Our friend Louis Adkins is trying to escape WV for the relatively tame wilds of Washington state. Won't you help?
Signal Boost for Blind Lemming Chiffon
Feb. 24th, 2014 10:03 amOur buddy Blind Lemming Chiffon is in a bit of a rough patch right now. To help get through it, he has a bunch of nifty collectible books available on eBay. Won't you help?
Legendary ConFusion!
Jan. 17th, 2014 03:36 pmLegendary ConFusion is going on right now at the Doubletree Hilton in Dearborn, MI (just west of the Southfield Freeway at Ford Road -- turn right at the Wendy's). Lots going on, lots of great people. Lots of great music. And me!
So who's gonna be there, or is there already?
- 2:00 pm - Songwriting Workshop (Windsor)
- 3:00 pm - Mass Autograph Session 1 (Huron/Ontario/Erie)
- 4:00 pm - FSM Gospel Magic Show (Fairlane)
- 6:00 pm - Tom Smith in Concert (Michigan)
- 9:00 pm - Super Heroes and Space Cowboys (Fairlane)
So who's gonna be there, or is there already?
ConFusion Next Weekend!
Jan. 10th, 2014 11:35 amThe ConFusion Programming Schedule is up, and I am in a daunting position. I can deal with 6:00 p.m. Saturday, that's fine. But whose bright idea was it that I go right after the Heather Dale Band (Heather, Ben Deschamps, probably S. J. Tucker, and who knows who else will show up)!? I'm doomed.
Or else we'll all have a great time. One of the two.
Oh, and![[profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
markbernstein is the Fan GOH! He gets inducted into that worthy office at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, then has his own concert at 3:00. And there's howardtayler and other artists doing stuff, and lots of Maker panels, and Anime all weekend (if you're up at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, they're running an ep of the marvelous Code Geass
), and more writer panels than you can shake a Selectric at, and gaming, and costuming, and and and.
If, for whatever reason, you have never been to ConFusion, this is a really great year to start.
So, who's planning to be there?
Or else we'll all have a great time. One of the two.
Oh, and
markbernstein is the Fan GOH! He gets inducted into that worthy office at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, then has his own concert at 3:00. And there's howardtayler and other artists doing stuff, and lots of Maker panels, and Anime all weekend (if you're up at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, they're running an ep of the marvelous Code Geass), and more writer panels than you can shake a Selectric at, and gaming, and costuming, and and and.
If, for whatever reason, you have never been to ConFusion, this is a really great year to start.
So, who's planning to be there?
IT IS... ALIVE
Nov. 18th, 2013 02:41 pmSorry I haven't updated here for, jeez, almost two weeks. I'm fine, just spending most of my social time on Facebook. I'll post more often here, I promise.
Meantime, how is everybody? Get through the storms yesterday okay? Everything on track for a decent Thanksgiving?
Meantime, how is everybody? Get through the storms yesterday okay? Everything on track for a decent Thanksgiving?
Home Again, Home Again
Oct. 28th, 2013 07:23 pmHome at last from the Great Adventure. Quite wonderful adventure, really -- FenCon was excellent, spending a week with my mom and NOT sightseeing was restful, ConChord was great, and the travel itself was awesome (although there were a few mountain roads that kinda freaked me out).
Da Big Finale, of course, was OVFF, and I think this year's unofficial theme was The Summer Of Love, because we were pretty much all over each other with hugs and affection and support all weekend. The music was pretty great, too, and Alexander James Adams, S.J. Tucker, and Betsy Tinney -- collectively Tricky Pixie -- finished on Sunday with one of the absolute best concerts I've ever attended.
Now I catch up with my sleep, a few TV episodes I have to watch, and getting ready for WindyCon next weekend. I think I'll try to finally get to Gravity either Tuesday or Thursday.
And how's by you?
Da Big Finale, of course, was OVFF, and I think this year's unofficial theme was The Summer Of Love, because we were pretty much all over each other with hugs and affection and support all weekend. The music was pretty great, too, and Alexander James Adams, S.J. Tucker, and Betsy Tinney -- collectively Tricky Pixie -- finished on Sunday with one of the absolute best concerts I've ever attended.
Now I catch up with my sleep, a few TV episodes I have to watch, and getting ready for WindyCon next weekend. I think I'll try to finally get to Gravity either Tuesday or Thursday.
And how's by you?
Yesterday was the longest single driving day of my life. Seventeen hours in the car, starting at 7:00 a.m. Central and going until midnight. But at the end of the road was FenCon.
A bunch of friends were there -- Tim, Russ, Tim, Rhonda -- along with some other nice folks, who whisked me and my stuff up to my room. And I already saw Heather Dale and Ben Deschamps.
