Wiscon Thursday

I arrived at Madison around 4 p.m. after (a) staying up all night (b) sleeping on the plane - both legs of the journey, even though the last was only 37 minutes long. While waiting for the shuttle, I bird-watched (inadequately, without binocs). The airport was *full* of birds. It seemed strange; it had nothing but a few bushes planted between the road and the parking structure. I couldn't be sure what they were - chickadees and/or sparrows, I think, hawking for flying insects; and swallows or swifts that may actually be nesting in the parking garage. Later, I realized that a fairly dense stand of trees stood on the other side, and maybe that's where the birds were coming in from.

It was nearly two hours before I got to my room; the shuttle took a while, and then had to pick up two other people. I didn't mind. The others, one another Wisconner, and one a Convance executive, were interesting company.

By the time I got in, I was rearing to go. I contacted julieandrews and she said the reception at A Room of One's Own bookstore had started. I joined her there (starving, since I'd only had a bag of trail mix all day), grabbed some snacks, and then went to the back for the GOH readings: Mary Anne Mohanraj and Nnedi Okaforor. The room was packed; Julie and I followed the example of some others and sat on the floor.

Unfortunately, Nnedi was caught in traffic and didn't make it in, but Mary Anne read a wonderful story from her book, Bodies in Motion. It was a simple description of an old woman cooking, but it conflated the sensuality of the cooking with the sensuousness of memories of the woman's lesbian relationships, and the sense of the passage of time.

(Mary Anne gave a blanket clearance to take photos, and I hope no one else in this picture minds, since it's all of their backs! The lighting onstage wasn't very good, unfortunately.)

Went back with Julie, registered, and then was asked by two other Wisconners if we wanted dinner. Absolutely! We all went to the Spanish tapas bar on State Street. Kim and Karen, our new friends, were fun and interesting; and redcrowkater joined us.

Great beginning to Wiscon for me, especially because I got a chance to catch up with Kater afterward.

Wiscon Friday

It's the end of the day, and I'm procrastinating. I *should* be preparing for my reading tomorrow - the one I talked about earlier with Kater, Catherine and Caroline. Instead, I'm posting this.

My morning began latish, with redcrowkater  messaging me to ask if wanted to join her and julieandrews at a noodle shop for lunch. I did, and it was delicious. Then we each wandered off in a different direction. I put up some flyers for the forthcoming anthology from Panverse Publishing, Eight Against Reality; it will have one of my stories. Catherine Schaff-Stump put up flyers for our reading.

At the hotel I met Karen Joy Fowler and Ted Chiang waiting for the Dealer's Room to open, and was introduced to a group of their friends. I also met Richard Bowes, who was amused to find someone else with the same surname. It derives, apparently, not from the weapon but from cattle, with the same root as bovine... this led to a discussion of cattle and oxen, and how cows got no respect. I suggested that in the Hindu mythos, the situation was a little bit different.

Then it was on to the Gathering, which had a delightful lock-picking table, and tarot cards (with a long waiting line), sinful macaroons drizzled with chocolate, and of course the books table where I determinedly limited myself to three books. (This year, I only brought one book with me, so I did not feel as guilty as last year. But they still weigh an awful lot!)

Over at the dealer's room, I acquired some pretty silver jewelry. I went by laurieopal's table a few times, just gawking at the gorgeousness, but restrained myself this time. (I bought an eagle from her at World Fantasy.) I am grateful she does not do internet sales... some of her work would be irresistible sold online where decision-making is overly easy.

Somehow, I got invited to the Carl Brandon Society dinner. (Thanks, Tempest.) It was a delightful evening, and I met some interesting new people. Talked to some of them about the wondrousness of Clarion...  The only thing was that somehow this elegant restaurant managed to forget the dinner order of the guest next to me, and served it only when everyone else had nearly finished. I kept her company, which was lovely because she was really fun to talk to.

The opening ceremony was fun, and then there were parties. I spent the most time at the Fog Con party. Some of my friends are starting this new Con, in March in San Francisco, and this was its launch party. They gave out the coolest little aliens made of radio valves or something, as well as cups with little red lights, and fog-emitting sangria.

Got into a brainstorming session with Karen Joy Fowler and Pat Murphy on the subject of Clarion. Came back to the parties, dropped in on the Carl Brandon party, back to Fog Con, and called it a day.

I'm pissed off with LJ. It's not letting me upload any more pictures, not sure why. Perhaps I've bumped against my storage limit, but then it should say so. Wordpress has this platform licked hollow, except for the friending thing. Grr.

ETA: Deleted an old pic, and it allowed this one. Still don't know if it was a glitch or a storage limit.