Conventions
Happy Birthday Sir Pterry
Yesterday was Sir Terry Pratchett’s birthday. This year he is 65 and we celebrate every year he is still alive and compos. I thought it would be appropriate to take a few minutes to dwell on what Pterry means to me.
Books
Pratchett has written about 40 books about Discworld, some with assistance and many without. They are all really good books but some are better than others. He is so good at writing about people that it doesn’t matter whether they are written as Dwarves, Trolls, Werewolves or Humans it is possible to recognise them as people I know.
He has written about issues such as slavery and genocide, couching them within the framework of a universe we know and love to make them more palatable and easier to understand.
Conventions
People think so much of his books and want to get together to talk about his books and speculate on what he’ll do next – I’d say that’s called a convention. They are SO much fun. Imagine finding yourself in a hotel room at a stupid hour of 8am on a Saturday morning finding like-minded people. They’re dressed in weird clothes but that doesn’t matter as so are you. You could all be dressed as witches, wizards, strumpets, trolls, the Librarian or even Moist von Lipwig.
Craft type stuff
I’ve never considered myself to have any great skills with crafty stuff but I’ve found myself making stuff anyway. For the first Nullus Anxietas I joined in the craft making and we made dragons, driving down to Geelong for the day to do papier mache and talk. I, again, found myself doing crafty type stuff for the second Nullus Anxietas but we were able to use a room in a nearby congregation and leave everything sitting drying until the next time we were able to get together. I don’t have photos of these things but for NAIV I still have most of my props for my costume and this is a photo.
There’s all sorts of things there: a photo book so I can sell things to the unwary; 1,000 year old eggs, the one in the top right hand corner is a troll egg; sausages inna bun and; meat pies. I only did two types of sausages inna bun – ratwurst and frank-n-furters. The meat pies have undisclosed meat and have tomato sauce on top in the shape of Australia. Yes, I had fun!
Friends
I can’t count the number of friends I’ve made thanks to Pratchett. It all started back in 2005 when I saw a post on a newsgroup mentioning the first Australian convention and that they still needed more committee members. I thought that looked like fun and I was trying to push myself out of my comfort zone so I sent an email and a few months later I went to a meeting where I didn’t know a soul, let alone a person. Somehow I managed to stay and have made so many friends around Australia. Whenever I go to a convention I get cuddles as there’s always someone I know. I trawl Facebook and see Discworld friends at every turn. There’s always a friendly face and conversation somewhere. Twitter is similar, as is Google+.
Sir Terry Pratchett
You really don’t know what you started when I found your books. You have expanded my brain, my knowledge, my skills and my friendship base and I’ve only met you very briefly a couple of times. For all of the above I can only thank you and wish you a very happy birthday…for yesterday.
All the Fun of the Fair
At time of writing there are currently over 500 photos on the Nullus Anxietas IV Flickr stream. Feel free to pop over and spend some time checking out the fun and games. I’m sharing a handful of photos here, I’d love to share some videos with you but they haven’t appeared as yet, some may not as they were filming while the water cascaded into the marquee. Keep an eye on our YouTube Channel for further updates, while you’re there you can also watch some of the gems from previous conventions.
As promised here are some photos. This first one is Terry Pratchett watching over us while we eat.
Here is our resident Feegle with THE cake.
We had beard knitting, our gorgeous model demonstrates how apt they are.
10 points to the person who figures out which one is me and even more points to those who deliberately avoid figuring it out. Somehow I found myself on stage…singing…no-one ran away but maybe they couldn’t hear me over the rain.
Moist von Lipwig is trying not to look overawed while talking to Lord Vetinari.
There will be more Nullus Anxietas in the future, we next convene in Sydney in 2015 but I have heard rumours about Adelaide. Join us, the worst that can happen is you’ll have fun.
Stuff
I was going to do a Nullus post with photos and links to videos but I didn’t take any so I’m relying on Hex who took lots and commissioned lots more, unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your point of view as you haven’t seen me singing) Hex has a day job and seems to be expected to do stuff for them as well. I’ll give you a couple of highlights from the weekend and then let you move on with your day.
The marquee got damp. The Fourecks Factor! We were just about to get started on the first act, the committee got talked into making idiots of ourselves to break the ice, the rain started, the thunder clapped and Blind IO took credit, yes Blind IO was there. Having suggested we just sing louder we got underway, the video may come later if I can find footage of it, a bit challenging as Hex was in it too. At the end of our ‘act’ I heard a voice ‘don’t touch that!’ and realised water was pouring into the marquee onto the speaker. The power was turned off carefully with due attention to safety and we got on with proceedings.
I was threatened by Foul Ole Ron, he offered to cough on me unless I gave him guild points, I was far too amused to do more than laugh. I got the boot from Arnold Sideways who had managed to get something to scoot around in. I got a bookmark from the frog lady who is campaigning for the right for frogs not to be turned into Dried Frog Pills for the Bursar or anyone else. Martin Pearson had a new show which I missed as I was on duty somewhere.
