"We will will have dinosaurs: perhaps even shiny dinosaurs."

But will there be sodomy?

Posted July 26, 2008 6:25 AM by KristianB

Probably not at the party. Some things are more appropriate for a private context.

Posted July 26, 2008 6:32 AM by abi

You know, I don't think I have ever been to a party at an SF convention where there was the propect of sodomy, for anyone.

At least, not at the party.

I suppose I'm not in the 20th Century any more.

Posted July 26, 2008 7:06 AM by Dave Bell

I've been called many things, but a sundry light of the firmament?

By the way, Kathryn really is the one doing the work of putting this together. Me, I'll really be a gopher. Go for this! Go for that! And I'll be bringing some supplies in our minivan all the way from the heart of New Mexico.

As for having dinosaurs at the party... I still work on mainframe COBOL programs so I guess that makes me qualify. Kathryn had originally been thinking of renting dancing bears, but that was deemd too unsafe. What's that, Booboo?

Posted July 26, 2008 7:19 AM by Serge

Yay! *bounce* *bounce*

Posted July 26, 2008 9:48 AM by Mary Aileen

Hmm. When they talk "dinosaurs and sodomy," I thought they meant FORCIBLE sodomy...and I'd hope there'd be none of THAT at the party, or at the convention at any time.

As for the consensual kind...yes, that would be inappropriate for the party itself. Otherwise...well, all things are possible!

Posted July 26, 2008 10:17 AM by Xopher

I'm having a kind of candy-maker's writer's block. I HOPE to have homemade chocolates there. If I don't make the liquid center ones today or tomorrow, there's almost no chance they'll be ready for the convention (they liquify* over a period of a week to ten days AFTER they're sealed).

So I'd better start melting chocolate.

*why doesn't Firefox know this word? Did I spell it wrong? It looks right to me.

Posted July 26, 2008 10:30 AM by Xopher

Second Mary Aileen! *bounce* *bounce*

We're driving in from LA. We don't have a lot of space, but willing to bring things. What's needed?

Posted July 26, 2008 10:35 AM by Lin D

Firefox is unclear on a lot of useful words.

Posted July 26, 2008 10:35 AM by beth meacham

Firefox is unclear on a lot of useful words.

Ranking it with most of humanity. As to the party, maybe.

Posted July 26, 2008 10:45 AM by Erik V. Olson

Looks like "liquefy" is preferred.

Party, sure.

Posted July 26, 2008 10:49 AM by Andrew Plotkin

Aha. Damn. Wow, I usually don't do that.

Posted July 26, 2008 10:51 AM by Xopher

Xopher, how does the liquefaction work? Cold powdered-sugar paste dissolving at a higher temperature? Invertase enzyme converting sugar to fructose/glucose?

Posted July 26, 2008 11:42 AM by Joel Polowin

I hope to be there! The boy may or may not be there— if he's there, he will probably be asleep.

Yes, even with party noises. He slept through fireworks, after all.

Posted July 26, 2008 11:50 AM by B. Durbin

Oh yeah, and I will be in the art show— just look for the stained-glass dragonfly tapestries.

One of which, to my everlasting annoyance, had no fewer than THREE fixes fail. I hate it when products don't work as advertised, particularly when they're $16 a can.

Posted July 26, 2008 11:58 AM by B. Durbin

Joel 13: Invertase.

Posted July 26, 2008 12:00 PM by Xopher

I'll be flying out of the Bay Area, but I have a bag and a half of luggage space open, if it'd be useful.

Posted July 26, 2008 1:02 PM by Madeline F

Joel @ 13: Xopher, how does the liquefaction work?

What Xopher isn't telling us is that the chocolate shell is really a cocoon...

Posted July 26, 2008 1:10 PM by Lance Weber

I have two questions:

1) How is there a Sci-Fi convention in Denver without me knowing about it? I live in the pan-handle of Nebraska - Denver is only a little over two hours away from me. I attended my first con (ever!) there earlier this year (Starfest) and I made a point of asking if there were any more cons coming up this year. Nobody knew nothing...

2) Why does the universe hate me? About a month ago, PZ Myers of Pharyngula fame had a meet and greet in Denver... about 8 hours after I flew out of Denver to go to New York for a week (business stuff). I probably passed him in the airport. And now? My one real vacation this year will be... that week! Of course! I'll be down in Las Vegas visiting family, leaving August 6th and getting back August 10th... Seriously, people. What have I done to deserve this?!

Posted July 26, 2008 1:11 PM by Teancom

Alas, I am flying in from the SFBA; elsewise I would happily bring stuff.

Posted July 26, 2008 1:31 PM by Madeleine Robins

What Xopher isn't telling us is that the chocolate shell is really a cocoon...

As long as it's nothing like the glowy monsters / bioweapons which came up a couple of times in Girl Genius.

Posted July 26, 2008 1:45 PM by Joel Polowin

Good heavens, was there anyone who didn't know that my chocolates are a bioweapon? I'm sorry I didn't make that clear. You see, I figure if I fatten up everyone around me, I look thinner. Fortunately for you all, they have to work by being enticingly delicious, and any toxins would be counterproductive.

Now I've REALLY got to get going, if I'm going to make the deployment schedule.

Posted July 26, 2008 2:32 PM by Xopher

Xopher @ 22... if I fatten up everyone around me, I look thinner

My wife would probably say that your plan won't work with me. She has this theory that all the calories I ingest go to another me in an alternate reality.

