Sunday, August 29, 2010

My Galactic Hitchhiking Adventures

Just got back from spending most of the weekend at Bubonicon in Albuquerque. They have this convention every year, and in the 20 years I've lived here, I've periodically thought to myself, "you know, I should go to that sometime," but never actually did it. This year, though, a friend of mine said she thought she'd like to go, and asked if I'd come with her. And while I'm terrible about ever actually initiating any damned thing myself, I'm a whiz at saying, "Yeah, sure," when other people ask me to do things. So we went.

Bubonicon is just a tiny little convention, but it was pleasant enough. There's something about just being in a big room filled with people who share my own science fictional sensibilities and obsessions that's terribly comforting, somehow. So it was a nice, relaxing weekend. Certainly much better than working, which is what I would have been doing otherwise. (And since I didn't get to take the vacation I wanted earlier in the month, to go hiking with my sister, I was bound and determined I was going somewhere and doing something. Even if it was just a couple of days in ABQ.)

And, um, I must admit, I did buy a few books in the dealers' room. Which means I actually went over my book quota for the fictional month of Augtember. I'm trying not to find this hilarious, but it's difficult.

On the downside, while I was in the city, I managed to sideswipe a curb taking a turn a little faster than I ought to have, and the steering wheel was vibrating rather badly at highway speeds on the way back. Sigh. Looks like there's a trip to the mechanic in my future. Well, at least I made it home in one piece -- something I was a little nervous about, since the last time something similar happened to me, it culminated in a tire falling right off the wheel, which was freaking terrifying, even though I was stopped at the time.

This was Bubonicon 42, so naturally the theme was The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and I have to say, having spent a couple of days repeatedly staring at the words "DON'T PANIC" in large, friendly letters actually does help rather a lot when you're driving for 80 miles hoping that no tires are going to suddenly fall off your car.

8 comments:

  1. Sorry about the car incident. You should get that checked out asap. Something might be bent or some other actual mechanical term :) Hopefully, your week doesn't end up in cycle of unfortunate events of your own doing like my last week. Dad if you are reading everything is fine now worries!!

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  2. I will admit, the other thing that made me feel slightly better was thinking, "Well, at least I'm still doing better than Kathy." ;)

    But, yeah, I'm going to call the mechanic later this week, when I have time to take it in, and I won't drive it until then.

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  3. LOL! Glad I could help!

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  4. How can I not worry?

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  5. Bubonicon 42? It's impressive that they've got that far. Though the name conjures up an unfortunate association with the bubonic plague - at least it does with me!

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  6. Hopefully, you just need the alignment fixed. Otherwise, Kathy might be right, and bent things tend to cost more.

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  7. JH: Yeah, 42 years is impressive. I don't think the association is unintentional, though. Their mascot is a rat. :)

    Captain C: That's what I'm hoping, too.

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  8. LOL! Let us know if you come down with any interesting symptoms.

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