S. Worthen | Weblog

Two pages from the end of The Big Over Easy, the train slowed down; suddenly, we were over water, a handful of bridges spanning the Clyde, binding a city's arteries together. I walked to the hotel, not long, past all the usual High Street shops, a busy commercial district. The convention center is a few easy train stops away. Only orientation - registration, information, and volunteer desks - were running. Abandoning the prospect of chairs, I settled down to browse my handful of con-related papers.

I recognized a few people as I sat there, idly reading. There were two fans I'm certain I recognize from Toronto pub nights and cons, although I don't know if they knew me, except as a friendly face. I recognized papersky from Ad Astra and flickgc from a number of places now. And as I sat there, I realized something. When I attended my first Worldcon, the one in Toronto two years ago, I spent very little time being social with the people I knew from Toronto; too many of them were busy working at the convention. And here I am again at a Worldcon - and most of the people I know are all working at the event, running tracks and desks and organizing infrastructure.

fjm, who has wings enough to take everyone in under them, introduced me and advertised a book launch in town. I went and collected autographs and met more people. We ate sporadically-served Japanese food with Hugo nominees and LJers, and an exceedingly generous Tor editor bought us all dinner. Afterwards, with the northern light of evening still lingering on, there was drinking and good company, leavened with a gentle dose of politics. In tonight's initial con-quiet, even the busiest had time for a moment's breath.