Posted July 26, 2008 3:03 PM by Serge

Teancom @ 19... Back in 1983, there was a panel at the Baltimore worldcon about The Right Stuff. I skipped it because somehow I didn't really know what it was about. Then I saw the movie. What was so special about the panel? Well, it included Chuck Yeager, Gordo Cooper, Dennis Quaid and Scott Glenn.

Posted July 26, 2008 3:06 PM by Serge

Serge 23: My wife would probably say that your plan won't work with me.

*mentally ups weight allocation for chocolates*

Posted July 26, 2008 3:10 PM by Xopher

Xopher @ 25... mentally ups weight allocation

It'll have to be upped way up because I'm losing enough weight these days that I now need a belt to prevent my pants from succumbing to gravity's pull. (Do I hear cries of "I hate you!")

Posted July 26, 2008 3:23 PM by Serge

*plans to make more creams with real cream*

You have to understand something, Serge. My friend and ex is seriously underweight; during our entire relationship I was planning how I'd fatten him up. I probably won't be able to cook the asiago cream sauces at WorldCon, but I have other tricks up my sleeve!

Posted July 26, 2008 3:37 PM by Xopher

Xopher @ 27... I have other tricks up my sleeve!

I'd better increase my ungodly-hour visits to the gym to 7 times a week before the worldcon and after.

Posted July 26, 2008 3:45 PM by Serge

While that is the week that the company I work at will be shut down, my time is completely spoken for*, so there's no way I can be at the party. I ask that at least one person there, at some point, drink a local microbrew for me.

* Finish puppy-proofing the house and yard, and go get the puppies. These will be the first dogs we've had since our border collie died three years ago, so we're getting really excited about it.

Posted July 26, 2008 3:49 PM by Bruce Cohen (SpeakerToManagers)

Alas, not going to be there. Besides, someone has to mind the cats for Lin D. (Whether the cats will mind me is a whole 'nother matter. Jewel will probably be glued to me anyway.)

Posted July 26, 2008 3:55 PM by P J Evans

Microbrew: Friend has recommended I look up Left Hand Brewery in Longmont, a bit up Hwy25 from Denver.

Bruce, any preference?

Posted July 26, 2008 4:07 PM by Lin D

B. Durbin (15): I'm going to be in the art show, too, with my weird stuffed animals.

Posted July 26, 2008 4:48 PM by Mary Aileen

PJ, cats just do not mind. It's in their nature. (though my oldest just used my petting her to wash her face -- she'd lick my hand, then rub her face against the licked spot.)

I wish I could be there, i will be there in spirit! Between my unemployment and Margene's breast cancer treatments, there was no practical way to go.

Posted July 26, 2008 4:49 PM by Paula Helm Murray

So I get to go to the party, but not try Xopher's chocolates? Virtualization only goes so far.

TANJ.

Posted July 26, 2008 5:08 PM by abi

Hey Mary Aileen, is that a Janet Kagen-inspired Kangaroo Rex? I love it. Though the Crichton bear is cute too.

Damn. Janet was so nice. I miss her like hell.

Posted July 26, 2008 5:09 PM by Xopher

I'll be hosting the Reno in 2011 party on the 22nd floor, but I'll try to stop in -- toward the end of things rather that at the beginning, most likely.

Many thanks to Kathryn, Serge, and sundry other lights for arranging the party. Good idea!

Posted July 26, 2008 5:23 PM by Geri Sullivan

So Mary, what name are you registered under? (I'm under Yarnot, which is pronounced exactly the way it's spelled. Polish, not French.)

Posted July 26, 2008 6:05 PM by B. Durbin

Geri Sullivan @ 36... Like I said earlier in this thread, Kathryn really is the person who should be thanked. Me, I'm a gopher.

Posted July 26, 2008 6:12 PM by Serge

abi @ 34... Well, you still have time to fly in. I'm sure that somebody would be willing to let you room in her/his home-away-from-home - provided the abiveld is kept under control.

Posted July 26, 2008 6:15 PM by Serge

Yarnot, which is pronounced exactly the way it's spelled

"Why-ay-are-enn-oh-tee"?

Posted July 26, 2008 7:03 PM by Joel Polowin

Lin D @31: Friend has recommended I look up Left Hand Brewery in Longmont

I live in Longmont and will gladly endorse the recommendation. They are most famous for their Sawtooth Ale, an excellent amber. The thought occurs to me that I could just pick some up on the way down to the bacchanalia.

Two sidenotes: The brewery is located right next to the major scenic bike path that runs through town making it a convenient pit stop. Also, as you travel around Denver you'll see a lot of bumper stickers with a round white circle displaying a red left hand - that's the symbol for the brewery.

Posted July 26, 2008 7:18 PM by Lance Weber

Xopher (35): Yes, the K. Rex is from Mirabile. I wanted to make a Mabob, too, but I didn't have the right fur. I'm glad you like them.

B. Durbin (37): My last name is Buss.

Posted July 26, 2008 7:46 PM by Mary Aileen

Joel: Heh.

My usual problem is that people take one look at it and pronounce it wrong, thinking that it's French. Then they make the inevitable joke. Then they say, "I guess you've heard that before."

There is a reason I changed my name when I got married. And that even though I kept my maiden name (as a second middle name, though the IRS insists it's part of my last name), I only use it for art and not as a hyphenated name.

Posted July 26, 2008 7:47 PM by B. Durbin

Lin D @ 31

It's been too long since I was in Denver for me to have a useful opinion on local beers. I'd go with your friend and Lance on this one.

