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Picked up from

almeda. I'm going to track which books I read this year. Last year I read 54

'Date' below means the date I finished reading it;
Origin abreviations: [ARC] means advanced reading copy; [G] means gift or giveaway (free); [H] means part of the Hugo voting packet; [L] means I got it from the library; [N] means new book (retail); [O] means online book; [P] means proofreading; [R] means a re-read; [S] means secondhand.
Entries in Bold contain Hugo Award Eligible Material

( The List )

Podcasts in 2012

Writing Excuses (Season 7) by Mary Robinette Kowal, Brandon Sanderson, Howard Tayler, & Dan Wells; Panel, NonFiction (F/SF); In Progress
The Points Between (Season #1) by Christopher Wright, read by author, Fantasy; Complete;
Podcastle Edited by Anna Schwind and Dave Thompson (Anthology), fantasy
- Episode 165: The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu, read by Rajan Khanna
- Episode 198: Urchins, While Swimming by Catherynne M. Valente, read by Diane Severseon
- Episode 200: In The Stacks by Scott Lynch, a full cast recording
Escape Pod Edited by Mur Lafferty (Anthology), science fiction
- Episode 305: Midnight Blue by Will McIntosh, read by Paul Haring
- Episode 314: Movement by Nancy Fulda, read by Marguerite Kenner
- Episode 335: The Water Man by Ursula Pflug, read by Christiana Ellis
- Episode 340: Golubash (Wine-Blood-War-Story) by Catherynne M. Valente, read by Marguerite Croft
- Episode 348: Nemesis by Nathaniel Lee, read by Mat Weller
I Should be Writing #ISBW by Mur Lafferty, NonFiction; In Progress
Dark Currents by Lindsay Buroker (Emperor's Edge #2), Read by Starla Huchton, Steampunk Fantasy; Complete
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, read by Carolynn McCormick, SF; Unabridged CD (L)
Space Casey by Christiana Ellis, Full Cast, SF Heist; Complete
Pay Me Bug! by Christopher Wright, read by author, Space Opera; Complete
Matcher Rules by Mary Holland, read by author, SF; Complete
The Hidden Institute by Brand Gamblin, read by author, SF; Complete
SF SqueeCast (Season #1) by Lynne M. Thomas, Seanan McGuire, Paul Cornell, Elizabeth Bear, and Catherynne M. Valente, Panel, NonFiction (F/SF); Complete
The Roundtable Podcast by Dave Robison & Brion Humphrey (Season #1), Speculative Fiction Story Workshop; In Progress;
Ravenwood by Nathan Lowell (Tanyth Fairport #1), Narrated by Author, Fantasy; Complete
SF SqueeCast (Season #2) by Lynne M. Thomas, Seanan McGuire, Paul Cornell, Elizabeth Bear, and Catherynne M. Valente, Panel, NonFiction (F/SF); In Progress;

Vlogs in 2012

MHS Hysteria Log: Season 2 by "Stagethane", Full Cast, Steampunk/Time Travel SF; In Progress
Doodling in Math by Vi Hart, performed by author, Non-Fiction; In Progress

A series that shows that math is fun

My Drunk Kitchen by Hannah Hart, performed by author, Comedy; In Progress
The Guild by Felicia Day (Season #5), Full Cast, Gamer Fiction; Complete

Title by Author (Series #0), Performer(s), Genre; Status

2012 Pegasus Award Winners -
Travel Song - No Hurry, Michelle Dockrey
Gaming Song - I Put My Low Stat - Dr. Mary Carolyn Phillips Crowell
Best Writer/Composer - TIE, Dr. Mary Crowell AND Juanita Coulson
Best Performer - TIE! - Betsy Tinney and Wild Mercy
Best Classic - Tiberius Rising, Rand Bellavia and Adam English
Best Filk Song - Cheshire Kitten, S.J. "Sooj" Tucker

Considering that I voted for one of the ties, clearly my vote made a difference.

My weight this morning.