Today I have the GOH luncheon, where I hope to not make an ass of myself in front of Cory Doctorow and Sandy Petersen. I also have a concert at 9:00, to be immediately followed by some awesome kinda gaming session w/Mr. Doctorow and Mr. Petersen. (I have brought my Zombie Dice and my primary gaming bag, the crisp pretty new Crown Royale bag I found at GenCon two years ago. I have the rules to RQ, D20, T&T, C&S, and Marvel Heroic Roleplaying on my iPad, along with Puzzle Quest, Dungeon Raid, and my current favorite, Giant Boulder of Death. My gamer cred is not only intact, it's gettin' kinda full of itself.)
I have an Interview the GOH panel at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow, the mass autograph session at 1:00, another concert at 3:00, Scooterball w/Teresa Nielsen Hayden at 6:00, and a caberet slot sometime after 8:30.
And then, Sunday morning at 11:00, I moderate (if that is the correct term) Whose Line Is It Anyway?
So, yeah, kind of a busy weekend.
What are you up to?
A bunch of friends were there -- Tim, Russ, Tim, Rhonda -- along with some other nice folks, who whisked me and my stuff up to my room. And I already saw Heather Dale and Ben Deschamps.
Today I have the GOH luncheon, where I hope to not make an ass of myself in front of Cory Doctorow and Sandy Petersen. I also have a concert at 9:00, to be immediately followed by some awesome kinda gaming session w/Mr. Doctorow and Mr. Petersen. (I have brought my Zombie Dice and my primary gaming bag, the crisp pretty new Crown Royale bag I found at GenCon two years ago. I have the rules to RQ, D20, T&T, C&S, and Marvel Heroic Roleplaying on my iPad, along with Puzzle Quest, Dungeon Raid, and my current favorite, Giant Boulder of Death. My gamer cred is not only intact, it's gettin' kinda full of itself.)
I have an Interview the GOH panel at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow, the mass autograph session at 1:00, another concert at 3:00, Scooterball w/Teresa Nielsen Hayden at 6:00, and a caberet slot sometime after 8:30.
And then, Sunday morning at 11:00, I moderate (if that is the correct term) Whose Line Is It Anyway?
So, yeah, kind of a busy weekend.
What are you up to?
SAVING STAR WARS Meets Make-A-Wish
Aug. 23rd, 2013 04:16 pmOur old buddy Gary Wood, the filmmaker behind Saving Star Wars, is doing something cool for the next week:
Check it out, won't you? And, if you like it, boost the signal.
Beginning today, August 23, through Friday, August 30, WoodWorks Films will donate $2.00 from every online viewing/rental of Saving Star Wars. We're excited to make this happen and hope you'll make this a Saving Star Wars/Make-A-Wish Weekend.If you haven't seen it before, SSW is a great little picture, with humor, wit, and a lot of heart. I wrote "Rock Me Amidala" for it, and I'm proud to be a part of it.
Check it out, won't you? And, if you like it, boost the signal.
Orphaned Instruments Fund
Aug. 19th, 2013 09:36 amOur dear friend fabricdragon has an ongoing fundraiser to cover her costs for rescuing and repairing distressed musical instruments. Check it out, won't you?
fabricdragon has an ongoing fundraiser to cover her costs for rescuing and repairing distressed musical instruments. Check it out, won't you?One more time. They're down to 17 hours, with just over $500 to go. C'mon, it's our dear friends, Eric Coleman and Lizzie Crowe! You know you want to help.
Our dear friends Eric Coleman and Lizzie Crowe, otherwise known as Cheshire Moon, are in the midst of an IndieGoGo campaign to fund their new album. Unfortunately, they're only halfway to their goal, with ten days to go. Won't you check it out and help if you can? Thanks.
A little extra love and attention for:
- Nuclear Bubble Wrap's next album, Psycho Delicacy
- Filmmaker Gary Wood's My Kid Brother's Band, about the sister of George Harrison
- Keith DeCandido's graphic novel, Dragon Precinct
- A nifty-looking game and adventure maker, Adventurenazor: When Pigs Fly
Our FuMP buds, Nuclear Bubble Wrap, are still about a thousand bucks shy of funding their new album. Won't you help?
This article is an excellent reminder that it always seems easier to solve someone else's problems than to solve your own.
I try very hard to be a sympathetic person. No matter how rough some things have been, and still are, I'm working from a position of relative strength: I'm not about to keel over dead from anything, I've got a house, I'm mostly able to pay my bills. And I feel very bad for friends who are going through rough times. I've been there. I hope I don't end up there again.
I've worked for a long time now to adjust my reaction from "cursory expressed sympathy and then problem solving" (the sympathy is no less sincere, but comes across as brusque or perfunctory) to "lots of sympathy, hugs, listening, more sympathy, and THEN an offer to help if I can do anything and if they even want the help". I'm almost there, but problem-solving mode does kick in fairly quickly if I'm not paying attention. It's a reflex: I want to make better whatever's hurting.
