Dalekboy

I have a cold. It's to be expected. I'm mixing with a lot of people with swimming and such, not to mention going from a heated pool to the Canberra cold. It's slowing down my progress on getting through things, but I'm not fussed.

I was actually feeling crap enough that I spent several hours lying in bed yesteday. At one point, as I was lying there, I thought "Ahhhh.... this is a luxury I won't have shortly." Once my Manitou demon-spawn comes bursting out Sharon's back (how many people get that reference?) being able to actually rest while sick will become a thing of the past. ( thought on uncoming parenty stuff below cut. )

Last day or two I've been going through one of those periods I regularly go through, where I feel quite deeply the influence people have had on my life, and my appreciation of them. Some of them are folks that I don't see or talk to very often at all, but just knowing they are out there does wonders for me. They brighten my day just by existing. ( Cut for rambly explanations the like of which you've read before, so why bother? I mean really? )

So why not do it yourself. Send someone (not me) a brief message telling them... something! It can be appreciation for who they are, or things that they've done for you or other people. But do it! You don't have to wait for a reason, the fact that they are your friend and great should be reason enough.

Of ya go, ya buggers. Get writing!

I'm still hiding out from the world, but in the absense of real content I present the following...

"Go here and keep hitting random quotes until you get five that resonate with you, then post them in your journal."


Half of the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm but the harm does not interest them.
T. S. Eliot (1888 - 1965)


In the long run, we get no more than we have been willing to risk giving.
Sheldon Kopp


And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.
Kahlil Gibran (1883 - 1931)


Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can.
Danny Kaye (1913 - 1987)


Family isn't about whose blood you have. It's about who you care about.
Trey Parker and Matt Stone, South Park, Ike's Wee Wee, 1998

Some people seem to think that the only reason someone would want to encourage new people into fandom is because it will create bigger conventions, be good for fandom, etc. These things may happen, but they are only side effects of welcoming in more people. I could do a big diatribe on growth versus stagnation. I could talk about how it's really easy to say we have enough people coming to cons when you're one of the folks who already attend and you know you're welcome, but it's not relevant to why I want to see more newbies in fandom.

I want to see more new fans for their sake, not ours.

Maybe it's because I've been doing 'so it's your first con' panels for over a decade, but I've seen a hell of a lot of people at those panels who turned up knowing no-one, not a single person at the con. Some of them stick around, but many do not, and not all of those that leave can be fobbed off with the oh-so-easy 'it just wasn't for them' comment.

The whole 'most people are drawn into fandom with their friends' argument is a really easy one to make when you're surrounded by your mates, or that is indeed how you found fandom. I've talked to people who spent an hour or more outside a club or convention, absolutely terrified about going in because this was it! This was where they finally hoped to fit in, be welcomed, find people like themselves. They stayed outside because they were scared that they'd find that they wouldn't even fit in here, and if they didn't fit in here, that's it, they really were the loser, freak, and weirdo that their family and the people at school or work thought they were.

I had a cold start, knowing nobody, and it was absolutely terrifying. I spent a fair while outside Space Age Books before going in. And my very first experience of another fan was the gruff guy at the front counter being, well, gruff with me. Not unfriendly, not nasty, but my self esteme was low, and I was shy and nervous enough that I nearly left then and there. I already felt like an outsider who was at best to be tolerated. It was touch and go, and rather than walk up the stairs at the back of the shop to go to the Melbourne Science Fiction Club, I nearly ran out the front door.

If I had I would have missed out on a range of friends and experiences. Would never have done song-vids, run conventions, written fiction, gotten into 3D animation, had the friends and lovers that have enriched my life. I wouldn't have met Sharon.

So why wouldn't I, in all good conscience, want to give other people the same chances I've had?

How many people have been lost from clubs and cons over the years? Where their first experience was their last? It's not just people we lose when this happens. I want to see more new fans for our sake as well.

Every person who never attends or returns represents the loss of potential friends, lovers, con-runners, writers, editors, artists, directors... For all the good or bad they may have done our lives, the community, or the genre, they may as well have never existed.

There will always be people who are lost to us. Some people are too sensitive or scared, some bad experiences are unavoidable, and we can't be held accountable for every lost fan. I don't talk to every new person at a con, and I sure as hell don't expect others to. But the less we do to encourage these people, to try to find ways to make things that little bit more welcoming for them, and the more we sit on our collective arses saying, "they'll find us when they're ready," or "someone would bring them in anyway," the poorer our community becomes.

If you don't believe that, then think on this - If I had chosen the door instead of the stairs...

No Mitch, and no Mitch? collections.

No Pancakes at Carillion.

No Continuum conventions.

I'm sitting here still in mild shock. To my left is a certificate that says, in part, "For making an overwhelming contribution to WA Science Fiction Community."

And it was awarded to me.

There is an award that means the world to me on the years when it's given out - The Mumfan. The Mumfan is basically an award for the people who make the con-going and fan community experience more enjoyable for others. Not by doing big things, obvious things, but by doing small things that are often more important. All those little, unglamourous jobs that never get noticed, supporting people, helping out, welcoming new people... Why it means so much was summed up by one of the winners last night - 'this isn't an award for writing or art, this is an award for who I am, who we are, as people.'

