diary of an Endorphin Junkie

It's fine for me to finally put my foot down on going to Worldcon or not. I want to go. I really want to go.

1. I promised myself in 2008 I was going to make the next 20 Worldcons, no matter what. I'd hate to fail after having only made one.

2. I've never been to Australia.

Cons:

A. It will be expensive, perhaps more than I can handle right now.

B. I didn't get anything I wanted to get published out this summer, so it won't be much of a working con for me sadly. Anything I sell now won't be published by then.

But gawd, I really want to go. Time to buy someone's badge NOW and get plane tickets... or let it slip by.

And I guess honestly that I really don't want to go alone. I did Denver on my own, and that wasn't as much fun as the years I've attended with someone else. Unfortunately I don't have anyone appropriate to bring with me right now. (the evil Wonder Twin will be back in the UK by then)

• 11:29 @saycestsay Oh not everyone. I am entirely done with MOIST right now ;-) #
• 11:31 Introducing @2giddy and the evil Wonder Twin together and finding they get along great. #specialmoment #
• 11:32 @riotkop Seriously, e-mail me for information about the area. I can also hook you up with a bunch of friends who still live there. #
• 12:18 realizes his schedule is out of control. Completely booked until Sunday. #
• 12:27 Time to make decisions for WorldCon. I need a partner in crime. jorhett.livejournal.com/245615.html #
• 16:14 Mint chocolate froyo FTW #
• 18:05 Only 5 climbs today - hard work after 2 weeks off. But style is improved and its the first time without a single Fail! #

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I like fanzines. Way back in the 1980s I was the sole writer for one, a contributor to two, and did technical support for a more successful and commercial one. I fell out of touch after moving to the west coast, mostly due to lack of time.

When johnnyeponymous started running the Fanzine lounge here in the bay area, I was intrigued and interested. Chris is always articulate and engaged on fanzines, and it got me to start playing catch-up on the local and web-based fanzines.

Unfortunately, the last two conventions which have had Fanzine Lounges don't seem to have any relationship or interest in fanzines. Neither one had any information on fanzines in evidence. Neither one had any conversations about fanzines going on at any time I entered them. They seemed to be 100% focused on drinking and well, being rude to other fans.

In specific, the fanzine lounge appears to have evolved to become Convention-authorized podium for rude and condescending behavior on the part of the people running the lounge. To be specific, cussing and yelling at members of the convention by an overly intoxicated Guest of the Convention hosting the lounge. I have witnessed this behavior on multiple occasions directed at more than a half-dozen different individuals. It would be considered inappropriate in any public forum, even a public space in the hotel. It seems to be completely inappropriate for a convention to support and endorse this behavior.

In the interest of full disclosure, I was involved and perhaps partly to blame for supplying alcohol at the first fanzine lounge that became a late-night party (Westercon San Mateo 2007). But it seemed a very compatible evolution. I am now re-evaluating that as perhaps a bad choice.

I don't have a problem with a convention-supported rooms being a source for alcohol. But when the functionaries in charge of the room engage in nasty and abusive behavior, it reflects badly on the convention, on fanzines, and on fandom in general.

I am going to be asking conventions to retire the fanzine lounge. Or return the fanzine lounges to their original purpose -- to promote and display fanzines. I will also be taking conventions to task for the attitude and behavior of their functionaries in the fanzine lounge, including withdrawing my support and attendance from the cons which fail to do so.

I have more to say to friends of mine -- see the following friends-locked post.