Michael's Meanderings

Very busy month, with Worldcon (see earlier posts).
Also got hair cut to shortest it has been in over forty years. Took part in MORI poll relating to radio listening (even though I don't actually listen to radio live much)
I've also been playing on pottermore.com in preparation for going to the Harry Potter Experience on 11th Sep
Updated the SD cards for my old eeePC and got triple booting linux usb hard drive working. Started LFS101x Introduction to Linux online course.
New fencing installed on one side of back garden, planted both a new apple tree and a grape vine
Brighton SF Reading Group discussed Lightbourn, which again I didn't finish (I really need to finish all these books I start).
Finished editing my 2013 Diary and sent it off to be printed (A5 size)
Used up all my eVouchers (from train delay) to buy ticket to London for Worldcon
Saw Guardians of the Galaxy at Connaught Cinema in Worthing (£3 Wed)
Checked my Oyster Card (London Travel Card) in preparation for Worldcon visit. Need to add £20 to it for journeys in London.
Picked a fair number of black berries at different times during the month (even in my garden)
Second weekend in the month was Crawley Juggling Festival - on the Saturday I did some balloon modelling, read, Kettle of Fish Cabaret in the evening was excellent as always.
On the Sunday I joined the Knife and Axe throwing workshop, actually turned out to be pretty good (should have taken a photo of my excellently matched axe throws).
Worldcon - Loncon3
Tuesday after Worldcon I was still in London and went to the British Library to see "Comics Unmasked: Art and Anarchy in the UK" last day, bought book of exhibit.
Saw the first episode of the new Dr Who at the cinema (with only 25 others - not well advertised)
My dancing partner C decided that she was unable to continue ballroom dancing (not a major issue as I normally dance with J), we'd been dancing a year and a quarter.
Bath started to leak, (dripping through the light fitting - blew the circuit breaker!) so had to get a replacement organised. (2 weeks so far without bath / shower). Washbasin has been replaced.
Managed to mung my Windows 7 PC at home (over wrote MBR with Grub2) though I also managed to recover from the problem ;-)
At work after nearly a year I got a new Windows 7 PC and found it a generally good experience.
With my Kobo Mini damaged and no longer available I have ordered a Nook ereader (so I can access my Fictionwise.com archive).
Renewed my monthly season ticket.
Dancing with J every Tue evening, but no dancing first two weeks as school closed. First Tuesday back after Worldcon. Social dance at the end of the month, we danced all the dances.

Booked ticket for "Comics Unmasked: Art and Anarchy in the UK" from bl.uk for tomorrow morning. Then went to Café for No 1 breakfast and a beef sandwich for lunch.

Downloaded Hugo winning Ancillary Justice from Amazon for $3.34. Then on my train journey to ExCel arrived 9:10.

The first program item I wanted to go to was Robin Hobb reading. I was somewhat disconcerted to discover a panne in progress (even though RH was the first item on the program) it turned up to be a spontaneous gate crashed panel discussing RH an other stuff. RH arrived 10:07 and read from her latest book (copy borroed from one of the earlier panelists!) This was the only program item with a GoH that I attended (except for opening and closing)
This was followed by Pat Rothfuss giving a shirt reading from his book, then a review of Roald Dahl book he thought aweful.
Bought a supporting membership in next years Worldcon, Sasquan for £25. Charged iPod (again) in library.
Met E & C (LMB curry attendees) in line for W Shkspr Abridged. C comented on my VK lanyard (the only person who did). Wonderful performance of 39 plays in 100 minutes. With a few fanish references
Finished at 2:00 then went for lunch on balcony ever the main ExCel corridor L1. Wandered fan village, started queuing for closing ceremony at 2:45, this finished at 3:40 with the guests disappearing into the tardis for last years worldcon! Sasquan left holding the gavel, and throwing sweets to the audience, (I caught a few and kept 3).

Queued up for "Before the Dawn - the Musical" from 3:50, actually started 4:58 (half an hour late - in part as the had to connect an overflow room with a video feed) the interval occurred at 6:30 for 15 min. Show finished 8:10. Much better than last time it was performed. Better storyline and much better costumes
A DVD of the performance will be made available.

