Worldcon I

WORLDCON NOTES

18 August –

safe & sound, Judith, though the normal confusion of a worldcon is not diminished by its being in this Vegas-like town.

Fortunately, it isn’t literally Vegas.   Reno is a bout 50% as noisy and nervous – which is still pretty noisy and nervous.

Met the usual whirl of people.  Sat for a pleasant rather ditzy hour with Ellen Datlow and Pat Cadigan, watching them get drunk with amazing speed, drinking “free” doubles at Happy Hour.

George Martin had invited a couple of dozen male friends to celebrate his birthday at a strip club.  By “invite,” it turns out, he meant giving us the address.  It was a pretty expensive way to consume one beer.  The girls were pretty but they didn’t even strip completely; kept their nether regions covered.  What a prissy town!

A Russian girl was very pretty.  I had a little conversation with her – I’d been to her home town when it was still Leningrad.  “That was before you were born,” I said.  Shelaughed and said “1968.”  Amazing—I would have put her about 30.  Heavily made up, of course.  She sat on my lap, ver pleasant, and offered to take me into the back room for $200.  I declined but she said I was a nice man anyhow.

Gay got in just as I was returning from the club and we went downstairs for a bit of blackjack (the hotel is a casino, the Peppermill.  I increased my $300 to $500 and quit happily.  Gay also came out ahead.

Can’t find my reading glasses, which is annoying . .. have to look down my nose to type.  Probably left them in the blackjack room – at least I know I had them there, since I had no trouble reading the cards.

Slept until six this morning – 3:00 eastern time, so I’m pretty much on schedule.  Better get ready for my programs and walk over to the convention center.  It’s a pleasant distance, about twenty minutes, but unfortunately along heavy traffic.

Joe