Busy day, short post

The continuing sucky bandwidth is the reason for short post.  Today included meals with friends, time in the dealers' room, and the Hugo awards.  I always find the Hugo awards emotional, both because I've cared about them since I was quite small (I would look for the "Hugo winner!" designation on books) and because I've long dreamed of being nominated for and winning one (quite unlikely).  This year's ceremony was a smooth, professional affair that started almost exactly on time and ended in two hours, maybe a hair less--a good job by all involved.

My congratulations to all of the nominees and to the winners!

Skinny bandwidth yields tiny posts

I'm sorry, because I had planned to post a few pics each day and write more, but the bandwidth here is so bad that I can't even stay connected for long.  Heck, I can't even reliably send email.

So, the brief version:

Today, I participated in my last two con functions.

First up was a panel on finance for writers.  Each of the panelists brought a different perspective to the topic, so the conversation was far more interesting and lively than I had expected.  The audience stayed engaged throughout, so I can't complain.

Next was a writing workshop in which I and another professional writer critiqued manuscripts from three folks still trying to break into the field.  I'm a firm believer that what happens in workshops must stay in them, so I will say only that I think the participants got value from the critiques.  (I should note that I normally turn these down and have for some time, but the organizer is a friend who needed one more person, so I was happy to help.)

I hope to sleep a great deal tonight.

A day of two very different performances

After a decent night's sleep, I grabbed lunch, visited with friends, and did my first Worldcon program item:  a reading.  Readings are frequently dicey affairs at which no one shows up, but I was lucky enough today to have about ten folks listen to me read.  I count that as a win.

After the reading, I signed a few books for folks who had brought some, and then I spent time in the dealers' room and the art show.  I enjoyed both, as I usually do.

I watched the Chesley awards and then headed to my second performance of the day:  a short comedy set at a "Comedy Tonight!" panel.  Three of us took turns doing sets, the audience laughed a great deal, and we all had fun.  Another win.

After dinner with friends, I tried hanging out with tons of other writers and fans in the hotel bar, but my heart just wasn't in it.  So, I caught up on email, read, and will now get another good night's sleep.

I'd like to blog more about today, but I'm not that masochistic

The arrival of the rest of the fans has left this hotel's bandwidth a splintered shadow of its former self.   Everything I try online takes so long I need to read between operations.  Trying to upload a photo I end up encountering network failures that thwart me.

Maybe tomorrow, but for today let me say that the con is starting well, but the hotel bandwidth is beyond bad.

Travel days give, and travel days taketh away

Today's travel day gifts were upgrades on both my flight from San Francisco to Phoenix and the one from Phoenix to Kansas City.  Getting to ride in first class is a wonderful thing, because my shoulders fit, I have room to work, flight attendants bring me all the Coke Zero and water (in separate glasses; don't mix the streams) I want, and the airplane experience is generally humane.

Unfortunately, today's travel day penalty was a multi-hour delay in Phoenix that no American Airlines representative would or could--hard to tell--explain.  I was already slated to arrive in Kansas City late, but now it's ridiculous:  the plane is due to land at 2:15 a.m. local time.  I say "due to land" because I'm going to post this entry from the plane so I can crash when I finally hit the hotel.  After all, once we're on the ground, I still have the usual walk to baggage claim, the wait for my bag, the search for my rental car, the drive to the hotel, and check-in there.  I can't wait.

What I got to see of the Intel Developer Forum was fun and interesting, with the opening keynote a tech treat full of goodies for those who like such things--as I do.

I hope to get to sleep late and awaken refreshed.  For now, I'm shutting down this computer and returning to today's book.

Nothing to see here

That's really the story of my day:  nothing worth reporting.  A decent night's sleep, lots of work, a couple of meetings, and tomorrow I head into the conference and then back out on the road.

Hello, San Francisco

I arrived here in the early evening after a full day of riding in planes and automobiles--but mostly planes.  I'll be leaving the hotel in less than two days after I hit it, so this is a quick visit to participate in some meetings and attend part of the Intel Developer Forum 2016.  I'm looking forward to the conference and wish I could stay for all of it.

Though I wasn't lucky enough to get any upgrades today, I did have exit-row seats with row-mates as interested in staying in their own worlds as I was in keeping to mine, so I can't really complain.  As a bonus, my lunch was a Red Mango parfait in DFW--always a tasty treat.

Today was the first day of a two-week road trip that will take me from here to Kansas City for the World SF Convention and thence to Austin for work.  I'm traveling with a big suitcase and hoping not to lose it.

Now, to grab some sleep!