The con must go on. This weekend, instead of heading up to Madison, Wisconsin, I sat in front of my computer to watch panels and presentations on YouTube and chat with others via Discord.
The virtual format allowed me to attend events that I don't normally have a chance to watch, such as the Thursday night reading by the guest of honor and the speeches on Sunday night. On the other hand, there were only a few hours of programming instead of the normal all-day affair, and the choices were much more limited. I wound up watching more readings and academic presentations than I normally do at WisCon. For the first time, I even watched the "Not Another *#?! Race Panel," which is a staple at WisCon. This is a panel where people of color discuss anything other than race. Normally I would pick a more focused panel dealing with something I wanted to learn about, but I enjoyed this panel more than I expected. I learned about an awesome Filipino bakery in Chicago, and the discussions about bad Star Wars parents and how the Harry Potter characters would handle quarantine were funny. Would I attend the panel next time I'm at WisCon? It would depend on what else is scheduled at the same time.
I have to admit an online Dealers Room and Art Show don't have the same draw, and even though there were a lot of subject-specific channels on the Discord, I didn't feel like I had anything to add to the conversations. I missed attending Farmers Market Saturday morning, listening to readings at Michelangelo's Coffee House, and shopping at the Soap Opera. When you've been going to a particular event for so long you expect to run into a past self in the elevator, any change feels strange. Hopefully next year the con will go on in person. But if for some reason I can't attend, being able to watch at least part of WisCon online would keep the connection alive.
Showing posts with label Madison. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Madison. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
Wednesday, November 06, 2019
IWSG: Weird Google
First of all, good luck to anyone participating in National Novel Writing Month! I've already written over 55,000 words in my current work in progress, Dryad in Doubt, so my goal for this month is to finish it instead of starting something new. And if I don't finish this draft in November, I'll do it in December (or whenever I figure out the third act of this book.)Anyway, it's time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group post. You can learn more about this group on their website, Facebook page, or Twitter account. You can sign up for their newsletter here.
Our hosts for November are Sadira Stone, Patricia Josephine, Lisa Buie-Collard, Erika Beebe, and C. Lee McKenzie.
Our question this month is, "What's the strangest thing you've ever googled in researching a story?"
I don't remember everything I've looked up over the course of my writing career. Since my current project is about dryads, I've been researching trees, and I blogged recently about some of the extreme trees that will play a part in this book. I've also had to research the main setting: Madison, Wisconsin. Probably one of the strangest things I've looked up for this project are hospices in Madison for a scene location. While I've drawn inspiration from maps and pictures, I changed some details about the location (which I try to keep unspecified) to better fit the story. I've also looked up layouts of local hospitals.
What weird terms are in your Google history? Feel free to share them with us, since Google will probably find a way to profit off them anyway.
Wednesday, September 04, 2019
IWSG: A Coffeehouse of One's Own
Thanks to Gwen Gardner, Doreen McGettigan, Tyrean Martison, Chemist Ken, and Cathrina Constantine for co-hosting this month. The question we're supposed to discuss is If you could pick one place in the world to sit and write your next story, where would it be and why?
Since I'm focused on my current project (working title is Dryad in Doubt, the second book in an urban fantasy trilogy, about 27,500 words long as I write this post), I'm going to use this story for my answer. The heroine of this series is a dryad who lives at the top of Bascom Hill on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus (see picture below for Victoria's tree):My first thought was to write either on the steps of Bascom Hall (the building in the picture) for inspiration or to write in Memorial Union on campus to be on location. The first floor of the union can be noisy, however, and the steps would be uncomfortable. So I'm going to go with my favorite coffee house in Madison: Michelangelo's Coffee House. Although the address is on State Street, they have a back room and back entrance very close to the Concourse Hotel, where WisCon is held. (Yes, I miss not having gone the last couple of years. Maybe next year or 2021.) I've attended readings at Michelangelo's. They not only carry a good selection of tea but also have good vegetarian meals and desserts. I could find a quiet corner to write in and keep myself fortified during the process. When I need a break, I can wander around Madison and scout out scene locations. A shame I don't live in Madison. Anyone want to contribute to a GoFundMe so I can live in Madison until I finish this series? That might make school drop-off and pickup a little inconvenient, so I guess I'll have to write at home and at work (on my lunch hour) instead.
Where do you like to write? Do you have an ideal writing location? Feel free to share it in the comments.
Monday, October 15, 2018
Library Troop
We were out of town this weekend, so I didn't have time to prepare my usual blog posts for the week. Instead, I'll share photos from one of our weekend activities: a troop at a library in Madison, Wisconsin. My husband is in the top two photos, my son is in the second, and I'm in the rest.
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
Conventions and the Indie Writer
Normally I would be posting my WisCon schedule this time of May, but for multiple reasons, I'm not attending this year. (I could theoretically get a one-day pass for Sunday at the door, but there's only one panel that afternoon I'd want to attend, and I'd miss the Guest of Honor speeches anyway.) I'll miss seeing my friends and visiting the Farmer's Market Saturday morning, but I admit it is nice saving money on the hotel and not juggling convention plans along with a birthday party for my son.
When I first started attending WisCon twenty years ago, I wanted to break into professional publishing. I was super excited about meeting not just authors, but agents and editors. I participated in writing workshops and learned "money flows to the author." I participated in panels and Broad Universe readings to get my name out there. How useful are these activities to an indie author? Well, I feel improving my writing craft is a lifelong journey, but these days I work on it mostly by reading books on writing and working on different projects. It's always nice meeting other authors, and I may want to hire another editor at some point for developmental or copy editing, but I'm no longer interested in acquiring an agent (or letting one acquire me). I've never sold enough books at WisCon to justify the expenses, and there are local comic cons and literary festivals I can participate in for little or no cost.
WisCon's emphasis on intersectional feminism makes it unique, and I love the excuse to return to my favorite city in the springtime. Hopefully next year I'll be able to attend. (At least there won't be any Star Wars movies opening Memorial Day weekend.) In the meantime, I have a comic con at my local library to prepare for in September.
Do you go to conventions? If so, do you find them helpful for writers? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
When I first started attending WisCon twenty years ago, I wanted to break into professional publishing. I was super excited about meeting not just authors, but agents and editors. I participated in writing workshops and learned "money flows to the author." I participated in panels and Broad Universe readings to get my name out there. How useful are these activities to an indie author? Well, I feel improving my writing craft is a lifelong journey, but these days I work on it mostly by reading books on writing and working on different projects. It's always nice meeting other authors, and I may want to hire another editor at some point for developmental or copy editing, but I'm no longer interested in acquiring an agent (or letting one acquire me). I've never sold enough books at WisCon to justify the expenses, and there are local comic cons and literary festivals I can participate in for little or no cost.
WisCon's emphasis on intersectional feminism makes it unique, and I love the excuse to return to my favorite city in the springtime. Hopefully next year I'll be able to attend. (At least there won't be any Star Wars movies opening Memorial Day weekend.) In the meantime, I have a comic con at my local library to prepare for in September.
Do you go to conventions? If so, do you find them helpful for writers? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
WisCon Wrapup
This has been one of the quieter cons for me. Some of the friends we used to meet every year no longer come to WisCon, and I didn’t connect with others that I expected to run into. (I suppose that’s what happens when you leave it to chance instead of planning something ahead of time.) I didn’t even go to any of the evening events. That’s mostly due to a combination of spending time with my family or Madison friends and not having the energy to mingle—or even bother to go to the writing salon when I could write in my room instead.
