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I don't think this book was as good as the first one, but it was cool because we got a lot more history about the world and the origin of the Green Riders. If she writes another one (and she will, there are plenty of loose ends left in this one), I'll read it.
Jan. 16th, 2006
I had a really good time at Arisia. I went to a lot of panels, because in my experience at other con-type things (this was my first big sci-fi con, but I'd been to writer cons and a unitarian con before) I enjoy myself more if I get involved in the various activities going on. On Friday night I went to: "Firefly: Costuming, Culture, and Personalities", "Decorating your Pod: Home Decorating for Fans", and "Poly 101: Responsible Non-Monogamy." I also had a lovely dinner with friends and got to hang out with cool people all evening before catching the T home around 11:30.
Saturday, I arrived by 9:45am (I was shocked too) and made it to several panels: "You Got Your History in my Fantasy!" (which had one really annoying mod who wouldn't stop talking and kept interrupting the other mods who were actually interesting), "Best SF You've Never Heard Of" (now I have a whole list of things to read), "Poly 201: Varsity Poly" (which did not, contrary to rumor, involve methods for dating entire varsity football teams), "Firefly and Serenity" (which had two or three awesome panelists and one who seemed 'special' and couldn't even manage to talk into her microphone). At that point it was 2pm and I was getting a bit wiped out, but there were a few more I wanted to go to. At 2:00 I really wanted to catch "Beyond Harry Potter: The Best YA Fiction" but when I got up there I realized it was probably going to be just a bunch of kids, so I felt silly (even though I read YA fiction more than pretty much anything else) and I copped out and went to "The Best Webcomics You're Not Reading" instead, which was very interesting, but mostly I was there to see Jeph Jacques, the guy who draws QC, which is the only webcomic I read with any regularity. I copped out on this panel as well, because I wanted to stay till the end and then go up and talk to Jeph, but I had come in late and then was sleepy and started dozing in the back and so I just left. And then when I saw Jeph in the hall later on that night I chickened out and didn't go talk to him. I = Teh Lame-o. There were several other panels at 2pm that I could have gone to, but I was just so burnt out on panels by then and really disappointed in myself. I wandered around, saw the art show (Kat's sheep were so cute!!), checked out the dealers room and dealers row and bought some books (gee, are we shocked?) and then I was just wishing for a quiet corner to curl up in but couldn't find one. Eventually I found Kris and we had a picnic dinner in her room with the food she had packed, and I went downstairs and claimed a spot on "our" couch to read for a while. Went to a party with Annie and some people, hung out with Kris and Darxus for a while in an attempt to stay awake and lively for the club dance event later that night but didn't succeed and so caught the T home at 11:45. Later Darxus posted that the music at the dance didn't get really good until around 2am, which would have just been too late for me anyway, so it was better I went home.
Overall, I had a really good Arisia experience. I learned a lot of things too, principally that I need to get a room next year for maximum con enjoyment. Besides just the obvious thing about not having to worry about getting home at night, I also would have been able to have a place to go hide for a bit when I got burnt out on Saturday. Also, Jorn needs to go with me next year. When we were talking about me going a few weeks ago, Jorn asserted that it was just not his scene, but Friday night when I got home we went through my program together and found a ton of panels and things that he would have really enjoyed, besides the fact that there was a whole anime room that just showed movies the entire weekend. We found out about a bunch of movies and shows we want to watch now just from looking at the program. Honestly, it's not exactly my "scene" either, at least not socially, although a lot of people I know and like were there. Mostly it was cool to go talk about books with other people who read all the stuff I read. I also really liked just sitting there watching people go by in nifty costumes. Yeah, I'll definitely go back--this was my reconnaissance Arisia, and now I know what I'll want to do for next year.
Saturday, I arrived by 9:45am (I was shocked too) and made it to several panels: "You Got Your History in my Fantasy!" (which had one really annoying mod who wouldn't stop talking and kept interrupting the other mods who were actually interesting), "Best SF You've Never Heard Of" (now I have a whole list of things to read), "Poly 201: Varsity Poly" (which did not, contrary to rumor, involve methods for dating entire varsity football teams), "Firefly and Serenity" (which had two or three awesome panelists and one who seemed 'special' and couldn't even manage to talk into her microphone). At that point it was 2pm and I was getting a bit wiped out, but there were a few more I wanted to go to. At 2:00 I really wanted to catch "Beyond Harry Potter: The Best YA Fiction" but when I got up there I realized it was probably going to be just a bunch of kids, so I felt silly (even though I read YA fiction more than pretty much anything else) and I copped out and went to "The Best Webcomics You're Not Reading" instead, which was very interesting, but mostly I was there to see Jeph Jacques, the guy who draws QC, which is the only webcomic I read with any regularity. I copped out on this panel as well, because I wanted to stay till the end and then go up and talk to Jeph, but I had come in late and then was sleepy and started dozing in the back and so I just left. And then when I saw Jeph in the hall later on that night I chickened out and didn't go talk to him. I = Teh Lame-o. There were several other panels at 2pm that I could have gone to, but I was just so burnt out on panels by then and really disappointed in myself. I wandered around, saw the art show (Kat's sheep were so cute!!), checked out the dealers room and dealers row and bought some books (gee, are we shocked?) and then I was just wishing for a quiet corner to curl up in but couldn't find one. Eventually I found Kris and we had a picnic dinner in her room with the food she had packed, and I went downstairs and claimed a spot on "our" couch to read for a while. Went to a party with Annie and some people, hung out with Kris and Darxus for a while in an attempt to stay awake and lively for the club dance event later that night but didn't succeed and so caught the T home at 11:45. Later Darxus posted that the music at the dance didn't get really good until around 2am, which would have just been too late for me anyway, so it was better I went home.
Overall, I had a really good Arisia experience. I learned a lot of things too, principally that I need to get a room next year for maximum con enjoyment. Besides just the obvious thing about not having to worry about getting home at night, I also would have been able to have a place to go hide for a bit when I got burnt out on Saturday. Also, Jorn needs to go with me next year. When we were talking about me going a few weeks ago, Jorn asserted that it was just not his scene, but Friday night when I got home we went through my program together and found a ton of panels and things that he would have really enjoyed, besides the fact that there was a whole anime room that just showed movies the entire weekend. We found out about a bunch of movies and shows we want to watch now just from looking at the program. Honestly, it's not exactly my "scene" either, at least not socially, although a lot of people I know and like were there. Mostly it was cool to go talk about books with other people who read all the stuff I read. I also really liked just sitting there watching people go by in nifty costumes. Yeah, I'll definitely go back--this was my reconnaissance Arisia, and now I know what I'll want to do for next year.
This time, Mrs. Pollifax had to rescue a double agent from sure peril in Turkey. She travelled with gypsies and flew a helicopter all by herself. I love Mrs. Pollifax.