Back in November of 2010, after 6 months of doing a daily calorie log of what I ate, I decided to try just eyeballing things based on what I had learned about portion size. I continued to lose weight.

In April of 2011 I leveled off at 148 lbs. I stayed between 145 lbs and 150 lbs for most of a year.

This past Summer my weight started to creep back up. After ConCertino I was 151, after Pi-Con I was 152, after WorldCon I was 154. I know that it is only 6 lbs up, but it is a trend that I don't want to continue. I would lose a little, get down to 151, and then it would go up again. This week I decided that eyeballing wasn't working, so I went back to doing a daily calorie log (target 1600 to 1700 calories per day). This morning for the first time in 4 months I am under 150 lbs.

I am sorry to say I am not going to OVFF this year.

There are multiple reasons including, the budget and starting a new job. (No, I won't be making to to Windycon this year either.)

Because I won't be there in person I have sent in my Online Pegasus Ballot If you consider yourself a Filker, and haven't voted yet Today is the last day to vote.

Go to the farmer's market. Bought:
- Mesclun
- Herb Bread
Go to Library:
- Return one book: Above by Leah Bobet
- Request three inter-library loan books:
  - City of Dragons by Robin Hobb
  - Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed
  - Partials by Dan Wells
Catch up on social media:
- LiveJournal
- Facebook
- Google +
- Tumblr
Read other library book: Flesh and Fire by Laura Anne Gilman
Drink tea
Practice bodhran (13.5 minutes)
Listen to Ways of Wind and Water CD by Cheshire Moon
Work on sketch for Christmas card
Go for walk
Watch Farscape season 1
Write "thank you" card for Paperbackswap book that arrived this week The Heir of Night by Helen Lowe

It's

shaddyr's fault

( Who comments the most on this journal? )

Last week I went to the Fryeburg Fair. Expecting crowds, it turned out that Monday was a good day to go. I was able to get a parking space 2 blocks from the fairgrounds, and crowds were not bad at all.

It is an agricultural fair, where I checked out exhibits of woodcarving, canning, baking, livestock, etc. They had wool in every state from freshly sheered to spun and dyed. I bought some goat cheese from the family that owns the goats (Basil pesto goat cheese spread). I bought Maine grown raspberry jam, and raspberry blossom honey. I got maple coated malted milk balls. There was a booth selling goat suede vests. They looked really nice, but the cut didn't suit me so I didn't buy one.

One of the "rides" I tried was the "Power Jump Bungee Trampoline" It allows you to jump 25 feet into the air, and do flips. It was amazing, but I was glad that I did it on an empty stomach.

Around dinner time I settled down to eat a bloomin' onion watch a performance by "The Squid Jiggers" a Celtic music duo.

On Friday my brother Brian stopped by for a visit (along with Kate and Adam from the Whitehaus). We went for a walk up to the Madison Boulder, enjoying some of the fall colors.

On Saturday I went to the Tamworth Farmers Market where I bought a half bushel of liberty apples, a half gallon of Chocorua apple cider, some tomato & chive yogurt dressing, some onions, garlic, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, and cranberries.

Today I went to the Sherman Farm Ma(i)ze. Where I had fun getting lost.

So remember last month when I posted about buying a bodhran at a pawn shop in Portland, ME. (Pretend you remember.)

Well the reason I was in Portland was for a job interview, and it is now official that I got the job. It is part time and temporary but it is a software testing job. After 3 years it is good to be getting back into QA.

Books Read in September

Sep 04: Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi, 2011, TOR, SF [N]
Sep 18: Priestess of the Eggstone by Jaletta clegg (Fall of the Altairian Empire #2) 2012, Journalstone, Space Opera [G]
Sep 30: Valour and Vanity by Mary Robinette Kowal (Glamourist Histories #4) TBD, TOR, Historical Fantasy [P]

While I was in Portland, ME anyway, I decided to check out some of the shops.

I looked up the addresses of several bookstores, thrift shops, and two drum shops (yes Portland actually has 2 drum shops). Unfortunately while both of them had some nice bodhran/hand drums, neither had quite what I was looking for. I headed over to Congress Street, where several of the other businesses were located. Right by where I parked I came across a pawn shop which had some instruments in the window. I decided to go in and check out what they had.