Another unusual thing about this con is that I wasn’t able to sell books. Broad Universe recently changed their rules to require members have a state sales permit to sell books and work at the table. Due to tax issues, I had cancelled my Wisconsin seller’s permit before the rules were published, so I can no longer sell books at WisCon. Only two Broads were able to sell books this year, so that was a big burden for them managing the table without more help. I set up and took down the table, but technically I’m not allowed to handle the iPad we use to track sales. Therefore, I’ve resigned from my role as events coordinator for Broad Universe. I’ve done it for several years, and honestly, it’s nice having one less responsibility in my life.
Anyway, here’s the day-by-day breakdown:
I left right after dropping Alex off at school on Friday and arrived mid-morning in Madison. I set up the Broad Universe table with the help of another member before checking in. After a quick lunch, I attended a panel on socialism, then joined the Fiber Circle (crafting with textiles) before watching the table for a while. Once my family arrived Friday evening, we went out to dinner and then to Barnes and Noble. I discovered a new subgenre: gaslamp, fantasy set in the 19th century. The Season Avatars series has Victorian-era technology but is in a secondary world, so I added “Gaslamp fantasy” to the description to see if that will help readers find the books.
I was on a panel at 8:30 on Saturday, so my traditional trip to the Farmer’s Market was very short. The panel was about Star Wars and resistance. It was well-attended for an early panel, and the audience liked it. After that, I attended another panel on everyday forms of resistance, but it wasn’t as practical as I expected. The first afternoon panel was the Broad Universe rapid-fire reading. Six of us read for about eight minutes each, then we talked briefly about the organization. A few of us read again, so I ended up reading from both Fifth Season and Lyon’s Legacy. Following that, I attended a panel on “firing” the traditional white male SF canon. I skipped the last afternoon panel so we could meet local friends for dinner and walk around Madison for a while. When we returned to the hotel, we visited the pool.
Sunday I attended panels on lazy writing and oppression, living with climate change, and breaking down masculine stereotypes. I was also on a panel about feminist science fiction for beginners. It was a relative large panel, so I didn’t have to say much. At the end of the day, I took down the Broad Universe table before my family and I went out to dinner.
After a Monday brunch with one of the Wisconsin troopers, we said goodbye to Madison and made our way home.
Another unusual thing about this con is that I wasn’t able to sell books. Broad Universe recently changed their rules to require members have a state sales permit to sell books and work at the table. Due to tax issues, I had cancelled my Wisconsin seller’s permit before the rules were published, so I can no longer sell books at WisCon. Only two Broads were able to sell books this year, so that was a big burden for them managing the table without more help. I set up and took down the table, but technically I’m not allowed to handle the iPad we use to track sales. Therefore, I’ve resigned from my role as events coordinator for Broad Universe. I’ve done it for several years, and honestly, it’s nice having one less responsibility in my life.
Anyway, here’s the day-by-day breakdown:
I left right after dropping Alex off at school on Friday and arrived mid-morning in Madison. I set up the Broad Universe table with the help of another member before checking in. After a quick lunch, I attended a panel on socialism, then joined the Fiber Circle (crafting with textiles) before watching the table for a while. Once my family arrived Friday evening, we went out to dinner and then to Barnes and Noble. I discovered a new subgenre: gaslamp, fantasy set in the 19th century. The Season Avatars series has Victorian-era technology but is in a secondary world, so I added “Gaslamp fantasy” to the description to see if that will help readers find the books.
I was on a panel at 8:30 on Saturday, so my traditional trip to the Farmer’s Market was very short. The panel was about Star Wars and resistance. It was well-attended for an early panel, and the audience liked it. After that, I attended another panel on everyday forms of resistance, but it wasn’t as practical as I expected. The first afternoon panel was the Broad Universe rapid-fire reading. Six of us read for about eight minutes each, then we talked briefly about the organization. A few of us read again, so I ended up reading from both Fifth Season and Lyon’s Legacy. Following that, I attended a panel on “firing” the traditional white male SF canon. I skipped the last afternoon panel so we could meet local friends for dinner and walk around Madison for a while. When we returned to the hotel, we visited the pool.
Sunday I attended panels on lazy writing and oppression, living with climate change, and breaking down masculine stereotypes. I was also on a panel about feminist science fiction for beginners. It was a relative large panel, so I didn’t have to say much. At the end of the day, I took down the Broad Universe table before my family and I went out to dinner.
After a Monday brunch with one of the Wisconsin troopers, we said goodbye to Madison and made our way home.
Monday, May 30, 2016
WisCon Recap
It's Sunday afternoon as I write this. There's still quite a few events left in the convention, but I think by this point my participation will be limited, as I'm drained by this point. Here's a summary of the weekend from my perspective.After dropping my son off at school on Friday, I drove straight up to Madison, picked up my badge, and set up the Broad Universe table. After lunch and a visit to one of my favorite stores on State Street (The Soap Opera), other Broad Universe members and I opened the table. We had a few snafus at first but were able to get them resolved. Once we were good to go, I hurried off to the "The Fandom Awakens" panel. It was very well attended for a panel at the start of the convention; I'd say we had at least fifty people in the audience. The other panelists were engaging, and it went well. I tended the table until my family arrived and the Dealers' Room closed. We went to a local Chinese place Alex likes and had dessert at the Red Elephant. I snuck into the opening ceremony briefly, but after that I went swimming with my family. We had a lot of fun playing with a beach ball someone had left behind.
I woke up early (5:00) on Saturday, but stayed in bed for another hour or so before swimming laps. We went out for breakfast and visited the Farmers' Market before I had to return to open the table and resolve yet another issue. At least I was able to grab lunch from the con suite before the Broad Universe reading. There were only a few people attending; I found out later that the door locked when we closed it, so some people who stopped by couldn't get in. I read from Chaos Season. It went well, but I did catch a duplicated word in the scene. I'll fix that in all formats as soon as I can. I did have time to stroll through the art show and attend a panel on Food Privilege, but after that I was back to tending the table until the end of the day. We met some local friends for dinner and went swimming again (this time with pool noodles) when we arrived at the hotel. By this point, I was tired and a stomach ache. I checked in on a couple of parties and the gaming room, but went back up to my room without doing much.
I still didn't feel great when I woke up on Sunday, but I was on a 8:30 panel, so I grabbed some oatmeal and headed out to the panel about the scarcity of female action figures and other toys. It went better than I expected. I was able to attend another a reading in a nearby coffeehouse and got to hear Naomi Kritizer read "Cat Pictures Please." I had lunch at the BU table again, but I did have time in the afternoon to attend a self-care panel, stop at the Strange Horizons tea party, and listen to what not to do with female characters (basically, female characters get criticized more heavily than a male with the identical traits). After this, I'll take down the table and go visit more local friends. (I did get more table backup than I expected, and I also sold more books than I normally do.) Still not sure yet if I'll be at the SignOut today. It's time to celebrate my son's birthday and visit my parents.
I hope you had a good weekend. Feel free to share what you did in the comments.
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
September/October Goals
I had four writing goals for the month of September:
1. Get to 30,000 words in Fifth Season.
2. Outline the current draft of Chaos Season (it may seem strange outlining after the first draft, but I need to get an overview of the book so I can plan the developmental edit.)
