Douglas E. Berry

"Bring me a shrubbery" would probably be a bad idea here. . .

2021-11-13T01:03:15Z

I just had a fun idea for a thing to do at a con. We'd need to do a ribbon order, and get permission to set up a table in a common area. There's be a sign that just says "Side Quests."

And I'd have a stack of silly things for people to do. . .

- Learn the names of all the kitchen staff on duty.
- Take a picture of the sign for every function room.
- Do ballet in front of the valet.
- Bring me a Coke.

. . . and so on. Completing your quest gets you a ribbon. Some of them would be done at the table and filmed for later amusement.

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Sadly, I doubt we'll be able to get the Mustang.

2020-10-19T00:52:08Z

We were watching Kochak: The Night Stalker after doing some demolition of the living room section of Offhand Manor. We don't actually have a living room, but we've sectioned off about half the front room with the futon. The area with kshandra's computer, the TV, and all our bookshelves is the living room. It works for us.

Anyway, I love Kolchak. While watching this episode - Firefall - when I remembered the Chicago, where the show is set, is soon to host a World Science Fiction Convention. Thus, a plan was hatched.

We're going to Chicon 8. And for at least part of the con, I will be dressed as Carl Kolchak. I might even volunteer to work for Publications. Which would be pretty awesome.

My wild-eyed plan is to take the California Zephyr out; and I'm sure kevin_standlee will be organizing a group excursion on the train. Then fly back.

2022 is close enough to our 30th anniversary for it to count as that big trip. Saving now!

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My Baycon Schedule

2019-04-24T00:27:44Z

It's a light one this year, which I'm happy with. As a reminder, I probably don't remember you. Please be patient.

Saturday, May 25, 2019
16:00 Connect 4

Baseball fans and Science Fiction fans, our shared obsessions.

Know who likes to gather together, dress strangely, and nitpick details? Baseball fans! Well, we do it as well. Come discuss where the Great American Pastime meets Fandom. As a bonus, Doug will perform his dramatic reading of "Casey At The Bat."

Sunday, May 26, 2019
11:30 Synergy 4

Hidden Disabilities

Oddly, there's no panel description.

Sunday, May 26, 2019
13:00 Synergy 1

Arcade Etiquette

Back when playing video games meant a trip to the mall or the corner market, there were rules on how you acted and played. We remember those rules, and how they were enforced.

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Look Back in Confusion, Look Forward Myopically. 2018 in Review.

2018-12-29T00:58:42Z

I can honestly say that 2018 was my best year in a very long time. This was the year that my long road of stroke recovery finally blossomed into a new world of hope and possibility. I started the year still largely afraid and ended it with new hope for my future.

What a lot of people don't realize about medical crises like cancer or a stroke is that a big part of recovery is overcoming the shock of your body betraying you. You trust your body, depend on it, and then you have something go frightfully wrong all of the sudden and you are faced with dealing with a body that has betrayed you.

For a long time during and just after my cancer treatment, and again after my stroke, I'd look at my body in the mirror and instead of seeing me, I'd see the Thing. The Thing was the meat sack that had turned on me, leaving me broken and unable to live the life I wanted. You fear what the Thing is going to do next, so you retreat into a shell. You stay in your safe spaces, avoiding anything where the Thing might strike.

But this year I had progressed far enough in my recovery to get past the fear of my own body. I owe a lot of this to the amazing help I got from therapists. They helped me recognize why I was acting the way I was and gave me the tools to work through my bad times.

This is why I was able to apply for the Citizens Police Academy. Attending this over 12 weeks at the beginning of last year was transformative. Not only did I learn a great deal, but I found myself pushing beyond my limits. One of my Drill Sergeants always told us that what we thought were our limits were just the beginning of our potential. Attending the CPA proved this again. I found my confidence there.

Which led to me spotting an ad in the local city paper for crossing guards. I felt it was time to reach out for some type of work again. I knew that I had limitations; I get tired fast, have chronic pain issues, and still suffer from some balance and proprioception issues. I had been thinking of a gig job like Door Dash, but when I learned what the guard job entailed, I realized it was perfect for me.

As it turned out, getting the job turned into an ordeal. I had to redo my fingerprints after my first set was routed incorrectly. But they came back clean, I passed the physical, and I found myself a member of the Santa Clara Police Department. It's funny, as a crossing guard I am the lowest man on the totem pole, yet I am immensely proud to be wearing the department patches and my badge. It's good to be a part of something bigger than you.

I've been filling in as a relief guard over the past few months, and hopefully, I'll be getting my own corner soon. I really enjoy the work and the kids are great. Having a little extra money coming in is nice as well.

