Every time I did this, I would say something like, "When I was in college..." or "I went to college in the Hudson Valley [and then stuff about trains]..." And Kim would pipe up and say, "No, you have to tell them where you went to college, go on."
So I would say, "I went to Vassar."
And there would be this fascinating moment of recognition and laughter and squealing and squeeing, per Kim] and everybody always said, "Oh my gosh, I've never known anybody who went to Vassar!" or "I'd always heard about that place and now I've met somebody who went there!" &c.
It was very odd, but amusing.
Now I am eating a snickerdoodle leftover from the Christmas Party at the other end of the building and feeling great college nostalgia. Oh, Nilda's, nobody can ever do snickerdoodles as well as you.
(For the uninitiated, a SMOF is a Secret Master of Fandom, also known as The People Who Run the Big International Conventions)
Lots of WorldCon people were there, including reps for all the current bids. Also got together with lots of Texas conrunners.
Austin was great - beautiful, and full of delicious food. Our hotel was right on Sixth Street downtown and we walked all over on our long meal breaks. And there was plenty of socializing in the atrium, too.
I went to some great panels and a couple of moderated discussions, so it did feel like it was worth the price of admission.
The drive up to Austin was crazy but uneventful. SUVs spent ridiculous amounts of time driving dangerously close together at speeds exceeding 70 MPH in snow flurries. Gah! While I was gone the ancestral homestead got a couple of inches of actual snow - the banana tree was apparently totally blanketed in white.
On the way home, I drove into a driving rainstorm, so it was actually worse than the snow. The visibility got so low I could barely make out the traffic. Thank goodness it didn't get that bad until I was in familiar surroundings.
Getting e-mail responses from my senators always makes my blood pressure skyrocket. It's not that I don't understand that they are pretty much absolutely opposed to my views on just about everything, but I still get so peeved to get these long involved letters that pretty much tell me that I am an idiot. I may be over-sensitive here, but I wish they would just skip the overly text-heavy reply and just say that they received my message, some intern made a note somewhere of the general gist, and they are going to do what they want anyway. Better that than this ridiculous response in which they pretend to relate to me when it couldn't be more obvious that it's a canned platform response. They even say that it's because of citizens like me that they will keep blocking the very legislation I wrote in to support (or vice versa). Do they have no concept of a constituent writing in to disagree?
Also, I don't appreciate the informal greeting, nor the generic "Friend". I'm not a friend of my congresspeople, I am one of their many constituents. Call me "Constituent" if you can't automate a Title and Surname off the e-mail form. Let's be real about our relationship.
One good thing I can say is that so far I haven't gotten any letters. My old rep (Democrat, not that it seems to matter) used to send those canned, patronizing responses on expensive letterhead (sometimes two pages worth!) even after I asked the folks on the phone not to send me a response.
At least the interns who answer my phone calls have so far been unfailingly polite.
Maybe I should go have a drink and relax. I am obviously overthinking today.
Can I just say, too, while I'm ranting, SNOW?! In December? In Houston? Seriously, what is that? Oh, climate change, how we love you. The birds are going to be so flipping confused. Not to mention the trees. They all still have leaves! Anyway...
Lunchtime is over. Got stuff to do today and then I'm driving to Austin in the morning. Cons... there are some events when having a smartphone with web access would be quite useful.
I'm going to add in a small squee, because I can: Merlin Series 3 got the green light from the BBC! w00t! Why must my only currently airing fandom be something none of my RL friends likes or has heard of? I need some folks to squee with... oh, well.
Also, here, in pretty font this time:
Also, I don't appreciate the informal greeting, nor the generic "Friend". I'm not a friend of my congresspeople, I am one of their many constituents. Call me "Constituent" if you can't automate a Title and Surname off the e-mail form. Let's be real about our relationship.
One good thing I can say is that so far I haven't gotten any letters. My old rep (Democrat, not that it seems to matter) used to send those canned, patronizing responses on expensive letterhead (sometimes two pages worth!) even after I asked the folks on the phone not to send me a response.
At least the interns who answer my phone calls have so far been unfailingly polite.
Maybe I should go have a drink and relax. I am obviously overthinking today.
Can I just say, too, while I'm ranting, SNOW?! In December? In Houston? Seriously, what is that? Oh, climate change, how we love you. The birds are going to be so flipping confused. Not to mention the trees. They all still have leaves! Anyway...
Lunchtime is over. Got stuff to do today and then I'm driving to Austin in the morning. Cons... there are some events when having a smartphone with web access would be quite useful.
I'm going to add in a small squee, because I can: Merlin Series 3 got the green light from the BBC! w00t! Why must my only currently airing fandom be something none of my RL friends likes or has heard of? I need some folks to squee with... oh, well.
Also, here, in pretty font this time:
the ♥ fanart love ♥ meme
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
glockgal has started a meme for fanartists to share the love. my fanart meme entryIt's really cold here, which is weird. And I've discovered that I'm kind of unprepared, so I'd best go pick up some things before the end of the month when I go to Philadelphia.
By the way, northeast folks - I'm going to be in Philadelphia for the end of the year. I'll probably have a day or an afternoon to meet with locals if you're in the area. Give me a call or drop me a line.
Good lord, I have less than a month before I leave. Eek eek eek.
Art is proceeding well, but as usual my list of projects keeps growing ahead of my ability to finish anything.
Writing not proceeding so well, but slow is ok as long as it gets done.
Austin this weekend for SMOFCon, then next weekend is the election and then the next weekend is meeting and parties and when exactly was I hoping to get anything done again? Hmm.
Still making my way through Doctor Who, although I took some time to listen to the three episode commentaries on the Volume 1 DVD of Merlin Series 2. Interesting. I wish those DVDs could include deleted scenes, even (perhaps especially) ones played out against CGI stand-ins or greenscreen. It would be so interesting. Plus we might see some of the characters that appear to have gotten pretty short shrift in the show as aired. (Hi, Morgana!)