The costumes are getting better. For Nullus 1 I turned up with a witches hat and cloak I’d very quickly decorated with craft stuff, while I took this I didn’t get it out as I would have been outclassed in seconds. There will be photos.
Two of our committee made the most awesome Discworld Cake. Most of it was edible but I managed to buy the disc and the elephants, everything else was eaten. There were even mini Discworlds for the gluten free people.
Terry Pratchett gave us a world exclusive and unveiled the name for his new book. By now I’m sure you all know the name is Raising Steam as it was on Twitter in seconds but it’s the story of how the announcement got to us that’s just awesome. It’s the sort of thing that would take careful cutting and editing for a movie only it happened in real life. We had a really dodgy Skype connection and it kept on cutting out completely, just as Terry and Rob got to the words it froze and then dropped out, several times. It took ten minutes to show us two pieces of paper.
Anyway, enough for now, get on with your day and check back in here next week for photos and videos.
Hello Tuesday!
I think today’s Tuesday but I’m willing to be proven wrong on that point. It was an amazing weekend and I had no time to even consider thinking about Mondayitis, a big pity as I had plenty of people to talk to about it and either get them to answer the questions or to pick their brains about characters who might have some views on the subject of reading. I’m currently having a mental block about this something I suspect is a combination of post-conventionitis and the heat. So instead of writing something I’ve been trying to open my blu-ray copy of Cabin in the Woods or veg out on Facebook while drinking water…I’m easily distracted today.
The weekend was wonderful. The convention went well and the committee received a standing ovation at the closing ceremony, I’d never realised how intimidating that could be but we were stuffed into a small room and not sitting on a podium so everyone was standing above us. We had our excitements and our challenges, something I can talk more about later this week when I write about the convention as a whole. I didn’t take photos so I’ll be pinching the official ones from the Facebook page to either highlight my words or give you something to distract you.
The heat is another challenge. Melbourne is subject to the highs and the lows and if we don’t like the heat we only have to wait a few days and it’ll drop, usually very dramatically. If you’ve never experienced a drop of 20 degrees in half an hour then you need to visit Melbourne during summer, it’s really strange. I have been shopping during that change and had trouble believing it. Imagine getting out of the car after a five minute drive the temperature has dropped substantially and then imagine you’re standing there in the heat and all of a sudden feel a lovely cool breeze which intensifies rather than goes away. A bit like standing outside the door of a shop with air conditioning except this is real. We’ve had too many days over 30 degrees and are currently waiting for the cool change, I believe it’s due tomorrow morning. Even when that’s happened the house has warmed up and will take time to cool down, the heat eventually gets into the bricks and leaks through no matter what I do. We’re all looking forward to a cool weekend!
By the time you read this
I’ll be on my way to madness or enjoyment whichever you prefer. The Fourth Australian Discworld Convention starts at midday and there’s a lot to do to get set up. I’ve done lots of auction type stuff, lots of merchandise selling and have created a you-beaut costume. After it’s been unveiled I’ll post photos but only when I have time which might not be until sometime on Monday after I get everything home.
I’ll be meeting old friends and making new friends, seeing fabulous costumes and seeing how all the activities work. I pretty much guarantee I’ll be exhausted on my return and am planning on taking a day or two doing nothing next week. So, I’ll see everyone next week! Have a fabulous long weekend.
This week
This is one of those days I just want to hibernate at home and sleep. I had a nanna nap on Saturday, so glad I did as I had a very long Nullus meeting yesterday. The Con Bags are now almost packed, the auction numbers are almost fixed and we had a quick meeting during the work. I have a list as long as your arm of things to do and I consider I got off lightly as some people have much more to do. I’m off to the Toy Fair shortly and expect to be walking around for far too long but at least it’ll be fun.
I’ll be unveiling some of my props next week, I went overboard and made far too many but the committee laughed at them so all is well. They are just about finished and the sewing is almost done. They will get lots of use during the three days but I’m worried about overheating as my costume is warm and the predicted weather is heading into the mid 30s, thank goodness we have branded waterbottles to buy so I can carry water around with me.
I have some housework to do and tidying as well. I’m being grateful one of our committee lives close to the Rydges so I can take stuff over to her house tomorrow night and find my hallway again. Another of my committee was looking for their spare room and gave me some stuff for the auction which is lovely of them but it’s all in my hallway in front of my bookcase, I can guarantee we’re all looking forward to finding our hallway and bookcase again.
Anyway, ooroo, I’ll catch you another day…hopefully tomorrow.
The towel
I’m throwing in the towel, giving up the ghost and lots of other cliches. What I’m really doing is letting you know it’s down to the wire with Nullus Anxietas, add to that I’ve been given four days of work in a row and I’m struggling with the housework I’ve decided to do something that often happens before big events and consider giving up the blog for the duration. I’m making no promises one way or another as some lovely person here seems to have also fixed my computer so it no longer overheats and turns off before the hat is dropped thus giving me more time at the computer, I was having to turn it off after 20 minutes on the really hot days and an hour on the cooler days.
