Second thoughts about Aussiecon

[randy_byers]

So yeah, the not-so-surprising big news is that Sharee has a new boyfriend, and that's all good. I wish them all the best: carpe diem, per aspera ad astra, caveat emptor, de gustibus, et cetera, und so weiter. It's true it has me contemplating (again) my own stubborn inability to form new romantic relationships, and I may write about those thoughts when I have more time. (Maybe I should also mention, for those of you who are Sharee's friends on Facebook, that I'm taking a break from reading her posts there, both because I'm not that much of a masochist and because I think she has been inhibited from posting by the fear of hurting my feelings with expressions of joy at her new love. I'll refriend her in six months or so once things have settled down into a dull routine, ahem.)

Anyway, in the meantime this turn of events is making me reconsider the idea of a trip to Australia next September. The plan had been to: 1) go to the World Science Fiction Convention in Melbourne, and 2) otherwise take as much time as granted by my employer to travel around the country with Sharee, with a particular focus on getting to Perth this time. Now that I've lost my native guide, I find I'm also quickly losing my enthusiasm for the second part of the plan. This in turn makes me wonder whether it's worth the cost and travel time to head Down Under just for the convention.

It's quite possible that I'm just suffering from an initial feeling of deflation. What an adventure I had imagined! Countering it is the sense that an Australian Worldcon would be something very special (based on stories people tell about past Australian Worldcons, although some of that is from the perspective of people who had never been to Oz before, which obviously doesn't apply to me), and that I'd see friends that I wouldn't see otherwise, at least not for a long time. It's also frustrating that I won't be able to go to Corflu next year because of a conflict with a family trip, so if I miss Worldcon as well it would mean I would miss both of my favorite conventions next year.

I dunno. I'm sure I'll be able to dither and vacillate about this for months to come. I just felt the need to let people know that the vacillation has begun. Maybe I'm asking you to convince me that I really should go. G'wan, give it your best shot.

Comments

[jophan.livejournal.com]

Provided we go, which is the current plan, it would be darn nice to meet you.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

We actually met briefly at the 2003 Eastercon (my TAFF trip), but we didn't really talk, so yeah, that would be cool.

[jophan.livejournal.com]

Hmm, my command of idiomatic English failed me there I think. I remember when we met. I meant "it would be nice to see you (again)". But you're right we didn't talk at depth. It's a bit naive to believe we would at a WorldCon, though! But why not?

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

I actually wondered if that's what you meant after I replied. And yeah, I think sitting down for a talk at a Worldcon is entirely possible. I got to talk to a lot of people in Montreal this year, although it helped that there were fanzine lounges where I could find people I wanted to talk to. Don't know if that will be the case in Melbourne.

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

My best shot is that your interests and 50th birthday plans might be well-served by taking a couple of months off from deciding about the trip, much as you're taking a few months off from Sharee's Facebook, and then approach the question fresh.

"Stubborn inability" is an intriguing phrase. I do hope you'll write more about that.

I specifically recommend against dithering about the trip, but giving time a chance to do its thing is likely to give perspective a chance to develop. That in turn will help you know what you want more clearly, and perhaps even bring some ideas for how to go about getting it.

But if your passport needs renewing, go ahead and do that so you're ready. :-)

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Sensible advice, as always.

I have a "stubborn inability" piece half-written in my head, but it'll have to wait until the weekend. It's a long one. But it has some good jokes!

[n6tqs.livejournal.com]

I went to an Aussiecon (2, I think) on the tail of a breakup, since I didn't want to add the resentment of missing the convention and travel to the baggage of the breakup. I'm glad I did.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Ha! I like your thinking. Although I should say that this isn't so much a breakup as it was that we had been taking advantage of whatever opportunities there were to hang out together while we were otherwise unengaged, and now Sharee is otherwise engaged.

[n6tqs.livejournal.com]

It's still a cusp in your relationship.

Part of my ideas for my trip over is a motorcycle trip near the Gulf of Carpentaria, and maybe take a look at some of her work space. I'll never, ever, fish commercially, but I'm working on my professional mariners training and credentials.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that sounds like a great plan! Wow. There's a type of cloud formation in the Gulf of Carpentaria that's very unusual and amazing looking, but I'm forgetting what it's called. I think the formations only happen at certain times of the year, too. Sorry to be so vague, but you should ask her about them, just in case you'll be there at the right time. I've seen pictures and immediately wished I could see it in real life.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

By the way, since you're reading LJ again I'd like to point you to a follow-up post I wrote about the death of Dave Vecella in a diving accident on Yap. You were able to help me understand things better after I'd posted the previous story, so I'd be interested in your thoughts on the latest.

[farmgirl1146.livejournal.com]

Where else would you like to go? Keeping the same patterns of travel that you had with Sharee works if you have lots of other people in that community. If not, travel somewhere else. This might change your "stubborn inability to form new romantic relationships."

But what do I know... :-) Talk with Holyoutlaw. He has made some serious changes over the years.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

I have a number of other Australian friends, so there would definitely be other people to visit. And I talk to Holyoutlaw all the time!

[farmgirl1146.livejournal.com]

Yeah I know you talk with Holyoutlaw all the time, but about women? relationships? Etc.?

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Everything, pretty much.

