COSine

Or Uncertain Calculations
I was rather disappointed by COSine in Colorado Springs. I was not expecting an incredible convention, since this was the first year, but it was undoubtedly the least energetic con I have ever attended. We, Rose, Amanda, and I, were not able to arrive in time for opening ceremonies on Friday night. We also discovered that there was nothing else going on that night aside from opening ceremonies. We hung out kibitzing in the consuite for a while and then Amanda, then Rose, and finally myself tried to find something going on. There were three people watching the movie and there was one person besides us in the room designated for filking. I was in high spirits and so participated in doing some acapella versions of Buffy the Musical and trying to remember any other filk like songs. After a while Rose abandoned us for bed (a sensible choice). Amanda and I went back to the consuite for a while and I opened a bottle of port. I enjoyed that with a few companions, but the crowd was rapidly winding down. Supposidly there were 100 warm bodies there somewhere, but I certainly didn't see them

Breakfast with two friends from Colorado Springs was quite nice. I went back to see Barbara Hambly speak about writing while Rose hung out a while longer with Arlen & (drat blanking on his sweetie's name). I was stunned and disappointed to find the consuite closed until 2pm when I decided I didn't want to see the next item in the single track of programming. I wandered around and changed my outfit once before deciding to go on the Book Crawl, a tour of several nearby bookstores. I didn't buy anything since nothing really caught my eye and I have very little money to spend. That was the best part of the convention in my opinion. Virtually nothing else happened before we had to leave for Denver at 5pm.

The convention was far too expensive for what was available in my opinion. The programming was bare bones and the alternatives virtually non-existent. There was no day rate for people wishing to attend only one day and the at the door rate is as high as MileHiCon and the early bird rate for next year is higher than Denver's con as well. Given how it came out I very much doubt I'll go next year, I'd be better off spending my money to get some interesting people to chat with to come over to my apartment.

Some of the chats I had about Worldcon were interesting. Though looking back on it some of them made me feel like I was talking to time-share condo salespeople. While I was in the room with the people advocating it everything seemed so reasonable and doable, but as soon as I get a chance to think about it I felt much less fired up about the idea. Say they are correct about the Permanent Floating Worldcon Committee wanting someone to challenge the Chicago in '08 bid. That's no guarantee that they would give the amount the help needed and a successful Colorado bid would need a lot. Fandom in this state is thin on the ground and the interest in Worldcon is even thinner. Then there is the issue of a lack of experience among Coloradans and we don't have the favors to call in that fandoms with more people involved in helping with the Worldcon have.

In addition I'm not totally convinced that it is true that PF Concom is upset with Chicago. And while I don't know that they could not do a good job they either did not help with COSine or else they were not very organized in getting a 160 person con running. That would not bode very well for a Denver Worldcon bid, if I thought there were any danger that a Colorado bid for Denver would get very far. If they actually start throwing bid parties I'll worry, otherwise I'll just assume it is the same sort of fannish blowing off steam like I do when I talk about DASFA getting a clubhouse. Never going to happen.

I Know Nothing

One thing you should keep in mind as you read my journal is that even though it might seem that I sometimes write factually, that's just a literary device. I am overwhelmed by the world. More specifically there is too much information out there, too many studies, too many scientists, too much disagreement to believe in any of it. I find myself incapable of holding useful opinions because I cannot decide who is right and wrong. Sure I'll spout off about how certain ideas seem idiotic, but give a proponent five minutes with me and I'll be reduced to a quivering mass without an opinion once again underneath my hard exterior of argumentativeness. The only thing that I can hold onto, that I do know, is what gives me pain and pleasure. And that's just opinion and should not be taken as a positive statement.

In other words, this is a fact free zone. Everything I write is fantasy of one type or another, it is all normative. For all I know this is all an alcohol induced hallucination. There is more of gravy than grave about me.

Tofu Experiment

Today I tried something new with tofu. I cut a block into very thin strips, about 2-3mm thick and put it in a custard cup with sesame, olive, and walnut oil. I put a bit of honey between every third layer and on top with the chopped walnuts. Not bad, but it needs some work. It would be good to have something to mix in with the oil to thicken it up so I could use less. It might also work better to use extra hard tofu that would not produce liquid at the bottom of the dish. What I am trying to do is make a savory and slightly sweet dish. Something with good mouth feel like my gently baked salmon. Suggestions, comments?

Oh and in other news I got my follow up with the Doc done today. My cholesterol is slightly high, but my "good" HGH cholesterol is very high, so being at 206 probably isn't bad for me since 84 of that is the good stuff. Also my sugar levels and everything are excellent, low triglycerides, good blood pressure. Over all my heart attack risk is about half of the average person my age.