I've always said that what I love about The Mumfan is that it's an award I could never receive. I get noticed, I get accolades and receive recognition for writing, or video-clips, or other things. Hell, over the years in Perth I have been a Fan Guest, Special Guest, and National Guest. You can't say I haven't been noticed.

The Silver Swan has only been awarded twice before in thirty-three years - to Grant Stone, one of the loveliest people you could ever have the good fortune to meet, and a major influence and contributor not only to West Australian fandom, but Australian fandom as a whole - and the other to the team that produced Eidolon, one of the most important magazines in Australian SF history, and naturally enough given the nature of the award, produced in Western Australia.

It's a WA award. I wasn't born here, nor have I ever lived here. I come from the other side of the country. I describe myself as a Perth fan, and I love West Australian fandom, but in strict geographical terms I come from the Eastern States.

It's one of the many reasons this award has so much impact for me. I'm not being recognised for a single achievement or a body of work, but for who I am and how I choose to live my life, and ways in which I try to enrich the community I am a part of.

It's funny writing that because this is the con that has gotten me fired up again. Since the first day I have been planning a handful of pieces on things like the 2010 Worldcon bid, programming, etc. Some are just thoughts and bits of advice, but others are a full-on arse-kicking aimed at those who do claim to be looking after fandom, but are in fact mainly looking after themselves, sometimes at the expense of the greater community.

And upon receiving the Silver Swan, I suddenly thought that maybe it's ungracious to receive a major award, and then go on the attack shortly afterwards. That maybe I shouldn't write anything that is overly critical of the way people handle or approach some of the things I want to talk about.

Except then I realise I don't care about whether it's ungracious or not. Because often the actions of these people are motivated by their own self-agrandisment, and desire to be a part of something big and important, rather than caring about the very people it's all meant to be for.

The speech that was read out before I was presented with the award means a lot to me, because it showed that the folks over here 'get' me. They know where I'm coming from.

At the presentation, Anna Hepworth gave a brief summation of what the Silver Swan is, and informed folks that it had only been given out twice before. She was then followed by Grant and Simon, who gave me their speeches, which I have copied below.

Grant Watson
"Sometimes the biggest impact a person can make is not seen in what they do, but what others do after them.

We all learn by example: we are inspired by others and want to do the things they do, we are enchanted by their talent, swept along by their enthusiasm - they make a difference to their community.

If we're very lucky, these inspirational figures respond to this attention - not with a burst of ego but by enthusiasm and excitement of their own.

The winner of the third ever Silver Swan is exactly that kind of person, not only for their own immeasurable contribution to the WA science fiction community, but in the reflection they leave on the rest of us.

I can say in all honesty that my own drive to participate in this community is inspired by one person's outstanding contribution, example, and boundless enthusiasm.

I'm sure both Simon and Anna would say the same. I'm sure half the room could say the same.


I should point out that Grant was crying so hard by this point that I was sure that someone had died and the Silver Swan was being given to the person posthumously, which I felt was rather a shame. I was also wracking my brain trying to think who had died, because anyone this big in the perth SF scene I should have known of.


Simon Oxwell
A great man once said "Perth fans don't know how lucky they are." But we do know how lucky we are, and that is why the third Silver Swan is awarded to Danny Oz.

Cue me, open mouthed, shambling up to the microphone, squeaking 'you bastards...' in a tiny little voice, and crying continuously for a few minutes while I tried to come up with something to say to do justice to the huge honour I had just been given. I knew exactly what a big deal this was, and there was no way I could ever begin to show just how amazingly touched and honoured I was and still am.

I have cried a few more times today.

Thank you everyone for your kindness and allowing me to do what I do. I may not always get things right, but that so many people recognise my love and passion for this community, one that has given me so much joy over the years, well, I just wish you could all see into my mind for just a moment, to see just how deeply moved and honoured I am.

I shall do my best to continue to be thought worthy of this in the future.

Thank you.

Interview went well. Sian was great. Sharon and I spoke for a couple of hours about donating, Tracy, Nibblet, SF fandom, droving, mini-strokes, etc. It's looking like we'll be Sharon and Danny Smith.

Photo-wise, none were taken today (was sort of aware of this, as Sian had mentioned it would probably be too short a notice to get a photographer) and she said that if they decide they need a piccie, they may get one of us while we're in Perth! So it'll be a while before the piece sees the light of day.

Of course I shaved my beard off two weeks earlier than I was going to, just in case, but oh well. The interview made a nice break from trying to either render stuff, or get things together for a possible clip I might be doing.

Scary when a two hour interview is more restful than preparations for a con :)

Well, I can't sleep, so figured I'd do that meme thingy.

Part 1: The Birth of You:

Were you a planned baby?: Nope! ( Read more... )

Just had a phone call. I may be doing another interview on being a sperm donor for The Australian. I feel quite cheery and chuffed about this.

The only sad side is that the journalist is from Sydney. Why is that a sad side? I've been asked because they couldn't find anyone in Sydney willing or able to do it.

Which isn't surprising - last I heard there were five active sperm donors in the whole of NSW.