It has been a busy and very non-fannish couple of days with the Ironbirds and seeing Transformers in IMAX.  I am recovering from those today, but am doing some Alwork for the APG 2011 party.  There is a livejournal cut to keep it from being too long.

First of all, Steve McNair was murdered  yesterday.  He was a former Quarterback for two seasons with the Ravens, but played most of his career with the Tennessee Titans/Houston Oilers. I will remember him for what he did as a Raven and maybe as much what he did to confound the Ravens defense at Tennessee.  I will miss him.  He brought some pride to the Franchise and the first decent Quarterback in a while (before Flacco Mania came to Baltimore).  The saddest thing is he is only 36 years old (five years older than I) with a family.  These are moments I come back to a line from Latin that Catholics have spoken, "Time Flies, Remember Death."

Secondly, I saw the Ironbirds on Friday night after doing errands.  Ironbirds broke a 5 game losing streak on Friday by beating Oneonta 10-1.  I saw the worst display of catching by the Oneonta catcher in my life.  He had about five or six passed balls (all of them to the screen).  If this guy is still the catcher for Oneonta, I would be shocked. The fireworks were nice as always, but they were the loudest I had ever heard.  I think I may bring some Earplugs next year.

( Of Hugo nominees and Transformers )
Also, I saw Diamond Tavern and parts of the Hilton.  They serve Yuengling (which is real beer) and offer a very good resbit for a late dinner (they don't serve Sandwiches for Dinner) away from Otakon's insanity.  I may try them for Friday night Dinner at Otakon in twelve days.  I also got a good idea or two for the Con Runners dinner and some other things done.  I think I have summed the last couple of days pretty well.  

I am ready for the long weekend.  I had a half hour delay for my train home, so that made my long day just a little bit longer.  After not getting the best nights sleep on Tuesday, I made every minute of that sleep count.  I am feeling better this morning compared to yesterday.  I am ready for whatever surprises come up today.  I just hope the day goes by quickly and the queue doesn't get to a Half hour.

Otakon is two weeks away.  They announced some more guests this week including the Director of Macross.   It should be a very busy weekend including hosting the ACML Dinner (Anime's version of SMOFS list).  I should remember to send an invite over to the Evil Overlord, so he can meet some fellow convention runners.  I haven't heard anything about my Gofer Application, so I will try to follow up again on this today.  

I will do many of the Saturday things tomorrow including Weight Watchers (since it is sensible enough to be closed on the 4th).  Tomorrow will be the Ironbirds game with some beautiful fireworks.  If you ever get up to Aberdeen in the summer, you should stop by Ripken Stadium.  I will try to upload some pictures and link to them on Sunday.  I hope to get a decent compact Tripod for Worldcon tomorrow to take some videos of panels and things.  I just wish I had decent video editing software to cut the full videos into Youtube sized bites (10 min or less).  

It is a weekend full of conventions across the west especially. I wish I could get to Anime Expo this year.  This year has a great guest list.  I hope to make the trip back out there again (if I don't go to NASFIC), next year.  If you can get a chance to see Anime Expo (even if you aren't that big of anime fan), you should try to get to it once.  I hope people have a lot of fun this weekend. I probably won't be on  again until Sunday.  

One last thing,  today is tkunsman birthday.  I hope he has a better year than the last.

I have had a calm and quiet couple of days, so there hasn't been much to write about.  The most exciting thing I did last weekend was the Aberdeen Ironbirds game.  I think I will try to take some pictures of the Stadium and post them up on Photobucket to get some photo work in before Worldcon.  I am debating between getting a new Camera (instead of my Camcorder/Camera doesn't do either well) or a new Laptop before Worldcon.  I have a 10% off coupon from Target Visa for a day's shopping at Target.  I see a $250.00 laptop at Target this week (before the discount).  tinyurl.com/m5qhnh is the link for it.  I would rather spend the money on my card for Beer at the party.  I will think about it some more. 

