CorFlu: 28 Days Later? CorFlusion? CorFlume?) and that shoudl be fun. It's funny as there were 4 former WorldCon chairs at CostumeCon and I'm betting there were 5 or 6 at CorFlu.

Good weekend, I imagine!
CHris

CostumeCon/CorFlu

2008-04-25T14:25:43Z

Hey y'all. I'm exhausted, or as Evelyn would say when she was younger, zausted. I went to CostumeCon to help with set-up after watching said youngling and helped unload the truck after missing the loading of the truck due to a 12 car pile-up of which I was nearly car 13. After that, I couldn't sleep because of the pillow situation and that meant that I'm very tired having left the hotel to go to work at 6:30 or so.

zausted.

The con is going good and I'm exceptionally pleased with how smoothly it's been going so far. We moved stuff in, badges for pre-reg went very smoothly from what I saw and I got talking with some very nice folks.

Of course, I'm slowly starting to panic about MCing the Fantasy and Science Fiction Masquerade, but it'll be fine...sure, it'll be fine!

Missing CorFlu sucks though. Wish I could be there, but it was not meant to be. I'm happy that I'll get some time on the internet to visit, whcih will make it easier to not be there. I'm also planning on watching LJ as much as possible.

Also, I think I might have a Hoax idea that could turn out to be a bizarre step in the strange direction.

MidWesterEasterFluWorldCon- The Netting of All Known Fandom!

Chris

A Strange THought

2008-04-18T20:41:54Z

OK, I've been thinking of late about all the various things going on in my life and I'm slowly realising that I've got it more than a little good. While I can't think of a period in my life where I've been as busy or as tired, I can also not think of a period where I've been as happy. I mean, I've got good people around, wonderful people around in fact, and I'm happily living a life where even when problems pop up, they get fixed without too much stress. I can't believe that it's come to this: I'm in a good place.

I could think of things that I would like to have, but I also think of the attached price, both monetary and otherwise, and none of them would really make me any happier. More money at the job= more responsiblity, less ability to take random time off, more expected output. No thanks. Not worth it. A nicer car? Well, that'd be nice, would cost far more than I could certainly provide right now, and it wouldn't really make the act of driving any more pleasureable considering the kind of driving I do. Cost benefit doesn't make it look worthwhile.

I guess I could want to sleep less and be more rested, but I believe that requires Super-Soldier syrum.

And so, this may be as good as it gets, and if that's the case, I'm perfectly happy with it!
Chris

The Hugos

2008-04-16T20:53:44Z

The Hugo nominations are out and I’m working on the Handicapping the Hugos issue of The Drink Tank. If you’ve got serious thoughts about what will or should win in any category, lemme know and I’ll incorporate them in!

Garcia@computerhistory.org with all your ideas
THanks
CHris

Mail Problems

2008-04-16T17:22:43Z

OK, so it looks like my work mail server thingee has mussed up and no eMail sent to me after 5:36 yesterday has gotten through. If you're one of the millions who has things to say to me, use this entry to send them my way. I can still send mail out, it would seem, but not receive.

Now if you're excuse me, I have an IT group to strangle
Chris
By the way, CC26 CHair: I've got an Advice for MCs thing to give to folks

It's Here!

2008-04-09T19:38:36Z

The Babbage Engine is on the ground at teh museum. If you come by in the next half-hour or so, you can see it being loaded in!

I'm now in charge of getting costumed folks for the event in May, so if you're interested, lemme know.

I love working here!
CHris

She is Finished!!!

2008-04-09T15:58:49Z

I have now laid to rest the TAFF Report, exactly one week after I returned from the UK. It'll be up soon and available for reading to those who donate to TAFF.

Contact me at garcia@computerhistory.org to find out how!

Chris
who has to get cracking on the Handicapping the Hugos issue!

Well...