Skål!

Posted July 26, 2008 8:01 PM by Bruce Cohen (SpeakerToManagers)

Mary Aileen @ 31

I like 'em a lot. But they're too cute to be really ferocious. Especially the K. Rex; you'd want to cuddle and pet him, and there he'd be, ripping your guts out. Not fair.

Posted July 26, 2008 8:33 PM by Bruce Cohen (SpeakerToManagers)

Bruce Cohen (45): Fair? Who said anything about fair? It's hard to rip someone's guts out with felt teeth, though.

And thank you.

Posted July 26, 2008 9:04 PM by Mary Aileen

Mary Aileen...Obviously Bruce Cohen never saw a fluffy white bunny tear apart the Knights of the Round Table.

Posted July 26, 2008 9:09 PM by Serge

Mary Aileen: the Crichton bear is fabulous. :D

Alas, I am on the other side of the country with no travel funds at the moment. I am glad a section of the fluorosphere will be able to gather in one physical spot, though. Woohoo!

Posted July 26, 2008 10:05 PM by Nenya

Teancom, #19, the Worldcon is in different places every year, sometimes even out of NorAm. How do you feel about Montreal next year?

I'm not going to Denvention because I can't afford it, and because the last two Worldcons I went to completely exhausted me. I think even if I rented a scooter, they'd be too big for me. So you guys have fun and take notes!

Posted July 26, 2008 10:16 PM by Marilee

This year... no dice. :(

But Montreal is on my list of beg, borrow, steal, hitchhike, hop freight trains, etc. to get to.

So... how might I take part in some aspect of the virtual presence?

Posted July 27, 2008 12:17 AM by Terry Karney

I'll be there!

Posted July 27, 2008 3:25 AM by elise

Serge @ 47

a fluffy white bunny tear apart the Knights of the Round Table.

All for a lousy pepperoni pizza? Not even worth if for a long pork pizza.

Posted July 27, 2008 3:52 AM by Bruce Cohen (SpeakerToManagers)

B. Durbin @ 43: Did you used to post to Usenet under the name "Jan Yarnot"? If so, I remember you from there, but had not connected your new name with your old one.

Posted July 27, 2008 4:29 AM by David Goldfarb

I feel very lucky that Tabitha is the cat she is. She was playing, quite calmly, with one of the neighbour's grandkids, and it seemed to involve a dustbath intense enough to produce a grey kid and a grey cat.

Tabitha was hardly overjoyed at getting a bath, but didn't make trouble. And is now back to being a black-and-white cat.

Posted July 27, 2008 5:19 AM by Dave Bell

Bruce Cohen @ 52... "Run away, run away!!!"

Posted July 27, 2008 6:44 AM by Serge

#50: This year... no dice. :(

Check the dealer's room. How many sides do you need? :-)

Posted July 27, 2008 7:10 AM by Jon Meltzer

Nenya (48): Thank you. I'm glad you like him. I also have more Farscape bears, although only Crichton and Aeryn will be at Worldcon.

Posted July 27, 2008 8:37 AM by Mary Aileen

I'll be there!

I could bring some decadent British chocolate.

Posted July 27, 2008 9:27 AM by Jo Walton

B. Durbin @ 43: My usual problem is that people take one look at it and pronounce it wrong, thinking that it's French. Then they make the inevitable joke. Then they say, "I guess you've heard that before."

I don't think things would be any different if people knew at a glance how to pronounce it correctly.

"Mannie, this little girl is Wyoming Knott and she came all the way from Plato to tell us how we're doing in New Hong Kong. Wasn't that sweet of her?"

She touched hands with me. "Call me Wye, Mannie -- but don't say 'Why not.' "

Many fans would take your name as a funny-once and assume that the joke was long-dead. But a painful minority are invertebrate punsters and figure that even if it wasn't a funny-always, everyone should get one use of it.

Posted July 27, 2008 9:39 AM by Joel Polowin

Mary Aileen @ 42: I wanted to make a Mabob, too, but I didn't have the right fur.

Huh. Scales in badly-clashing shades of green -- I can't imagine where one might find a fabric that looked at all like that. I've been keeping an eye open for bright-green-with-black-splotches plush with thoughts of making a Winslow-cultist penguin, but not having any luck with that. (I also don't have clear memories of the real appearance of Winslow's plush, and can't find a picture on-line. I've only been in the presence once, about twenty years ago.)

Posted July 27, 2008 9:47 AM by Joel Polowin

Arggh. I posted this in the wrong thread:

Well, I have the cherry cordials' shells made, the brandied cherries in, and the brandy-thinned fondant (with invertase) poured. Now it remains to be seen whether I thinned the fondant so much that I can't pour chocolate on top of it, in which case I have to start all over.

That would suck.

OTOH, I've realized that the party isn't until Friday, so the invertase has until then to work its magic. So I have a little time to fix screwups.

Jo 58: Would that be chocolate from decadent Britain?

Joel 59: I imperfectly keep the rule that if I can think of a joke about someone's name, they've heard it 258 times prior to age 10. Every now and then I come up with one they haven't heard before (you'd be amazed how many guys named Swanson have never been asked if their sign is Gemini or if their mother's name is Leda), but I always try very hard not to do it.

My last name is Hatton. As in "do you have your hat on? Heh heh! Get it? Get it?" As in "hey, be a man, Hatton? Ha ha!" Eesh. Bow-ring! I just stare at them blankly.

You can see why I don't want to be one of these idiots.