A local anime fan wants to do an Anime con on a Cruise Ship.  He has gotten to the point of putting up a website and almost taking reservations for it.  www.floatacon.com/ is the address to their website.  I would love to go on a Cruise, but I am not sure that I want to do a cruise for fandom. I would rather go on a singles cruise and meet people. The other issue I have with this is that you will have to pay in full before the end of the year.  The Cruise isn't until December 2010 and I think that is way too early to commit to a convention without any means of transfer or refund.  This is different from Worldcon because I can transfer my Worldcon membership it something happened to me (right up to the time of the convention). I have a feeling this could be a scheme or run by someone very naive about cruises.

I had been busy the last couple of days, but I did get some things done besides work.  First of all, I got some party supplies (decorating) shopping.  Got some more Camo tableclothes, a Tank Centerpiece, a book about the History of APG and Camo Gift Wrap for the door.  I need to order the Iron Man poster (Tony stark is a possible Guest of Honor) and get the Ordnance Corps flag for the door.  At that point, it is getting the at con schedule figured out and the alcohol issue.  Alcohol is expensive in Canada (about $25.00 CAD for a Case of it).  I originally said $25.00 a 12 pack and was wrong. It is expensive enough in Canada.  I can get some beer at $12.00 US for a 24 pack (National Bohemian).

I also have some new clothes from mom, which surprised me when I saw them last night.  I am down another Pants size (from 48 to 46 waist), but am keeping the slightly bigger pants for now (need alot of pants in Montreal). I also have a shirt that I want to wear for the Hugos (maybe with a Tie), but is also good for the day job.  I usually bring tons of convention T-shirts in my usual wardrobe for a convention (like Anime USA shirts), but want to wear some of my smaller work shirts for Anticipation.

I am also almost at 130 pounds lost (actually 128.2 lbs lost), which is very nice for me.  I am working on my game plan for Montreal (because I know they have great food).  I am debating whether to stay the same or be willing to gain three or four pounds over those two weeks to be the goal.  I don't think the Intercontinental has Refrigerators to pack Breakfast and Lunch like I did for Anime Expo. I will have to research some before deciding.

One other quick Worldcon thing, I went to the local Barnes and Noble and found none of the Hugo nominees.  I wanted Cory Doctrow's Little Children to read before Worldcon. I couldn't fit it and I couldn't even find Neil Gaiman's Graveyard Book.  With a Hugo nomination, you would think the biggest chain of Bookstores would highlight the nominees in the front of the Science Fiction/Fantasy section.  You have to special order all the Hugo books from my Barnes and Noble.  I guess it shows how much better Worldcon and WSFS needs to promote the Hugos.

I have been busy yesterday, but I did want to give my thoughts on the Michael Jackson story.  I am surprised by his days, but am not saddened by it.  I don't think he will have the same impact as Elvis did.  It is the big story of the last couple days, but It wasn't the biggest story in the Morning Sun.  It was what Baltimore's Metro System was going to do to ensure a DC tragedy didn't happen.  The big story on Friday (the upper Right Hand corner story of the Front Page) was a Crime and Justice story. 

Elvis death was front page news for a couple of days according to my mother.  I think it is because we live in a very fractured pop culture.  I would personally be sadder if Garth Brooks died (the preeminant country singer of the 90's). His music will be part of people's lives for many years after his passing like Presley's music did.

I have some other random things, but I will put them in a seperate post later.  

Voting Reminder

In order for this bid to beat None of the Above, we need you to put us as your first choice.  If you don't put us as your first choice, we don't get counted. We hope you don't support none of the above as your number one choice and choose us instead. All mail-in votes are due in a little over a month on July 15th. After that point, please vote at the Worldcon at the site selection Table or contact Tom Stidman to see about carrying your ballot to Montreal at tstidman at verizon dot net.

Anticipation Party Reminder

The official APG 2011 bid party has been confirmed for Thursday August 6th at the Delta Centre-ville hotel.  We are confirmed for Room 2815 (one of the largest suites) and will go from about 9 PM-2 AM.  Come find out more about the bid and discover great Maryland treats that will be announced closer to the event. 

