Off to Ad Astra...

[fajrdrako]

I'm off to Toronto - going to Ad Astra, the annual SF convention there.

It always rains or snows when I go to Toronto. Today it seems we're getting snow and freezing rain. Lucky us. Whoever decided to hold a convention in March?

And to add insult to injury, it's been clear, dry and sunny all week.

I won't be able to indulge my LJ addiction while gone. I'll miss you all. See you next week!

Comments

[kikibug13.livejournal.com]

Ooo have a wonderful time, despite the cold!!!

I'll be missing you too! (And I might actually catch up on some of your posts I've been meaning to comment on...)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

My driver is not at my door yet so I have time for some breakfast and read comments. Excellent!

Would love to hear your comments.

[wijsgeer.livejournal.com]

sending you of with envious well wishes. Hope you have fun.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I'm hoping to see some old friends and two of my favourite authors - Guy Gavriel Kay and Karin Lowachee - it'll be wonderful!

Enjoy your weekend and I'll be talking to you again on Monday. Probably. Depending when I get back.

[brashley46.livejournal.com]

I have so far missed you, although I have seen Guy, and Karin, and Julie C. & newsgroupies, including *Nebula finalist ksumnersmith*, and Rob Sawyer, and Shirley Meier; where you been at, lady?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I was wondering where you were! Are you doing the Claude Rains trick, and going around invisible? Which parties were/are you at tonight? I'll look for you tomorrow!

I'm here, believe it or not....!

[brashley46.livejournal.com]

I'm home tonight. Only live 5 km away, and Sandie doesn't do cons, so I'm here. I was at the Polaris booklaunch today, and will be at the Under cover of Darkness launch tomorrow ... lessee, tomorrow I'll be at "Real Issues, Imaginary Worlds" at 11:00 in Ballroom Centre, as I've heard Karina read, proud though we are of her!, the UCoD Meet and Greet and Game Finale at noon in the REflections room, and then the Fanfic panel in 243 at 13:00. I'm of two minds about 14:00 ... Toronto-based SF or SF&F Languages?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

So - we both opted for languages. A good choice, I think, as I enjoyed that one, though it would have been interesting to hear the Toronto-based SF as well. What was the fanfic panel like? I was a little afraid to go to that one - since I am so resolutely on the side of "fanfic is a wonderful creative thing" I live in some fear of hearing authors attack fanfic writers - which is not to be sure that anyone would, but some do. It has been my experience that there are really only two groups opposed to fanfic: corporate lawyers for the big corporations (especially Paramount and Warner), and certain individual authors who don't like seeing others playing with their characters. I can understand the position of each, which doesn't mean I would support those positions. Obviously.

[brashley46.livejournal.com]

It wasn't like that at all. Cory Doctorow, pro and pro-fanfic; Lara Herrera writes it; rest of the panel I don't know so well, but nobody even took the Rowling position, let alone the suits' legalisms. We pretty much got treated to Cory talking about how licensing characters and forbidding fanfic ultimately stifles creativity. Harlan Ellison, now anti-fanfic, got his start writing what was essentially fanfic. Et cetera. It was stimulating.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

It wasn't like that at all.

Excellent!

Cory Doctorow, pro and pro-fanfic

I'm glad to hear it.

nobody even took the Rowling position

That's a relief! (and how did you know who I was thinking about? Well, it's not too difficult to call that one...)

We pretty much got treated to Cory talking about how licensing characters and forbidding fanfic ultimately stifles creativity.

I do so agree.

Harlan Ellison, now anti-fanfic, got his start writing what was essentially fanfic.

Harlan Ellison is a strange and paradoxical entity.

Thanks for telling me this.

[brashley46.livejournal.com]

...Whatcha doing for breakfast tomorrow? Mini-Loiscon at the Lobby SnackBar?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Well, we finally did match up, though it was more like afternoon coffee than morning anything! I had a morning brunch at the corner of Bloor St. and Bathurst - the Roccoco Tomato, I think - and it was delish!

[brashley46.livejournal.com]

I don't know that place, I'll have to try it sometime. One of my old neighbourhoods ... my CSIS file must be an inch-and-a-half thick with address changes.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

It was very good food. I had the Lox Benedict. Delicious potatoes with it.

my CSIS file must be an inch-and-a-half thick with address changes.

Leading them a merry chase, are you?

I used to have a friend who lived on Huron St. not far from Bloor. I used to love visiting her, air mattress and sleeping bad in hand - such a good location!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I did.

At one point duncanmac were saying how interesting we thought your posts are and he told me how to pronounce "wijsgeer", since he knows more about Dutch pronunciation than I do. Were your ears burning? I assure you, we said only nice things about you!

[wijsgeer.livejournal.com]

oh, I didn't even know I was supposed to have burning ears!!! Can you do it again please so I can comply ;-)

Good to hear you had fun

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Next time I see duncanmac, I'll do my best!