Posted July 27, 2008 9:51 AM by Xopher

Even by the normal standards of name-punsters, that's bad. I can quite see why you wouldn't want to be the kind of chap who does that.

Posted July 27, 2008 10:13 AM by Sam Kelly

Mary Aileen (#46): It's hard to rip someone's guts out with felt teeth, though.

Seems to work just fine in today's "Bizarro"!

Posted July 27, 2008 11:43 AM by Faren Miller

Joel Polowin (60): Scales in badly-clashing shades of green -- I can't imagine where one might find a fabric that looked at all like that.

I could piece it together out of solid greens, but that's more work than I want to go to right now.

I've been keeping an eye open for bright-green-with-black-splotches plush

I found dull green with black splotches once, but no bright green. (And lately I've only been seeing the pattern with a dull blue background.)

Faren Miller (63): Good one!

Posted July 27, 2008 12:16 PM by Mary Aileen

Denvention did not look interesting enough to stretch costs and vacation, especially since I'd have to leave before the dead-dog parties (IMO, the best part of many conventions) to get to my father-in-law's 75th birthday party. Now I'm regretting not cutting-and-fitting somehow.... Have fun -- and if somebody starts planning early enough, I'll be happy to pitch on for Montreal (we're certainly going, but I don't know whether we'll be committed).

Dave Bell @ 3: you haven't been going to the right parties (for a sufficiently elastic value of "right"). cf Discwave, or Phil Proctor(sp?)'s disappointed comment when he heard about a more successful version of same at another con.

Teancom@19: How is there a Sci-Fi convention in Denver without me knowing about it? Because
   1. Worldcons have become somewhat ingrown, or at least not moved with the times. Noreascon 4 had major publicity efforts, including Google ads, but the N4 chair also chairs the (academic) dept. of communications at Suffolk University; others have been less active.
   1a. There are also people who are actively suspicious of new methods, feeling that they'd pull in too many people who would change the feel of the Worldcon. I disagree -- I wouldn't like to see Worldcon become another Dragoncon, but it's already a 12-ring circus -- but I don't participate in the arguments any more. This may or may not have been a factor.
   1b. Worldcons are individual; they all require out-of-area people to operate, but may or may not take any governance hints from those people -- some have bad cases of NIHS. This means they'll have widely-varying ideas about how to publicize themselves.
   2. This specific concom appears to have been less effective than many. (I've heard a lot of flamage, not all of it from notorious flamers.)
   3. Were you looking? Did you know Denver also has an annual convention? Damfino how someone new would find out about either of them -- the recent thread on finding things on the web is based on people \looking/ for info instead of waiting to hear, and sometimes there's no spur to start a search.
   This is probably way TMI -- but you asked, and if you're interested there are ways to get info; the first listing from Googling '"science fiction" convention' gets a site headed by links to several major lists. (Even "sci-fi convention" gets a site; their description doesn't match my taste, but YMMV -- they do have a geographic search function, which the raw lists mentioned above lack.)

Xopher: considering you're the only person I've seen waving Indian clubs at a con, trying to fatten other people shows a certain lack of perspective.

Posted July 27, 2008 12:23 PM by CHip

Teancom @19: Denver's long-established annual sci-fi/fantasy convention is MileHiCon. It occurs every October.

Colorado Springs has an annual sci-fi convention in February, COSine.

Other annual cons in Denver include the anime convention Nan Desu Kan and gaming conventions Tacticon, GenghisCon and BenCon.

Posted July 27, 2008 12:42 PM by Melissa (oddharmonic)

Sam 62: Yeah...and since I moved to the New York City area, everyone misspells my name 'Hatten'...which is understandable, but irritating.

CHip 65: Xopher: considering you're the only person I've seen waving Indian clubs at a con, trying to fatten other people shows a certain lack of perspective.

Um...Indian clubs?

Maybe you're referring to my poi-spinning with those heavy (and yes, I hit myself with them...ow) lightsticks at the most recent NorEasCon? I was at my slimmest then. I've chubbed up, I'm afraid.

But even so...if poi-spinning is a good cardio exercise ur doin it rong. Doin it rite requires minute, precise movements, but not (unfortunately) great expenditures of muscular energy.

Still, trading the poi-spinning hobby for amateur chocolatiering does partially explain my weight gain.

Posted July 27, 2008 12:54 PM by Xopher

And the cherry cordials were, as it turned out, a botch batch.* I will try again today.

*I betcha that makes me a butch bitch, huh?

Posted July 27, 2008 1:32 PM by Xopher

Btw the "people-note-connections board thingy" is usually called the Voodoo Board (because you stick a pin in it next to someone's name, so they don't have to go looking for a note unless their name has a pin next to it).

This is a gross misrepresentation of Vodun/Voudou, of course, but a much more convenient name than 'people-note-connections board thingy'. :o)

Posted July 27, 2008 1:36 PM by Xopher

Xopher @ 69... you stick a pin in it next to someone's name, so they don't have to go looking for a note unless their name has a pin next to it

That brings back memories of 2006's worldcon. It's quite difficult to get into contact with a fellow ML person when you don't know her family name. Luckily she finally spotted me, aided by her knowledge that I'd be dressed as a Victorian Time Traveller.

Posted July 27, 2008 1:44 PM by Serge

Maybe we should all write our ML names on the Voodoo Board, in the correct alphabetic position. Then we'd have two places to check for messages, but an immediate clue which kind of message we were getting.