Paypal now being accepted

The bid is now taking pre-supports until July 22nd through Paypal.  The best way to send money to the bid is to contact tstidman at  verizon dot net and he will give you the proper Paypal Account to send it to.

If you have further questions about the bid, please go to our bid's Livejournal at http://community.livejournal.com/apg2011 or by e-mailing tstidman at verizon dot net.

It has been a very busy week for me especially with work.  I am ready for the weekend.  I am not sure what I am doing this weekend. I am leaning towards nothing besides the Aberdeen Ironbirds game and Weight Watchers.  Next weekend, I hope to go see Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen in IMAX at the Science Center.  I think that may be a nice way to spend the 4th of July down in Baltimore.  I have off July 3rd, which will be Weight Watchers in the morning and an Ironbirds game in the evening.  I also have to pick up something while I am downtown because I will be horrendously busy Otakon weekend.

I have found out alot of things about party related things in last couple of days.  I am going to have to decided about a Refrigerator for the Alcoholic drinks.  I am leaning towards a cooler for that.  I need to do tons of little things in the next few weeks, but it is down to one big thing and we will take it from there.

I went to Wizard World Philly yesterday.  It was a meh show for me.  I got some great busy on some things including a Wonder Woman Doll and the Eternals HC by Neil Gaiman (75% off).  I will use that (along  with Gaiman's autograph) as a donation for the fan funds auction (the closest thing Worldcon has to a charity auction).  Fan Funds auction help the Transatlantic Fan Fund and Down under Fan Fund people encourage cultural exchange by sending people to Britain and Australia respectively and vice versa.

The con otherwise was nothing great or special.  I prefer Baltimore Comic Con over this show because it has better artists in the artist alley (spent nothing in Artist Alley).  It also doesn't have people who are selling autographs of themselves (Kristianna Loken, Edward James Olmos and Lou Ferringo were among those). The show is also poorly organized.  Two examples of this are my HR Department didn't know where I should get my badge (the con didn't tell them) and the costume contest was horribly run and from what I heard late.  That has also given me a thought about something that Anime USA can bring to Baltimore Comic Con (A well run costume contest), but I will have to talk to my higher ups before I just go into that.

-After a busy Wednesday and Thursday, I am ready for the weekend.  I also don't believe that we are only two weeks away from Independence Day.  The year is just flying by.

-Tomorrow (after Weight Watchers), I will be going to Wizard World Philly for the day.  I would like to stay around for the Kaiju Big Battel (Battel is spelled correctly) that is going on at the Trocadero, but don't want to spend the money on a hotel room for the night.  I may call the local hostel for whether they have space at Lunch.  

-Otakon also has a great line up of guests for the convention (if you haven't been keeping an eye on that).  They have lined up Frederick Schodt (of the book Dreamland Japan), a Director of Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Mell (who sung the opening for Black Lagoon) and Kikoue Inoue (Japanese voice of Belldandy).  It should be a great Otakon this year.  I am glad I decided to do Otakon for the weekend instead of the day.  

-Busy start to the week because of a title closing for orders late. I hope it isn't insane tomorrow, but we will see with Captain America #600.

-I will be going to Wizard World Philly due to a free Train ticket and a free pass to the show. Half of me wants to go to the Franklin Institute to see the Star Trek exhibit instead. I will see as the week goes on for that.

-Congrats to Otakon for getting the VAMPS (Hyde from L'arc En Ciel and KAZ) to stay for a Q and A on Friday of Otakon. Their fans should enjoy the chance to meet them.

I am also glad that the guest list is coming together for them They have gotten Travis Willingham (voice of Roy Mustang) and Crispin Freeman (voice of Alucard) to come. It is going to be a busy weekend for me then.

-Today is going to be nuts because many stores will be getting Captain America #600 (the prequel to Captain America Reborn #1) today.  There is alot of media buzz around it.  http://www.newsarama.com/comics/060915-Cap-Reborn.html is the link to the story (minor spoilers).  I didn't order Captain America #600, but I think I better and soon. 