2008-04-03T16:15:02Z

I'm 1/2 of the way through laying out my TAFF Report. It's probably only going to be 75 or so pages, but it's hard to tell. I've got to get a few more photos from Eastercon.

WOrking on the next Drink Tank too. I'm planning on getting that out Saturday. I've got a couple of other layout things to do and then I'll be finished.

CHris

In the City...the city of Cardiff!

2008-03-30T19:43:07Z

I had a damn fine hour plus in Cardiff. Yes, totally worth the 3 hours there and back. Ate a lot and now am preparing for sleep adn then flying and watching movies.

TAFF report passed the 48k mark today. I am stopping at 50k, even if it's in the middle of a sentance. It doesn't need to be any longer than that.

Best part: The River Taff. I did not go for a swim, though I did think about it.

And for the last time from England, I bid you Goodnight!
Chris
WHo would be addicted to I'd DO ANything if it were on in America.

Multi-TAFF

2008-03-29T20:04:28Z

By the way, I'm looking for Eastercon and Norwescon reports for the next couple of issues of The Drink Tank. Think you got something (*coughLizBattyMaxJohnCoxonLillianEdwardscough*) you should send it my way. Long is good. Short is good. Anything is wonderful!

Almost done with the trip and strange things have happened. Had to change my flight home...only to have that flight beone of the ones that got cancelled and now am insomethingof a limbo. Still have the flight on Monday for sure, but they still need me home sooner and that flight might get me out earlier. No word on finalization, but I might have to go through LA or New York. We'll see.

Tried to see Roller Derby. Cosmos had fun dicking with me. Read about it in the next Drink Tank, which I will write on the plane.

TAFF Report is almost done. I will need lots of art. If you're an artist, or woul dlike tobe, send me an eMail at garcia@computerhistory.org and I'll tell you what I'm looking for.

By the way, the report has a name: Rockets Across the Waters. John Jarrold gave that to me.

Much tiredness, and if I don't have anythign confirmed by midnight, I'm going to just go on the Monday flight like I'd planned and take the 3 hour trip out to Cardiff just to say that I did before coming back.

And it's Daylight Savings Time starting tonight. I'll have been through that change twice in a month!

But still, I have had such a blast out here that I don't want to be going home. I miss folks, but I'm gonna miss a lot of people out this way too!
Chris

And now you know...

2008-03-21T08:26:12Z

So, I did get myself one of those Hugo nominations. OK, two of them. I was very happy to see the list as some of my favourite people got them (Steven Silver's Argentus was up for the first time, there's Phil Foglio on the ProArtist and Cheryl Morgan returns to the Best Fan Writer list) and there were a few things that I wanted to see on the ballot (Banana Wings, John Hertz, Claire Brialey, Jay Lake for various things) and otherwise, it's fine. I'll be getting on reading all the nominees and doing the second Handicapping the Hugos issue. This time. I think I've got a very good read on who's gonna win almost all the lesser categories, but I still need to read the Pro awards nominees.

So, I wanna say thanks to everyone for all their help over the last year. The Drink Tank may be what would fall out if you cracked my head open, but it's snothingwithoutthe good folks who I harrass into giving mematerial. So Frank Wu, Steve Green, James Bacon, Claire Brialey, Brianna, M, Jay, SaBean, Mark Plummer, Niall Harrison, Ed Green, Linda and the Kittehs, Andy Trembley, Kevin (Tall and Evil), Taral (Congrats on Fan Artist, by the way), Steven Silver (Congrats on both nods!), Cheryl, David Mangcha Moyce, Jean Martin, Jason Schachat, Espana, that crazy Jay Lake character, John Hertz, Brad Foster, Spring Schoenhuth, Dave Gallaher, Leigh Ann Hildebrand, Derek McCaw, Lloyd Penney, John Purcell, Mo Starkey, Dave Langford, Trey and Barbara, Mike McLaughlin, Miko, Howeird, Daniel and Kelley, Eric Mayer, Neat Pete Sullivan and all the rest, I say thanks! I hereby declare that when I come in 5th out of the 5 nominees, it will not be your fault!
Chris

Oh yeah...

