Further Assimilations

Really. The model on the new Microsoft Mactopia page looks like she wants to charge me $2.95 a minute for something, and it ain't tech support. Are they diversifying now that Bill's leaving?

Rough night last night. Starr was quite ill with food poisoning all day and night, and I was way overdue on laundry even without the upcoming con to consider. Did get three loads done, including the kilt, and I think she mostly forgave me for my unskilled nursing attempts. We had no trouble conking out when bedtime rolled around. I swear, at this point I'm considering afternoon naps for the weekend.

Speaking of MarsCon, a preliminary schedule's up. At least I hope it's preliminary. Not only is everything I wish to attend scheduled directly against something else I wish to attend, but there is one timeslot where it appears the webcomics guests will need to be in two places at once.

Tonight: more laundry, packing, and cleaning out the car.

Me being "funny" at Technicon 24's "Whose Con Is It Anyway", courtesy of nius.



Improv really is harder than it looks. Also, I really really really need to start getting some exercise :(

Some cool things about Technicon 23:

Giving rattrap his combined holiday present for the next several years.
Playing the WoW board game with jsciv, meiran, and candidevoltaire; then buying a copy.
A copy of The Heroic Trio from kittykatya.
Opening the wrong door and accidentally joining this year's Vile Skit.
Being practically the only character in vileone's LARP that was exactly what he said he was: no more, no less.
Friday dinner seated between Dwight, raininva, and Christy.
Friday night panels that went Most Excellently. (Some details soon in a filtered post, heh heh.)
A Vile Script that forced me to wrestle with rainbowsaber. (Oh, shucks.)
Helping southernsinger perform "The Dragon & The Lady" for Holly Lisle.
Late Saturday dinner and great conversation with meiran.
Thanks to trenn, chown -R us:us yourbase.
Frequent backrubby morale- and energy-boosts from shrewlet.
Two boxes full of new reading material from the Auction.
Cool artwork from kittenchan and ranchonmars.
It's my 20th Technicon.

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Some less-cool things about Technicon 23:

It's my 20th Technicon.
Not enough time to be in Whose Con Is It?
Long drives from and to Norfolk.
Not enough quality time with many friends.
My lousy Simon Cowell imitation.
A body that gave out too early on Saturday night. (For once, stomach issues rather than exhaustion.)
Our air mattress developing a hole.
Not enough time for after-con dinner in Blacksburg. (But a good one with Bert & Meche in Salem.)

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I'd call TCon 23 a success, for my part. Well done, nius, and thanks for the good weekend!

Busy life these days... I haven't been taking time to slow down and write lately. I'm hoping to do more of that this weekend.

Went to Rising Star last weekend, and had lots of fun. I showed off the new Utilikilt on Saturday, and it went over quite well, though I have to think more carefully about the process of sitting down while I wear it. raininva and I scored over 20 PS2 games for around $100 or so at the auction - of course, lord knows when I'll play any of them. With WoW on the computer, I have to poke myself to make time for my new copy of We (Heart) Katamari.

I missed meiran, ranchonmars, and madwriter... maybe I'll see some of you at Marscon, and if not, there's always T-Con.

We listened to the audiobook of "So You Want to Be A Wizard" on the way up and back. The narrator does good work with the voices, I'd recommend it. We bought it from iTunes, and while I understand this is not Apple's idea, the process of getting the audiobook onto an MP3 CD for my car player was unpleasant. I hate the freaking music industry.

Three movies I want to see soon... Serenity, Mirrormask, and Curse of the Were-Rabbit. I haven't been to see a movie in a while - no idea if I'll make it to any of these.

I've been offered a ride to VTSFFC Halloween, and heard about another H'ween party in Richmond I'd like to go to, but either way, Rain can't go because of her work schedule. This bites in great measure. OTOH, Trans-Siberian Orchestra is coming to Newport News in November, and that I might be able to see! There's something about "Xmas Eve / Sarajevo" that makes me tingle when I hear it for the first time every season... it's so angry and beautiful at the same time. Elton John's "Funeral for a Friend" is the same way.

Tried "Second Life" last night. Lousy framerate and poor responsiveness were my first impressions... and this is on a Mac that does WoW quite tolerably. We'll see if I go back.

More on my mind, but I gotta go to work.