This is for everyone who doesn't need advice, solutions, or inspirational speeches, but rather needs commiseration, a friendly and non-judgmental ear, and/or just a big ol' hug. I got 'em right here. Endless supply, and all free.
I try very hard to be a sympathetic person. No matter how rough some things have been, and still are, I'm working from a position of relative strength: I'm not about to keel over dead from anything, I've got a house, I'm mostly able to pay my bills. And I feel very bad for friends who are going through rough times. I've been there. I hope I don't end up there again.
I've worked for a long time now to adjust my reaction from "cursory expressed sympathy and then problem solving" (the sympathy is no less sincere, but comes across as brusque or perfunctory) to "lots of sympathy, hugs, listening, more sympathy, and THEN an offer to help if I can do anything and if they even want the help". I'm almost there, but problem-solving mode does kick in fairly quickly if I'm not paying attention. It's a reflex: I want to make better whatever's hurting.
This is for everyone who doesn't need advice, solutions, or inspirational speeches, but rather needs commiseration, a friendly and non-judgmental ear, and/or just a big ol' hug. I got 'em right here. Endless supply, and all free.
Captain Emberwrath's Gaming Gaze
Jul. 19th, 2013 10:14 amOur friend bayushisan has a new gaming and media blog, and if you like his comments here and his articles at dKos, I think you will find it quite good. Always thoughtful, and usually finding an angle others do not.
Any other blogs, FB pages, Tumblrs, Twitters, Pinterest pages, etc., we should check out?
bayushisan has a new gaming and media blog, and if you like his comments here and his articles at dKos, I think you will find it quite good. Always thoughtful, and usually finding an angle others do not.Any other blogs, FB pages, Tumblrs, Twitters, Pinterest pages, etc., we should check out?
Our dear friends Eric Coleman and Lizzie Crowe, known collectively as Cheshire Moon, have another crowdfunded album project. Crowes and Consequences should be every bit as spiff as Ways of Wind and Water, but they need some help over the next 33 days to get there. Check it out, won't you?
Kickstarter Boost: My Kid Brother's Band
Jul. 10th, 2013 08:26 pmMy old buddy Gary Wood (the guy who created Saving Star Wars) is running a Kickstarter for a new film. My Kid Brother's Band is based on interviews with George Harrison's sister Louise, currently living in Benton, IL.
This KS is just starting out, and they could use some help. Won't you give it a look? Thanks.
This KS is just starting out, and they could use some help. Won't you give it a look? Thanks.
Emergency! Help for Louis Adkins
Jun. 10th, 2013 12:00 pmSerious help time. A longtime friend, louisadkins, is stranded in Wyoming with his family and a dead car. Any little bit will help right now, if you can PayPal something to louis.adkins@hotmail.com .
louisadkins, is stranded in Wyoming with his family and a dead car. Any little bit will help right now, if you can PayPal something to louis.adkins@hotmail.com .My 2013 FenCon Upgrade
Jun. 4th, 2013 02:44 pmSad news: Legendary author Larry Niven will not be able to attend FenCon as their Fan Guest of Honor this year.
Not-so-sad news: The new Fan GOH is... me!
I'm not gonna toot my own horn here, except to thank FenCon for having me again (fourth time in, what, seven years?). But... dudes. Look at the rest of the Guest List. Cory Doctorow. Heather Dale (and, of course, Ben Deschamps). Geoffrey A. Landis. Amber Benson, John Ringo, the Nielsen Haydens, freakin' Charles Vess.
This would make Dallas-Fort Worth the Place To Be on Oct. 4-6.
I am honored to be asked, especially to fill the mighty shoes of Mr. Niven, and by damn we gonna have fun that weekend. Anyone else planning on going?
Not-so-sad news: The new Fan GOH is... me!
I'm not gonna toot my own horn here, except to thank FenCon for having me again (fourth time in, what, seven years?). But... dudes. Look at the rest of the Guest List. Cory Doctorow. Heather Dale (and, of course, Ben Deschamps). Geoffrey A. Landis. Amber Benson, John Ringo, the Nielsen Haydens, freakin' Charles Vess.
This would make Dallas-Fort Worth the Place To Be on Oct. 4-6.
I am honored to be asked, especially to fill the mighty shoes of Mr. Niven, and by damn we gonna have fun that weekend. Anyone else planning on going?
2013 Filk Hall of Fame Inductees
Apr. 20th, 2013 09:13 pmMany congratulations to the newest members of the Filk Hall of Fame: Volker Tanger, Roberta Rogow, and Cecilia Eng.
(h/thms42)
(h/t
hms42)