2008-03-19T18:59:12Z

I'm 20K words into my TAFF report. Any zine that wants a piece or two from it, lemme know and I can send it. I warn you, it needs some proofing...even more than the average Drink Tank!
Chris

London

2008-03-19T18:55:57Z

London's not so much a city as it is a collection of spaces connected by Tubes. In that way, it's like the Internet. I pretty much only know the slices around Tube Stations and the museums (and a little bit of Walthamstow and Croydon, thanks to Alison & Steve and Mark + Claire for taking me in!). Saw the Science Museum (Doron Swade, who I work with was there, just by chance, with the Babbage Engine that's coming to us soon!) and the Natural History (worth a trip and a half) and the V&A (Linda will flip out at one of the new rooms) and the Brit (I saw stuff) and the Cartoon Museum gave me a guided tour of all their stuff and I was so very happy to see it. it really is wonderful and any comics fan should makea stop by if they're going to the British Museum.

Oh yeah, got hit on by a waifish Amy Winehouse wannabe (she was freaky, but I managed to avoid her by transfering a stop earier than I planned), ran into friends, managed to win a bet, saw James Bacon nearly eaten by a couch as he was watching Ireland get beat by England in Rugby, and I've managed to get myself good food at every turn. Can't wait for the con.
Chris

Freakin' Out!!!

2008-03-12T16:56:39Z

OK, I'm just over 48 hours before I fly-fly bye-bye and I'm slowly going mad in the fastest way possible. I've mostly packed (I gotta figure out how to fit 14 days worth of living into one suitcase!) and I've got most of my paperwork printed out.

But...

I still need to get some contact info from folks I'll be visiting. If you've agree to put up with me for a night or two during the trip, or if you've offered to show me around, send me an eMail with contact info (garcia@computerhistory.org) so that I will be flipping out a little less.

I've also discovered that y'all out on that side of the Pond are already looking out for me and I am so very grateful. I must remember to provide extra entertainment. I hereby declare that I will provide one free pratfall on request for all those who request it.

Chris

Strange Things...

2008-03-04T15:47:02Z

I am thinking of buying the Call of Cthulhu on DVD. One of the selling points is all the different languages they have subtitles in. There's Danish, French, Spanish, Russian, Greek, and about 12 others, including Welsh! I once did a film where we had Republic Basic as one of the subtitle options, but that was long ago...
CHris

The TIme, she is short...

2008-03-03T17:29:14Z

Basically, I get shang-haied starting on the 7th and it doesn't end until I'm back from England on the 31st. I'm excited, terrified and utterly unprepared. Luckily, good folks have stepped up and made things much much easier.

I still gotta buy pounds. Not sure where to do that around here without paying Airport Exchanger fees. Gotta works on dat one.

As a reminder, I'm in and around London from the 15th through the 19th, and then there's a whole lot of Eastercon goin' on. Looking forward to the Dr. Who exhibit which a bunch of us will be doing on the 20th!

Wedding on Friday was awesome. Ken and Jerry put so much hard work into it and it turned out amazing. THe food was top notch, the facility was awesome and everythign went well. Linda made a Beer bouquet, which she later caught. The most fun wedding I've ever been to, though that total number is only 5 as of today.

I did Cinequest this weekend. I enjoyed the Aeriel with Linda and my buddy Neil. Very trippy and experimental. It went along very nicely with The Saddest Music in the World, which I've been watching lately. Linda and I had dinner at Askew. The food is really good there. I hope they have the Butternut Squash soup sometime when I'm down there. That stuff is plain good.

Yesterday I saw The Eternal City, which was kinda like Fellini's There's Something About Mary. I liked it, some really good acting and a great White Suit. I mean really, it was an awesome suit.