This time next week we’ll be bumping in for Nullus Anxietas, the Fourth Australian Discworld Convention. Ticket sales have closed to enable online payments to be completed but you will be able to buy tickets at the door. We’re filling the bags on Sunday and as I’ll have worked four days in a row standing up giving taste tests I expect to be ‘rather tired’. Add to that attending the Toy Fair on Monday and then seeing my poor physio on Tuesday, he was in an accident a few days ago had an altercation with a hit and run driver and came out the worse, that doesn’t leave me with too much time but I am getting on top of some things today.
I’m doing props for my costume for Nullus and either I’ve chosen to do too many or they’re taking longer than expected, I’m not admitting to either of these but I am running close to the wire with them.
I have lots of work to do for the auction for Nullus, I’ve been putting some of it off as long as possible as I’ve been receiving more and more donations but there comes a time when I absolutely have to complete it and print stuff out. I wasn’t looking forward to having to reduce the work to bite sized chunks of 20 minutes or so then turn the computer off to let it cool down so I am extremely grateful to my OH for fixing my computer, it’s been on for two and a half hours so far today with no signs of it heating up.
My arm is still sore from something I did to it in January, hence the visit to the physio, one day he’ll get it fixed and the pain will go away but in the meantime I’m just being fairly careful and avoiding some movements.
Other than that I have very little to do and really don’t know what I’m complaining about.
Gorgeous models
Aren’t they gorgeous!!
I’m not sure which is more eye catching, the models or the tshirts. You can find the tshirts for sale here while you can meet the models by attending the Fourth Australian Discworld Convention, details of the fun and games as well as registration can be found here.
There’s lots happening, possibly even some singing but I’m sure you won’t catch me singing. Martin Pearson may do The Hedgehog Song. I promise I won’t consider mentioning The Guilds as the fun and games has already started and you can accrue points for your Guild visit the forums for more fun and frivolity.
Being serious for a change, something I can do on occasion, this is the time to get your tickets and join the guilds. There is a lot happening with the guilds this year much of it has started and is happening online, the points are accruing apace, it’ll be interesting to see the winner.
Special guests are being announced over the next couple of weeks. There will be the regular games happening, we might even have Cripple Mr Onion if you’re good.
I have the merchandise here and if you can’t make the convention you can always buy something through the shop, I can send it to you with or without a smile. I’ve even got some badges, stickers and posters from Nullus Anxietas 1 I’d be more than happy to sell you.
State of Play part whatever
Just a little wander around the internet this week gives a few links for you.
This little article talks about pop up shops and it reminded me of one I saw the other day at Brandon Park. I don’t recall the name of the shop but it sold books and the lady had no idea how long they’d be there. I saw one a few months ago at Chadstone for soup, they were advertising for staff but I declined to apply, I find it challenging to sell something I can’t eat.
This one is lovely. You can buy a DVD of crime writers and crime experts. They were there for CSI Portsmouth 2012 and with the recording you can pretend you were actually there and know everything about everything to do with crime; or just do what I’d do, put it in a drawer meaning to watch it some day and never manage to find the time.
“The name is Bond, James Bond.” I find that the silliest sentence in spy history and so many agree with me, so why are they writing a new James Bond book. William Boyd has won the prize and you can read more about his thoughts on the book here. I hadn’t actually heard of him before but a smidgeon of research shows he created a work of fiction presenting a painter as a real person, David Bowie was in on the joke and read excerpts of the book at the launch.
If you’re an afficianado of Mark Morris you’ll want to know the Gollancz Gateway Project is publishing a back list of his works. You can see the list of titles here or not depending on your level of interest.
This one I found interesting. If you’re into poetry then you’ll want to know about it. Some of the world’s top poets have founded a poetry magazine called, get ready, POEM! I might make fun of the name but it’s going to be an exciting publication even for plebians like me who don’t like poetry.
I figure that’s enough for today. I could go on for ages but I won’t, I promise.
Pizzards Wicnic
The Pizzards Wicnic was a resounding success. Some of us met at Belgrave and travelled together on Puffing Billy, for those people who’d never been on Puffing Billy before it was a wonderful experience. Others went straight to Emerald Lakeside ready to set up tables and BBQ for the food, fun and games. Professor Rincecully’s family performed many of the main activities needed for the success of this wonderful annual function. Mr Rincecully ran the BBQ while Mrs Rincecully sold the sausages and drinks and generally made herself useful. The Rincecully Juniors were just generally useful with Ms Rincecully running both the potions table and the decorate the wand table.
I tried not to participate in the games, but somehow found myself holding an egg and spoon disguised as an ice cream cone and a filled water balloon. Those ‘eggs’ that made it through the race found themselves being thrown at people, the weather made this highly appropriate. Rincecully Junior ordered just the right weather, not too hot and not too cold with absolutely zero rain. We had fun with the three-legged race, a number of the men were wearing shorts so Rincecully decided not to tape us together but instead we tied ourselves together with streamers which broke on the first provocation. I won’t talk about the wheelbarrow race, I promise.
One of our number turned up with baby and juggling implements. It’s very interesting to see someone juggling with a baby in a front pouch. We wondered how early this baby is going to be a juggler.