Looking back at an enthusiastic neo conrunner

Excerpts from two hand-written letters to Daddy, dated 3/30 and 3/31. Internal evidence and memory suggests the year was 1983:

3/30

Dear Daddy,

Hi! Happy Easter!

It's only 2 days until Minicon -- the convention in St. Paul. I'm getting pretty excited about it. Last night, I put together the "Pocket Program" - and it's now at the printer's. Last weekend, I helped to collate & staple the Program Book, we had 1,200 copies printed. There were lots of people helping, so the work went fast.

I also worked last weekend on a costume for the Masquerade, which will be held Friday night of the convention. I'm using the red flapper dress material you found in the basement. I attached it to backing fabric so the material wouldn't disintegrate whenever it was touched or pulled. I'm making a top out of it. I'll send a photo if any turn out.

Work continues to be just that…Work! The "bpi" is at the printer's and looks good, I think. This could be a full package to you if I include a copy of the "bpi" as well as Minicon stuff!

And...

3/31

Dear Daddy/Easter Bunny,

Thank You for the Easter Basket!

It arrived yesterday, along with my state income tax refund. WOW! It's a really neat treat & both Jan & I munched on jelly beans last night. I plan to take the basket along to the convention when I go to St. Paul tonight & share the goodies with people there. I particularly like the bird basket! Neat! I'll use the money to buy something special at the convention.

I'm REALLY EXCITED about the convention. Last night, I helped to stuff over 900 name badges into their appropriate envelopes. Now I just have to get through the day here at work and it's MINICON here I come!

Happy, Happy Easter!

P.S. The Easter basket was an extra neat treat because the night before it arrived I was up until 1:30 am making Easter baskets for friends who will be at the convention. It's not often that the Easter Bunny gets an Easter Basket!

Love,
geri

I still have the top from the red flapper dress, though I have no memory of wearing it or otherwise appearing in any Minicon masquerade. I still enjoy pre-convention excitement and anticipation, and I still love helping out when and how I can. But re-reading these letters 29 years later reminds me of the many enthusiasms of the young, of the neos for whom helping collate, helping stuff packets (which we mostly don't do anymore), helping do anything useful brings a sense of involvement and belonging.

For the record, I wasn't that young. I was, however, half the age I am now. Yowser, I've been in fandom more than half my life. Neat!

Amanda Palmer's Kickstarter Project

I just saw "Lioness Elise" written on a piece of paper at the edge of the screen at Party on the Internet. It's a live UStream broadcast of the Brooklyn Block Party counting down and celebrating Amanda Palmer's delightful Kickstarter success funding her new record, art book, and tour.

The project started out with a $100,000 goal. It quickly blew past that, and is now more than $1 million over that $100,000 goal. I'm in at $25 for the backer-only version of the CD. Much as I'm faunching over several of the higher level rewards, I'm happy to be a supporter at a level fitting my budget. Win.

It looks like they're putting up the names of all the backers. There are 24,372 of us at the moment. There's Brad Ackerman's name, and I just saw Kyle Cassidy's name go by a moment ago. Lots of folks I don't know, too, of course, and lots of user names. "Runester" just flashed up. Hey, there's Kyle himself! I look forward to seeing some of the pictures he's taking at the party.

Big fun!


The party is epic. So's the Kickstarter project itself.