-I am doing better with the Tendonitis.  I did a shorter walk and am wearing my Tennis shoes to give better cushioning to my legs for today. 

-Saw UP yesterday.  I enjoyed the film, but it wasn't as good as Wall-E.  I can't quite put my pulse on why it wasn't as good. Ed Asner did a fine performance as Carl Frederickson.  I think Russell wasn't used as well as it should.  I also think the plot and the point was a little condrite.  The simpler things in life are the ones we enjoy the most seem to be the story of the film.   I don't remember those as much because I am a part of fandom.  I remember the conventions and hate simple weekends at home most of the time.  

I had a bad evening after the train home.  I sat crossed legged at the train station (due to no benches besides on the platforms and the station being closed) and had big time pain develop after I stood up.  After I got home, I called a nurse and she said go to the hospital.  Doctor looked at it and said it is Tendonitis most likely.  If it isn't better in three to five days, go to the regular Doctor.  I just hope it is a short term thing and that I can get to back by Monday or Tuesday.  I walk a good distance from Light Rail, so I have to walk without being bowlegged. I am putting ice and taking advil for it.  It means I won't be going to BSFS tonight and I was looking forward to that.  Maybe, I can do something next weekend out of the house.

-On the way home, It has been a steady day at work. I am ready for the weekend. I don't know how Monday will be due to an unusual mixture of things at work.

-Besides Weight Watchers, I will be taking a look at a suit or tux for the Hugos. I have never been to an award ceremony (besides in Future Business Leaders and Speech). I am unsure what to wear to fit in. I am debating towards a tux because they are starting at $60.

-I will be going to BSFS meeting to hang with friends . I am surprised that I haven't heard about the Balticon issue, yet. I am starting to think it may not be an issue. I could be wrong though.

A lot of people have asked me why I am doing Worldcon.  Some of them just want me to go to other cons instead, others are curious about my interest in Worldcon.  I have had a hard time explaining why through speaking about it.  That is why I am writing about why.  I have had the reasons clear for months, but just haven't been able to explain it vocally.  Here are why I am doing Worldcon in Montreal this year:

1.  The City is Different. Montreal is about as close to France as many people ever get.  I am looking forward to not being in an American city for once. I can eat at a Hard Rock Cafe any weekend in Baltimore.  I am going to have to try to adapt some (such as knowing a few french words such as bonjour).  It has alot of beautiful Catholic Churches (due to it's proud Catholic heritage).  I can't wait to try Poutine (French Fries,  Cheese Curds and Gravy) and French food (Coq a Vis is something I can't wait to try). I also want to try to get to see the Montreal Alouettes (formerly known as the Baltimore Stallions), but am not sure what Friday evening's schedule is like.

2. Meeting different people. I know many people on the Anime Con fandom, but I don't know many people in Science Fiction fandom.  Of Course, I know a few like Tom Kunsman, Eva Whitley and Kevin Standlee.  I want to pick Ben Yalow's mind (how does he get  hotels to negociate for a Con Suite for example?) and meet Cheryl Morgan (who is a Fan writer I admire). I have known Kevin and Tom for years, but Livejournal doesn't provide the best venue to hear their stories.  

A lot of the next two points comes from what I have read, so I could be reading Worldcon totally wrong on these points.

3.  The Creator is important. Worldcon is where the Thinkers (Scientists), Dreamers (Artists and Writers of Science Fiction) and Fans come together.  It is the one of the only cons (being close to NASA helps) where you can listen to one of the leading astronomers at 10 am, at 11:30 AM hear from Neil Gaiman  about writing today's fantasy and at 1 PM hear from Bob Eggleton on how a book cover is designed.  You can hear from creators and that is something that most anime cons aren't able to do.

