Off to see the wizard

Every year, about this time science fiction and fantasy fans get together for the world science fiction convention (Worldcon). This year it has been named Anticipation and will be held in Montreal the first weekend in August
If you've never been to a science fiction convention (con), let me tell you a little about them. For the most part, they are gatherings of people with similar interests in literature. But the science part always works its way into the program. There is a set program with speakers who are knowledgeable about the subjects from alternate universes to zygotes and lots of fun stuff in between. There are even panels on being a science fiction fan and retrospectives on fandom and fannish events. There is also dress up. Fans come in costume. They compete in a masquerade. The costumes are usually terrific.



Then there are the parties. Almost every con has a hospitality area where they serve soda and snacks. Sometimes there is beer. But the parties usually are the most active. People throw parties for almost any reason, eg. they found a new drink they want to share, they want fans to come to the con they are organizing, they like parties, etcetera. At Worldcon many of the parties are given by people who are bidding on the site of a future Worldcon. I'm guessing that the ostensible reason is to show the fans how great their city is for people and for parties. The future Worldcon site is chosen at the Worldcon two years before that site will be used. The con is always in a different city from the year before. The rules say that not all these cons may be held in the US.
This year, Worldcon is in Montreal. So tomorrow I head in a generally north easterly direction and hope I hit the Canadian border fairly close to Province Quebec.
I love to drive so the distance isn't a bother. But I do have to get to Montreal a little ahead of the con so I can help out with the setting up. There is a regular cadre of people from all over the world who attend every Worldcon. They participate, working behind the scenes, organizing and running errands for the locals in charge of the con. A lot of these people, I only get to see every year or even less frequently since all are not able to get to every Worldcon.
Along with friends and folk with similar interests, there are things like the art show and the guests in media, writing, publishing and the like. They participate on the panels, give demonstrations and make themselves available to fans who want to know more about them and what they do. It interesting. I've met some of the famous authors who were reputed to be curmudgeons and have had nothing but pleasant conversations with them.
The community of fans is one of the most intelligent and tolerant that I've ever met. Spending time with them is a pleasure, one that I'm looking forward to having in the next few days.

How cool is that?

This morning, I found a rain lily blooming, almost at my front door. It's a pretty flower and the first one that has bloomed for me. I took a picture.

This evening, the rain lily had closed for the night. Here are the photos day, evening and night.

philosophy of life

     An often quoted wise man once said, "Live life as if each were to be your last on earth."

     I can't do that.  If I were to live like that, I'd have a permanent case of the "poor me"s and sulk around the house, thinking about the injustice of it all.

     So let me give you another philosophy: Live life as if you were immortal and your friends were going to die tomorrow.

     Friends are the most important part of life.  Without them, living is a lonely business.  But many of us, me included, lose track of time and go for days without talking to them.  We forget birthdays, anniversaries, important things for them.   Since they are good friends, we are forgiven and the lapse is forgotten.  But think about the feelings if your were unable to say "good bye."  What happens to those issues between you that are left in the air when you are no longer able to talk.

     My time in Vietnam should have convinced me that I am mortal.  I came through that with a few extra holes in my anatomy and a small fragment of steel that rode my back for 20 years before it worked itself out of me.  But I am alive.   Some of the friends I made there and other places are not.

     Now, I work at staying in touch with friends and family.  I willingly inconvenience myself to spend time with them.  I think about them often and try to let them know that they are precious to me.

     Naturally I often fall down on the job.  Like the Romans said: Errare humanum est (To err is human.)  Not sure about the spelling on that Latin, but it's close.  Occasional failure is part of the human condition.  It's like riding a bike.  When you fall off, you pick yourself up and climb back on.  If you don't, you've wasted however many hundreds of dollars you spent on that bike and are reduced to walking, driving or riding the bus.

     The essential thing is not how many times we fail, but how many times we keep trying.  Never forget that friends try to understand, to forgive and to forget our idiosyncrasies, quirks and ourselves.  It's important to make that worth the effort.

School time

Today, I attended the first meeting of the school year.  It was of the Development Council for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology (DASP).

The school is very interesting.  First it is associated with the University of Arkansas Medical School UAMS).  Their ear, nose and throat specialists (ENTs) work with DASP on a regular basis.  The two school's graduate programs have some classes together and much of the research at DASP is done at UAMS.  DASP is a small department with 92 undergraduates, 88 graduate students and about 13 on-campus faculty.  But theirs is the first PhD in Audiology developed in Arkansas.

Some of the programs include:

- the auditory/oral support programs at Children's Hospital

- correction of speech defects

- use of hearing asstance devices

- diagnosis of hearing and speech disorders

- research into the hearing problems in older people

- research into the relationship of brain waves (via electro encephalograph) and speech sounds

- developing students for the transition from high school to university

- improving college skills in the hearing/speech impaired

- teaching hearing/speech impaired students what rights they have on a regular campus

and of course, research into the causes and amelioration of the problems they teach 

The faculty and graduate students publish their research in standard, refereed journals for their colleagues to use and build upon.  One of the faculty is now an author (one of four) of "The Voice and Voice Therapy".  This is the standard text for most students of these disorders.

A summer program, Audition Within Your Reach was developed and is overseen by faculty.

These and many other exciting programs make this a most rewarding council on which to serve.

W estercon

Every so often, science fiction fans get together to socialize, meet authors and artists, discuss things like science, art, acting, films and the like. These get togethers are called "cons" by the fen (fannish plural of fan). Westercon is one of these cons, an annual event held in the American west and moving from town to town depending on which local sf club is willing to organize a con.
Meeting favorite authors and artists is the big reason I started attending cons. But after a few years, I had made good friends that I only saw at one or another con. Published writers began taking me under their wing and making suggestions for improving my writing and/or getting my fiction published. There were always new, interesting people coming over my horizon.
For example, on the first day of Westercon, I met Stan Schmidt, an author and the editor of Analog, a magazine of science fiction fact. Michael Stackpole, another author, was there and they talked. during the time I was able to listen, I learned more about what publishers want from authors and how to present my work.
There are multiple activities at cons. These consist of panels which cover various aspects of writing, art, even of being a fan. Authors do readings of their work. Costumers discuss the making of hall and masquerade costumes. New and old types of science fiction and fantasy are discussed. Various experts give workshops. Woman hungry men search for women and vice versa.
At many cons, these activities stop (except for the searching) around dark and big events like the masquerade are held. But even when there is no big event, there are parties. The parties are hosted by sf clubs who are "selling" their city for a future con, by clubs wanting to thank fen for voting or working for them and by people who like parties. If they're not too noisy, the parties are great places for one on one conversations with people usually busy or surrounded by a group.
My ambition is still to get one of my stories published and to see my novel in print when I get around to finishing it. These parties usually give me the opportunity to put my name in front of a publisher or editor. They have resulted in invitations to submit work for consideration.
I'm running out of time before I go to speak on a panel of my own. I'll finish with a brag. Diana Gabaldon attended a caffe klatch and gave a reading yesterday. I attended both. If you don't know who Diana is, just look for her name in the fiction of the nearest book store. You are in for a delightful read.
There are a few pictures that I have of authors and artists. I'll post these when I return to Little Rock.