As soon as I walked in, on the right, resting on a bicycle was a bodhran. Real bent wood frame, real fixed hide head, 18 inch with an "X" crossbar. It had a tag saying $75 and came with two tippers. I asked if I could try it and the clerks said yes. I tapped and beat it a few times, and found it had a beautiful tone. I considered if I should haggle, but decided that I was willing to pay the full price.

The manager came up to me and asked if it was what I was looking for. I answered quite honestly that It was a very nice instrument, but I had been looking for a 16 inch, and it was an 18 inch. The manager replied that "it had been sitting around the shop for a while" and "he could let me have it for $60 cash." After a $3.00 ATM fee, and $2.00 tax I was able to bring home my bodhran for only $65.00.

I have checked online and similar instruments sell for at least that much, not including tippers or shipping, so I am pleased with the deal. I do need to get a case.

And this is a post about what I brought home from Chicon

Before the con I shipped a box of books to myself in Chicago to get them signed.

Robots: The Recent A.I. (a short story collection) I got signed by Rachel Swirsky, Mary Robinette Kowal, Elizabeth Bear, and Catherynne M. Valente

MRK's and Cat Valente's Hugo nominated novellas were both in this collection. I was shocked that neither of them won.

Ravens In The Library (a short story collection) I got signed by Catherynne M. Valente
Silently and Very Fast by Catherynne M. Valente, personalized
Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, signed
Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch, signed
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, signed
Late Eclipses by Seanan McGuire, signed

I also bought in the Dealers Room

Guardians of the Keep by Carol Berg, signed
Digger Vol. 1 by Ursula Vernon, signed
Digger Vol. 6 by Ursula Vernon, signed for a friend

Ursula did win a Hugo for Digger this year

Plus I picked up a number of free books while there

A Magic of Twilight by S. L. Farrell, DAW 2008
Hidden City by Michelle West, DAW 2007
God's War by Kameron Hurley, Night Shade Books 2011
The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schaffer, Night Shade Books 2011
The Emperor's Knife by Mazarkis Williams, Night Shade Books 2011

Plus a download card for

Barry's Tale a novella by Lawrence M. Schoen

There was a lot of new filk at this con, I bought 6 CDs

Queen of Spindles by Talis Kimberly
Hazardous Fiddle by Amy McNally & Friends, debut
Third Thyme's the Charm by Three Weird Sisters, debut
Ways of Wind and Water by Cheshire Moon, debut
Edges by Cathy McManamon
Bare Bones by Cathy McManamon, limited release

Many of you won't recognize the name Cathy McManamon. Let me tell you that this may be the first time you heard of her but it probably won't be the last. She has been writing and performing songs for a while, but only discovered filk in the past year. The other name people may not know is Cheshire Moon which is a new band including Lizzie Crowe, Susan Weiner, and Eric Coleman.

In case that wasn't enough shopping I also bought 2 pairs of hand knitted striped knee socks to wear with my kilt.

Chicon7 had the best opening ceremony I have ever seen of any convention. They decided to use the late-night talk show format. John Scalzi (Toastmaster for the con) was host, who after his monologue sat behind a desk. Toyboat was the house band. It worked brilliantly well. It was lively and informative. The pacing worked, in spite of the fact that he brought on about a dozen people. In addition to all the guests of the con they brought up: the con chair of the second worldcon, the con chair of Chicon7, and the designer this year's Hugo base.

I must remember in the future to bring tissues to the Hugo ceremony.
It started with the list of names of writers, artists, fans, and other luminaries that have passed on in the previous year. There were many names that I got choked up about, but when the name Alice "Badger" Washburn scrolled up the screen I lost it, it was sad and yet I think she would be pleased to be a part of the Hugo ceremony.
Then we have the Big Heart Award, before they announced the name, they started reading the accomplishments of recipient: Author, Fanzine Publisher, Filker (at which point I realized OMG they mean Juanita) and then they announced the name Juanita Coulson. I am glad that I had the privilege of being in the room when they honored Juanita. More tissues needed.
Scalzi did a great job hosting the ceremony. His opening speech about what the awards mean to him, about the "7 stages" of Hugo Nomination, and what it says about our community was quite touching. Then the acceptance speeches. By the time we got to Jo Walton at the end I doubt there was a dry eye in the house.

