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Satellite 6 - Con Report
Jun. 2nd, 2018 11:28 amOn Friday morning I got up pretty early as I wanted to have breakfast and lunch before I went to the con. I decided to walk to the Crown Plaza as it’s about 50 minutes from the house and it’ll keep the steps up over the weekend. I went to the con for about 2ish to get registered. I read the program and the pseudoscience drabbles. I went to the opening ceremony and then the first panel on biotech moderated by Kirsti and with Ken MacLeod, Charlie Stross and Paul McAuley and Sacha. Someone fell asleep and was snoring audibly, but I couldn’t quite see who It was. The program items were all in the SEC on Friday with only ops and reg in the Crown Plaza. The dealers room/art show wasn’t open yet. Then I went to The Unbelievable Truth with Stuart, DougS, Dave Ellis, scorekeeping by Christine and Ian Sorensen. (Wherever two or three fans are gathered, Sorensen will manifest). That was really good and all the prep that people had put in really showed. After that I wandered about a bit and had a gin with Ian, Elizabeth and Malcolm. Then there were author readings from Cat Hellison, Hal Duncan and Cameron Johnstone hosted by Neil Williamson. As usual Hal Duncan was mesmerising in his physical performance. Next door Tig was running the Chocolate Biscuit Quiz that I had previously written and run at Illustrious in Birmingham. She said it went quite well. In the evening Al came up and we had dinner in the Crown Plaza restaurant, but as Al didn’t want to go to the ceilidh and I didn’t want to go on my own, we went home.
On Saturday I was at the con before 10am complete with a packed lunch. I had signed up for Alison’s yoga workshop which I quite enjoyed. I was hanging out and I got invited into Paul McAuley’s Kaffeklatch. Often these things sell out really quickly so I was quite lucky there was space. So that came with a free coffee and we talked about Paul’s early SF experience and what we’re all currently reading. I had to dash up quickly to ops as my lanyard had betrayed me and I’d dropped my badge. Fortunately I got it back before I was put on the wall of shame. Then it was time for my Hitchhiker’s at 40 panel with DougS, Fran, Helen and Alison F. We talked about our favourite versions. In my case it was the TV show, then the books then the radio series, because that’s how I experienced them. We also talked about how Hitchhikers was a gateway to other SF, other humorous books like Terry Pratchett and to other radio comedy and in my case as a gateway to The Eagles. And we talked about who we identified with, in my case Marvin. And we talked about incidents in real life where people have quoted it or other legacies. In my case it was last week when someone told me they couldn’t get the hang of Tuesdays. Then after that successful panel I went to the GoH Interview where Ian Whates interviewed Paul McAuley. I had a late lunch outside on the picnic bench with Neil and Marion. (The weather was incredible all weekend). I spent an imperial shedload of money at the Newcon press table in the Dealers room and I bought a rainbow chain necklace from Temertei. I went to inadvisable rocket science and I think I will be kept awake at night by the possibility of a coastline killer that likely doesn’t exist. Then I went to the B7 at 40 panel which covered what was good, what was bad and favourite episodes. And the possible future of the show as J Michael Straczynski has expressed as desire to reboot it which would be awesome. Then there was free wine at the Novacon book launch as is the law and I bought Cat Hellison’s book. Then Audrey and Alison and I tried to do the Dr Who/GoT quiz. We had to get the name of the GoT character, the name of the Dr Who character and the actor who played both from a text clue. I felt really bad for walking out, as I would have been devastated if people had walked out of my quiz, but it was way too hard. Even if we’d had our phones and it was an information retrieval exercise we would have struggled. In fact, this was a pub quiz that should have been a written competition. We got second place because we had written something. After that Audrey and Alison and Al and I went to the Village Curry House for din. Then we came back to hang out at the con bar with Raj and Sacha. I was home by 1am.
On Sunday I was once again in by 10am and off to Clanger Cuisine by DougS. Cue funny moment of DougS asking us to talk amongst ourselves while he fiddled with the tech and someone started to whistle like a clanger. Also we could all demonstrate all the xeno-languages of the Clangerverse. I did a bit of hanging out and I looked through Cuddles photo album from the last 40 years of fandom. Went to “I’m Satellite, I haven’t a clue” which was unfortunately excruciatingly bad. I think professionals make it look easy, but this was not possible to improvise and make good. If it had had some prep it might have been better. I also had no clue what Mornington Crescent was. Could’ve stood some explanation. Also I’ve seen Just a Minute done several times at cons before and it has been hilarious. This wasn’t. Maybe a fannish “Would I lie to you” or “Call my bluff” next time. Then I went to Quark’s bar for the first time with Ian and Elizabeth, Martin Hoare (who is a booze legend), Tig and Alison. I now dream of the next time I can have limoncello. We came 2nd in that, being beat in the last question. I had my packed lunch on the picnic bench with some other fans. Then I went to ST soundtracks which was a lovely chill panel with some incredible music. That could stand to be repeated. Desert Island books with Morag and Paul McAuley was next. Then I sat in the glass corridor for a bit to write up this report. Then it was the closing ceremony, dinner in the restaurant with Al and then the pub quiz which we won. The prize was hard cash. Once again we all sang and swayed about during Song Ten which is the Blakes 7 theme. At the dead dog I hung out and chatted till we got thrown out and was one of the last three fans standing with Martin Smart and Piers. I got home at 4am. And I left my bag behind in the bar. What a numpty.
