Posted by jukkahoo
Very busy weekend, with lots of travelling included. We (that's Sari and Mekku and Teemu avec moi) stayed at Teemu's parents summer cottage, which meant approximately 80 kliks of driving every day. To each direction. Shortened the contime considerably, as we needed to get up earlier as well as leaving the premises somewhat earlier (and in case of some of us, sober...). But it was fun, honestly, I mean, I hadn't really been eaten by them mosquitoes this year! And we got to meet Retu and Tilli. And both Iiku's (mine's a he [uncle] and Sari's a she [cousin]) and Timo Kummeli. Lovely house!
But, I digress.
As expected, this was another Animecon, with Finncon added to it's side. Fun, but not very fannish. Like many have said in various discussions and blogs, there was a certain lack of fandom. There were plenty many of us, but beside Telakka-parties, did I really manage to talk and interact with that many people? No, not really.
And that's the biggest con (to use the term slightly agaist the idea of this entry) for me at this... con. To me the biggest turn-on of these here gatherings is the meeting of fen, both old and new. I could do with a longer convention, easily, as long as it'd be a bit less hectic that this year's Finncon.
About longer Finncon, I might try writing down some ideas we've been having about next year at Babek Nabel, where you can (and really should) participate the heated, yet well-behaved and rational debate about the future of Finncon/Animecon and Tammere-experience.
As said, my schedule was a bit hectic. I chew a bit more that I should've, especially the promise of doing the Tietoviisaat with Mike. Sorry about that one, really!
I barely managed to stay focused with my own program items. Which isn't really true, as I did made a blunder with my last program item, when I managed to lose half of my questions (the ones about Finncon...) due to haste. Do not put two "gadget"-programs back-to-back, it may lead into trouble.
Ie. I did my "James Lipton" with Mike Harrison just prior to Kuis? and concequently fumbled a bit. Very unprofessional...
We arrived to Tammere already on Thursday, but that was merely in order to leave my mother with my uncle and pick up Mekku from the Researcher's meeting. Friday was also somewhat less finnconnish, as we stayed at cousin Mirka's place the day and only sampled the fan-air at Telakka, which turned out to be the other refuge for the elder generation (the other being the 3rd Floor "bar" at the Tammere-talo). Fun evening, not least by the fact that Peter and Marta and Jelena and Theunpronounceble (OK, probably not that unpronounceble, but I never managed to figure it out) from Czech Republic were present. Tero knew, but didn't bother to inform anyone.
Peter was at last year's Eurocon in Copenhagen, talking about Parcon, which is this really fun-sounding Czech/Slovak national SF-con this year. I'm going, as is Tero, maybe you should too? Hey, there's JeffV and AnnV, Edward Miler and Ian R. MacLeod. And Hal Duncan! Bring your earplugs! As before, Peter was fun to talk to, as were the rest of the crew, too. Unfortunaley, due to the nature of this year's con, I never saw them at the site, only in Telakka. Which was fine, too. I guess.
So, the con?
OK, I guess. I really was only able to see the gist of it: my six program items (three interviews with the GoH's, panel on Tähtifantasia Award [well deserved win for Ngugi wa Thiong'o and Variksen velho!], panel on translated fantasies and the Kuis? about Finncon/fandom) and the parts of the Closing ceremony I was on stage, as one of the Doctors.
Talking about that one: Isn't Our TARDIS the Bomb!?
Can't say too much about my gigs, other that I agree with Tero's comment of the shortness of interviews. I could've talked a lot longer wth each one of them, probably a LOT longer with Mike. We really scratched the surface there with my questions. Panels were ok in my book; we weren't able to get any major publishing house editors to Erkka's panel on publishing, but it went fine, especially when I realised I really needed Sari there to spout her somewhat unorthodox opinions. If only she'd rant more in public the way she does in private. Fun, yet pretty poignant.
The traditionally dualistic Saturday evening party was fun. I'm one of the leading (well, if not leading, then one of loudest) proponents of the "Quiet-party" -mode. I'm there in order to talk with other fen, not to party like it's 1999, which I realise of course is both fun and appeal to a lot of people. I just hope there is always the possibility to enjoy the evening both ways. Country and western.
As we did this time, in the end. The upstairs at Eric's was a nice touch, even if the place opened only around 10PM and didn't start serving there before 10.25 or somesuch. Much appreciated.
We left after the official programming, in order to get home sooner rather than later. (We have a new dog, Martti, but Sari will blog about him later, I'm sure.) I'd love to have been at the Dead Dog Party, but decided against it, after I'd been told that it was really for the organisers and volunteers and Guests. And it was supposed to be a very small place, too. And dog dead by midnight. Well, maybe next time. If there is a next time...
All in all, I enjoyed, but didn't really see too much. Not going to see that much next year, either, but that's life, eh? See you there, right?
Your TARDIS rocks! Thank you for all your help with everything!
Posted by: Kisu | July 30, 2008 at 15:04
Actually the dead dog was at a very large and nice place and was not crowded at all.But it took 30-40 minutes to drive there after trying to get out of Tampere in the wrong direction or something but it took longer time for other that only followed the instructions and did not have a GPS...
The 3.5 hours at the dead dog party was enjoyable.
Posted by: Tommy Persson | July 31, 2008 at 21:39
All is forgiven Jukka! Two members of the panel were friends I just dragged in from the lobby but it went great even so. (But next year you bedda be there!)
Btw, aren't speakers considered volunteers worthy of the Dead Dog anymore?
Posted by: Mike Pohjola | July 31, 2008 at 22:37
Damn! Of course I wanted to see the translated fantasy panel... but somebody told me it would be canceled. Oh well. It happens. No finger-pointing, here :-P
Posted by: jovain | August 01, 2008 at 14:15
I hardly saw much anything I really wanted to see, due to making Conzine, but that is the fate of the ones that organize a con. So I don't know what it really was like. Going to correct that next year in Kaapelitehdas!
Posted by: Omppu | August 09, 2008 at 16:32
BTW/FWIW it was Jolana, not Jelena (which happens to be a Czech name as well); I don't know who the fourth one was.
Posted by: Jan Vaněk jr. | August 25, 2008 at 00:27