3. Edit the first 3-4 chapter of Chaos Season.
4. Finish the rough drafts of the short stories for my Young Seasons collection.
I did manage to finish items 1 and 2, and started 3 and 4. However, I didn't get very far with them. My productivity has been dragging this month. It's probably a case of trying to do too much on too little sleep. (OK, a new Facebook game didn't help either.) So for October, I'm going to focus on just Chaos Season and Fifith Season. I'm over 32,000 words for Fifth Season, so I'm going to shoot for at least 45,000 words in that while I edit 3-4 chapters of Chaos Season.
In addition to the books, I have several other goals for October. My family and I plan on several appearances with the 501st on the weekends. We plan to see our friends in Madison for our annual get-together. I have to help Alex with a book report on top of his homework, plus take him to taekwando and archery classes. (Eugene and I will be part of the archery class as well.) And on top of all this I have to figure out how to make Alex's Halloween costume (he wants something very specific based on a documentary he's seen.) Who knows how much of this I'll manage to accomplish? For now, my first goal is to go to bed early and try to shake my sore throat before it gets worse.
How often do you meet your own goals? Do you ever feel you plan too much?
1. Get to 30,000 words in Fifth Season.
2. Outline the current draft of Chaos Season (it may seem strange outlining after the first draft, but I need to get an overview of the book so I can plan the developmental edit.)
3. Edit the first 3-4 chapter of Chaos Season.
4. Finish the rough drafts of the short stories for my Young Seasons collection.
I did manage to finish items 1 and 2, and started 3 and 4. However, I didn't get very far with them. My productivity has been dragging this month. It's probably a case of trying to do too much on too little sleep. (OK, a new Facebook game didn't help either.) So for October, I'm going to focus on just Chaos Season and Fifith Season. I'm over 32,000 words for Fifth Season, so I'm going to shoot for at least 45,000 words in that while I edit 3-4 chapters of Chaos Season.
In addition to the books, I have several other goals for October. My family and I plan on several appearances with the 501st on the weekends. We plan to see our friends in Madison for our annual get-together. I have to help Alex with a book report on top of his homework, plus take him to taekwando and archery classes. (Eugene and I will be part of the archery class as well.) And on top of all this I have to figure out how to make Alex's Halloween costume (he wants something very specific based on a documentary he's seen.) Who knows how much of this I'll manage to accomplish? For now, my first goal is to go to bed early and try to shake my sore throat before it gets worse.
How often do you meet your own goals? Do you ever feel you plan too much?
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
WisCon 39 WriteUp
It still doesn't seem like a Wednesday to me. How about you?
My first WisCon was in 1998. Since I missed 2007, I've been to seventeen WisCons. That's nearly two months of my life that I've spent going to this convention! Over the years, there have been a lot of changes to the convention, the city, and my writing career. That said, WisCon is still one of the highlights of my year.
Most of Friday was spent packing and taking care of last-minute details as I waited for school to let out. We picked Alex up and drove straight to Madison, arriving around 5:00. As I picked up badges and dropped off my books at the Broad Universe table, I saw friends of ours, then ran into another couple we knew as we headed out for dinner. We wound up having dinner and gelato with both couples and missed the opening ceremonies. I enjoyed the evening, but it was a little bittersweet in that one of the couples was moving out of state and had come to the convention to see us. I hope we get to visit either here or in New York, Dave and Judy! I did go to a panel (Overlapping Magestria--basically about science and religion) after we got back, but I was too tired for the parties.
Saturday morning we visited the farmer's market, then I attended an interesting panel on gender, sex, and science. For lunch, I joined three members of Broad Universe. The weather was gorgeous, and we spent a little more time at the farmer's market while we waited for our table. We returned to the hotel halfway through the first panel, so I skipped it and visited the dealer's room and the art show. Mid-afternoon was the Broad Universe Rapid-Fire Reading; I both moderated and read from Scattered Seasons.I spent an hour at the Broad Universe table before going out for Japanese with my family and "the boys."
Oscar and Little Penguin: SUSHI!
Stan: Sushi?
Rex: Who's she, and why are you suing her?
Saturday night was like Friday in that I skipped the main attraction of the evening (the Tiptree auction), attended another panel on science-compatible religion, and then went to bed. What a wild life I lead.
On Sunday, I attended a few more panels throughout the day, including ethical non-mongamy in fiction, what makes a character come alive, and illness tropes. I particularly found the last one useful.I worked a couple more hours at the Broad Universe table and helped back up all the supplies at the end of the day. (Since I'm the Readings/Events Coordinator for Broad Universe, I will be sending the supplies to other conventions.) We did actually get back from dinner in time for the Guest of Honor speeches, but instead I helped set up the Broad Universe party and stayed there until 11:40 or so. That's about as much as a sleep-deprived person like me can manage.
Monday morning we met some college friends for breakfast, then checked out of the hotel. I finished up some last-minute Broad Universe business before attending the SignOut. I did have a few familiar faces to keep me company and help with the display.
I didn't sell a lot of paper books during the convention, but I did notice a slight upswing in eBook sales. I also put on my publisher's hat and approached a couple of the indie bookstore representatives in the dealer's room about stocking my titles. (I'm setting up my books on IngramSpark in addition to CreateSpace, and IngramSpark offers better terms for booksellers.) We'll see if anything comes from that. I did actually buy three paper books from the dealers, as that seemed only fair.
This was also the first time Alex was old enough for kid's programming. He wasn't in it full-time, since he didn't want to do all of the activities. But the kid's track may make it possible for me to attend some of the local cons as well.
It was an intense weekend, but I got to see old friends and meet other people that I've only known online, visit my favorite city during the best part of the year, and immerse myself in books and SF for a while. I wish WisCon was longer, but it would be tough on my wallet.
Do you ever go to conventions? If so, which ones?
My first WisCon was in 1998. Since I missed 2007, I've been to seventeen WisCons. That's nearly two months of my life that I've spent going to this convention! Over the years, there have been a lot of changes to the convention, the city, and my writing career. That said, WisCon is still one of the highlights of my year.
Most of Friday was spent packing and taking care of last-minute details as I waited for school to let out. We picked Alex up and drove straight to Madison, arriving around 5:00. As I picked up badges and dropped off my books at the Broad Universe table, I saw friends of ours, then ran into another couple we knew as we headed out for dinner. We wound up having dinner and gelato with both couples and missed the opening ceremonies. I enjoyed the evening, but it was a little bittersweet in that one of the couples was moving out of state and had come to the convention to see us. I hope we get to visit either here or in New York, Dave and Judy! I did go to a panel (Overlapping Magestria--basically about science and religion) after we got back, but I was too tired for the parties.
Saturday morning we visited the farmer's market, then I attended an interesting panel on gender, sex, and science. For lunch, I joined three members of Broad Universe. The weather was gorgeous, and we spent a little more time at the farmer's market while we waited for our table. We returned to the hotel halfway through the first panel, so I skipped it and visited the dealer's room and the art show. Mid-afternoon was the Broad Universe Rapid-Fire Reading; I both moderated and read from Scattered Seasons.I spent an hour at the Broad Universe table before going out for Japanese with my family and "the boys."
Oscar and Little Penguin: SUSHI!
Stan: Sushi?
Rex: Who's she, and why are you suing her?