Right, gotta make art now.
I've been busy with work and fandom, and that's pretty much been it. Also reading - I did a lot of reading recently.
Soulless by Gail Carriger -- awesome and funny and really enjoyable.
The Magicians by Lev Grossman -- intriguing and painful and extraordinary and terribly sad.
I'm in the middle of Boneshaker by Cherie Priest, which is so far excellent.
Also on Friday Mom and Dad and I watched Neverwhere. I'd never seen it, although I sort of remember reading it, maybe. It was quite awesome, and also had a lot of really amazing guest stars.
I'm eating Mom's Thanksgiving leftovers and they're full of yumminess. But now thanks to Rose Tyler and my Doctor Who marathon, I really crave french fries. Rose and her chips. Geez.
Today I'm in the middle of Season Two of Doctor Who and have seen the latest episode of Merlin, plus Merlin: Secrets & Magic (why isn't it a half hour like DW:Confidential, I ask you?), and The Real Merlin and Arthur special, which was hilarious. I want more of the footage from the driving, because that was where they spent most of their days. Also, I have now seen 3 out of 6 members of the Merlin cast guesting on Doctor Who. And I know that Midnight is coming up later.
I'm working on lots of art for holiday exchanges, but once those are turned in (mid-December), I'll be done for now. That means I'll be able to concentrate on my own projects again, yay.
I'm in a short course at Rice Continuing Studies as well, which has two more sessions, and for that I'm working on graphite pieces based on Merlin and the Knights of the Tarot. Hopefully soon I'll be re-doing them in color as well.
OK, back to drawing.
that is the entrance to Jones Hall from the underground parking garage that spans the underbelly of the entire Theater District. Cool art, for an underground lair. :D
Brahms was excellent. Mahler was odd. It was a great night.
Perhaps this will be a catalyst to get me to be more active in spiritual life here.
5 Things You Didn't Know About Veterans (And How You Can Support Them)
Veteran's Day only happens once a year, but our nation's veterans need our support year-round. We've pulled together five facts about U.S. veterans, the great organizations that are supporting them and how you can help any time of the year.
And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda (YouTube)
The Green Fields of France (YouTube) (performed by the Dropkick Murphys; video is historic photos)
And now some concerns for the servicemembers and veterans alive today, from Democracy Now! Because a 'thank you' means more when it's backed up by decent support and care:
Study: Over 2,200 US Veterans Died in 2008 Due to Lack of Health Insurance
Sexual Assaults, Inadequate Healthcare Among Spate of Issues Facing Women Servicemembers
And my usual barrage of quotes for the day:
Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official...
~Theodore Roosevelt
The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without.
~Dwight D. Eisenhower
War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today.
~John F. Kennedy
It doesn't require any particular bravery to stand on the floor of the Senate and urge our boys in Vietnam to fight harder, and if this war mushrooms into a major conflict and a hundred thousand young Americans are killed, it won't be U.S. Senators who die. It will be American soldiers who are too young to qualify for the Senate.
~George McGovern
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There's a graveyard in northern France where all the dead boys from D-Day are buried. The white crosses reach from one horizon to the other. I remember looking it over and thinking it was a forest of graves. But the rows were like this, dizzying, diagonal, perfectly straight, so after all it wasn't a forest but an orchard of graves. Nothing to do with nature, unless you count human nature.
~Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Dreams
I think they liked it. ;)
More photos at Flickr, plus soon I'll post the "making of" photos that I've been holding on to until the surprise part was over. Yay!
I also had a fantastic time in Austin, with Tim's cousins and their friends. Lovely family-style dinner, games, talk, music, friendly dogs, tea, and much fun.
alisanne was in town, so we met up for dinner and tea and much chatter of fandom and other topics. It was quite a nice time. Now I must prepare for my weekend adventure in Austin, plus try to make some progress on my art coming due.
This is the piece I did in the studio art class that just finished up today. She's a new incarnation of Sofia the Clockwork Engineer, and I think that this version of her is a character in the story I'm writing.
This is the 2009 Heritage Society Quilt Committee offering, called "The View from My Hammock". My mom did five, count 'em, five of the squares. Mom is awesome. I got a credit because I did some drafting and designing. I did not sew any of this quilt, though!
See you all late tonight.
Despite the increasing jingoism inherent in the relentless drumming of the military recruitment message, it was a very nice day. The flying was awesome, breeze was refreshing, and we had a pretty great place to sit.
Flickr Set - this year starts here.
It was pirate weekend, so I got into a pseudo-costume (I wore jeans), and met Donna, Jon, Lando and some friends.
It was a long drive, by the way. Geez. It seems so much shorter when there is another person in the car.
This is us in front of the waterwheel by the carousel, which was the designated "let's all meet here" location.
I drew The Duellist (PG), and will take the time to post it properly on the art comm and IJ shortly.
Special highlights of interest to
vermilionsun and shogunsquirrel under the cut. Hee. :)( photos )
Totally awesome!
I blew half my festival budget on amber jewelry, but the highlight of the show was still the quilts.
This one is pieced, not painted - I swear. It's huge, taller than I am, and gorgeous in person. "Medea Escaping".
My flickr set for the show includes the card for this one, and some detail shots.
Title: Chasing a Dream
Artist:
zephreRating: PG-13
Fandom: BBC's Merlin
Characters: Morgana/Merlin
Warnings/Spoilers: None
Medium: photoshop
(image at art journal)
Artist:
zephreRating: PG
Fandom: BBC's Merlin
Characters: Merlin/Arthur
Notes: For the Merlin/Arthur Hug Meme
(image at the drawing comm)
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