Into the Swing
31/08/2007
My karma seems to be turning around.
OK, that’s enough of the present tense. Most of my journal is actually written in past tense, and I’m finding that easier. After all, even if I’m jotting down things at the time, they’ve already happened.
I attended a surprisingly entertaining session on ethics and biotech, surprising myself by making it to the convention center in time for the 10 am start. Key quote: “If you allow panels of bioethicists to decide things, there will be no forward motion—except in places where there are no bioethicists.”
Both Robert Silverberg and Gregory Benford displayed a refreshing cynicism. Steven Baxter was in the audience (but kept quiet).
After that, I went to get a ‘Dining with a Difference’ ribbon, designed to make it easy to hook up for a night on the town (alas, today and tomorrow are party nights—I’m holding out for Sun/Mon). I also signed up as a volunteer. G. is right: the experience isn’t complete if you don’t volunteer. I have to work in order to make it work for me.
But volunteering would have to wait until tomorrow. Today, I would make the most of a crowded program.
I began session-hopping, placing myself strategically close to the doors. It is impossible to predict whether a panel hits it off and sparks fly between the participants and the audience, or not. Even the most promising sessions can turn out to be flat. So, while listening with half-an-ear, I surrepticiously surfed the program. From biotech, I nipped over to ‘Health of the Short Story’. This time, I made a few notes in my journal—rather than in the (lost) program schedule—and I’m glad that I still have them: Gordon van Gelder (F&SF) said that, at any one time, 1/3rd of his readers like 1/3 of the stories. Somebody else said: “Writers should read more and write less; that way there will be less crap.”
Cut to ‘Digital Maoism’ where I caught the last five minutes and Cory Doctorow in full flow. “I had an argument recently—as you do—with Jerry Pournelle…” (laughter). This was about how it wouldn’t do much harm to get rid of the blogosphere as most of it sucks. “All things must be allowed to breathe, and the best to rise.”
And this little gem: new slasher-fic by Eileen Gunn about Captain Kirk and Spock giving birth, published in Flurb!
That session ended early, so I headed off to lunch, passing a presentation by JAMSTEC, the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth science and Technology. Through the open door, I heard something about ‘deep sea extremophile research division’—and promptly got sucked into the Earth Science workshop.
The boundaries between con and conference began to blur once again.
JAMSTEC even has its own SF club.
Tags: events, Japan without a Clue, NIPPON2007, Travel, Worldcon, Yokohama, Tag Index
Denni