I'm curious, having never attended Minicon but having hoped to attend once I move up there: What's going on with Minicon that has you feeling this way about it? The journal entries I read about last year's Minicon made it sound like a great con.

Well, that's a shame, because I'm planning to go for the first time in years. And I believe Steve is too. And Neil tells me Lorraine a Malena will be doing their first ever performance.

Don't forget we bring our own fun. It's part of the whole idea.

*big hugs*

--Anne

Why do you say Minicon is dead?

I would at least go to see Terry Pratchett he is very good at that's just at first person shooters.

If your friends are going I would go that's really what it is all about.

I hope you will reconsider. As a newbie to fandom, I look forward to going. It may never be the con that you remember, but then, what ever is in life? We must look forward, not back. Life is too short to live it in the past. You might actually have a good time. I hope to see you there.

I'm sorry that you feel that way--sorrier for your sake than anything else. I returned to Minicon about 4 years ago after having been away for family reasons--and no other reasons--for several years. I've had a lot of fun, and expect to this year. I make my Minicon what I want, and let others have theirs.

Those of us who are working on Minicon don't let it fade away because we enjoy making it and experiencing it. What's so hard to understand about that behavior?

I'll miss you if you aren't there; do hope you'll change your mind and give it a chance.

Over the 18 or so years I've been going to Minicon, there have been years when I wasn't keen on who was running Minicon or how they were handling things. Heck, there have been times I've worked on Minicon and didn't care for how I handled things or how things turned out. I've in the past been afraid for Minicon and for the club (otherwise I wouldn't have been part of that whole Minicon 34 thing). And yet Minicon is still Minicon and I still go and I still usually have fun.

Some Minicons have been better for me than others, but in the end it has usually come down to what I've brought to the party and the attitude I had going in. It's not all about the con itself, as I'm sure you know. It's about the people, it's about intangibles. It's hard to explain what makes a good music party; it's also hard to explain sometimes why Minicon works.

I once went to a Minn-StF meeting when I was pretty sure I never wanted to go to Minn-StF again given all sorts of factors and then in the end, I ended up having a fabulous time. And was reminded that the politics and disagreements and other stuff aren't the important stuff. That at the core of Minn-StF and Minicon for me is a certain fannish community and family-- I may not like everyone or get along with everyone on certain days, but there's still enough people I like to hang out with.

There's still something there for me-- I really hope there's still something at Minicon for you. I know you're part of that community and part of my fondness for Minicon. I'm glad when I see you at Minicon. Minicon for me sometimes is like one really long convention; when I'm at it I remember music parties and cool conversations from Minicon 15 years ago and 10 years ago and last year and it all gets a bit blurry sometimes. So many memories, so much time, so many people. A lot of history. And while it sometimes feels like one big long con, there have been years when I've mourned people who didn't show up or who've stopped showing up-- your absence would be felt, people would miss you.

Wow. That's heavy.

I hear ya Fred. I'm still waffling about going but I know a couple of other people who have also decided not to attend this year. We have considered checking out one of the other Easter weekend cons like NorWestCon, I wonder if there is a train that goes there?

Terry Pratchett may be great but what I've read of his stuff didn't wow me, although he seems like a nice guy. It's Jim Young that makes me consider going, like somehow if I don't I'm disrepecting his role in starting the whole thing. But then there's all those politics! I'm less then thrilled with the return to ol' homestead. It feels wierd being there for Convergence like it's somehow the shell of the big old Minicon, it's ghost haunting the halls. I like Convergence for what it is and try to remind myself its its own con but it still feels peculiar. Plus I don't want to be around the gun nuts.

Gosh, I started out writing about how I'll be sad not to see you there - and I would! - but realized that the last couple of years we've barely gotten in a "howdy" before other distractions swirled us away.

I expect to have a great time there. But I have no idea if you would have a great time or not - each weekend is so different, each experience unique.

Since our big move out west, this will be our first SF convention back in the Midwest. I'm really REALLY looking forward to it. And yet, it's going to make a huge gaping hole in our budget, so after this year, we will probably land up doing NorWesCon instead. But this year my good friend Greg Ketter is running the show, several of my favorite authors are going to be there, and it will be a chance to touch base again with our main batch of friends.

Hey, are you planning to come out this way for CascadiaCon?