Since they were short an announcer, I announced for Disfigured, a very black black comedy-drama that was heavy at the same time as being entertaining. I loved the acting, very strong indeed. The director seemed to really like the announcing I did, which is always nice to hear. I thought is was a good movie, but there were moments that were just wrenchingly difficult to experience.

I had been asked to announce Sherman's Way and I did. Since it was at the Rep, I couldn't watch all of the film, but it had James La Gros in it and the amount I got to watch was very entertaining. Those filmmakers, who had requested me, also said they enjoyed the announcing and the Q+A was very entertaining, but it was all them and all I did was stand there waiting to put the mics back!

In-between movies, I got a phone call requesting that I announce someone else's movie. I was shocked as I've never gotten calls about doing the theatre announing before. Sadly, it's while I'm watching Evelyn tonight, so I can't do it.

After that was the Tenacious D film. It was a very good concert tour film. I was very impressed with the rawness of it and Kyle Gass was there! He was really funny and I talked to him for a minute or two. Afterwards there was a party and I went and chatted for a while before I headed out to the home and the sleep I so needed.

Good weenkend.

Good day

2008-02-29T18:59:03Z

Yesterday, after I picked up Evelyn at Karate, I made her a casarole for dinner. It was a breakfast casarole, lots of eggs and goodness, and she loved it. I don't think I've ever made one before.

Right before bed, I let her watch a part of The Karate Kid. What a great film. I'm serious, there are few movies that were as ambitious as Karate Kid. A coming of age film with elements of romantic comedy, action and family drama that also happens to be a sports movie. Pat Morita was excellent and Elizabeth Shue was hot as all get out. It's an impressively complicated film that I never realized ran for 127 minutes. I certainly didn't feel it.

I also found out today that a starting teacher in all but 6 school districts in California make more than 10% more than I do. Weird, huh?
Chris

It is decided!

2008-02-27T17:48:59Z

So, I've decided what the theme issue will be before WorldCon this year. The answer is...The Games Issue!

That's right, an issue entirely devoted to Games and Gaming and such. So, if you've got anything about games or gaming, art, stories, long drunken ramblings, grapefruits that somehow relate, drop me a line and we'll make it happen. I've got a bunch of stuff on the history of video games and a couple of board game stories.

So, I'm setting the deadline of July 1st for articles, but the sooner the better.
Indeed.
Chris

More Plans...

2008-02-19T17:30:25Z

So, I've jut arranged for a tour of the Cartoon Museum in London the the 19th of March at Noon. I'm quite excited because I love the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco and the website lists some great stuff for the London museum. It also looks like I'll be getting some behine the scenes action. Quite psyched for it!

In other plans, it looks like the Babbage crank turning portion of my trip will be St. Patrick's Day morning. Anyone wants to come along and maybe get to play with the beast, lemme know. The Science Museum is a place that I probably won't spend too much time at other than playing with their computing section. I've also penciled in trips to the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Natural History Museum for the 18th and maybe the British Museum for the 19th since it's right around the corner from the Cartoon Museum.

So much fun I shall have!
Chris

Quote of the Day

2008-02-16T23:52:00Z

I was in Santa Cruz, grabbging a bite, and overheard one of those quotes that just made me wish I had said it about someone instead of being the one to overhear it and record it forever.

"You know, you're the only person I know who sees the Fall of the Third Reich as a cautionary tale."

Strange things happen in Santa Cruz...
Chris

I missed more

2008-02-15T22:06:53Z

Once again, another shooting at another University. This one seems even more stranger than the others. Someone returning to a former University and shooting it up isn't normal, but what shooter in these situations acts 'normal'

Something struck me from the reports, though. They said that this was the sixth school shooting in the last 30 days. I'm stunned by that number. I can say I heard about one about two weeks ago (I think it was in Georgia) but other than that, I can't say I remember any. I keep up on the news and I can't believe we've gotten to the point where these things aren't even big enough deals to warrant coverage at all.
Chris