4. The Fan is Important. Only in Science Fiction fandom does the fan get to choose who was the best in their form of fandom.  Anime fandom has tried, but we have failed on this point.  The Hugos are one of the strengths of Worldcon.  The fans get to meet the creators of things they enjoy.  At Balticon, Charles Stross was sitting in the con suite talking with fans and other con runners on Sunday night.  At Anime Expo, the only way you meet them is in a Q and A panel, at the Guests meet and greet, or at the end of a long line for an autograph.  

We can't bring animators and directors (unless you are Otakon) because we don't have the connections. Most smaller anime cons seem to be under the notion that the only people who will bring people to the convention are American Voice Actors and Japanese Bands.  Creators of the artform matter to Worldcon.

I think I have explained why I am doing this.  I don't think I will ever be able to fully explain why I am running a Hoax Worldcon bid at my first Worldcon.  I guess the best way I can explain that is to go to one of my key rules of fandom: You get the most out of a convention when you give something to that convention.  

-Steve Green is looking for people to stay with after Worldcon across the country. He is this year's delegate for the Trans Atlantic Fan Fund.  The Trans Atlantic Fan Fund is a chance for fannish (mostly Science Fiction) understanding between North America and Britain by sending delegates to each other countries.  Steve is the Eastbound recipient for TAFF this year.  This is the first time TAFF has visited Canada and he is spending time in America afterwords.  You can find out more information at http://community.livejournal.com/taff2009 ; I hope to bring him to a BSFS meeting, but that depends on his schedule. 

-Quiet day at work, yesterday.  It is going to be busy today with covering two people's work and other things (shipments arriving). I will be busy this week and that may be a good thing. 

-Having a hard time finding a shuttle service from Philadelphia to Aberdeen for the night after Worldcon when the plane gets back.  If somebody who has flown out that way, they go a couple of towns over for a decent price. I may take the shuttle to where they end and get a cab the rest of the way back.  

I have finished my ballot for the Hugos on Sunday and one of my morning reads is Cheryl Morgan (a hugo nominee).  She has somehow figured out how to make it rain every day in Australia.  I don't think Kevin Standlee can figure this one out.  http://www.cheryl-morgan.com/?p=5176 is the post where she offers her powers for residency in Australia and a place to live.  I just had to laugh at the post and I think you will laugh at it also. 

I had a very strange Worldcon thing happen to me yesterday.  At Balticon, I requested Worldcon postcards to put out at Otakon.  I put my name in the e-mail I sent to them and no one else's.  I got the Cards yesterday and they had Tom Kunsman's name on the label with my address.  This is one of those moments where I wonder , if people are confusing me with Tom Kunsman. 

Note: This was edited because I read it and made no sense.  I have moments of just non-clarity in my posts on occassion.  

Since yesterday at 1 PM, it has been a quiet weekend.   I went to Weight Watchers and found out I had lost another 5.8 pounds over the month I had been away.  That was a good thing.  I was afraid I had stayed the same, due to trying to be social at the party and other things.  I am glad that I can lose weight while being away.  It will be more difficult during Worldcon because it is a week's vacation and isn't over a weekend.  I am starting to get some ideas together for how to make it an unchanged two weeks on the scale. 

After Weight Watchers, I went to Charm City Run (a specialty walking and running store in Bel Air).  They have a wide array of shoes for all types.  I got my foot measured, which I hadn't had in quite a while and they saw my walk.  I had been big all my life, so my feet aren't straight when I walk.  They found a very supportive shoe for me (at a higher cost than I hoped), but I kept some extra money back for it.  It feels very good on my feet and I hope will help me during Worldcon and Otakon (especially because you do a ton of walking at both of those cons).  I then took mom out to Lunch at Red Lobster. I had soup and Grilled shrimp skewers.  Mom had Shrimp Scampi and baked potato for her lunch.  

That has been my weekend besides laundry in a nutshell.  It has been quiet much like the rest of the world.  I think I will probably see Up next weekend in 3D or do the post Balticon meeting. I hear alot of good things about Up.   

-This week has had lots of queue calls, internet issues and other fun.  It would usually be a calmer week than last week, but it wasn't.  I am ready for the weekend to just relax.  I do need to get shoes (may try Charm City Run for some decent walkers) and to finally treat mom to that Birthday lunch. 