Saturday night was like Friday in that I skipped the main attraction of the evening (the Tiptree auction), attended another panel on science-compatible religion, and then went to bed. What a wild life I lead.
On Sunday, I attended a few more panels throughout the day, including ethical non-mongamy in fiction, what makes a character come alive, and illness tropes. I particularly found the last one useful.I worked a couple more hours at the Broad Universe table and helped back up all the supplies at the end of the day. (Since I'm the Readings/Events Coordinator for Broad Universe, I will be sending the supplies to other conventions.) We did actually get back from dinner in time for the Guest of Honor speeches, but instead I helped set up the Broad Universe party and stayed there until 11:40 or so. That's about as much as a sleep-deprived person like me can manage.
Monday morning we met some college friends for breakfast, then checked out of the hotel. I finished up some last-minute Broad Universe business before attending the SignOut. I did have a few familiar faces to keep me company and help with the display.
I didn't sell a lot of paper books during the convention, but I did notice a slight upswing in eBook sales. I also put on my publisher's hat and approached a couple of the indie bookstore representatives in the dealer's room about stocking my titles. (I'm setting up my books on IngramSpark in addition to CreateSpace, and IngramSpark offers better terms for booksellers.) We'll see if anything comes from that. I did actually buy three paper books from the dealers, as that seemed only fair.This was also the first time Alex was old enough for kid's programming. He wasn't in it full-time, since he didn't want to do all of the activities. But the kid's track may make it possible for me to attend some of the local cons as well.
It was an intense weekend, but I got to see old friends and meet other people that I've only known online, visit my favorite city during the best part of the year, and immerse myself in books and SF for a while. I wish WisCon was longer, but it would be tough on my wallet.
Do you ever go to conventions? If so, which ones?
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
WisCon 38 Wrapup
It's hard to believe this was my fifteenth WisCon. As always, it passed much too fast, and I was torn in several different directions. Here's the recap:
Alex had a play at school Friday afternoon, so once that and the reception were over, we were able to leave. We arrived in Madison around 5:00, which is earlier than we’ve managed in the last few years. After checking in, I dropped off some books at the Broad Universe table, where I ran into some friends. We went out for dinner and stopped by a chocolate store for dessert, where we saw more friends. However, by the time we got back to the hotel, Alex, Eugene, and I were all pretty tired, so I skipped the opening ceremonies/parties.
I woke up early Saturday morning because that’s just how it is with me. At least I had plenty of time to swim and attend the Farmers’ Market before heading to panels. My panel focus this year was learning about diversity so I can write well-rounded, diverse characters. I was on a panel called What Is Science in Feminist SF, and it went well (though I’m not sure if we answered the question if classifying a work as “soft SF” discriminated against women authors). Then I took my turn at the Broad Universe table for two hours before attending two more panels. They were How to Ally (which was a good panel) and Non-Binary Genders (which proved less helpful than I thought it would be).
For dinner, I had vegetable sushi and gelato with my family, and we also had a family swim before Alex and Eugene retired. I went to the parties, which seemed smaller and quieter this year. The Tor party was noticeably absent. I stopped by the haiku party to exchange a poem for a pair of earrings and give the hostess a copy of Life at Seventeen Syllables a Day. Somehow, I even found the energy to attend a late-night panel on Bisexuals in Science Fiction. By the time it ended at midnight, I was ready for bed.
On Sunday, I attended four panels and participated in the Broad Universe reading. The panels were on The Corporation as Character (OK), Women of Color in SFF (good), Is SFWA (Science Fiction Writers of America) Relevant? (good), and Where Have the Bisexuals Gone? (OK). Since I’m Readings/Events Coordinator for Broad Universe, I had lunch with one of the officers and brainstormed ways to make it easier for members to run tables at other cons. Afterwards, I introduced her to my favorite Madison store, The Soap Opera. For dinner, Eugene, Alex, and I visited local college friends. We had a good time, but we got back so late I missed the GoH speeches. I read the transcripts, which you can find on N.K. Jemisin’s and Hiromi Goto’s blogs.
After packing up Monday morning, I attended a reading (Hard Chargers, featuring women who write hard SF) before participating in the Sign Out. Jemisin was kind enough to sign my hard copy of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, and I talked with some other authors as well.
I didn’t make a lot of sales at this con, but I made a couple. I also met some other indie authors, so it’s good to expand my network. Hopefully I’ll be able to attend some more local conventions between now and next WisCon. WisCon, however, will always be my favorite con.
Edited to add: I meant to mention this earlier about the SFWA panel, but they are looking into ways of qualifying indie writers as members. It sounds like it may take a while before they decide to do it, however, and I'm not sure what the delay is. Maybe some members don't want to make it too easy to join. For me personally, I know for a long time joining SFWA was one of my goals as a writer, as a sign that I'd "made it." I don't feel the same way about SFWA anymore; I'd have to see what benefits it would offer me as an indie (or even hybrid author) before deciding to join. But despite the unpleasant incidents in the last couple of years, I'd still consider it. After all, the more people who join SFWA, the more diverse it will be--and hopefully more welcoming to all writers.
Alex had a play at school Friday afternoon, so once that and the reception were over, we were able to leave. We arrived in Madison around 5:00, which is earlier than we’ve managed in the last few years. After checking in, I dropped off some books at the Broad Universe table, where I ran into some friends. We went out for dinner and stopped by a chocolate store for dessert, where we saw more friends. However, by the time we got back to the hotel, Alex, Eugene, and I were all pretty tired, so I skipped the opening ceremonies/parties.
I woke up early Saturday morning because that’s just how it is with me. At least I had plenty of time to swim and attend the Farmers’ Market before heading to panels. My panel focus this year was learning about diversity so I can write well-rounded, diverse characters. I was on a panel called What Is Science in Feminist SF, and it went well (though I’m not sure if we answered the question if classifying a work as “soft SF” discriminated against women authors). Then I took my turn at the Broad Universe table for two hours before attending two more panels. They were How to Ally (which was a good panel) and Non-Binary Genders (which proved less helpful than I thought it would be).
For dinner, I had vegetable sushi and gelato with my family, and we also had a family swim before Alex and Eugene retired. I went to the parties, which seemed smaller and quieter this year. The Tor party was noticeably absent. I stopped by the haiku party to exchange a poem for a pair of earrings and give the hostess a copy of Life at Seventeen Syllables a Day. Somehow, I even found the energy to attend a late-night panel on Bisexuals in Science Fiction. By the time it ended at midnight, I was ready for bed.
On Sunday, I attended four panels and participated in the Broad Universe reading. The panels were on The Corporation as Character (OK), Women of Color in SFF (good), Is SFWA (Science Fiction Writers of America) Relevant? (good), and Where Have the Bisexuals Gone? (OK). Since I’m Readings/Events Coordinator for Broad Universe, I had lunch with one of the officers and brainstormed ways to make it easier for members to run tables at other cons. Afterwards, I introduced her to my favorite Madison store, The Soap Opera. For dinner, Eugene, Alex, and I visited local college friends. We had a good time, but we got back so late I missed the GoH speeches. I read the transcripts, which you can find on N.K. Jemisin’s and Hiromi Goto’s blogs.
After packing up Monday morning, I attended a reading (Hard Chargers, featuring women who write hard SF) before participating in the Sign Out. Jemisin was kind enough to sign my hard copy of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, and I talked with some other authors as well.
