My wife Mia and I spend the weekend of November 11-13 in Chicagoland at Windycon, a science fiction convention that we have frequently attended since the 1970s, and which we went to last year.
Windycon 2022
Leave a reply
Tag Archives: fandom
Chicon 8
Thursday
On Thursday, Sept. 1, Mia McDavid and I drove to Chicago for Chicon 8: The 80th World Science Fiction Convention at the Hyatt Regency Chicago . This was our 5th Chicon. Previously we had attended:
- Chicon 7 (2012)
- Chicon 2000 (2000)
- Chicon V (1991)
- Chicon IV (1982)
Despite some glitches, we really enjoyed the Con, and visiting downtown Chicago again.
Rang Gaeilge, 23ú lá Mí Feabhra 2022
Duinnín i Ráth Maonais (tuilleadh)
a shroicheadar an eaglais. ‘Ba mhaith liom cúpla focal a bheith
agam le Tom Merrigan.’
Tharla cruinniú coiste de chuid bhuanchoiste an aonaigh
saothair ar siúl ar ardán an halla nuair a bhuail an Duinníneach
isteach agus bhí an tAthair Merrigan ag déanamh eadrána idir
seastán na gcístí agus lucht roth an áidh. Chuir sé na mná uaisle
ar fad in aithne don Duinníneach, a gheall go dtiocfadh sé chun
aonaigh agus go gceannódh sé stocaí bána cniotáilte uathu dá
mbeidís ar fáil. D’éalaigh siad on gcruinniú ansin agus shiúil
siad thart ar an halla, idir na stainníní, agus iad ag caint.
‘I’ll go in here myself,’ said Dineen when they reached the church.
‘I would like to have a few words with Tom Merrigan.’
A meeting of the standing committee of the job fair was taking place on the hall stage
when Dineen came in and Father Merrigan was mediating between the cake stand and
the wheel of fortune. He introduced all the ladies to Dineen, who promised to come to the
fair and buy white knitted socks from them if available. They then escaped from the meeting and walked around the hall, between the booths, talking.
| coiste | jury, committee | m |
| buanchoiste | Standing committee | m |
| ardán | platform, stage, stand | m |
| eadráin | Separation of combatants; intervention in dispute; mediation, conciliation | f gs eadrána |
| seastán | stand | m |
| roth | wheel | n |
| ádh | luck | m gs áidh |
| lucht | Content, charge; fill, capacity; cargo, load; Class, category, of) people |
m |
| geall | pledge, security | m |
| stainnín | Stand, stall, booth | m |
Capricon Notes
As I wrote previously , Mia (my wife) and I spent last weekend at Capricon, a Chicagoland science fiction convention. We went to most of the Capricons in the ’80’s and ’90’s, but in our first years in Minnesota the pressures of parenthood prevented us from going. Those have eased somewhat and we have been to most of the Capricons (and Windycons) since 2009. While most Capricons have been in the Chicago suburbs, this year the convention was downtown, at the Sheraton Grand Hotel.
Windycon 2021
My wife Mia and I spend the past weekend in Chicagoland. Friday and Saturday we were at Windycon, a science fiction convention that we have frequently attended since the 1970s. This was first SF con we have been to since the world shut down for Covid-19. There was no Windycon in 2020. Covid, of course, has not gone away, but this year Windycon was back, with changes. There were very strict and detailed Covid policies. Proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test were required for admission. Masks were required everywhere except “while … actively consuming food or drink in the consuite or green room” or for performers while performing and at least 6 feet from anyone else. Bill Roper has a positive con report, with which I completely agree.
A nuanced look at Heinlein’s Starship Troopers
In Starship bloopers Charlie Stross promises to present a nuanced opinion of Starship Troopers, and delivers.
Continue readingLost a friend
Mia and I knew her from Clann Tartan, the Minnesota Scottish Fair and Highland Games, and Convergence. She had a wide range of interests, was knowledgeable, energetic, cheerful, always helpful, and always caring. We miss her.
Monday Night Irish Class, November 17, 2014
Irish Class, November 17, 2014
Rang Gaeilge, 17 lá Mí na Samhna 2014
<!–
Fadas: áéíóúÁÉÍÓÚ
–>
| Bíonn cosa crua ar chapall iasachta. | It is a hard foot on borrowed horse. | |
| Is minic a bhí droch-chrú faoi chapall gabhann. | There is often a bad shoe on blacksmith’s horse |
CRÚBA NA CINNIÚNA
le Áine Uí Fhoghlú
Caibidil 1: Eachtra san Oíche [tuilleadh]
Monday Night Irish Class, July 14, 2014
Irish Class, July 14, 2014
Rang Gaeilge, 14ú lá Mí na Iúil 2014
<!–
Fadas: áéíóúÁÉÍÓÚ
–>
Labhair mé faoi Convergence
Changing Times
Neil DeGrasse Tyson: US need not lose its edge in science … but if things continue as they have been the last couple decades, it will. This seems quite similar to the talk that Mia McDavid, Rachel Hadley and I heard him give in May
From Hilbert Space to Dilbert Space, and beyond 