Denvention 3, Day Three

Another pretty long day. Started at 10am with a screening of--actually, let's back up.

We've been here almost a week, so the hotel charged our credit card for those nights (they don't like you to run up too high a tab). But they charged us a higher room rate than we were quoted, so we wanted to print the original confirmation and find out what was going on.

Unfortunately, the computer downstairs had blue-screened with what appeared to be a bad boot volume, so we couldn't print at breakfast. I went down afterward with my laptop, and it took forever to download the right printer drivers, but I was finally able to print and get our hotel charges fixed.

Meanwhile, CNN reported that Russia had invaded Georgia. An exciting morning all around.

We left the hotel later than we had planned, but still made it to the 10am screening of the Star Trek New Voyages episode "World Enough and Time," which is nominated for a Hugo Award this year. It didn't suck--some parts were actually quite good--but overall it just felt like your basic fanfic. (I expect the Steven Moffat Dr. Who episode to win the Hugo.)

The "To Be Announced" panel was lively and very entertaining, thanks to its participants: Chris Garcia, Jay Lake, Greg Bear, and Connie Willis. Speaking of Connie, it's official: She is one of my favorite people in the world. She has been the highlight of every panel on which we've seen her. (We also fed her chocolate this afternoon, but that's neither here nor there.)

Other stuff we saw: Lois McMaster Bujold's GOH speech, movie trailers and other previews (including one which sold D on Leverage), Nancy Kress reading, quick dinner at Arby's. The Masquerade was entertaining, though our patience ran out after 45 minutes of waiting for the judges to return, and then went over to the Sheraton for "Match Game SF," which was highly entertaining and the perfect ending to the day for us non-party people.

We were able to get back into the parking garage by ourselves tonight, though it took us a while to find the right glass elevator--the convention center is huge. (It's no surprise that it was one of the matched answers to "They're remaking The Prisoner and setting it in a place almost as weird as Portmeirion: _____.")

I hear the Olympics started tonight, but find it difficult to care. I did, however, wear my Google shirt featuring a 2004 Summer Games Doodle.

~CKL