Locus Awards Weekend and More -- possibly my geekiest post ever

Space Needle, Blue Sky

Last weekend I went to the Locus Awards (science fiction/fantasy focused) plus writing workshops taught by Connie Willis and Paul Park. This all took place in the shadow of the Space Needle over an unseasonably warm few days. Here are some pictures from the panels:


Kim Stanley Robinson, Paul Park, Connie Willis


Greg Bear, Daniel Abraham, Gary K. Wolfe, Connie Willis


Paul Park, John Clute, Gary K. Wolfe, Elizabeth Hand, Kim Stanley Robinson

Not pictured: The Locus Awards banquet where everyone wore Hawaiian shirts. Oh wait...I do have these two pictures from last year's banquet that I never posted. This will give you an idea at least:


My friend, Nate, being shamed by Connie Willis for not wearing a Hawaiian shirt, July 2012.


A group shot of the best examples of Hawaiian garb, July 2012

The Locus Awards weekend ended and two of our friends from California came to stay for the week. First we went to the Seattle Aquarium:


Lionfish, Seattle Aquarium


Looking up at the sky through a fish window, Seattle Aquarium


Our lovely houseguests, Seattle Aquarium

Then I ditched everybody and went to the Neil Gaiman reading at Town Hall:


Town Hall is packed for the Neil Gaiman reading


Jason Webley opens for Neil Gaiman's reading


Neil Gaiman in a chair -- you'll just have to trust me

Later we took our houseguests to the Experience Music Project for the horror, fantasy, and science-fiction exhibits:


Me on the Iron Throne, er, Plastic Throne


Jer, same throne


Cool Shadow Monster/Puppet Theatre at the Experience Music Puppet, Horror Exhibit


Alien! Horror Exhibit, EMP


Me, Scream Booth, EMP--a photo booth for screaming


David Bowie's costume from Labyrinth, EMP Fantasy Exhibit

On our last night together, we went RC car shopping (at 3 places) and to the Redhook Brewery for dinner. Then we found this place in Redmond called The Airlock. For $4 per person per "ride," you can occupy a pod and pretend to be a giant mech and shoot your friends in the face. Then you get a detailed print-out recapping each "ride" and can watch the replay together. It was fun.


The Airlock, Redmond, WA--video games, pinball, and pods for mech fighting


At The Airlock you can pay to play in these pods and pretend to be a giant mech warrior and shoot your friends. Then watch the replay. Very fun.

Thus ends my very geeky week that involved getting my Mars trilogy books signed by Kim Stanley Robinson, drinking beer with fellow writers at Five Point, attending a writing class taught by two sci-fi giants, piloting a mech (it's just like a tank, Folly...But I've never driven a tank!), admiring David Bowie's tights, and buying a punch-out steel model of a windmill and a pirate ship (not pictured.) I also spent four hours playing a terrible side-scrolling D&D-type game on the PS3 and made/consumed a Kahlua/vodka Bundt cake.

My next nap is going to be epic.