Posted July 27, 2008 1:52 PM by Xopher

Serge, now that the comments at your LJ are getting lengthy, maybe some of the suggestions (mention your ML name when saying you'll be there; write your ML name on the Voodoo) need to be promoted to the main entry? If you want, of course.

Posted July 27, 2008 1:57 PM by Xopher

Xopher @ 72... Done. Let me know if you think I should change the entry some more.

Posted July 27, 2008 2:07 PM by Serge

Serge: Eep! I'm sorry. You sound irritated there, and that was not my intent. I do apologize. It's your entry, and a great service to us all, and I didn't mean to dictate to you. I'm sorry if I came across as officious or anything like.

Posted July 27, 2008 2:32 PM by Xopher

Xopher @ 74... Huh? What? Au contraire, mon frère. I had made a comment in response to someone else in that thread about its being better if they identified themselves in their posts, but later visitors may have not seen my request. I thought your suggestion to put something about it in the entry itself was an excellent one. Really.

Posted July 27, 2008 3:12 PM by Serge

Dave Goldfarb @ #53: "B. Durbin @ 43: Did you used to post to Usenet under the name "Jan Yarnot"? If so, I remember you from there, but had not connected your new name with your old one."

That's my mother. She'd usually refer to me as "The Resident Expert" or, occasionally, as "Stands With a Book."

She's still online, and a major hobby of hers is geocaching.

Posted July 27, 2008 3:15 PM by B. Durbin

Hey all,

#65: I'm running gaming for worldcon...12 ring circus....hah...I'd give it at least 50. The thing is they aren't interested in bringing in the locals...it'll hurt eventually...aging population is not a good thing.

#66: Bencon is defunct. It's never coming back...there are efforts for a new benefit gaming convention in Denver though.

I'll be at gaming most of the time (in the party hotel)...but I'll have to try to get away for this.

Posted July 27, 2008 3:58 PM by Michelle

Michelle @77: You have my deepest sympathy/empathy - I used to do ConHQ and ConCoord for Ghengis/Tacticon way back in the day, I'm sure wrangling gaming for this con will be crazy. And I agree with you in wishing WC wasn't so insular.

Posted July 27, 2008 7:52 PM by Lance Weber

There is also Opus Con in the spring in Denver. They apparently didn't have one this year but they'll be back next year.

They do a pretty good job— the main thing is that it's a fantasy convention, rather than F & SF. But the two years I went they had great children's programming, the art show was run by Bruce & Cheryl Sundquist (sp?), the same folks who are running the Denvention show and who run the MileHi show, and the panels were small and helpful. I mean, it's really nice when you can have an artist actually paint a small piece and have everybody see what she's doing.

Posted July 27, 2008 10:29 PM by B. Durbin

#71: I'm only Yarnot in the art show. Durbin is the quickest way to find me and Evil Rob.*

*Technically, his nickname is simply "Evil"** but I find that "Evil Rob" promotes clarity.

**He got that from work.

Posted July 27, 2008 10:32 PM by B. Durbin

I believe I will be at Denvention. Under my own name, of course.

Posted July 28, 2008 12:35 AM by Charlie Stross

Charlie 81: Which is what? :-)

Posted July 28, 2008 12:39 AM by Xopher

Terry @50,

Skype and a webcam--that's what I've used before to attend a transcontinental brunch, and it'll be the setup for Making Party.

Have you used video on Skype before*?

I do not know [note2self, check this] if my laptop or Skype can do a split-screen mode (output) for video. I/we might need another laptop at the party to have multiple eDoors to the party [note2self, ask].

If you have or can borrow an HD webcam, that makes it better for putting you up on the TV set. I think it'll still work if not.

(Could also possibly do a live stream of the party via the cellphone, but that wouldn't be interactive without IRC or similar = not likely on top of skype prep.)

-------------
* You might be able to test it with Abi. I'll email you when I've got mine set up.

Posted July 28, 2008 1:11 AM by Kathryn from Sunnyvale

Well, I may have to forgo, as I am not possessed; nor do I feel one use will justify the aquisition, of a webcam.

Perhaps I will just open a chat window.

Posted July 28, 2008 1:13 AM by Terry Karney

The problem with my name is that people keep taking it in vain. "Even a layman could do this." Yeah, right, like we aren't skilled!

Posted July 28, 2008 3:52 AM by Marilee

CHiP @ 65, not only haven't I been going to the right parties, I'm not sure that some of them would be legal in the UK.

Even today.

Posted July 28, 2008 4:00 AM by Dave Bell

Xopher @82,

is in lights, of course.

Posted July 28, 2008 5:20 AM by Kathryn from Sunnyvale

Marilee @ 85... I know a scientist whose family name is Flake.

Posted July 28, 2008 6:06 AM by Serge

I'll be there, of course, and if there's suitable music available I could throw a few photons about, as well. Xopher, don't know if you've tried it much, but hand-held light-stick dancing can be much more cardiovascularly intensive than poi-spinning, IME. More reliance upon gross muscles in the arms and shoulders than the fine muscles of the wrists.

Lin@31 and Lance@41, I'll third the reccy for Left Hand, although I prefer the Milk Stout to the Sawtooth. TTDV.

For those what need it, my surname is "Langlinais."

I recall someone was going to have "Fluorosphere" buttons available, but can't remember what thread that was in. Anyone?

Posted July 28, 2008 11:32 AM by Skwid

Serge #88: I once met a Dr. Blob.

Posted July 28, 2008 11:53 AM by ethan

ethan @ 90... I dare not ask what his/her specialty was. Meanwhile, when I was living in Toronto, I'd frequently walk past the house of Doctor Gore.

