Russell Kirkpatrick's Journal
Posted At : 1:00 PM
| Posted By : Russell
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Con report
Mood: Tearily happy
Now reading: Celia Friedman
As in - I've been to Cons (short for conventions). The NZ natcon two weekends ago, and one day of the Aussie natcon last weekend (yesterday, actually).
Silly, really. I drove down to Wellington for the NZ natcon, a six hour drive each way, and flaunted myself in a shop window when I got there (see blogs below). Even sillier was yesterday's effort - up at 4am, drive to Auckland, flight to Melbourne, four hours with friends and publishers, then back to Auckland and the drive home, arriving at 2am this morning.
What made it all worthwhile? Well, the publisher was a neat guy and a lot of fun - at least, he laughed at my jokes, so he knows how to suck up, anyway. But what was really neat were my presents.
Yes! Presents! As soon as I arrived in the convention's registration room I was accosted by people I can only describe as 'friends' - that is, they take every opportunity to remind me of my physical and emotional deficiencies, my supposed predeliction for sheep, and what a poor specimen i am. Which is only proper, since I do it to them. And I started it, too. Gillian, for example, was perfectly polite to me until the day I appeared on a panel with her and maliciously agreed with everything she said.
Well, Gillian gave me what she thought was a scarf with a kiwiana print on it - a map of New Zealand surrounded by kitch kiwi images. Fabulous. It's actually a 'throw-over', Gillian, designed to be draped over food to prevent the flies getting on it. Hence the food stains. I was right, though, they were often seen in restaurants.
And the thoroughly evil and long-necked Trudi Canavan knitted me a gift. Two gifts, in fact. Apparently she's been blogging about these gifts on her knitting website. A beanie, which looks so cool on me, and a scarf. A very narrow scarf, reflecting her view that I have no neck. Oh, how we all laughed when I draped it in that indeterminate space between my shoulders and chin. I cried inside though.
Seriously, though, I felt very loved.
It was good to cram a three hour conversation into five minutes, Russ.
A map you can throw over your food. How very perfetly Russellian :).
I wish you could have stayed just a couple of hours longer, but it was wonderful to see you. I did notice the absence of your heckling during the panel Glenda and I were on, BTW.
Posted By
Gillian / Posted At 6/12/07 6:35 PM
Sorry, I got waylaid by sandwiches. Happens a lot. Had they supplied a throw-over I might not have noticed them.
As it turned out I could have stayed longer. I'd already been checked in for the return flight and waited two hours at the airport. Sigh.
Posted By russell / Posted At 6/12/07 6:41 PM
That's OK, I've note the time you didn't get to spend with us and added it to the time you will need to supplement your trip with later in the year :). And it was the lunch you came for after all.
Posted By
Gillian / Posted At 6/12/07 8:02 PM
Far too short, Russ, and I am not referring to your neck.
Glad to see you are finally reading Celia Friedman...
Yes, it was too short, Glenda. And I'm enjoying Friedman, even if I think she overwrites. Oddly, I bought the series having forgotten you'd recommended it.
Did I tell you Darren Nash described your writing as 'lyrical'?
Posted By russell / Posted At 6/13/07 9:01 AM
Glenda's writing *is* lyrical!!! Moreover, she has a neck.
I was very sorry not to catch up with you in Melbourne, Russell. I was desperate to hit with you a wet flounder. But I guess that's why God invented Conflux ...
Bring on your flounder, Karen. If you actually turn up with a wet flounder I will submit to being struck by it. Photographers will record the event. Certain blogs will make capital of it.
Posted By russell / Posted At 6/13/07 10:41 AM
First fruit, now fish ... what is this thing with hitting Russell with food?
Posted By chris / Posted At 6/13/07 11:08 AM
He's hungry. And he is enthusiastic about providing material for my blog.
Posted By
Gillian / Posted At 6/13/07 11:42 AM
yeah, what IS this thing with food? Well spotted, Chris. I'll have to think about this.
Posted By russell / Posted At 6/13/07 12:14 PM
Because many of us are women and we equate food with love? (And obviously those who are not women are well in touch with their feminine sides :-) )
Posted By Jo / Posted At 6/13/07 3:11 PM
Lyrical?
Really? You know, I wouldn't have said it was.
That's what he said. I render it faithfully, Glenda.
Posted By russell / Posted At 6/13/07 7:06 PM
Russell, you need another present: http://www.kirchersociety.org/blog/2007/05/15/whitwells-system-for-a-rational-geographical-nomenclature/
Posted By
Gillian / Posted At 6/14/07 8:57 AM
That is just weird. Notice how towns in similar locations have similar names using that system. It would make places hard to remember, that's for sure. Thanks, Gillian, I think.
