Charity Auction to Benefit SFWA Medical Fund
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Medical Fund Auction will be today and Sunday at noon in the Thunderbird Ballroom foyer (the area upstairs from Convention Registration).
In the Science Fiction and Fantasy writer's world, many people have no insurance. The SFWA Medical Fund helps these talented individuals cover unforeseen medical bills so they can continue to enrich and entertain our lives.
Auction highlights include: Great America passes; a letter from an editor to read a portion of your unpublished book; a hand-dyed silk screen starscape tie; an out of print filk song book; a song written to your specification by Kathy Mar (you own the rights); pirate hats; jester wands; the 'Hobbit' board game and many more exciting things to come.
As much as there is, we still need more donations. If you have anything to donate, please drop them off in ConOps.
Internet Cafe to Open Saturday
BayCon's popular Internet Cafe will open today after its organizers dealt with technical and logistical challenges. "It should be up and running by the time people read this issue of the newsletter," said Michael Wallis, who was moving in tables and connecting cables as we caught up with him in the wee hours Saturday morning. "We just got our tables moved in here a few hours ago."
Anime fans who want to keep the fun going after BayCon can visit Lea Hernandez at the Internet Cafe at noon Saturday. Lea, along with her cohort Wendell Hong and host Nic Grabien, has just launched AaMO, Anime and Manga Online on Dueling Modems. Lea and Wendel have more than a decade's worth of combined experience in running anime forums, so come see Lea and find out how to sign up for Dueling Modems and join the AaMO community.
Note that Makin' BayCon appears in an on-line edition you can view at the Internet Cafe. The on-line edition includes additional photos related to our stories in the paper edition.
Friday Night
Party Reviews
203-205 the Internet Cafe was "alt-delete-deleted".
249 Yarf! party - Had really good art and was well-attended. They definitely got this reporter's attention when they offered to pay for a good review. So (since I can be bribed): good party, nice party, pat the party on the head.
254 the Great AmeriCon Westercon '99 & NASFIC bid party was MIA.
257 Mara's bar - When asked who was in charge of this Klingon party, three Klingons duelled to the death before one emerged triumphant to claim the honor. Even with the violence, this party was the winner of the "Best Decorated Room" award! The room was decorated with weapons, the skins of many of their enemies, traditional Klingon board games and even MORE weapons. Not wanting their human guests to starve, they also offered up a selection of sodas, suspicious fluids, gummi bears, chips, M&Ms and gummi worms (at least I HOPE they were gummi worms).
259 The It's About Time party - This well-attended party offered a reading library of magazines that ranged from "Weekly World News" to "Metro" to "Renaissance," among a dozen titles. The party also offered homemade chili, equally homemade chocolate chip cookies, lots of fresh veggies (radishes, mushrooms, celery, carrots, chives, turnips, broccoli), salsa and chips, four types of heavenly cheeses, potato chips, two types of dip, crackers, party mix, soda and juice boxes. This party won the "Best Yummies" award hands down.
258-260 The Nexxus/Con Suite - To help make it look more like a spacer's bar, some of the artwork in the room was done by artist Frank Lurz. More balloons were in evidence and the room was filled with music to sail a starship by. Carl Bolteau and Brand Eks tended bar, while three technicolor cakes (that one passing fan said was "breen") watched us all suspiciously. The suite offered a variety of candies, party mix, pretzels, chips, salsa, goldfish, cookies and red licorice whips.
261 Clan McDude's Surf's Up party - Was Scottish surf punk at its best. Treats offered were surf music, crackers, salsa, chips, soda and Anchor Steam beer. The horniest helmet I ever done seen was sitting on the dresser (said horns having a span of at least 3 feet).
317 Redubbed Anime Video party, 8 pm - No Coke. Pepsi. Every eye in the room was glued to the anime on the screen. Some of the dubbing was very witty - but some half so.
330 The Unofficial Ginger Ale and Scotch party - as Whiskeyterians on one side of the room and The Order of the Holy Bubbles on the other side of the room competed in taste testing their various tipples. (There were seven varieties of scotch for the tasting and almost as many types of ginger ale.) This party was a smoooooth one.
341-343 Starcraft and Justice League party - was a no show.
347 USS Northern Lights, impromptu party - had the best video on any tube, as they showed a great flick: "Frankenstein the True Story" (Leonard Whiting & Michael Sarazen) and fed their attendees chips, salsa and party mix.
356 BASFA party, 8 pm - Another room in which the mysterious alien multi-colored balloon visitors made an appearance. In this case the balloon arch led to the Doritos. There was also peanuts, goldfish, fudge, cellophaned chocolate, cookies, and M&Ms. Party host Greg Dougherty kindly rubbed this reviewers shoulders as John Blaker led a spirited spiritual discussion.