Posted July 28, 2008 11:57 AM by Serge

Skwid @89: Milk Stout was recommended to me as well. Have car, planning on trip. Between the Chimay thread and recommendations from a friend who home brews, I want to try everything Left Hand has.

Posted July 28, 2008 12:13 PM by Lin D

I'll be there - Serge has my contact information. Oh, I should send that to Susan too. Ok, that's done.

And on the odd/unfortunate name list is the Ex Chief of Staff here - Dr. Doolittle.

Posted July 28, 2008 12:44 PM by Tania

Tania @ 93... I think that, in the 1990s anyway, the Bay Area had a lawyer's outfit called Dilly, Dally, and Doolittle.

As for the contact information... You fool! Bwahahahahah!!!

Posted July 28, 2008 12:51 PM by Serge

Once, I took my wife to the ER and she was taken care of by Doctor Faust.

Posted July 28, 2008 12:57 PM by Serge

Right around the corner from my house are the law offices of Votta and Votta. I always want to sneak over in the night and add "Voom" to the sign.

Posted July 28, 2008 1:41 PM by ethan

The doc who fixed a hernia for me 10 years ago was named Dr. Grief.

Posted July 28, 2008 1:49 PM by Linkmeister

I know someone who was delivered by a gynecologist named Harry Beaver (and I've seen the birth certificate that proves it).

Posted July 28, 2008 2:03 PM by Tim Walters

My hometown had an OB/GYN named Dr. Fillerup.

Posted July 28, 2008 2:53 PM by Leslie in CA

There used to be a Dr. Moriarty in Bethesda Naval's pediatric unit.

And Dr. Foot is a DC-area podiatrist.

Posted July 28, 2008 3:31 PM by Cat Meadors

Re doctors' names:

Only funny in German, alas, but in this town, there is a doctor of dentistry and oral surgery called Dr.Spangemacher - literally "(Dental) Braces-maker"

Posted July 28, 2008 3:39 PM by Jörg Raddatz

Faren Miller @ 63

Well, I guess someone objected strenuously to that cartoon (I rather liked it myself), because it's been taken out of the archive menu. The page itself is still there, as I confirmed by manually creating the url, but if you go to the link you gave, which is the latest strip, and try to use the dated drop down menu, that date, July 27, isn't in the menu.

Some people are really sensitive.

Posted July 28, 2008 3:50 PM by Bruce Cohen (SpeakerToManagers)

Bruce (StM): I just followed the link... not available.

Posted July 28, 2008 4:01 PM by Terry Karney

Terry

If you mean the link I gave, I'm confused; I just tried it again, and it works fine.

Posted July 28, 2008 4:04 PM by Bruce Cohen (SpeakerToManagers)

I'll be there, and I'm thinking really hard about bringing down some Boulder microbrews. A bottle or two of Redstone's mead, for sure. Maybe a coupla sixpacks from Twisted Pine or the Boulder Brewery. We'll see.

For identification purposes (because nametags don't always do the trick), Serge added the photo from the front of my website to the Making Light & Faces gallery. With commentary. It's a shame I don't do cosplay.

Posted July 28, 2008 4:19 PM by Nicole J. LeBoeuf-Little

I saw a listing for Father Dull in the county database years ago, and I know a veterinarian named Dr. Good.

Posted July 28, 2008 4:29 PM by Ginger

Bruce: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/artsandliving/comics/king.html?name=Bizarro&date=20080727

Comes up image unavailable. Is it possible you are reloading from Cache? I've had that happen when I tried to check things which had been pulled.

Posted July 28, 2008 4:49 PM by Terry Karney

Terry - worked for me.

Posted July 28, 2008 4:52 PM by Lance Weber

Nicole J. LeBoeuf-Little @ 105... Serge added the photo from the front of my website to the Making Light & Faces gallery. With commentary.

A very appropriate commentary, and, in fact, I'd go so far as to... Hmm... Nicole, what are you planning to do with that nice battleax?

Posted July 28, 2008 4:53 PM by Serge

Nicole @105,

With the recent threads and comments on the joy of local brews, I think your thoughts are encouraging / to be encouraged.

Because I've got a few other plates to spin*, I haven't yet gone back over older threads to properly research the most obvious noshes and sloshes for the Party, but a good beer has to top the list. hmmmm.

Top 6 Drinks of Making Light:
1. a locally handcrafted brew, served in glasses chilled by the vacuum between the stars
2. gingered lemonade
3. ?
4. ?
5. ?
6. ?

Top 5 Foods of Making Light:
1. Chocolate
2. Plums, from the icebox
3. Hot gingered shrimp and mammoth salad (unlikely to make on-site: I don't think standard rooms come with bbq pits)
4. ?
5. ?
6. ?

And while I'm not sure to what it would be appropriate, I'd think a schadenfreude pie could be relevant.

----------
* other projects to be put into motion / brought up to pressure. Making clients happy. Getting a non-street-legal artcar down from Portland. Finding a statistician. small things.

Posted July 28, 2008 4:56 PM by Kathryn from Sunnyvale

There seems to be something else going on. I can't see any Bizzaro. Bizzare.

Posted July 28, 2008 5:00 PM by Terry Karney

Ok... I can see it when I use IE, but in the most recent FF 3.x.x it's borked.

Unless it's some odd artifact of adblock (which I can't seem to disable for just that page; though it will for all of the Wash Post).