I also enjoyed the Masquerade, it was an excellent presentation with a remarkable lack of skimpy outfits. The number of intricate mechanical props does seem to keep going up.

Let me be clear. I enjoy conventions, filking makes me happy, I like gaming, but I love WorldCons.

There is so much happening and I get to take part in it with about 5000 other fen. It is for me social saturation, or extreme socializing. I made new friends, I shared new songs, I talked with authors and podcasters, I got books signed, I looked at the moon through a telescope, I spent too much in the Dealer's Room, I picked up some freebies, I played games, I walked quite a bit, I dressed up, I colored with crayons and blew soap-bubbles. I went to panels, readings, concerts, Opening Ceremony, Masquerade, Hugo Ceremony (note: next time remember tissues), and Closing Ceremony.

I'll be talking more about how amazing everything was in more detail later, it was a great Worldcon

Books Read in August

Aug 05: Paloma by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Retrieval Artist #5) 2006, ROC (NAL), SF, Alien [S]
Aug 08: Recovery Man by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Retrieval Artist #6) 2007, ROC (NAL), SF, Alien [S]
Aug 21: Brave Men Run by Matthew Wayne Selznick (Sovereign Era #1) 2005, MWS, SF (Superhero) [O]
Aug 30: Princeps' Fury by Jim Butcher (Codex Alera #5) 2009, Ace (Penguin), Fantasy [N]

Some of you may have noticed the belt I wear. It is brown (russet) embossed leather. I bought it two years ago from The Beggar's Pouch for $44, and it has lasted me quite well. In addition, unlike many other decorative accessories that can be worn (hats, coats, vests, gloves, jewelry, etc.) I don't lose belts.

Unfortunately my brown belt does not work in every situation. First it is 1.5 inches wide, and most dress pants can only fit an 1.25 inch belt. Second there are times when an outfit needs the belt to be black and not brown.

So today I went back to The Beggar's Pouch and bought a black, 1.25 inch, embossed leather belt with a stainless steel buckle, for $48.00. I figure that it is well worth the investment.

While I was out I also picked up some black slacks at J.C. Penny for $15.

Now I have something to wear to Geek-Prom at Worldcon

Pi-Con was great this year. Hardly any issues cropped up (for me at least) and people had fun. People enjoyed the programming I arranged. All the performer did a great job. With the stress I had been feeling before the con my expectations were low and in many ways this Pi-Con exceeded my expectations.

However nothing is perfect and I find I am in the mood to whine about the the imperfections. I debated whether I should post my whining, but I have decided that it is my journal I can whine if I want to. I will place my whine under the cut so nobody has to read it who doesn't want to. I am not looking for a pat on the head. Even more I don't want people to tell me I am being unreasonable. I want to post what I am feeling without worrying about what other people think. I beg of you please do not read this unless you really want to. ( You Have Been Warned )

Or maybe even Home from a successful 7Pi-Con

I am rather pleased with how things went.

7Pi-Con

Be there or be non-circular

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"I'm going to go back there someday"

Recent Entries

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Books Read 2012

New Media in 2012

Podcasts in 2012

Vlogs in 2012

Congratulations To the Pegasus Winners

149.5

OVFF

Things to do on a quiet Fall Saturday

Haven't done this in a while

We are well into Autumn

Did I mention that I have new job lined up?

September Books

Books Read in September

I bought a Bodhran

Worldcon, The Haul

More about Worldcon, the public events

I love WorldCons

August Books

Books Read in August

I went on a hog wild shopping spree!

Pity Party

Sucessfully home from 7Pi-Con

7Pi-Con starts today