[kikibug13.livejournal.com]

:))

I'm hoping I will escape the clutches of sleep for longer this weekend. I have still not progressed beyond New Earth on DW and Day One on TW re-watching, but I plan to. :)

Perhaps I will enjoy Cyberwoman more on re-watching. I may have been too spooked up the first time, when I had no idea where things were going.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes, get some sleep! I've been horribly lacking in sleep all week but got a good, solid sleep last night. Feels great.

Since walkingowl was visiting me, I got to watch all the Torchwood episodes and some Doctor Who, including Rose and The Girl in the Fireplace. I love the Doctor in Rose, and I love Rose too, but not the plot. The Girl in the Fireplace fascinates me - and there's always the delicious novelty of seeing the Doctor drunk. reeling drunk, singing-and-dancing drunk. Not to mention - no, no, I've said too much.

My driver has arrived, just as I was about to ramble on about "Cyberwoman". Later! I hope you like it better this time, I love that episode. All the drama and passion.

[kikibug13.livejournal.com]

Eh. Again, enjoy!!!

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Looking forward to your con report!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I'll write it as soon as I get a moment. I could of course ramble on about all of it - if I find the time. Maybe I'll just pick out interesting moments, or though-provoking panels.

As I always do with conventions, I had a great time.

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Excellent. Looking forward to whatever you can get written.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

News, gossip, observations and complaints... coming up soon.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

Have a wonderful time!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I did! Toronto is a strange and wonderful city, and the con was ... well, it was like all cons are: sometimes frustrating, sometimes wonderful. I found myself in the middle of a remarkable conversation at one point, where my friend Don and brashley46 were discussing Saladin and the fall of Jerusalem. I didn't bring up the subject, they did! And brashley46 knows more about Kurdish culture than I do, which was wonderful too. This was just after discussing Linux and the Toronto transit system. I do love talking to people who aren't narrow in their outlook.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

Fantastic! I'm glad you had a great time!
Here's a link to a photo of His Loveliness's Grandpa Poldi (http://www.uni-klu.ac.at/kultdoku/kataloge/05/bilder/562.jpg).
Yes, you read that right. A photo. He's being shy and has hidden his face, but his hat is rather glam.

I hope your birdlet was happy to see you back! I saw some adorable long-tailed tits today - surely among the sweetest and prettiest wild birds here!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Love the pic!

Logan was certainly glad to see me back home: I got a perch-dance and a long story about everything that had been going on.

Our original plan had been to return to Ottawa today, but I was lucky that we came home today instead. The weather today has been appalling, with heavy winds, blowing snow, and multi-car pile-ups on the highway. Cold, too.

I stayed home, warm and happy. But tomorrow it's back to work. Drat.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

Delighted that Logan is thriving! He is a sweet wee bird!
Glad you are home safe and snug.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure 'snug' is the right word today: it is soooo cold outside. Brrr. I keep drinking hot tea and wish I had a hot water bottle on my lap here at work.

Logan just fluffs his feathers and pretends to ignore the temperature.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of when you are at home.
Fluffed-out birds look so adorable!

I hope the long-tailed tits I saw yesterday are OK. It was quite wild and blustery last night, and they are so small and delicate.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Poor little things. When we get a warm day, the birds suddenly appear, and you can hear them singing and calling in the trees. Then we get a day like today - windy and cold - I worry about them! At least I know Logan is home and warm.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

Yes! The wild tinies must envy the likes of Logan - they may be able to roam freely, but they have a battle to survive, not knowing where their next meal will come from, and getting cold and blown about.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

While Logan gets to keep warm and watch TV with me, and sing along, and visit with my friends, and he complains loudly if his seed dish isn't kept full.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

Exactly! Outdoor birds don't get to watch Torchwood!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

The don't even know what a TARDIS is, poor things.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

...And don't have a Mum who has her own sonic screwdriver!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

My most prized possession. It's so... sonic!

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

But have you seen the new Space-Pig action figure? It's too cute for words!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

No, I haven't seen it. Is it on the Forbidden Planet website?

On the "pronunciation" subject [slightly off topic]

[duncanmac.livejournal.com]

I noticed you mentioned my (imperfect) attempt to explain the Dutch pronunciation of "wijsgeer."

Today I had an unexpected and pleasant surprise. A fellow called in and quoted his reference number; to confirm, I read off his name. There was a brief pause, then the fellow asked "Are you of Dutch origin?"

It turned out that the caller himself had grown up in the Netherlands [IIRC] and I was the first North American he knew who had pronounced his name correctly! I was astonished as the name itself was not, I thought, that hard to pronounce; it had no odd Dutch sounds like "sch". It seems that most North Americans just can't render the vowel sounds of Dutch or German correctly. [In truth, *all* vowel sounds in English are 'diphthongs'; that is not the case in either Dutch or German -- or French, to a lesser degree.]

Re: On the "pronunciation" subject [slightly off topic]

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

What's a good story! I'm sure the man was pleased that you got his name right.

I'm so accustomed to the dipthong quality of English vowels that it gives me trouble in Esperanto where the vowels are almost always pure sounds, and consistently so. They keep slipping into the English equivalent, especially when it's a word with similar derivation to an English one.

It isn't so much that pronunication in Esperanto presents difficulties, it's that you have to remember which language is which!