Posted July 28, 2008 5:06 PM by Terry Karney

Kathryn @ 110: For ML cocktail I nominate the Sazerac (which I first heard of here, and which is wonderful) or the Vesper (which was discussed recently, and happens to be my current favorite, even though I have to use plain old Lillet).

Posted July 28, 2008 5:46 PM by Tim Walters

Kathryn @110:
Single malt is too dear, but Gibsons, maybe? Someone should bring the pickled onions.

Posted July 28, 2008 6:03 PM by abi

abi: Given my predilictions, Gibsons are about as pricey as single malts (in that there are several malts which are not so dear, and I enjoy, while there are only a few gins I can stand; and they are dear).

And TJ's has some very good prices, on some very good single malts.

But a gibson is more urbane.

Posted July 28, 2008 6:14 PM by Terry Karney

Will the party be serving trania?

Posted July 28, 2008 6:17 PM by Serge

See, I stand revealed as a whiskey connoisseur and a gin barbarian.

I can live with that.

Posted July 28, 2008 6:23 PM by abi

Shouldn't that be "whisky connoisseur"? :)

Posted July 28, 2008 6:30 PM by Tim Walters

It's gone midnight here; you're lucky it was in recognizable English of any dialect...

Posted July 28, 2008 6:32 PM by abi

It's connaisseur.

Posted July 28, 2008 6:33 PM by Serge

Not in English, Serge.

Posted July 28, 2008 6:34 PM by TexAnne

Oui, oui, TexAnne. I was just feeling silly. Quick, fetchez la vache!

Posted July 28, 2008 6:39 PM by Serge

abi: I can drink Bowmore happily. I can get it (and some others) for 18-20 USD at Tj's.

My preferred gins, also at Tj's run 20-25 USD.

My preferred whiskies... are more expensive.

But this is talking parties.

And, with the Gibson, we'd have to add onions, and vermouth.

All in all, I'd be more than happy (were I there) with either.

Posted July 28, 2008 6:49 PM by Terry Karney

Kathryn (110): I wouldn't call it a Top Drink of Making Light, but I hope you're planning on having some plain old (non-diet) soda/pop, or I won't have anything to drink.

Posted July 28, 2008 7:15 PM by Mary Aileen

B.Durbin:

Wow, you are "Stands-with-a-book"? Smallish world.

Posted July 28, 2008 7:18 PM by joann

Terry Karney @ 112

I'm seeing it in Firefox 3.0.1. I tried clearing my caches and could still see it. Washingtonpost.com uses javascript, is that enabled on your browser?

Posted July 28, 2008 8:08 PM by Bruce Cohen (SpeakerToManagers)

Years ago, it was reported in Encounter (a literary journal sponsored by the Congress for Cultural Freedom, a CIA-front) that the physician responsible for the health of Hamburg's prostitutes was a Dr Bacchus.

Posted July 28, 2008 8:13 PM by Fragano Ledgister

Back in the early 1990s, the head of Stanford University's psychiatry dept was one Doctor Dement.

Posted July 28, 2008 8:17 PM by Serge

Serge @ 128:Back in the early 1990s, the head of Stanford University's psychiatry dept was one Doctor Dement.

Oh.

Posted July 28, 2008 8:19 PM by John A Arkansawyer

John A Arkansawyer @ 129...

Yup.

Posted July 28, 2008 9:45 PM by Serge

Kathryn from Sunnyvale:

Making Light drinks? Certainly various whiskies, whiskeys, whiskys, and uisgebaughs, or however one spells them. If served neat, though, they should probably be called disemvowelled.

(Sans eau, of course.)

Posted July 28, 2008 11:42 PM by elise

Serge #109: I'm going to paint it pretty colors. Mostly derivatives of red. I like the word carmine, don't you?

Posted July 29, 2008 12:28 AM by Nicole J. LeBoeuf-Little

Kathryn @110: I will be sure to continue thinking, then, the better to suit deed to thought. Mmm, mead!

Posted July 29, 2008 1:15 AM by Nicole J. LeBoeuf-Little

joann @ #125: "Wow, you are "Stands-with-a-book"? Smallish world."

Lies. It's all lies, I tell you.

Posted July 29, 2008 1:28 AM by B. Durbin

Teancom, #19: In answer to your first question, a quick Google reveals that StarFest was a TV-oriented media-con. Denvention (and Worldcons in general) are literary-oriented cons, and a lot of the people who attend media-cons don't even know they exist. (This is an ongoing problem, and a source of much discussion in certain segments of organized fandom.) Unless you had just happened to ask someone who was also an organized-fandom person, the odds were very good that they wouldn't have had any knowledge of the upcoming Denver Worldcon.

You've got MileHiCon coming up in Denver at the end of October. I've been to one of those, and it was a fun con. When you get there, look for the freebie table and pick up flyers from other regional cons. Once you get hooked into the network, staying in it is easy -- but that first step requires some luck.

Skwid, #89: That would be me. The buttons will be available at the Starcat Designs table in the dealer room unless/until Kathryn or her designated representative picks them up from me, or I bring them to the party itself. (I still need to find out if we need to make more of them than I have left over from last year.)

Kathryn, #110: If I manage to drag my partner along, he'll be very happy if you can manage to have some decent-quality brewed iced tea (as in, buy it from the Asian or Indian grocery). He'll cope if you don't, but I thought I'd put the word in just in case. Me, I'll drink the gingered lemonade and be perfectly happy.

