Sunday, May 20, 2001

 
I just realized there was something a bit amusing; my birthday day was pretty much all wrapped up in fan activities of one sort of the other. But at the same time, maybe not so bad. It provides me with new and fresh social interaction, and gets me out of the house. It's sort of fitting, as it's such a big part of my social life these days.

First thing was a CONvergence programming meeting. At this point, it's all a matter of different people brainstorming to find out who they know to fill panels with, and drop panels that aren't working. I'm pretty psyched about the programming -- I wish I had a time machine, so I could be at the convention two or three times simultaneously. I'm really excited about this year's convention, I think it's going to be really fantastic.

Then as I had some spare time in the middle of the afternoon, I went to a Minn-stf meeting. Minn-stf is the "other" general science fiction group in the twin cities -- they're older than MISFITS, and there have been a lot of political problems over the years with the organization and there are some real hurt feelings around, because of some of the changes in Minicon. They've recently had some change in leadership though, and I've been sort of investigating them lately, because I've been curious about how different subgroups of "fans" operate, how they are similar, and how they are different, after my experience at Minicon.

MISFITS is definitely my group, but it's healthy to be in new situations, and I'm trying to not just be isolated in one group, as I think that's caused a lot of the problems in fandom over the last few years. I think it's a good time to be involved in fandom in the Twin Cities right now, I think there are a lot of interesting things going on, and I think they are getting better. And this would be my only chance to stop by one of their meetings for quite a while, as I've got a lot of conflicts. I was there for about an hour -- long enough that it wasn't just a quick cameo, short enough that it wasn't too uncomfortable or where I was stuck by myself. Their meetings are really parties (which I already knew)....and actually not a lot different than a Viewing Society, except without a television. I had a good time while I was there though, and I'll go back someday as my schedule allows...

And so then it was off to tonight's Minnesota Doctor Who Viewing Society gathering. 18 people, not bad at all. It was a Pertwee fest, in recognition of his death. Our main features were Carnival of Monsters, Day of the Daleks, and Curse of Peladon. I'd seen Carnival of Monsters within the last six months -- it was the last Pertwee I saw -- so I spent most of it just chatting away.

I was stunned when I watched Day of the Daleks, because I realized that it's actually the first Eric Saward story; Guns, a flashback sequence, and so on. I mean, take it as given that it's the best Pertwee Dalek story -- and I think it is a good one. If more of the rebels hadn't had any contact with the Doctor, it would have been even more Sawardesque. And of course, it, more than any other Doctor Who story, is one I remember from the novelization more than the TV story; it was probably my first Doctor Who novelization, and my first non-Tom Baker story in any format.

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