Went to fan village, bought foot-long hotdog (no burgers left) and the worst potatoe wedges, for £9.00 and added a half of cider for £2.05 (much better value).
Then charged iPod in library corner.
Got free half pint of cider at Helsinki tent.
Decided to leave early and caught 9:22 from Prince Regent DLR station. Just missed train on opposite platform at Canning Town, got 9:38 to Woolwich Arsenal and then caught 10:04 to Charlton.
Back to my room by 10:15

Up early and at Café just after 7:00 for breakfast. Ordered mushroom omelette with sausage, toast & tea + ham sandwich for only £5.10

Nice day so decided to the O2 / Emerates Air car over the river
Took 25 min to walk and 15 min to cross the Thames . Great views and much better value than the London Eye! Took a ton of photos. Tesco was across the road from the station so bought drinks an porridge in a pot (for tomorrow's breakfast - Café doesn't open until 9:00 so need to leave before then)
walked to the ExCel, then timed my walk from one end to the other about 10 min.
My first actual panel of the con was made up of four young ladies aged between 8 & 16 with an adult YA author as moderator. I was very impressed with their intelligence, articulation and poise. Talking in front of a room full of stranger is not something I would want to do!

Had early lunch and was joined by EC and a bit later JB and discussed last nights curry party, and six degrees of separation with Wellington & Napoleon.

Queued for Mary Robinette Kowal's reading, room was full, and she red from her new novel (not glamourist history - due next year). Wonderfully read, she had to read from her phone as her tablet didn't charge! - I asked if she would be reading the audio book and she wants a different voice. We each got a party favour of sandalwood fans as we left - very cool.

Met and chatted with KB then to panels on how you can't make money creating indie comics, then how to podcast.

Subway 6" for dinner then queued for Tanya Huff reading and was next to Suzanne McLeod from yesterdays kaffeeklatsch - room packed. She read from her 3rd and last Enchanted Emporium book due out Nov 14

Up to L3 to charge iPod met and chatted with KB and E&I after charging iPod down to main auditorium for Masqurade, excellent workmanship at all levels only pun Tony Stark - Heir to the Iron Throne!
Discovered I was sitting a few seats from VH so moved next to her and chatted before the performance started. Unable to stay for the final results, or I'd miss the last train to Charlton. Left ExCel 10:35 at hotel 11:20

Woke up early and got up at my normal time (as if for work) caught up on LJ and went out for a full English breakfast before catching the train, changing for the DLR and changing again for the ExCel stop
Got to ExCel at 9:20, spent 20 min queuing to get badge, pocket program guide & convention book.
a few hours later the queue was three or more times longer an queues were still in use after 2pm, I bought a Loncon3 t-shirt to add to my collection.

The opening started wthe a medly of SF theamed music, which a few on stage fans acted out sceans from. It continued with a Hogwarts theam and the co-chairs as joint head teachers. All the guests were sorted into houses, Shelley, Orwell, Mitchison, new 4th house Banks (Chris Foss didn't appear)

Managed to say hi to numbers of people, especially Elizabeth C who I spent over an hour chatting with.
Met her again at Jo Walton reading.

Had a torrential thunderstorm overhead in the early afternoon. My iPod kept loosing charge so I had to hunt for a power solet to plug in. I guess I'll have to get a replacement (but I've had it for 2 years so it's paid it's dues).

I wandered around the Exhibit hall / Dealers Room / Art Show a few times. Bought the Loncon3 filk book from Roger.

Intended to see Sassafras with Jo Walton but only stayed for half an hour. Norse myths not my favourite!

While the ExCel is full of fast food shops, they do mark up significantly, I had a subway 6" and usually get a meal deal for £3. I paid £4 for just a sandwich.

The Retro Hugos (from 1938 - Mary Robinette Kowal said she had arrived in a Delorian and we heard Rob Shearman arrive in a tardis) were a lot of fun Mary Kowal was particularly elegant with a thirties style make over. She sand in introduction wit the Brideshead Ballroom Stompers.
The broadcast, live from LNCN3 & streamed on ustream.com, was interrupted by outside broadcasts regarding a large metal cylinder
Fortunately the invaders were destroyed by concrud!

To no ones surprise Orson Wells and the Mercury Theatre won the best dramatic presentation - for War of the Worlds. Best novel The Sword in the Stone (my choice for both)

The BBS band provided music for a swing dance later in the evening, but I only got to hear 15 minutes as prior to this I enjoyed hobbit snacks from the Tolkein Society in the fan village. Pork pie, mince pie & Almond seed cake - with a tot of mead to wash it all down with.

I had to leave at 10:30 to ensure I could get the last train back to my hotel. In the event I got back to my room a bit earlier than expected at 11:25. Unpacked all my goodies and then to bed (besides I'm too old an creaky to stay up all night).