Along with all this police-related stuff, we did do other things. Kirsten and I work publications for the 76th World Science Fiction Convention here in San Jose. I was in charge of the Restaurant Guide, and I'm really happy with how it turned out. We also worked the newsletter at the convention. Although this meant I spent most of the con in the newsletter office, and there were several problems we had, I really enjoyed the insanity of working a World Con.

Immediately after World Con, we headed out for Burning Man. I was able to get out and see more this year, which was nice. The highlight was seeing the Alan Parsons Live Project performing "I, Robot" in its entirety and then having Alan Parsons himself come and hang out in our camp for a few hours. Really nice guy.

Musically, we saw a couple of really good shows this year. Judas Priest and Deep Purple, though Deep Purple was a bit of a disappointment; Ghost; and seeing the final show of Machine Head's current line up. That show was off the charts. We made a couple of ball games, and after nearly 25 years of being a baseball fan, I finally got a ball. From one of the grounds crew at San Jose Municipal, but it's a real baseball!

A good year. There were a few places I fell short, like keeping up on my writing and going to the gym on a regular basis. Two things to work on in 2019. But I'm entering the new year in good health and good spirits. For the first time in years, I feel good about the future.

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My Schedule for the 76th World Science Fiction Convention.

2018-08-03T21:33:22Z

Can I just say how utterly stoked I am to be a panelist at a Worldcon? I'm going to wear the good Giants hat!

How Gaming is Important to Fandom

Thursday, Aug 16 04:00 PM to 05:00 PM (1 hour)
Where: San Jose Convention Center - 211D

Despite being an intersection of innovative storytelling formats, fantastic visual artistry, audio dramas, and community interaction, gaming's place in sci-fi, fantasy, and horror is often overlooked. How do card, board, video, and other games continue to influence the way genre stories are told? And now with the advent of podcasting, how has fandom responded to the distributed performance of these games?

Gideon Marcus, Becky Chambers, Barry D Gold, Douglas Berry, Megan E. O'Keefe

Veteran's Roundtable

Friday, Aug 17 05:00 PM to 06:00 PM (1 hour)
Where: San Jose Convention Center - 212D

The Veteran's Roundtable was started at a regional northwest convention by a dedicated fan who asked that the tradition be carried into any gathering of nerds whenever possible. Thanks to the Worldcon 76 staff, we are able to welcome all Military Veterans to a closed space for Veterans only to introduce themselves, talk openly about Life, Universe, and Everything. All branches are welcome, we are all brothers and sisters having served in the capacity we have, or currently are.

Douglas Berry, Shaun Frost

Fandom as a Method of Cultural Adaptation

Sunday, Aug 19 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM (1 hour)
Where: San Jose Convention Center - 210B

Moving to another country, or even a new area within the same country, and cannot find a way to adapt to the culture? Fandom helps! Sharing the same hobby helps people to bridge the gap of cultural differences.

Bogi Takács, Douglas Berry, Takayuki Tatsumi

That last one is going to be fascinating.

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So, it's August.

2018-08-01T19:40:22Z

Ah, the long, lazy days of summer. Except not. In the next four weeks, I have to:

Transition to a new blood thinner.

Get all the prep work for both Worldcon and Burning Man done.

Get in for a medical exam and two orientations for the crossing guard job.

Take part in at least three online meetings for Worldcon Publications and Newsletter.

Do all the laundry.

Pack for Worldcon.

Pack for the Playa.

Do last-minute work on the Free Trailer Beowulf

Attend and work the 76th World Science Fiction Convention (August 16th-20th, although I'll probably be on-site working newsletter on the 15th.)

Spend the next three days after the con making sure our pallet is properly loaded and moving things like clothes into the trailer.

Getting Darby an oil change and a good washing.

Load Darby and Beowulf. Final gas top off.

Go to Burning Man.

A busy couple of weeks. The part that drives me nuts is waiting for the city to move the wheels on my crossing guard application. As I was telling Kirsten last night, in the Army I would have been handed a stack of papers and told: "Go to building 14 for your medical, then report to headquarters for your orientation." Since I'm motivated to get this done, I'd move out at a range walk.

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Today is not a good day.

2018-07-09T20:30:28Z

I'm just hitting a wall today. There are so many things I should be doing, but my brain isn't letting me act on them. Just one of those days when I'm reminded that I had a stroke.

The roughest part concerns the Restaurant Guide for Worldcon. We are in the home stretch, and I was calling places to see if they would trade some consideration - a discount or a free item - for an ad in the souvenir book or in the online version of the guide.

