I would like to meet you at the top of the wheel

[sovay]

It is a little impressive that a virtual con is exhausting me as much as the usual kind in person with all the running around hotels and swearing at the T, but I suspect that's the Zoom. Nonetheless, the chantey sing was as rousing as it is possible for a song circle to be when the response part of the call-and-response has to be muted because of internet latency—I contributed "Randy Dandy-O" and "Haul on the Bowline" and "The Wellerman" made its inevitable and not unwelcome appearance—and the reading was a delight, especially works in progress by Gillian Daniels and Ruthanna Emrys; I am an unsurprising fan of waterlogged Boston and houses that are less haunted than aware. Tomorrow I talk about leadership in fantasy and science fiction and then I do not actually collapse because some other things need to be done, but it will be the end of my first full virtual convention. I am having a lovely time with it and I hope dearly it will be safe to run around hotels next year. It's saving me a fortune, but I miss the dealer's room.

Comments

[genarti]

I was sorry to miss the reading! I meant to make it, but hit a wall of Too Much Zoom and needed to take a break to not stare at a screen for a bit, especially as I had two separate non-Arisia zoom commitments in the late evening. But shanty singing was marvelous, even with technical difficulties, and reminded me of how much I miss singing with people; the Zoom version, second-best though it may be, was a real delight.

[sovay]

I was sorry to miss the reading! I meant to make it, but hit a wall of Too Much Zoom

The fatigue is real! I regret that programming has not been recorded this year; I understand it's for reasons of privacy, but I'd really like to be able to link some of the stuff I was on.

But shanty singing was marvelous, even with technical difficulties, and reminded me of how much I miss singing with people; the Zoom version, second-best though it may be, was a real delight.

I'm glad! And I'm glad you were there. It is one of my favorite kinds of song circle at Arisia.

[asakiyume]

I'm sorry I missed the sea chanteys, but I loved what I caught of the ballad bingo yesterday, and I am very excited for the leadership panel tomorrow!

[sovay]

I'm sorry I missed the sea chanteys, but I loved what I caught of the ballad bingo yesterday, and I am very excited for the leadership panel tomorrow!

It was a lot of fun! And I appreciate you live-tweeting it!

[gwynnega]

I'm sorry I missed the chanteys, but the reading was great.

I miss dealer's rooms as much as I miss bookstore browsing.

[sovay]

I'm sorry I missed the chanteys, but the reading was great.

Thank you! The one thing I appreciated about the virtual nature of the con was attendance from people who are usually in the wrong time zone for it!

I miss dealer's rooms as much as I miss bookstore browsing.

Oh, God, I miss browsing.

[elaiel]

I remember singing Haul on the Bowline as a child/young teen with a basic set of verses (our version had "Kitty's got a wooden leg" after the "Kitty comes from Liverpool" line, and I'm sure a couple of other lines about the dubiousness of Kitty as a darling!) and lots of made up verses as it went round the circle with people adding their own lines, often slightly rude or cheeky about people in the room.

[sovay]

and lots of made up verses as it went round the circle with people adding their own lines, often slightly rude or cheeky about people in the room.

That sounds like a wonderful way to grow up with a tradition.

[selkie]

I should like to state that dealer's room or no dealer's room, you ended up with new fiction!

It's been an interesting virtual experience and I'm certainly in less physical pain! But holy heck, Next Year in an Overpriced Greatergreater Boston Hotel!

(I think the highlight might have been the monomyth myth panel, which needs a reprise! But the follow-up highlight was standing outside for sea chanteys while Child ran around with the phone trying to find enough signal. [When the house in question isn't having its walls ripped out, there's more WiFi!])

[sovay]

I should like to state that dealer's room or no dealer's room, you ended up with new fiction!

This is a true fact. And someday your books will be in the dealer's room, too.

It's been an interesting virtual experience and I'm certainly in less physical pain! But holy heck, Next Year in an Overpriced Greatergreater Boston Hotel!

Amen!

I think the highlight might have been the monomyth myth panel, which needs a reprise! But the follow-up highlight was standing outside for sea chanteys while Child ran around with the phone trying to find enough signal.

I loved that you showed up for both! And that your child apparently likes my singing. (Is first time over Zoom better or worse than first time through the pipes?)

[dramaticirony]

Glad you had a chance to experience your first virtual con, while sorry not to have the chance to at least quickly say hi in passing. Next year! But did catch the Ig Nobels and SFF leadership panels--one advantage of doing this remotely is being able to shout "yes" as you brought up Avatar.

The Low Mechanics RPG panel I moderated was personal highlight--the panelists were all strong, prepared, articulate and concise, it felt like we were on fire. And the audience was really engaged on Discord too, they had to kick us our vigorous discussion out to the hallway for the next panel after the half hour mark.

So, as we are in the thick of winter SFF season, are you planning on doing the 'thon remotely? This potential increase of in home amenity almost feels like cheating, but it is great to have a way to keep tradition going.

[sovay]

Glad you had a chance to experience your first virtual con, while sorry not to have the chance to at least quickly say hi in passing. Next year!

I missed very much the ability to catch people in the hallways or after panels or even hang out in the green room. Discord was not a substitute. The programming was excellent, but the socializing was a bit short-circuited.

But did catch the Ig Nobels and SFF leadership panels--one advantage of doing this remotely is being able to shout "yes" as you brought up Avatar.

Thank you!

The Low Mechanics RPG panel I moderated was personal highlight--the panelists were all strong, prepared, articulate and concise, it felt like we were on fire.

Congratulations! We had something of the same experience with "The Monomyth Myth." But all of the panels I was on really could have run their normal hour and a half, easy: we were not suffering from dead air.

So, as we are in the thick of winter SFF season, are you planning on doing the 'thon remotely?

I believe spatch and I are going to program our own mix of classics and things we have both never seen and stay up around the clock that way. But if you do the virtual 'Thon, you should report back and tell us what it was like!

[dramaticirony]

Certain you both will program an amazing 'thon!

As for myself, I usually opt for Boskone, but as most of the panels are being recorded and will be available for attendees, I'm tempted by chance to do the 'thon without missing part of Boskone. But I may just stream a few of the shorts programs from the fest, to support it, and encourage the film makers.

[choco_frosh]

It is a little impressive that a virtual con is exhausting me as much as the usual kind in person

I always find cons overall energizing (else I would never survive them), while this is NOT. And protracted Zoom is tiring.

[sovay]

I always find cons overall energizing (else I would never survive them), while this is NOT. And protracted Zoom is tiring.

I do not find cons energizing; I just really enjoy them. The Zoom fatigue here has been massive.