One thing I've learned from my Chocolate Decadence parties is that you really need some salty snacks if there's going to be a lot of chocolate. After a surprisingly short time, even the most dedicated chocolate-lovers get tired of undiluted sweetness.

Posted July 29, 2008 1:36 AM by Lee

Lee @ 135 - At the Chocolate Bashes I go to we have mole negro served with slices of pita. Yum.

I keep thinking about smoking some of the salmon that John caught earlier this month. But then I think about the truly unpleasant nastiness that could happen with luggage carrying fish (even well sealed cooked fish) and now am trying to come up with a better plan.

Posted July 29, 2008 2:18 AM by Tania

Nicole @132,
Can you email me? I'd like to start Making Plans with the set of people who will have vehicles in Denver.

Mary Aileen @124,
No worries, we will have a splendid assortment of drinks*, with and without spenda. I might even bring the Cream Soda station: a splash of cream does very tasty things to a soda. Think root-beer float.

---------
* I'm not particularly knowledgeable in things related to ethanol** and bartending, and will be requesting volunteers.

** because, in part, I've never been able to taste essential nuances: the bottle of Laphroaig that's sitting in my pantry would be wasted on me. I prefer any distilled essences in my drinks to be related to foods I eat. Grapes or honey or rasberries, yes. I do not eat oak.

Posted July 29, 2008 3:32 AM by Kathryn from Sunnyvale

Nicole J LeBoeuf-Little @ 132... I'm going to paint it pretty colors.

That makes me feel so much better.
Eep.

Posted July 29, 2008 9:53 AM by Serge

elise has been added to the ML gallery.

Posted July 29, 2008 10:07 AM by Serge

In case any of you haven't seen it yet, the "Pocket" Programming Guide for the Con is now up.

Posted July 29, 2008 10:34 AM by Skwid

Skwid @ 140... Strange. The indexes list people by their first name then their family name. Thus Abi, if she participated at a panel, would appear under letter 'A'.

Posted July 29, 2008 10:52 AM by Serge

I'm jealous of elise's theremin. Or...um...my brain is addled right now. How do I say that so that it means I'm jealous of elise's having a theremin, and not that I really wish elise would wave her hands in my general vicinity?

Posted July 29, 2008 11:38 AM by ethan

Ethan, I'd think I'm jealous of Elise having a theremin works quite well, but I don't think many people would mistake your meaning if you say I'm jealous of Elise's theremin. Since the odd case of wanting Elise to wave her hands over you is so odd, I think you'd have to disambiguate that one, rather than mess around with the phrasing of the more likely case. Perhaps Lucky theremin, having Elise's hands waving over it; I'm quite jealous?

Posted July 29, 2008 12:33 PM by NelC

#78: Ah yes, Tacticon and Genghis. I have a brand new website for them. Soon they will be out of Luddite land. But for those I just run Serenity games (plug: come play the first at Worldcon!) and maintain the website.

I'm less bald than the coordinators.

Posted July 29, 2008 12:48 PM by Michelle

Actually, if I'm not mistaken, that's from a party at Patrick and Teresa's. If so...that's actually my theremin. Ethan, you can come down to Hoboken and play it sometime if you'd like.

Hmm. I suppose I could try to bring it to Denvention...but I probably won't have enough space.

Posted July 29, 2008 4:01 PM by Xopher

Xopher, Xopher, Xopher...

"Come to Hoboken and play my theremin" does not win any chat-up line contests. Really truly.

Posted July 29, 2008 4:10 PM by abi

FedEx, xopher, FedEx.

Posted July 29, 2008 4:10 PM by Linkmeister

The potential entertainment value of trying to explain a theremin to the TSA is...OK, substantial, but probably not worth it after all.

Posted July 29, 2008 4:17 PM by Debbie

Debbie @ 148... Especially if we have to explain about Gort.

Posted July 29, 2008 4:19 PM by Serge

I had enough trouble explaining a pitchpipe to a TSA guy -- it had fallen to the bottom of my knapsack during my last filk con. I ended up telling him that it was kinda like a circular harmonica. (No, it wasn't the conjunction of "pitchpipe" and "filk" that confused him; I didn't tell him about that.)

Posted July 29, 2008 4:43 PM by Joel Polowin

abi 146: How about "Come to my place and stroke my pole?*"

Linkmeister 147: How do you think I'm getting the chocolates there? Carried or checked, they'd be "confiscated" by some TSA goon for sure.

*Meaning the vertical antenna of the theremin of course. What else?

Posted July 29, 2008 4:55 PM by Xopher

Years back, before air travel was the insanity of "security" that it is today, I was going through customs on my way to a con in the U.S. at a time of day when things were slow at the airport. The customs agent asked about the "food" that I'd noted on the form, and I told her about the chocolate chip peanut pie that I had with me.

Her eyes widened, and she said, "I think I need to, uh, confiscate that." Then she called over to her colleague at the next table, something like "Hey Marge, this guy says he's got a, uh, chocolate peanut pie. We 'confiscate' that, don't you think?" Her manner made it pretty clear that she was joking.

I asked her if she'd settle for a copy of the recipe, which I had with me. She ran off to the office nearby to make copies for herself and her colleague.

These days... nah, it'd probably be considered a dangerous substance, not allowed on board.

Posted July 29, 2008 5:39 PM by Joel Polowin

They'd decide that ganache counted as "gel."

Posted July 29, 2008 5:41 PM by Xopher

It was Xopher's theremin, and a most excellent Xopher he was to bring it, too.

Xopher, that was really fascinating stroking your po