-Finished Saturn's Children.  It was a slow building book for the first 200 hundred pages.  I wish I had two more months to read more of the books for the Hugos, but I may get Cory Doctrow's Little Children and stop there.  I need to spend some time at lease looking at the rest of the categories and I hope to do that this weekend.  I should ask this on Facebook, but I am going to ask it here first. 

Does anybody know a free source to get Lost, Doctor Who or Battlestar Galactica from last season?  They are Hugo nominated, but I can't seem to find them On Demand at the house.  I wonder if Youtube has them, but I want them in a decent size that I can enjoy on the couch.

-I have signed up to be an Otakon gofer.  For all the jokes about being a Masochist and Otakon Gofering, I do enjoy it.  I also have a hard time enjoying cons as just an attendee especially anime conventions.  I don't know if it is my passion or just being through so much of anime fandom.  

I also do have a room to sleep in for Otakon, which I am glad of.  I can't wait until I get to Otakon.  I think I will be ready for a vacation from work and then the week's vacation at Worldcon.  

-Work has been busy with computer issues.  It could be worst because we have gotten them mostly fixed, which I am glad.

-Otakon announced their newest musical guest (an american singer who sings Japanese named Becca) and I just went huh.  I am more of a type who likes artists, voice actors and creators for guests of honor.  A moment like that makes me wonder whether I am getting too old for anime fandom.  I will wait and see how many guests they get announced and may just put into for gofering again.

I have a roomshare lined up for Otakon and that I am glad for.   Now to get money together to spend.  It isn't going to be much (about $150 for the weekend including meals).  I am ready for the day away from work.  Note: This is not at the expense of Worldcon.  

-It is quiet on the Worldcon front, but I expect that to change before too long.  Worldcon is only two months away and alot as to the rest of the con is still unanswered.   Most of my party questions have been answered.  It is mostly small things such as the plan for the day of Worldcon and lots of small things (such as getting flyers translated into French, deciding where to make our party stop, etc.) 

It is the bigger things such as whether I will be invited as a programming participant and/or volunteer that remains the question (that should be resolved in the next few weeks I hope).  It is also trying to read as much as possible in preparations for the Hugo Ballot submission (only a month away).  I don't think I am going to even get through the Best Novel nominees before that date.  It is also getting the rest of the money together for the trip and worrying about things like Exchange Rate (which absolutely stinks and doesn't seem to be improving).

-I have been reading Saturn's Children.  I am about halfway through the book and I am not sure what to think.  It seems to be a very choppy book with Freya living too lives.  It makes it harder to follow. It reads okay, but I am not quite inspired or enthralled with it like I was with Graveyard book.  

I had a very interesting yesterday. I went to the Anime USA meeting and then I decided to go see the Orioles. I found a new team to care about instead. The lines for day of tickets were insane, so I had dinner over at California Tortilla (Baltimore/DC Mexican Chain) and had a Hickory Chicken Burrito bowl (delicious).
( Of Baltimore Mariners Football )( Of Baltimore Mariners Football )

At the Anime USA meeting, I got probably one of the greatest compliments of all.  Nathan  (the current chairman) said that he nominated me for Con Chair.  I didn't fully appreciate that at the time with my retort, "and they chose you instead of me." It was a compliment because Nathan has nearly a decade of convention running experience with Tech and has strong leadership abilities.  I hope that I can do enough good for the convention to have that rewarded by being the convention chair. 

One of my fannish mindsets is You only get what you give.  I have given as much as I have gotten (maybe even more). I have an identity and place in this world because of fandom.  It is one of the reasons why I am doing the party at Worldcon.  Part of the challenge of life is seeing what you can and can't do. I also don't think I will ever get that honor for Anime USA because I live an hour and a half from the DC area (too far to probably be an effective chair).

It is going to be a fairly mundane day today with Laundry and DVD's.  I will cook dinner for Mom tonight, so she can relax some after traveling all weekend.