[smofbabe.livejournal.com]

We'd certainly love to see you! And enough other fans are going that I think you can probably find other traveling companions although obviously not a native guide and close friend like Sharee. Hang in there.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Thanks, smofbabe. Actually my housemate, Denys, has expressed interest in going to Australia for the Worldcon, so amiable travel companions really aren't an issue.

[johnnyeponymous.livejournal.com]

If you don't go to WorldCon, who'll write the long report I won't be able to write since I'm not going?

Of course, you could come to Eastercon and help celebrate whoever wins the TAFF race as the 50th TAFF Delegatehood.
Chris

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Curse you, Johnny E! Are you trying to increase my options?!!!!! [sfx: sound of weak brain melting]

[johnnyeponymous.livejournal.com]

I'm just saying's all...
Chris

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

I definitely do want to make it to another Eastercon at some point, so what you're saying is making sense.

[fishlifter.livejournal.com]

And yes, you should do that too, sometime...

[jackwilliambell.livejournal.com]

Dude! I'll be there!

What more inducement do you need?

Besides, you still owe me for not making me your designated acceptor at NipponCon... I think it will require sneaking me into the Hugo Loser's party to make it right.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

I don't know, man. In order to sneak you into the Hugo Loser's party, I'd have to impersonate a Hugo nominee. I guess I could try for China Mieville or Charlie Stross on the basis of shaved heads. I'm not sure I could convince anybody that I was Connie Willis.

[jackwilliambell.livejournal.com]

Don't all past Hugo winners get an invite to the loser's party? I think they do that just for the 'neeners'.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Nope, only people who were nominated for the current year. So I didn't get an invitation at Montreal, for example.

[jackwilliambell.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...

Well, then I guess you gotta go and get nominated again. Remember, you owe me!

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

C'mon, Jack. You're a libertarian, aren't you? Where's your DIY attitude?

[fishlifter.livejournal.com]

Well, I definitely and selfishly want to convince you that you really should go to Australia, and if you're not careful you'll be receiving quite a few emails from me elaborating all the reasons that won't otherwise fit into LJ comments. But when else am I going to get the chance next year to have all those conversations with you, hmmm?

We're going to be in Melbourne for a few days before the Worldcon, and are working on plans for what we'll be doing in Australia for at least a week afterwards. There'll be a good few people you know either staying on or travelling around the country; we'd certainly be happy to have your company, as I'm sure would many more of your friends who aren't from around there, and I reckon all the Australians (aka native guides) would be even happier since we're pretty commonplace these days as Exotic Foreign Visitors go.

I plan on having a bloody good time at the Worldcon, and I'd hope you would too; for me, it won't be quite the same without you. But I don't want to push you into deciding anything now if you think this isn't a good time to make a decision, nor indeed to push you into going at all if you conclude it would be a second-rate experience for not being your original plan. But, for what it's worth, we will miss you very much if you're not there.

And, obviously, I'm sorry that this is the way things have panned out at the moment.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Believe me, you and your co-conspirator are very much on my mind as people I would miss if I didn't go. And I have no doubt that I'd have a bloody good time at Worldcon. I always do; that's why it's one of my two favorite conventions.

I think Geri is right that I need to take some time to *not* think about what I want to do vis-a-vis Australia, then see where I'm at in a month or two. Meanwhile, it's very helpful to get a sense of how the trip might be planned differently were I to decide to go after all.

[http://users.livejournal.com/doctor_k_/]

Perth does have its assets, and native guides, though September's not really the best time of year to visit. Dave and I have a spare bed in our spare room, so accommodation and native guides are available. I'm not sure what our immediate post-Con plans are - we may end up in Vicotria for a bit, and I must say I'm tempted to drive Perth-Melbourne-Perth if I get sufficient time off from work, and that's a great way to see more country than you ever wanted to.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Wow, that certainly would be an epic roadtrip. I've driven with Sharee from Cairns to Brisbane and from Melbourne to Sydney, but I think Melbourne to Perth would take the cake. How long does that take?

And why is September not optimal for Perth? Weather?

[strangedave.livejournal.com]

We love Perth summer - but I think September will be fine for a visitor.

[reverendjim.livejournal.com]

I've never been hugely sold on the whole idea of Australia but I had got to the point of vaguely considering going for Worldcon if you were having a big birthday bash. Or just going, or whatever. I'm sure you'll end up making your mind up well before I do anyway.
Of course if you do come to Eastercon you could fit in a trip to Belgium pretty easily. Just saying.

Hope you get your head around things.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Oh right, go ahead and throw Belgium into the equation! You and Garcia are really making my brain hurt.

[reverendjim.livejournal.com]

Our work here is done.

[kim-huett.livejournal.com]

Well please do keep us posted in regards to your worldcon plans. While I'm not planning on attending the worldcon itself I do hope to be in Melbourne about then in order to catch up with the fishlifters and meet any especiqally interesting folk who are in town for the con. Given this it would certainly help for me to know who is coming and what their plans are.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Ah, I had wondered what your plans were, so that's good to know. And I'll most certainly post about my own plans when I make a decision one way or another.

[kim-huett.livejournal.com]

I'm waiting until perhaps February before I start contacting people to see who might be attending Aussiecon and if so what their plans might be. I figure most people aren't going to start thinking in terms of detail till Christmas/New Year is past and the worldcon begins to loom.