I didn’t make a lot of sales at this con, but I made a couple. I also met some other indie authors, so it’s good to expand my network. Hopefully I’ll be able to attend some more local conventions between now and next WisCon. WisCon, however, will always be my favorite con.
Edited to add: I meant to mention this earlier about the SFWA panel, but they are looking into ways of qualifying indie writers as members. It sounds like it may take a while before they decide to do it, however, and I'm not sure what the delay is. Maybe some members don't want to make it too easy to join. For me personally, I know for a long time joining SFWA was one of my goals as a writer, as a sign that I'd "made it." I don't feel the same way about SFWA anymore; I'd have to see what benefits it would offer me as an indie (or even hybrid author) before deciding to join. But despite the unpleasant incidents in the last couple of years, I'd still consider it. After all, the more people who join SFWA, the more diverse it will be--and hopefully more welcoming to all writers.
Friday, April 15, 2011
A-Z: Madison
We're at the halfway point of the A-Z Challenge! Congrats to those who are still participating. For those who had to drop out for various reasons, I hope you can try again next year.
Ah Madison, Wisconsin, my home away from home. I fell in love with Madison at first sight, when I came up for State Forensics in spring of my sophomore year of high school. Since then, I've spent four years at UW-Madison; I returned in my mid-twenties for about eighteen months for my first post-grad-school job. I know that living in Madison isn't all Farmer's Markets at the Capitol Square and hanging out at the Memorial Union Terrace. I think it was my sophomore year when seventeen inches of snow fell in one day, leading to classes being canceled. Still, we go there about twice a year, in May for WisCon and in the fall for our annual Thanksgiving dinner/reunion with college friends. It would be nice if we could make it up there more often.
Here are some of Madison's attractions:
Vilas Park Zoo--it's free!
A Thai temple at the Olbrich Botanic Gardens.
A view of the Capitol building from the children's museum.
There are many other favorite spots in Madison, like State Street or Picnic Point, that I haven't included because I either don't have digital photos or just can't find them. I still like to visit them when I have the opportunity.
I don't expect my son to attend the college there, but when he gets old enough to understand, Eugene and I will have to show him around campus and tell him how important the city is to us. After all, if we'd never met, Alex would never have been born.
Ah Madison, Wisconsin, my home away from home. I fell in love with Madison at first sight, when I came up for State Forensics in spring of my sophomore year of high school. Since then, I've spent four years at UW-Madison; I returned in my mid-twenties for about eighteen months for my first post-grad-school job. I know that living in Madison isn't all Farmer's Markets at the Capitol Square and hanging out at the Memorial Union Terrace. I think it was my sophomore year when seventeen inches of snow fell in one day, leading to classes being canceled. Still, we go there about twice a year, in May for WisCon and in the fall for our annual Thanksgiving dinner/reunion with college friends. It would be nice if we could make it up there more often.
Here are some of Madison's attractions:
Vilas Park Zoo--it's free!
A Thai temple at the Olbrich Botanic Gardens.
A view of the Capitol building from the children's museum.There are many other favorite spots in Madison, like State Street or Picnic Point, that I haven't included because I either don't have digital photos or just can't find them. I still like to visit them when I have the opportunity.
I don't expect my son to attend the college there, but when he gets old enough to understand, Eugene and I will have to show him around campus and tell him how important the city is to us. After all, if we'd never met, Alex would never have been born.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
A-Z: Lilacs, Lily of the Valley, and Lavender
Two of my favorite types of flowers are lilacs and lilies of the valley. I love their scents, and the fact that they only bloom around here for a few short weeks in the spring makes it imperative to seek out and enjoy beautiful new blossoms at every opportunity. That's why we drive out to Lilacia Park in Lombard every year and take pictures. My profile picture was taken there, as was this close-up:
Sometimes when we go to Madison (tomorrow's topic!) for WisCon, I'll buy a bunch of lily of the valley at the Farmer's Market and carry with me from panel to panel. It's a shame the flowers don't last very long once plucked. If we'd gotten married in the spring instead of fall, I would have included them in my bouquet.
Ironically, we don't have lilacs or lily of the valley in our yard, though perhaps this year might be the time to try introducing them.
Another "l" flower with a wonderful scent is lavender. I am actually growing them from seed for my garden; I started them a few weeks ago. I do have seedlings at this stage, but they wouldn't make an impressive picture.
Any other flower fanatics out there?
Sometimes when we go to Madison (tomorrow's topic!) for WisCon, I'll buy a bunch of lily of the valley at the Farmer's Market and carry with me from panel to panel. It's a shame the flowers don't last very long once plucked. If we'd gotten married in the spring instead of fall, I would have included them in my bouquet.Ironically, we don't have lilacs or lily of the valley in our yard, though perhaps this year might be the time to try introducing them.
Another "l" flower with a wonderful scent is lavender. I am actually growing them from seed for my garden; I started them a few weeks ago. I do have seedlings at this stage, but they wouldn't make an impressive picture.
Any other flower fanatics out there?
Sunday, November 07, 2010
Two of Us
Some traditions are too sacred for anything, even National Novel Writing Month, to interfere. One of them is Faux Thanksgiving, our annual get-together with our college friends up in Madison. Unfortunately, there is one thing that trumps Faux Thanksgiving, and that's Continuing Education for my husband. He had to attend a conference this weekend, but this was the weekend that worked best for everyone else. So I decided I'd go anyway, bringing Alex with me.
We drove up Friday; I timed the drive to coincide with Alex's nap time. Our hotel was near West Towne, so after relaxing for a while, we had dinner in the Food Court. Then we had some gelato, played in the Play Area, and customized a stuffed wolf for Alex (the wolf was costumed as a train driver, naturally.)
Alex did much better sleeping in the hotel than he had in the past. Perhaps he wasn't so bothered by the noises outside, or perhaps it helped that we were in the same room and not in a suite. I'd made sure to get a room with a refrigerator, since I brought along food and snacks for him. He enjoyed eating Froot Loops for breakfast; I hope he doesn't start asking for them here.
Saturday we visited the Children's Museum. This was our first time visiting it in the new location. I think Alex enjoyed the train running in the stairway between the first and second floors the best, though he also enjoyed building with blocks in Possibile-opolis. I went to one of my favorite stores on State Street but didn't find what I was looking for. We drove around for a bit so Alex could nap before the big get-together. He was still groggy from sleep when we got there (I had to wake him up), and for some reason he kept bringing my things to me. He didn't eat much (though he kept taking cookie bars that I'd brought), but by the time we left, he was in a good mood.
We were supposed to attend a Sunday brunch with our friends, but Alex wanted to go to the bookstore instead. So I took him, and we wound up getting him a couple of toys. (I have to admit it's nice that they're distracting him from some of his other toys. He has some cheap model trains that won't stay coupled and have parts that keep coming off; they're frustrating for both of us.) Then I reluctantly left Madison and drove to my parents' house so they could have some quality Alex time. Alex wound up falling asleep on both legs of the journey home. Eugene was happy to see both of us again, and he'd set up a huge track layout to keep Alex and his trains busy. It should be interesting to see how well Alex sleeps tonight, especially with the end of Daylight Savings Time.
Although the trip was a bit demanding at times, Alex did pretty well overall. I even managed to write when he was asleep, both staying up late and getting up early. Even so, I'm about twelve hundred words behind where I need to be for today. Hopefully I can catch up.
