While there are many things I am looking forward to in 2012, there are also sadly many things I would love to do or take part in that I know I will have to give a miss this year.
TCM Classic Movie Festival – April 12 thru15, Hollywood California: This is like the third or fourth year of this film festival devoted to classic movies from around the world. It is a chance to not only see rare and wonderful film from the past projected on the big screen, but it is also 4 days of panel discussions, seminars, and parties. It sounds like a Worldcon, but for classic movies instead of the Science-fiction and fantasy. Sadly it would as expensive as a Worldcon. Three nights in a hotel, a $500 ticket price, and set awfully close to my Las Vegas trip, there is no way I could make it the this year.
BAYCON – May 25 thru 28: This is the Bay Area, San Francisco Bay Area, Science-Fiction and Fantasy convention. Baycon has a pretty good attendance and in general a lively atmosphere. The parties can get a bit wilder than other conventions; you might say it is the unconventional convention. I used to attend Baycon regularly, but it is a 4 days convention with hotel stays and since becoming a property owner I have watched my budget a bit closer. Given that the sweetie-wife has consented to flying toChicago for Worldcon, that pretty much placed BayCon out of bound for 2012.
Open House @ Jet Propulsion Laboratory: For the last several years, each May, My sweetie0wife, a friend or two, and I have driven toPasadena for the Open House at JPL. The event is sort of a geekDisneyland, hours of standing in line, over-priced food, and summer heat. However It is a blast and always came around my birthday. This year the website for JPL announced if there is an open house it will not be any earlier than October, so in all likelihood we’ll miss it.
Sail to Success – Dec 3rd – Dec 7th: This is a writing seminar/workshop for Science-Fiction writers. The staff includes top agents, publishers, and one of my all time favorite authors Nancy Kress. (Nancy write a book on writing that I reread every time I start a novel and I think she’s one of the best in the field.) This workshop is set for five days on a cruise ship, sailing out ofMiami. As I have family inFlorida it would have also created an opportunity to see them, but sadly there is no way I can afford it. Even though if you sign-up before March 31 it is 40% off, that brings the cost down to $1500, cheaper than all the other workshops I have looked, even after including airfare coast-to-coast, timewise and cost it’s not going to happen.
