Mia and I enjoyed Capricon 44. It was held at the Sheraton Grand Chicago, February 1-4, as it was when we attended two years ago. We were very happy to be at a con in downtown Chicago again, with an almost infinite supply of places to eat and drink in walking distance of the hotel. It is much more alive than downtown St. Paul or Minneapolis, and the people seemed friendlier. As happened in 2022, some of our Chicagoland fannish friends did not attend, but others did, and we enjoyed seeing them again.

The hotel was a 30 story high structure, but the elevators were excellent. None of the traffic delays we have experienced at hotels that were nowhere near as tall.

Thursday was slow, but there were several parties Friday and Saturday evenings. At one of them I had an absinthe based drink for the first time. It was an interesting experience and not unpleasant, but I am not in a hurry to repeat it.

One of the high points, as usual for us at Chicago cons, was the art auction. As has been the case as long as I remember, Bob Passovoy was the chief auctioneer, and he and the other auctioneers put on their usual very entertaining show. Mia, as is usual when we attend these events, was a runner.

Panels/Presentations I attended.

• Dust.. from… SPACE!!!
• The Forever War at 50. This was one of the best con panels I have attended in years.
• 1970s Probes
• Lucy’s Tour of the Trojan Asteroids
• Where’s My Flying Car?
• The Bible as Fantasy Novel