(no subject)

[pameladean]

I did Wiscon all wrong. This is not to say that I didn't have a wonderful time.

I had originally planned to go to Wiscon 34 because I fondly expected that I would have a book out this year. arkuat went last year and had such a splendid time that he talked me into coming this year despite a lack of any pressing professional reason for doing so. I had already asked him to come with me as moral support when I did have a book published, after a lapse of so many years. He persuaded me to see this year as a kind of dry run. I decided not to be on any panels, but to do a reading. I don't regret those decisions. I have been buried in this book for so long that I don't have either the knowledge or the social skills to do well on Wiscon panels at the moment.

The last time I went to Wiscon, sometime in the late nineteen-nineties, I solved the basic dilemma of programming by simply following wild_irises around, attending all her panels. In previous years I also followed elisem around. This approach worked very well. This time, however, I couldn't settle on whom to follow around, or even whether to repeat a previous success or try someone different. I ended up looking up all the panels that about twenty different people were on. Some, like oursin or truepenny or sdn, I know in person; some, like tithenai, I wanted to meet but felt too shy to introduce myself to; some, I just knew to be people who had interesting things to say. (I could multiply examples in each of those categories. I'm not listing more people because I am certain to leave someone out.) I highlighted all the panels any of these people were on and also a number in which the subject matter interested me regardless of who was on the panel.

This action, accomplished on the second floor while sitting next to lcohen, shortly before someone took a photo of us with our pocket programs on our heads, bestowed a feeling of accomplishment, but it did not survive contact with the enemy, which is to say, the actual program schedule. When it came time to decide what panels to attend, I found that even events that were several pages apart from one another in the pocket program were happening at the same time, and as a result suffered from choice paralysis for the entire weekend. My single programming item was itself scheduled against Nnedi Okorafor's reading. She had, alas, gotten stuck in traffic and been unable to read at Room of One's Own on Thursday. Her GoH speech was splendid, however, being funny, horrifying, and academic by turns or sometimes all at once; and I did get to hear Mary Anne Mohanraj read on Thursday, a sublime experience.

I remember from previous Wiscons that a couple I was acquainted with deliberately went to different panels and then compared notes, and that at one point we agreed that an entire extended poly family, all with good note-taking skills, would be necessary to really cover all the interesting programming. But I think matters have gotten even worse since then.

I need to make ruthless decisions much earlier next year.

The other mistake I made was not letting most people who might have been interested know that I was coming. I particularly regret this in oursin's case, but I also never so much as laid eyes on at least ten people from my LJ list whom I'd have loved to talk to.

Stamina for harsh partying conditions was also lacking. I was talking to a lovely group of people, including but not limited to boxofdelights and nineweaving, the latter of whom accurately pointed out that we had not seen one another "for yonks!" But I had to flee because it was so hot in the room that my brain was melting. I made three attempts to enter the Tor party, but it was too loud. I remember Tor parties as always being crowded and somewhat noisy, but I never had to flee before. And I viewed with huge pleasure the long line leading into the Haiku Earring Party, but did not manage to get into it until the bed was covered with poetry. That was all right, since I could read the haiku.

I did really enjoy the Broad Universe party (where I had a nice conversation with tanac), the Strange Horizons party (where I funked saying hi to people I know but not well and failed to introduce myself to tithenai, but had a fine, if occasionally despairing, conversation with naomikritzer), and the Beer and Marmalade party, which had brilliantly put up photocopies of the covers of books the group has read with plenty of blank space for scribbled comments. I annotated Molly Gloss's The Dazzle of Day very happily. I am also grateful to Piglet's party for providing soothing tea and almond milk to put into it, but failed to find the host and say hello. I often feel that I shouldn't be allowed out, even with an escort.

This is too long. I will put in the more cheerful bits in another entry. I enjoyed enormously everything that I actually did.

Pamela

Comments

[sinboy.livejournal.com]

Wow, if anything, I'd think I'd be shy about going up and introducing myself to you. I really hope to make it to next years Wiscon.

[noveldevice.livejournal.com]

You need me or someone like me to go around with you. Just point to the person you want to meet, and the more-shameless person will simply surge ahead, dragging you along, to present you to them with the air of having found a beautiful treat for them.

