I really love this ‘motion capture’ sequence of photos of me and Peter taken by
She captured the moment when Rob’s best fan writer score was announced
and then I got one for best short story
and Kaaron, our roomie, got best novel!
Kathryn’s full Ditmar photo set can be viewed here.
It’s probably a bit late for a con report. I’ve been back at work two days, hack coughing like a Gitanes smoker and feeling that sense of dislocation one always experiences when emerging from the magical back-of-the-wardrobe convention wonderland.
Aussiecon 4 was big and it had its problems but in my memory it remains firmly etched as five fun-filled blurry days and nights of exuberant conversation with friends I don’t get to see nearly often enough. I did three panels and a play reading/performance, missed half the panels I really wanted to see, got my picture took with China Mieville, and generally ran around like a headless chook trying to make sure I was doing what I was supposed to be doing when I was supposed to be doing it.
Things I learnt last weekend include:
- I need an iphone
- My wardrobe contains way too much black
- Skirts are comfortable – why do I rarely ever wear them?
- Man, there are some really fucking rude, entitled Yanks out there
- Rob Shearman is still the sweetest man alive
- Kaaron Warren is a muppet
- Don’t do fan panels, even if the topic is sound and you consider yourself a genuine fan
- It is possible to take too many photos
- It isn’t possible to have too many Ditmars
- Blogging is tricky when your senile cat is headbutting your hand. (OK, so that last one has nothing to do with the con).
The highlight of the con was, of course, Peter’s Hugo win — I don’t think he’s ever going to come down from that high. The perfect end to a visit that, jetlag and patchy broadband aside, ran as smooth as silk. He was everything you want in a houseguest and con buddy and none of the things you don’t. Smart, funny, charming, kind. I was truly saddened to pack him back off to Toronto (it’s illegal to kidnap Canadians, right?) He wrote a lovely blog post about his Australian experience here.
To everyone who threw some money into the pot to bring him out here, know that your efforts resulted in a profoundly happy man and, just maybe, restored a little of his faith in human nature.
we did the tourist thing
snapshot of Peter Watts newly arrived in Wollongong, patting Smersh, and checking his email. As I type this he’s sampling Turkish apple tisane and the obligatory vegemite cracker biscuit.
Folks, I’m pleased to announce that the winner of the ‘Bring Peter Watts to Aussiecon’ State of Grace fundraising tuckerization is… DAVE LUCKETT! Vonda McIntyre’s beaded nudibranch goes to Jean Weber. Chris Barnes, Jess Irwin, Jacque Marshall and Ewan Clark scored the signed Ticonderoga Publications hardbacks.
All up, AUS $3,156.88 was raised. Peter’s flights, hotels and other traveling arrangements have been sorted. Now all we need is for his country to let him out and my country to let him in. Thanks again to the Aussiecon committee for donating his membership, to Sean Williams for his help behind the scenes and to all the people around the world who passed the word around the interwebs and/or kicked some cash into the pot.
Hope to see a bunch of you at Aussiecon!
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