On Saturday I was at the con before 10am complete with a packed lunch. I had signed up for Alison’s yoga workshop which I quite enjoyed. I was hanging out and I got invited into Paul McAuley’s Kaffeklatch. Often these things sell out really quickly so I was quite lucky there was space. So that came with a free coffee and we talked about Paul’s early SF experience and what we’re all currently reading. I had to dash up quickly to ops as my lanyard had betrayed me and I’d dropped my badge. Fortunately I got it back before I was put on the wall of shame. Then it was time for my Hitchhiker’s at 40 panel with DougS, Fran, Helen and Alison F. We talked about our favourite versions. In my case it was the TV show, then the books then the radio series, because that’s how I experienced them. We also talked about how Hitchhikers was a gateway to other SF, other humorous books like Terry Pratchett and to other radio comedy and in my case as a gateway to The Eagles. And we talked about who we identified with, in my case Marvin. And we talked about incidents in real life where people have quoted it or other legacies. In my case it was last week when someone told me they couldn’t get the hang of Tuesdays. Then after that successful panel I went to the GoH Interview where Ian Whates interviewed Paul McAuley. I had a late lunch outside on the picnic bench with Neil and Marion. (The weather was incredible all weekend). I spent an imperial shedload of money at the Newcon press table in the Dealers room and I bought a rainbow chain necklace from Temertei. I went to inadvisable rocket science and I think I will be kept awake at night by the possibility of a coastline killer that likely doesn’t exist. Then I went to the B7 at 40 panel which covered what was good, what was bad and favourite episodes. And the possible future of the show as J Michael Straczynski has expressed as desire to reboot it which would be awesome. Then there was free wine at the Novacon book launch as is the law and I bought Cat Hellison’s book. Then Audrey and Alison and I tried to do the Dr Who/GoT quiz. We had to get the name of the GoT character, the name of the Dr Who character and the actor who played both from a text clue. I felt really bad for walking out, as I would have been devastated if people had walked out of my quiz, but it was way too hard. Even if we’d had our phones and it was an information retrieval exercise we would have struggled. In fact, this was a pub quiz that should have been a written competition. We got second place because we had written something. After that Audrey and Alison and Al and I went to the Village Curry House for din. Then we came back to hang out at the con bar with Raj and Sacha. I was home by 1am.
On Sunday I was once again in by 10am and off to Clanger Cuisine by DougS. Cue funny moment of DougS asking us to talk amongst ourselves while he fiddled with the tech and someone started to whistle like a clanger. Also we could all demonstrate all the xeno-languages of the Clangerverse. I did a bit of hanging out and I looked through Cuddles photo album from the last 40 years of fandom. Went to “I’m Satellite, I haven’t a clue” which was unfortunately excruciatingly bad. I think professionals make it look easy, but this was not possible to improvise and make good. If it had had some prep it might have been better. I also had no clue what Mornington Crescent was. Could’ve stood some explanation. Also I’ve seen Just a Minute done several times at cons before and it has been hilarious. This wasn’t. Maybe a fannish “Would I lie to you” or “Call my bluff” next time. Then I went to Quark’s bar for the first time with Ian and Elizabeth, Martin Hoare (who is a booze legend), Tig and Alison. I now dream of the next time I can have limoncello. We came 2nd in that, being beat in the last question. I had my packed lunch on the picnic bench with some other fans. Then I went to ST soundtracks which was a lovely chill panel with some incredible music. That could stand to be repeated. Desert Island books with Morag and Paul McAuley was next. Then I sat in the glass corridor for a bit to write up this report. Then it was the closing ceremony, dinner in the restaurant with Al and then the pub quiz which we won. The prize was hard cash. Once again we all sang and swayed about during Song Ten which is the Blakes 7 theme. At the dead dog I hung out and chatted till we got thrown out and was one of the last three fans standing with Martin Smart and Piers. I got home at 4am. And I left my bag behind in the bar. What a numpty.
