Nancy - I think the lack of button sales at comic cons may have something to do with fannish identity. SF fans often identify themselves (in part) as being quirky, off-beat, and whimsical. Buttons fit this image well. Comic fans are more likely to identify themselves as being interested in comics--they'll buy comics, videos, posters, character models, and the like.
Given that people usually go to conventions to be fannish (in whatever sense of "fannish" applies to their culture), it doesn't surprise me that comic fans don't buy many buttons at comic conventions--the buttons aren't part of their fannish identiy.
I've had no use for Lieberman for some time due to his personal vendetta against video games. Not much compared to the horrors out of Abu Ghraib, I know, but his basic lack of respect for first amendment rights appalls me.
Perhaps the single good thing I can say about the 2000 election is that at least Lieberman didn't get to be vice president.
Damn, I'm sorry to hear about Another Change of Hobbit. I've only made it up there once or twice (it's just far enough away to be inconvenient for me), but I remember it as a great bookstore. It'll be sad knowing it isn't there any more.
I live in Mountain View, and do most of my book buying at the Palo Alto Borders. (I still miss Future Fantasy, where I went often until they closed.)
I generally buy at the Mountain View Books, Inc. (the former Printer's Inc) only when I've walked into downtown and find myself in need of a book. They're a nice enough store run by friendly people, but they can't match the selection at Borders.
The same goes for Megabooks (the independent located next door from Borders), only more so. They're just too small to offer a good variety. (Does Megabooks even have a new SF section?)
Bookbuyers and Know Knew Books are both great, although I've picked over their selections enough that I think I've bought everything they have that I know that I want. I return periodically to look for new arrivals, or authors that I've learned I'm looking for. (Found _Sky Coyote_ at Bookbuyers the other month; alas, if only they'd had the rest of Baker's Company books.)
I sure wish there was still a local specialty SF store, however. I particularly miss having a large new-and-interesting-SF section to browse. I have a terrible memory, and would always discover books that I'd intended to buy but forgotten about.
The other thing I want is a bookstore that works at making sure that if they're selling book 4 of a series, books 1-3 are in stock. Borders is frequently guilty of failing in this.
I like coffee shops. I take a Japanese class in one. We used to meet at a language school, until my teacher quit working for them. Then we met at an office shared with a few other language teachers, until they raised the rent. Then we met in a classroom at a Buddhist temple, until the new management kicked us out. Now we order drinks and claim a table in a quiet, well-lit corner of a local coffee shop. Somehow this has been my favorite classroom to date, even if it isn't the quietest or most free of distractions.
Lots of people with laptops there. (Including me, on occasion.) The free wireless probably has something to do with that.
No hot monkey sex yet, though.
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| 2004 | 5 |
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