We drove up Friday; I timed the drive to coincide with Alex's nap time. Our hotel was near West Towne, so after relaxing for a while, we had dinner in the Food Court. Then we had some gelato, played in the Play Area, and customized a stuffed wolf for Alex (the wolf was costumed as a train driver, naturally.)
Alex did much better sleeping in the hotel than he had in the past. Perhaps he wasn't so bothered by the noises outside, or perhaps it helped that we were in the same room and not in a suite. I'd made sure to get a room with a refrigerator, since I brought along food and snacks for him. He enjoyed eating Froot Loops for breakfast; I hope he doesn't start asking for them here.
Saturday we visited the Children's Museum. This was our first time visiting it in the new location. I think Alex enjoyed the train running in the stairway between the first and second floors the best, though he also enjoyed building with blocks in Possibile-opolis. I went to one of my favorite stores on State Street but didn't find what I was looking for. We drove around for a bit so Alex could nap before the big get-together. He was still groggy from sleep when we got there (I had to wake him up), and for some reason he kept bringing my things to me. He didn't eat much (though he kept taking cookie bars that I'd brought), but by the time we left, he was in a good mood.
We were supposed to attend a Sunday brunch with our friends, but Alex wanted to go to the bookstore instead. So I took him, and we wound up getting him a couple of toys. (I have to admit it's nice that they're distracting him from some of his other toys. He has some cheap model trains that won't stay coupled and have parts that keep coming off; they're frustrating for both of us.) Then I reluctantly left Madison and drove to my parents' house so they could have some quality Alex time. Alex wound up falling asleep on both legs of the journey home. Eugene was happy to see both of us again, and he'd set up a huge track layout to keep Alex and his trains busy. It should be interesting to see how well Alex sleeps tonight, especially with the end of Daylight Savings Time.
Although the trip was a bit demanding at times, Alex did pretty well overall. I even managed to write when he was asleep, both staying up late and getting up early. Even so, I'm about twelve hundred words behind where I need to be for today. Hopefully I can catch up.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Practice Makes Perfect: Writing Exercises
A recent guest post on Writer Beware® Blogs! reminded me of something I'd meant to do earlier this year after finishing Across Two Universes: develop my description abilities through writing exercises. Here's my first attempt, slightly edited to make the POV consistent:
Descriptive Exercise # 1—Lakeshore Path
It has been far too long since I’ve walked down Lakeshore Path to Picnic Point, but I still remember it like a pathway to my heart.
Lakeshore Path is on the edge of campus, on the other side of the marsh where wild swans swim. I usually drive there and park in the small lot, where gravel slips under my feet. There’s a wall surrounding Picnic Point, but an opening in the wall permits passage down the sandy road.
Once inside the wall, I see grassy areas where on pleasant days students sit on blankets, studying behind sunglasses and shut off from the rest of the world with earphones. More students pass me, jogging or biking, but not engaging me. I’m free to study the gnarls in the oak trees, the ruts in the path. I smell someone grilling up ahead near one of the picnic areas. Most of these areas are just wooden seats around a central area.
At one point the path splits. I choose to walk the cooler, shadowed path. Squirrels dart away from me, and crows caw overhead. Then the paths unite, and I continue past the small beach on the left. If I peep to the right, between the trees you can see the skyline of Madison past the blue lake.
This land isn’t level; there are small hills to climb. But I continue on, passing more picnic areas and a rusty water pump. Eventually I come to my favorite part of the path, a level stretch where trees arc above you like the roof of Nature’s cathedral. Then I burst through to the end of the path. Success! Another grassy area with the largest seating area of all awaits. Other walkers or joggers resting for a moment, strolling about as they regard the sailboats on the lake. But is this really the end?
No, it’s not. I continue down the sandy path there about one o’clock. The bank is steep, but tree roots cut steps into the path. Finally I’ve arrived at a fallen tree at the water’s edge. If I sit here quietly, smelling the water, I may hear a pair of ducks quietly peeping at each other as they swim past.
I'm thinking of trying a writing exercise once a week. Is anyone else interested in joining me? We could all post on the same day and offer feedback to each other. Please comment below if you'd like to do this.
Monday, May 31, 2010
WisCon 34 Recap
Well, another WisCon has come and gone. As you can tell, I was so busy I didn't get any blogging done at the con. I'll try to recap the high points quickly.
We left Friday afternoon after picking Alex up directly from daycare. The drive wasn't too bad, though we stopped a couple of times for potty breaks. Alex refused to go in the bathroom at the reststop, so we took him to my parents' house, which was on the way. I'm pleased to report Alex is now using regular toilets as long as he has something to stand on. (If you're not a parent, trust me, this is a big deal. He's not completely toilet trained yet, but he's definitely ready for preschool.) We arrived at our hotel in the early evening. After dinner, I picked up my badge from the registration desk. Unfortunately, they had no record of Alex being registered for daycare, but they let him in anyway. That was a big relief.
We didn't bother bringing a separate bed or crib for Alex, as we knew from past experience he wouldn't use it in a strange place. We had a very rough night trying to get him to sleep in the same bed as us; I bounced from one bed to the other. I still got up to swim, though.
Saturday morning, we visited the Farmer's Market on Capitol Square. I saw only one stand with lilacs and no lily of the valley for sale; I wonder if that's because it was so warm or because Memorial Day weekend was so late. But I did snatch up some locally grown strawberries. Then I brought Alex to daycare. He was timid and very clingy at first, making me late for the morning panel. But he ate well at lunch and did better in the afternoon. I attended three panels on varying topics: infectious diseases, raising feminist boys, and witches. Eugene went around on his own to take pictures. He also stopped in one of my favorite Madison stores, the Soap Opera, and treated me to some scented shower gel. In the evening, we visited some college friends. They hosted a get-together dinner so we could see more friends too. That was very nice. I did go to some of the parties briefly when we got back, but I was too tired to stay long.
Sunday was Alex's third birthday. We'd brought along some presents, so he finally got to open them. After a quick breakfast in our room, I attended a panel on urban fantasy in Madison. (We did bring Alex to daycare, but he wouldn't let Eugene leave. But he didn't fuss when I brought him back for his nap.) I attended two more panels that afternoon, skipping the middle one to have gelato with Eugene, attend a tea, and chat with a friend. After panels, we took Alex to Ella's Deli for dinner. It boasts a carousel outside and lots of animated puppets/toys inside. Alex didn't know where to look! We treated him to a banana split, but he wasn't too interested in it. He did get to ride the carousel before we left.
Today as the con wound down, we took Alex to Vilas Zoo. He was more interested in the zoo train I bought than the animals. Then we drove down to visit my parents, where he got more presents and a cake. I also got to see my niece and her baby. We finally came home in the early evening.
I didn't network as much as I wanted to this time between being so tired and Alex's struggles with bedtime. Hopefully when he's a little older it'll be easier. (We're already registered for next year's WisCon.) I didn't buy too much this year, only two books and a blouse from Wintersilks. However, one of the books I bought entered me into a drawing for a sword. I had a good feeling about my chances, and sure enough, I won it! It's a black sword with a wickedly shaped blade. (The edge is dull, however; I couldn't risk bringing a real sword into the same house as a toddler!) I will post a picture of me wielding the sword at some point; I just have to decide what to wear. I don't have the body for a metal bikini, so don't even suggest it!
