Breakfast this morning was in the hotel restaurant. Good, but service was dreadfully slow.
Gail and I took advantage of the free bus service on 16th and popped down to see the State Capitol. Beautiful architecture. I just had to snap a picture of the survey marker indicating I was one mile exactly above sea level. We then walked up to the Cathedral and took a peek inside. If it had been sunnier out the stain glass would have been dazzling.
One mile high!
Inside the Colorado State Capitol
Immaculate Conception Cathedral
Back to the convention. I bounced around several panels throughout the day, not necessarily staying in any one panel for the full hour and 15 minutes. I get antsy with such a long venue and would prefer a panel to end at fifty minutes.
I attended:
Soldiers of the Future
From Starship Troopers to Forever War, Bujolds Dendarii Mercenaries to Scalzi’s Ghost Brigades, SF writers have widely differing visions of tomorrow’s militaries. How might the real things differ? And how should it?
Looking Ahead - What to Read and Watch Before you Nominate for the 2009 Hugos.
(Self explanatory). I stayed long enough to get the novel recommendations, which were the same as 2008: Year in SF Review panel from Day 1.
A World Made of Birds: What would Earth be like if the Dinosaurs had Lived.
Speculation about life on Earth would have developed without the mas extinction at the end of the Cretaceous Period.
Lunch was at Little India, a little hole in the wall that was just hopping. The buffet, while not having a huge variety, was some of the best Indian I’ve had in a while. I focused on the Saag Paneer and the Garham Masala (with basmati rice and naan) and treated myself to seconds. Delicious!
Searching the Ruins: Archeology in SF
It’s more than Indiana Jones or The Mummy. Writers discuss archaeologists as characters and archaeology as a plot device in speculative fiction. I left and went to:
Make the People We Want: Genetic Engineering
The benefits, costs, and unanticipated consequences of genetic engineering in human beings. Would there be fashions? At what point do they stop being human?
Ages of a Writers Life: Writing to get Published, Writing for Fans, Writing for Posterity.
As writers mature and gain experience, their work may change, and their motivation may evolve. The panel explores how their focus has changed over the course of their careers. With Connie Willis, Larry Niven, Lois McMaster Bujold, Robert Silverburg and Suford Lewis.
We met up with Gail’s brother, SIL, mother and her two nephews for dinner at the Denver Diner. I neglected to get my picture as rain was imminent and we were in a rush to get back to the Masquerade. However, if you close your eyes and imagine a greasy spoon diner, then you have the Denver Diner. Nothing remarkable.
We attended the Masquerade, which had only 25 entrants so it went quickly especially since they didn’t stop for intermission. The quality of entrants was pretty good, and I believe everyone who entered received some sort of award.
Day 3 - relaxing.
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