"Look!" I would say. "It's Pamela! She liked that thing you did!" Voila. :)

[oursin.livejournal.com]

I did note that you were down to do a reading when the programme was posted - I should have been a bit more toward about the matter myself.

But it was lovely to see you. And we did manage a bit more than just going 'Hi!' as we dashed past one another in the corridors.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

I too have to flee from noisy things. I think that part of it is the place I'm in regarding hearing loss -- loud sounds are painful, I can't filter any more, etc.

The last time Roy and I went to the movies I had to wear earplugs.

[ckd]

Oh, dear. Had I known you wanted to meet tithenai, I would have been happy to introduce you to each other!

[ktempest.livejournal.com]

as a result of the lack of reading LJ i had absolutely NO idea that you were there! This makes me sad because I would have been all "OMG Pamela Dean, let's hang out and drink free drinks!" Obviously next year I will have to make this my mission.

Are you perchance coming to world fantasy?

[pameladean]

I didn't mention it on LJ. Unless I filled out a poll of the "who is coming to Wiscon" sort, you wouldn't have known; and since most of those include "so we can hang out together" and I figured everybody who's been going for a long time has a very full schedule, I probably wouldn't have filled it out if you'd done one. It's a neurosis.

I was going to go to one of your panels.

I am not, alas, going to World Fantasy unless the sky opens and rains down money.

P.

[pameladean]

I know it's goofy of me. What I should actually do, and have seen other shy writers do, is just post an entry asking people to please introduce themselves. This is really not fair to other shy people, but it's better than a complete lack of notice.

Please do feel invited to introduce yourself to me. We don't know one another well, but we go back a long way.

P.

[pameladean]

Eric is very good at that in some situations, but not when the person to whom introduction is desired is a stranger to him as well.

It's a pity I can't hire you as a convention assistant. 8-)

P.

[pameladean]

Yes, I think we did pretty well under the circumstances, and it was delightful to see you too.

P.

[pameladean]

Yikes! I am finding movie sound tracks more and more painful myself, but put it down to changes in technology and fashion. Huh.

P.

[pameladean]

Until the last moment, I figured Shweta would take care of it. But you may do the honors next year if we are all there.

Did you enjoy your first Wiscon?

P.

[noveldevice.livejournal.com]

Hahah it wouldn't take much hiring, honestly. I'd happily do it if I were going to be there anyway, just for the sheer pleasure of hanging out with you.

[sinboy.livejournal.com]

I will. I'm almost always at Arisia or Readercon, so if you get to either of those, let me know. I work the green room at Arisia. Next year there's a good chance I'll be working the Readercon green room (and hopefully improving it beyond it's bare bones chips, candy, and hotel coffee nature.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

It could be that, too -- but as my tinnitus gets worse, so does my sensitivity to loud sounds.

[ktempest.livejournal.com]

If you come next year then I definitely want to hang out. And I shall grab Debbie and get her to introduce me, and then you won't have to and all will be well.

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

I have a very long list of things to do when money falls from the sky.

[shweta-narayan.livejournal.com]

some, like [info]tithenai, I wanted to meet but felt too shy to introduce myself to;

*facepalm*
And this is the real tragedy of my missing Wiscon. I had promised to introduce her to you and she really wanted to meet you!

[shweta-narayan.livejournal.com]

I have failed!
*fwibbles*

[jinian.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I always feeling I'm doing it wrong too. We're not, really. There is no wrong way to go to Wiscon. :) But I do wish I'd pestered you at some point!

[pameladean]

Well, certainly that would have worked, but it's not your fault I can't manage on my own.

P.

[redbird]

The only way I can handle Tor parties is if I get there very early and leave as it gets crowded; I think I managed about 3 minutes this year, which only confirmed that observation.

[pameladean]

Me too! I never quite made it over to the Clothing Swap; I know you were there for at least part of the time.

P.

[shweta-narayan.livejournal.com]

No just my lungs' fault I wasn't there!
*distance-hugs*

[jinian.livejournal.com]

I was the clothing swap queen! Jaymee and I basically ran the first bit, and I got a donated corset and wore it, and forced a jacket on Margaret Ronald that made people talk about the "amazingly hot woman" later, and and and. I never did get round to doing anything else at the Gathering, but I'm quite satisfied.