We left Friday afternoon after picking Alex up directly from daycare. The drive wasn't too bad, though we stopped a couple of times for potty breaks. Alex refused to go in the bathroom at the reststop, so we took him to my parents' house, which was on the way. I'm pleased to report Alex is now using regular toilets as long as he has something to stand on. (If you're not a parent, trust me, this is a big deal. He's not completely toilet trained yet, but he's definitely ready for preschool.) We arrived at our hotel in the early evening. After dinner, I picked up my badge from the registration desk. Unfortunately, they had no record of Alex being registered for daycare, but they let him in anyway. That was a big relief.
We didn't bother bringing a separate bed or crib for Alex, as we knew from past experience he wouldn't use it in a strange place. We had a very rough night trying to get him to sleep in the same bed as us; I bounced from one bed to the other. I still got up to swim, though.
Saturday morning, we visited the Farmer's Market on Capitol Square. I saw only one stand with lilacs and no lily of the valley for sale; I wonder if that's because it was so warm or because Memorial Day weekend was so late. But I did snatch up some locally grown strawberries. Then I brought Alex to daycare. He was timid and very clingy at first, making me late for the morning panel. But he ate well at lunch and did better in the afternoon. I attended three panels on varying topics: infectious diseases, raising feminist boys, and witches. Eugene went around on his own to take pictures. He also stopped in one of my favorite Madison stores, the Soap Opera, and treated me to some scented shower gel. In the evening, we visited some college friends. They hosted a get-together dinner so we could see more friends too. That was very nice. I did go to some of the parties briefly when we got back, but I was too tired to stay long.
Sunday was Alex's third birthday. We'd brought along some presents, so he finally got to open them. After a quick breakfast in our room, I attended a panel on urban fantasy in Madison. (We did bring Alex to daycare, but he wouldn't let Eugene leave. But he didn't fuss when I brought him back for his nap.) I attended two more panels that afternoon, skipping the middle one to have gelato with Eugene, attend a tea, and chat with a friend. After panels, we took Alex to Ella's Deli for dinner. It boasts a carousel outside and lots of animated puppets/toys inside. Alex didn't know where to look! We treated him to a banana split, but he wasn't too interested in it. He did get to ride the carousel before we left.
Today as the con wound down, we took Alex to Vilas Zoo. He was more interested in the zoo train I bought than the animals. Then we drove down to visit my parents, where he got more presents and a cake. I also got to see my niece and her baby. We finally came home in the early evening.
I didn't network as much as I wanted to this time between being so tired and Alex's struggles with bedtime. Hopefully when he's a little older it'll be easier. (We're already registered for next year's WisCon.) I didn't buy too much this year, only two books and a blouse from Wintersilks. However, one of the books I bought entered me into a drawing for a sword. I had a good feeling about my chances, and sure enough, I won it! It's a black sword with a wickedly shaped blade. (The edge is dull, however; I couldn't risk bringing a real sword into the same house as a toddler!) I will post a picture of me wielding the sword at some point; I just have to decide what to wear. I don't have the body for a metal bikini, so don't even suggest it!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...
and I'm not talking about Christmas, but WisCon! WisCon is the world's leading feminist science fiction convention (yes, men are still welcome). It's a really great convention for writers, as it attracts plenty of authors, editors, and agents. As if that wasn't good enough, it's held in my beloved Madison in my favorite season. (Though that doesn't guarantee good weather.) I've lost track of how many years I've been going, but I did start last century. I must admit travel has become more complicated now with a toddler, but luckily WisCon does offer good childcare for a nominal fee. Besides attending the con, we'll be meeting up with college friends and celebrating Alex's third birthday.
So, my readers, do you go to writing conventions? If so, which ones? I know they're not too hard to find for SF and romance, but what about other genres, like YA? Do you have conventions dedicated to your genre?
Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend, and if you can, come back here for updates!
So, my readers, do you go to writing conventions? If so, which ones? I know they're not too hard to find for SF and romance, but what about other genres, like YA? Do you have conventions dedicated to your genre?
Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend, and if you can, come back here for updates!
Monday, November 16, 2009
Faux Thanksgiving Weekend
Every year in October or November, Eugene and I go up to Madison to have a Faux Thanksgiving with our college friends. It's a real Thanksgiving dinner with turkey and all the traditional side dishes, just a little early. I don't remember how many years we've been doing this, but it's been going on for a long time.
We drove up to Madison Friday evening; I left work early to prep for the trip. (I even managed to clean the living room carpet before we left.) When we picked Alex up from daycare, they were playing outside, and he was zipping backwards and forwards on a riding toy. We let him play for a bit, but once his teacher spotted us and told him, he came running.
We stopped along the way but still made good time. For dinner, we just wanted something quick and easy, so we went to the Food Court in the nearby mall. We had a hotel suite so we could put Alex in a separate room. Although he didn't seem to mind sleeping in his old Pack'n'Play at first, all the strange noises woke him up, and we wound up sleeping with him on the sofa.
The hotel offered a free breakfast, but it wasn't stocked very well when we got there--only one glass (so we split it among us) and no skim milk. Other things weren't available either. We wound up having a second breakfast at a coffee shop. Then we took Alex to the Children's Museum. He loved the toy cars in the first exhibit so much he didn't want to leave. Eventually we moved on to some other play areas, though. He seemed to have a good time. We left around 1:00 so he could nap in the car. (We took turns visiting the bookstore while he slept.)
Normally we bake a dessert, but it didn't work out this year, so we picked up a couple of tarts from Whole Foods. Alex was obsessed with them--until he tried them. He didn't eat well during the dinner; he mostly ate crackers. I guess he was too busy checking out all the toys. He was more social than he was last year, which is good. I was with him a fair amount of time, but I got to socialize too. I didn't take any pictures, though.
We met our friends again for Sunday brunch, then we headed home. We stopped to visit my parents for a few hours, so we got home a bit late. Alex had taken a late nap, so it took him a long time to fall asleep. I wish we'd had more time to go around Madison while we were there; we missed some of our usual haunts. Ah well, something else to look forward to when WisCon arrives....
We drove up to Madison Friday evening; I left work early to prep for the trip. (I even managed to clean the living room carpet before we left.) When we picked Alex up from daycare, they were playing outside, and he was zipping backwards and forwards on a riding toy. We let him play for a bit, but once his teacher spotted us and told him, he came running.
We stopped along the way but still made good time. For dinner, we just wanted something quick and easy, so we went to the Food Court in the nearby mall. We had a hotel suite so we could put Alex in a separate room. Although he didn't seem to mind sleeping in his old Pack'n'Play at first, all the strange noises woke him up, and we wound up sleeping with him on the sofa.
The hotel offered a free breakfast, but it wasn't stocked very well when we got there--only one glass (so we split it among us) and no skim milk. Other things weren't available either. We wound up having a second breakfast at a coffee shop. Then we took Alex to the Children's Museum. He loved the toy cars in the first exhibit so much he didn't want to leave. Eventually we moved on to some other play areas, though. He seemed to have a good time. We left around 1:00 so he could nap in the car. (We took turns visiting the bookstore while he slept.)
Normally we bake a dessert, but it didn't work out this year, so we picked up a couple of tarts from Whole Foods. Alex was obsessed with them--until he tried them. He didn't eat well during the dinner; he mostly ate crackers. I guess he was too busy checking out all the toys. He was more social than he was last year, which is good. I was with him a fair amount of time, but I got to socialize too. I didn't take any pictures, though.
