Tangled Mind

02AUG19: Van Gogh and Britain (Tate Britain)
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15-19AUG19: Dublin 2019, an Irish Worldcon (Dublin)
A mixed bag. ( Read more... )

23AUG19: Manga (British Museum)
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First came Nine Worlds: love the new venue (Hammersmith Novotel) and felt much less frazzled than in previous years. My Historical Headcanon (concerning Christopher Marlowe) seemed well-received and I was on a couple of interesting panels about historical fiction, fanfiction, writing, etc.

Then to Edinburgh to skew my monthly averages for various types of Culture. I like the shorter-than-usual performances (they averaged an hour): leaves plenty of time for climbing the hills of which Edinburgh is composed, and pausing for refreshment at each summit.
( theatre, gigs, circus, literary stuff, opera, comedy )

Good things:
- I was on the 'Not the Clarkes' panel (with Phil N, Claire B, moderated by Edward J). It went well and we were unanimous that Ann Leckie's Ancillary Justice was the best SF on the shortlist. Sorry, Ms Leckie: apparently the 'Not the Clarkes' panel's approval is as a KISS OF DOOM. The actual jury seldom agrees.
- Fanfic panel (talking about A03 #million, other fanfic archives, Wattpad, writers removing their work etc) was fab, and very ably moderated by ladymoonray.
- SUNSHINE. According to the Glasgow City Council representative, this kind of weather happens in Glasgow 'regularly', though the interval was not mentioned. On Saturday I sat outside by the river with some of the Nine Worlds crew, drank wine and got sunburnt.
- went to some other panels, but barely took notes.
- talked to lots of fab people.
- there was WINE.
- gazed at the ISS from the banks of the Clyde (twice)
- swam! pool was waaaay too hot on Friday / Saturday, seemed much cooler Sunday / Monday.

Less good:
- did not sleep past 6am even once, even when wine consumption the previous night would have made it thoroughly advisable.
- Glasgow is a long way away.

tl;dr: WAS GOOD. but tiring.