Based on where all the great parties were located, it's no wonder things were so crowded in the hallway near the 257-258-259-260 quad, which jointly earns our "Party of the Night" award.
Meet The Guests
Maintaining the proud tradition of years past, "Meet the Guests" opened up 30 minutes late, but the buffet was worth the wait. Under an arch of multi-colored balloons and a tinkling fountain, the buffet offered wonderful fresh fruit (two types of melon and grapes, pineapple, strawberries), fresh vegetables (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, pickled corn, black olives, 3 type of peppers, celery), crackers, cookies and canape's of many interesting appearances. There was a bar, but it did charge $cash and the table centerpieces were lovely to see: silver stars, gold tinsel and a rocket ship on black table-clothes strewn with tiny red or blue stars.
Two more multi-colored arches of balloons soared above the stage. Then BayCon chairman, Michael Siladi (doing his Jake Blues impression) announced that there would be a drawing later that night for over a dozen prizes, followed by a sudden cheerful rush to sign up for it.
A few minutes later, there was a warning that the Klingons at one table were starting to eat the guests. This hurried the introductions along as Michael Siladi welcomed us to the 15th BayCon and the last convention at a Red Lion hotel, since it is becoming a Doubletree hotel in a couple of weeks. He hoped that there would be another 15 BayCons to follow and welcomed all the guests who were present. He then thanked the 150-odd staff who are helping to put BayCon on this year and introduced us to Toastmaster Tad Williams.
Tad's electric personality caused the mike to malfunction ...repeatedly... so he finally used old-fashioned vocal projection to regale the crowd with amusing annecdotes, waxing nostalgic at being back in the country after several year's absence and at being at a BayCon again. Among other things, he explained why he loved fandom. Point one - that it's so much fun to scare the mundanes. Point two - that there is serious cleavage action at conventions for both men and women. And point three - that Cons are the world's largest day care center.
Then Tad introduced us to BayCon's Writer GoH, Jack Chalker. Jack's been writing since 1960 and has been involved in fandom since before then. So long, in fact, that he has been voted an honorary member of "First Fandom" (he has the card to prove it!). Jack kept his speech short, in order to reserve time for the "268 panels" that he's been scheduled for this BayCon.
Tad then introduced our Artist GoH, Bob Eggleton, who is currently the head honcho of the Las Vegas "Star Trek the Experience" (go and visit it!). Bob is still recovering from jumping through times zones, but invited anyone who wanted to do so to come by and say "hi" to him anytime during the Con.
Last, Tad introduced us to our Fan GoHs, Craig and Sharon Nicolai. Sharon pointed out that one way they have stayed happily married has been to never compete for the same jobs at a Con. Then someone from the audience pointed out that this was a good idea since Sharon looked better in a dress.
Then came the drawing for 16 free CDs, and a mass rush as people headed off to the parties, and to see what the mysterious King Cake in the Con Suite was. We got pictures for the newsletter, but ran out of room to run them.
Program Changes
Add Bradford Lyau to:
Sat 10 am SF&F in Education
Sun 4:15 pm A United Homogenized Earth
Mon 11:15 am History/Fantasy, is it Historical or Fantasy?
Add Tyg to:
Sat 12:30 pm Comics and Graphic Novels
The Procrastinators' Anonymous BoF has been postponed to Saturday evening at 6:45 pm in the in the San Juan Room. We continue to wait for a confirmed participants list.
The Beat Goes On: Join us at 9 pm Saturday night just outside the Red Lion doors (between the Coffee Shop and programming) for "The BayCon Drum Thing," a moderated community drum circle. Bring drums and other rhythm instruments if you have them. If not, come anyway. We have some loaners.
A Photography BoF organized by Terry Whittier will meet Saturday at 4 pm in the Thunderbird Foyer above Registration. Bring your convention and costume photos to show and tell.
Makin' BayCon is the newsletter of BayCon '97. Number 3, Saturday Morning, May 24, 1997. ©1997 by Artistic Solutions, Inc. on behalf of the contributors, with all rights reverting upon publication. Editor: Kevin Standlee. Editorial Courtesan: Lisa Hayes. Webmeister/Pictmeister: Rick Hallock. Ace Field Reporter: Barbara Johnson-Haddad. Artist In Residence: Erlinda Hallock. Mr. Cranston's aide: M. Lane. Uncredited articles probably were written by the Editor, staff or left on our doorstep with notes asking that they be given a good home. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the BayCon '97 Committee, Artistic Solutions, Inc., or anybody but the person who expressed them. Submission Drop Boxes are located at the Info Desk (Main Lobby) and in the Con Office (Second Floor). The Newsletter Office is in room 441.
Deadline for Evening Edition: 3 PM Saturday.
Index of Issues