Not Going to SwanCon

Tags

COVID-19, friends, sf cons, SwanCon

Sadly I have made the decision to not travel to Perth for SwanCon this year. Whilst COVID-19 is mostly under control in Australia, Western Australia tends to be a little more hair triggered on the self quarantine requirements.

Which I’m not objecting to, that’s a reasonable call for Western Australia to make – given that they have the pain of relative isolation, they may as well leverage it for safety now.

But the risk that I might end up in 14 days quarantine on arrival and thereby miss the convention anyway is just too high this year. I’ll wait for the vaccine to be widely deployed before conducting any major interstate travel I think.

So, for those of you who will be attending SwanCon this year, I wish you the best. May you have a safe, healthy, and happy SwanCon, and hopefully I’ll see you next year for what will finally be my 35th SwanCon.

Question of the Post: How many SwanCons have you been to? Would you like to go to more? 

Sad News From SwanCon 2020

Tags

friends, gaming, sf cons, SwanCon

I just heard that SwanCon 2020: Dark Visions has been cancelled due to the corona virus. This is sad news, as I’ve observed before SwanCon is my “home” convention in so many ways, and I’ve been to every single SwanCon since 1986 (SwanCon 11, C.J. Cherryh was Guest of Honour, and she’s fabulous to talk to BTW).

Grand Tour Side Note 6

Tags

friends

Noting these here so I can come back to them and use their experiences to refresh my memories later:

• Julian’s travel blog on Off Exploring; 
• Todd’s travel blog on Off Exploring;

Check them out! 

New Year Boardgaming With Thanks, The 2016 Edition

Tags

A Fake Artist Goes To New York, Board game, board games, Castles of Burgundy, friends, games, Just Desserts, Nations: The Dice Game, photography, photos, Starship Merchants, Tiny Epic Galaxies, Wildlife

The houseboat arriving at Mandurah to pick us up.

This year the annual boardgaming gathering was held on a houseboat around Mandurah / Ravenswood. Some friends hired it for a week or so, and ran it most effectively.

Apart from the usual good food[1] and good games in the company of good friends, the setting was very relaxing in and of itself.

Merry Christmas 2015

Tags

family, friends, musings

Merry Christmas all in a year tinged with sorrow for many friends and family.

A beloved uncle who did much to challenge me to think as I grew up is in the grip of Alzheimer’s. I saw him earlier and it was hard: he’s not there anymore, there’s just an empty shell of the man I respected so much growing up. 

The same is coming true for the father of a family friend. The friend has returned from London to Perth so that his children can know their grandfather whilst he’s still himself. My brother will be flying across to catch up with his friend whilst he’s here but the reason for the reunion is still a little sad.

Other friends have lost a grandmother in the last day or so. I don’t know how they’re coping but I’m thinking of them, and wish them well.

So make the best of your Christmas, stay safe, and spare a thought for those dealing with losses over an otherwise festive period.