Not To Be Continued

[filkertom]

There's a great deal of foofrah about To Be Continued. I was planning to go to it, but when I heard about all this stuff, I called a friend who I had thought was associated with the con. My mistake -- that friend wasn't.

And I checked my e-mail for references to the con, and suddenly realized that I don't actually have any programming there. No concert, no nothin'.

I had a good time at 2Be last year. They treated me well, and all is cool on my end. Regarding other guests, I don't know what all is going on, and it's likely not my business. But it's a six-hour drive one way, I'm not on the schedule, the con isn't reimbursing me anything, I've got a gajillion things to do over the next few weeks (and about nineteen of 'em to do this morning) leading up to MarCon, and I'll be in Chicago for Duckon.

I think I'm gonna give 2Be a pass this year. If anyone was truly waiting to see me, I'm very sorry, but it just doesn't look like the benefits will outweigh the effort this time around. I am not ruling it out in the future, and, like I said, I'll be at Duck (and at WindyCon in November).

Comments

[shockwave77598.livejournal.com]

Sounds like it is time for a new con chair at To Be ConTinued.

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

Conserving your energy is a Good Thing [tm] for you right now, in this key time when SF cons are part of your livelihood. I know what a big change this is, from fan to pro, but unless it pays at least twice your anticipated con budget, including every-increasing gas prices, you have to give it a miss. Good on ya.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Thanks. And, yeah. the gas prices and everything are a consideration. The final nail in the coffin was the realization that, between not having the new album yet, the size of the con in general, and several guests AWOL, I didn't know if I'd clear enough to pay for the two tanks of gas necessary to get me there and back. (I was gonna be staying with janmagic, and that's also the plan for Duck. It helps. Also, Duck is a much more filk-friendly con.)

[morpheus0013.livejournal.com]

That's a fairly decent example of why I'm not longer on the ConCom for my local Con.

A Con Chair who's a hopeless dipshit makes it very hard for the Con itself and the rest of the ConCom to not look like dipshits, and our Con Chair has appointed himself for life. And is a huge dipshit.

Ergo.

2-be-DIScontinued

[tigertoy.livejournal.com]

I've been in convention-going fandom close to *cough* 30 years, and while I'll admit I've been happy under my rock pretty much all of that time, I have seen a few problems. This is the most offensive (to me) thing that I can remember ever happening at a con I've ever actually attended, and frankly, I'd think less of you if you *were* planning to go. I have a lot of respect and admiration for Rob Sawyer, but even if I thought he were a jerk, no convention that treats their guest of honor this way deserves to have attendees.

Re: 2-be-DIScontinued

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

I completely understand and sympathize, Phil, and Mr. Sawyer's situation was a consideration. I've met him, and I like him. But the biggest consideration, honestly, was my own circumstance.

If I'd been contracted to be a guest, rather than merely being under the impression I'd have a badge and a concert, I'd still be going, because my own professionalism would need to be served, and I'd be driving and hoping to be reimbursed for gas and Mickey D's rather than paying for an international flight. Different scale of things, y'see. Mr. Sawyer has been jacked around, and finally put in a situation where, to simply get to the frickin' con, he'd have to shell out almost a grand, with no confidence he'd get it back.

It got to a point where, between the background theater, the price of gasoline, the prospect of not even performing, not even having a badge, and the (likely rapidly shrinking) size of the con, everything coalesced into the decision not to go.

As mentioned, I enjoyed 2Be last year. If they want to talk to me about being a guest or a hired entertainer, I'm good for that. But, with some cons, I simply make sure the travel expenses are paid up front, or I don't go. Again, this is in no way an indictment of Mr. Sawyer. He obviously tried to do exactly that, and sadly things got to where they are.

Re: 2-be-DIScontinued

[singlemaltsilk.livejournal.com]

Well, *I'm* still going, Phil. Like a lot of other dealers, I paid months ago for memberships and dealer space, and while I'm truly appalled at the way the GoH situation's been handled, I'm already out hard cash I need to try to recoup. Because that pesky IRS doesn't allow deductions for taking moral stands.

Does this mean you think less of us?

Re: 2-be-DIScontinued

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Good luck. See you at MarCon? Obviously Duckon.

Re: 2-be-DIScontinued

[singlemaltsilk.livejournal.com]

Definitely Duckon. Probably not MarCon this year, I'm sorry to say.

Re: 2-be-DIScontinued

[tigertoy.livejournal.com]

Tom said he wasn't already under obligation and hadn't put money into the thing. If he made the decision to give them money and spend time there, after this has come to light, that would be different from sticking to a decision he'd already committed to.

You have committed money and agreed to be there. If you don't show up now, it's a negative as well. You're in a no-win situation; I don't hold it against you that you're still going, and I wouldn't hold it against you if you cancelled.

[cheshyre]

Have you seen the latest @ http://community.livejournal.com/con_central/87708.html ?