We met our friends again for Sunday brunch, then we headed home. We stopped to visit my parents for a few hours, so we got home a bit late. Alex had taken a late nap, so it took him a long time to fall asleep. I wish we'd had more time to go around Madison while we were there; we missed some of our usual haunts. Ah well, something else to look forward to when WisCon arrives....
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Madison Trip
Last Thursday, after Date Day, it was back to work for me. But I didn't have to go into the lab; instead, I was Madison-bound. My mission was to visit another lab we would be outsourcing some of our work to and qualify them to do the work. Not fun stuff, but it was nice to have some alone time in the car and listen to my music instead of Alex's ABC CD.
The drive up to Madison (after I brought Alex to daycare) was pretty smooth. The lab was located on the west end of Madison, in a part of town I wasn't familiar with. I didn't have any problems finding the place, though. It was a very big lab, far larger than my own company. I won't bore you with the details of my visit, but I will note that they had a very nice cafeteria. I also got to tour the lab.
After my work was done, I headed back home. I was tempted to drive through Madison so I could see the downtown area, but I didn't want to take too long getting back home. I did stop by my parents' house briefly, though I regretted it when I ran into a delay on the highway (accident). Luckily, once I got past the accident site, the rest of the drive was without incident, and I got back to daycare at my normal time. It's a shame to go all the way up to Madison and not be able to see anyone or anything I care for, though.
The drive up to Madison (after I brought Alex to daycare) was pretty smooth. The lab was located on the west end of Madison, in a part of town I wasn't familiar with. I didn't have any problems finding the place, though. It was a very big lab, far larger than my own company. I won't bore you with the details of my visit, but I will note that they had a very nice cafeteria. I also got to tour the lab.
After my work was done, I headed back home. I was tempted to drive through Madison so I could see the downtown area, but I didn't want to take too long getting back home. I did stop by my parents' house briefly, though I regretted it when I ran into a delay on the highway (accident). Luckily, once I got past the accident site, the rest of the drive was without incident, and I got back to daycare at my normal time. It's a shame to go all the way up to Madison and not be able to see anyone or anything I care for, though.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Whirlwind Weekend
It's feast or famine around here when it comes to my blog. After going through a dry spell when I didn't have anything interesting going on, I now have more blog fodder than I can manage. In fact, I missed my 20th high school reunion and a Halloween party for Alex this weekend. Why does everything have to happen at once?
It all started Friday, on Halloween. This year, Alex had two costumes: a dinosaur and a little devil. He wore the dinosaur outfit to daycare, where they had a little parade and a party for the kids. I don't have the pictures from that yet, but here's Alex earlier this month:
And here's his devil costume:
Notice he doesn't like wearing the caps that come with his costumes.
I left work early on Friday to get ready for a trip up to Madison. After I had most of the packing done (I admit I overpacked, but with a toddler, you need to be prepared for anything), I picked up Alex and took him trick-or-treating to a few houses. Most of the kids came later--and there were lots. I bought five bags of candy; we would have run out if we had stayed for the entire trick-or-treat time. Although Alex wanted to go outside when he saw all of the kids, he was excited enough to hold the candy and wait at the door. At one point, a little girl in an angel outfit came. Eugene said, "Devil, meet angel," and the girl's father replied, "Devil, stay away from my angel." Too bad I didn't get a picture of them together.
We drove up to Madison Friday night and checked into our hotel, a Holiday Inn. This one featured a whirlpool bath in our room (which only got used for Alex's baths, alas) and a water park that we didn't use either. Unfortunately, we didn't have a suite, so when Alex woke up in the night, he could see us, and that made it harder to calm him. We wound up having to bring him into our bed--something we don't plan to do in the future!
On Saturday, we went to the Farmer's Market. I don't have any pictures from there, but Eugene took some. Instead of getting food, we bought a personalized piggy bank for Alex and a toy parrot for a friend's son. I browsed through Wintersilks but didn't find anything, and with Alex needing a nap, we skipped a trip to the Soap Opera. We let Alex sleep in the car while we took turns visiting Borders (one of us stayed in the car with him). We picked up lunch at Whole Foods; Alex woke up and ate a fair portion of a Honeycrisp. Later, we visited our friends for our annual Faux Thanksgiving reunion with our college friends. The food was good, and we enjoyed talking with everyone; unfortunately, I don't have any pictures. All of the kids are growing up, though.
We didn't have a chance to have brunch with our friends this year, since we were supposed to meet my family for lunch at a Polish restaurant. We did stop at the Olbrich Botanical Gardens briefly. Although we lost track of time, it was neat seeing the Thai Pavilion:
Finally, we left Madison to celebrate my grandmother's 94th birthday with my mother's side of the family:
Luckily, at this point, it was a relatively short drive back home. It was great to go, but it's good to be back. Even with an extra hour today, I still have a lot to catch up on.
It all started Friday, on Halloween. This year, Alex had two costumes: a dinosaur and a little devil. He wore the dinosaur outfit to daycare, where they had a little parade and a party for the kids. I don't have the pictures from that yet, but here's Alex earlier this month:
And here's his devil costume:
Notice he doesn't like wearing the caps that come with his costumes.
I left work early on Friday to get ready for a trip up to Madison. After I had most of the packing done (I admit I overpacked, but with a toddler, you need to be prepared for anything), I picked up Alex and took him trick-or-treating to a few houses. Most of the kids came later--and there were lots. I bought five bags of candy; we would have run out if we had stayed for the entire trick-or-treat time. Although Alex wanted to go outside when he saw all of the kids, he was excited enough to hold the candy and wait at the door. At one point, a little girl in an angel outfit came. Eugene said, "Devil, meet angel," and the girl's father replied, "Devil, stay away from my angel." Too bad I didn't get a picture of them together.
We drove up to Madison Friday night and checked into our hotel, a Holiday Inn. This one featured a whirlpool bath in our room (which only got used for Alex's baths, alas) and a water park that we didn't use either. Unfortunately, we didn't have a suite, so when Alex woke up in the night, he could see us, and that made it harder to calm him. We wound up having to bring him into our bed--something we don't plan to do in the future!
On Saturday, we went to the Farmer's Market. I don't have any pictures from there, but Eugene took some. Instead of getting food, we bought a personalized piggy bank for Alex and a toy parrot for a friend's son. I browsed through Wintersilks but didn't find anything, and with Alex needing a nap, we skipped a trip to the Soap Opera. We let Alex sleep in the car while we took turns visiting Borders (one of us stayed in the car with him). We picked up lunch at Whole Foods; Alex woke up and ate a fair portion of a Honeycrisp. Later, we visited our friends for our annual Faux Thanksgiving reunion with our college friends. The food was good, and we enjoyed talking with everyone; unfortunately, I don't have any pictures. All of the kids are growing up, though.
We didn't have a chance to have brunch with our friends this year, since we were supposed to meet my family for lunch at a Polish restaurant. We did stop at the Olbrich Botanical Gardens briefly. Although we lost track of time, it was neat seeing the Thai Pavilion:
Finally, we left Madison to celebrate my grandmother's 94th birthday with my mother's side of the family:
Luckily, at this point, it was a relatively short drive back home. It was great to go, but it's good to be back. Even with an extra hour today, I still have a lot to catch up on.
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