Posted By russell / Posted At 6/14/07 9:56 AM
I'm so pleased to know that you think :).
Posted By
Gillian / Posted At 6/14/07 5:27 PM
Well, it has been the subject of some debate. There are those who claim I lecture by instinct, for example, and others have searched in vain for evidence of thought in my writing.
Posted By russell / Posted At 6/14/07 5:36 PM
Someone will write a doctorate on it, mark my words.
Posted By
Gillian / Posted At 6/15/07 7:25 AM
Gee, my computer has been broken for a few weeks and I finally log on here and find its all "knitting" and "food" and nice serious stuff!!!!! Whats up doc?
Posted By Linda / Posted At 6/15/07 8:11 AM
Nice to have you and your special breed of insanity back, Linda, even if it is only for a few minutes at a time. Hope you get your computer fixed soon.
Posted By russell / Posted At 6/15/07 5:01 PM
Ditto, Linda. I was wondering where you were! Don't worry, Gillian and the others have been making sure Russell doesn't get ideas above his station while you were gone :-) (not me, of course, I'm always nice ;-D)
Posted By Jo / Posted At 6/15/07 6:58 PM
How can we make sure he doesn't get ideas above his station when we don't know what his station is? I didn't even know trains ran in his strange universe.
Posted By
Gillian / Posted At 6/15/07 9:57 PM
I'm sitting here trying desperately to think of some clever word play on the word station that would link into something deeply metaphysical and quite possibly insulting to Russell, but...nothing! I could plead a head cold that is imparing my mental faculties, but seriously, I would be foolin' no-one!
Posted By Jo / Posted At 6/16/07 6:35 PM
Ypu can't think of any word plays on the word station? There's no point in railing about your inadequacies; you'll have to train harder instead. You'll need a timetable for such changes.
Posted By russell / Posted At 6/16/07 8:14 PM
Ha, ha! Did I not say I had a head cold???
Posted By Jo / Posted At 6/17/07 12:47 PM
Might I suggest that a steam treatment is very good for a head cold and will have you back on track in no time :)
Posted By Chris / Posted At 6/17/07 3:21 PM
Steam is very truly an amazing invention, not only for head colds but trains as well (see that clever link I made there?), and for the first five minutes after I come out of a hot shower I can breathe clearly...then mucus starts to grow and life becomes a misery again :-). I hate my sinuses!!
Posted By Jo / Posted At 6/17/07 4:11 PM
Waste of time trying to think of insulting Russell, Jo...he will just delete it :-)
Posted By Linda / Posted At 6/19/07 10:22 AM
Aaah, the power of the Blogmaster!! Mind you, I'd hate to think what he considers worthy of deleting, judging by what gets left behind :-).
Posted By Jo / Posted At 6/19/07 10:40 AM
I don't delete anything, actually. Can't you tell?
Sorry about the infrequent blogging lately - my tendonitis is much worse, and I'm struggling to type. I've ordered voice recognition software - will be interesting to see how it turns out. Lots of swear words, I'd imagine.
Posted By russell / Posted At 6/19/07 10:48 AM
You'll need to train your software to replace the 'naughty' words with the usual collection of symbols... (can you tell I have small children??).
Posted By Jo / Posted At 6/19/07 5:03 PM
Sorry to hear about your "pain" russell, you could dictate to Dorinda???? Anyway I have a present for you at the shop :-)
Posted By Linda / Posted At 6/20/07 6:58 AM
Ooh, I'll be there this afternoon then.
I've tried out the voice recognition software. I think I need to train it some more.
Posted By russell / Posted At 6/20/07 9:28 AM
Can you train it to jump through hoops? If you can, then I might have to invest in some, too.
Posted By
Gillian / Posted At 6/20/07 1:12 PM
Can you train it to write scintillating prose all by itself? Then I would get one too...
So Russell you have this fancy new technology....how about a new blog then??? Getting sick of risking life and limb sneaking online at work to see what pearls of wisdom you have put down for us......:-)
Posted By Linda / Posted At 6/21/07 11:30 AM
In case you dont have anything to do over the weekend Russell, with the weather looking shocking.....Reapers Gale is in store
Posted By Linda / Posted At 6/22/07 8:59 AM
Eeeeee!
I'll be in later today.
Posted By russell / Posted At 6/22/07 10:25 AM
Argh, I got waylaid. Monday, then, unless you'll be in tomorrow.
Posted By russell / Posted At 6/22/07 1:42 PM
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