Magic & Mayhem Tour update and sundry other things

We came, we saw, we hit the Road running.

A nice turnout yesterday at Pandemonium Games and Books in Cambridge MA, evenly mixed between People We Knew (including an appearance by my sister, b-i-l, and nephews), Store Regulars and Total Strangers. kradical and I did our usual schtick, which was well-recieved (well, they laughed at all the right places, anyway) aided and abetted by the store owner's offerings of chocolate espresso brownies and cappuccino. Wheee!

Oh, and we moved a number number of books -- I'm not sure about kradical's total count (he had all those Trek books, too) but there were twenty-four copies of Staying Dead in front of me when I sat down, and only eight of them went back into the "signed stock" rotation. Not bad for two hours' work.

And then off to my sister's house, where we drank excellent wine out in their patio garden and basicallly unwound. Unwinding is a Good Thing.

BTW? Loving the fact that this all took place not only on the night of a full moon, but a Blue Moon to boot. :-) Also by the fact that, coming home last night, we were greeted by an awesome electrical storm (no rain, just lightning) including a couple of cloud-to-cloud bolts. I really did feel that Wren was being welcomed home...



And today, assuming I can get everything up and running, is the start of the "Retrievers World" contest. More on that when the site goes live. Oh hell, must also mosey over to my threads on the Luna board on eharlequin.com and see if that's live....


And in other other news, I just had to say no to a friend who asked me to do something. I felt bad about it -- it's something I could have done, quite easily, and would have been fun. But it is tied into something I've been trying to get several people interested in for a few weeks now, and all I've gotten is indifference or silence, so I've decided that I'm not going to put my energy into trying to help out on this any more. I need that energy for myself.

Selfish? Maybe. I know it doesn't feel good to say no to friends. But I just can't keep pouring into empty wells, y'know?

A long-overdue bitchslap

::rant mode enabled::

Having an animal in the household is both a blessing and an obligation. Like children, they require care, and nurture, and understanding and a lot of work. The benefits you get back from them are incalcuable, IMO, but it has a cost. You need to know what you're getting into.


If you can't handle that cost or make the effort to learn, DON'T ADOPT A PET!


There. Simple, isn't it?

If you're lonely, if you want looooove -- hire a two-legged companion who can understand the score. Don't inflict your irrational stupidity on an innocent, helpless animal. And especially don't do it REPEATEDLY.

If you want something undemanding, to look pretty and make background noises, get a tank of tropical fish. And if you can't handle the trauma of having to FEED the fish -- get a gods-be-damned videotape of fish and leave it running, okay?

But stop inflicting yourself on the four-legged animal kingdom. Or I swear to gods I WILL show up at your door with a clue-by-four and an injunction to stop you from ever entering an animal shelter or breeding facility ever again.


::rant mode off::

I hate people like that. Can you tell?

my reputation is officially shot. By a camera.

eeeep.

Photos from Necon. The first year I was stupid enough to get in front of the camera, rather than behind it...


Tina and suri, Friday night (before the drinking started)

After the drinking started. Wish I could remember who handed me that cigarillo -- it was good!

F Paul and Dallas plot, while I zone on junk food and Tina wonders how she's getting back to the dorm if I die

I deny everything.

and, the dread 9 am panel.
http://www.horror.org/ne/galleries/necon24/bigimages/IM002066.jpg
http://www.horror.org/ne/galleries/necon24/bigimages/IM002067.jpg
http://www.horror.org/ne/galleries/necon24/bigimages/IM002072.jpg

Yes, we were as hurt as we looked. And yes, NickK does have the sexiest knees.

also:

Leisa and the scary jesus!
Chris G and the pie.

all photos "courtesy" Rick Hatuala. Who is a dead man.