What I got was hang-ups, people who could not speak English, answering machines, and places where I left my name with someone and they never called back. A week or work and I got one taker. By 1100hrs today, I was so stressed by this and the fact that we are past deadline that my aphasia kicked in hard. Right now, I literally cannot speak.

Just too much stress. I'm done for the day. The Xbox calls to me.

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Almost like a productive human being!

2018-06-18T21:29:48Z

In the last three days, I have . . .

Finished filling in the Restaurant Guide spreadsheet.

Went to a meeting to discuss the layout of the portion that is going to be printed.

Got online at 2300 to grant file access to the layout designer. (D'oh!)

Started working on an article for the next progress report about local markets and drug stores.

Went to the gym and had a solid workout.

Took all the garbage and recycling to the cans, and then to the curb.

Dumped our cans and Type-1 plastics into their bins. Not enough for a recycling run, yet.

Did the dishes a couple of times.

All while doing things like eating and sleeping. I'm extremely happy that I've managed to remain functional through all these things. Recovery happens.

Next up, I'm filling out the application to be a crossing guard and bemoaning the lack of Throwback Mt. Dew in the house.

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Looting for a good cause.

2018-05-29T21:43:56Z

Home from Baycon, which was wonderful as usual. My panels were great, especial the Phone Phreaks panel where we stunned Steve Mix by saying that, we, we war-dialed by hand. Parties were sparse and oddly spread out all over the mysterious third floor. This needs to be fixed next year.

I bought my usual assortment of books and finished Scalzi's The Collapsing Empire in three days. A really good book, I highly recommend it. But then came the Charity Auction. On Saturday, I had a panel immediately after the auction in Connect 4, which, sadly, was not the game room (too small), and I saw the stuff being carried out to be put up for the next day's auction. There was an amazing number of older gaming products. Since we had been hoarding money for months, I resolved to be there for the next session.

After my wildly successful 0800 panel Are Cupcake Really Evil? Transformative Roles and Baked Goods in Modern Science Fiction (which ended having a variety of nommy baked goods) I scurried over to the auction room. This year's charity was the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation so all the money raised was going to a good cause.

There was plenty of great fannish stuff, but I bided my time. Then the Earthdawn set come up. I was the only bidder. For $20, I got:

Earthdawn Game System. 6001 (softcover)

Earthdawn Gamemaster Pack. 6002

Barsaive (boxed set). 6100

Denizens of Earthdawn, Volume 1. 6101

Denizens of Earthdawn, Volume 2. 6102

Legends of Earthdawn, Volume 1. 6103

Parlainth: The Forgotten City (boxed set). 6104

Creatures of Barsaive. 6105

The Adept's Way. 6106

Horrors. 6107

Sky Point & Vivane (boxed set). 6108

Serpent River. 6109

The Book of Exploration. Legends of Earthdawn, Volume 2. 6110

Earthdawn Survival Guide. 6112

The Theran Empire. 6114

Magic: A Manual of Mystic Secrets. 6201

Mists of Betrayal. 6301

Terror in the Skies. 6302

Infected. 6303

Parlainth Adventures. 6304

None of the boxed sets were in boxes, and a few minor bits, mostly small play aides, are missing. Looks like I got about 2/3rds of the first edition. But I wasn't finished. This lot came up, and I had to have it.

d20 Future (WotC)

d20 Modern (WotC)

d20 Urban Arcana Campaign Setting (WotC)

The Tome of Drow Lore (Mongoose)

d20 Call of Cthulhu (WotC)

Got those for $30. Can you imagine the campaign I could run with those books? But still, I had money. My final score was the AD&D 2nd Edition Volo's Guides to Waterdeep and the Sword Coast. I think I paid $10 for the two of them.

By then, kshandra had joined me, and she won us two memberships to Baycon 2019 for $50. At that point, we were done, both in wallet and spirit. We watched as more goodies went to good homes. Our auction raised about $1,200 for the JDRF, along with a similar number the day before and who knows how much at the final auction at the Dead Dog Party.

Good con, and it shows that squirreling away money really pays off. This was entirely my recycling money and gift cards Kiri got for taking part in a diabetes study.

See all y'all at WorldCon76!

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My Baycon schedule

2018-04-10T15:54:43Z

Still subject to adjustments.

Before there were hackers, there were the Phreaks
25 May 2018, Friday 15:00 - 16:30, Synergy 1 (San Mateo Marriott)

Yes, we really would call the American embassy in Moscow for free. Captain Crunch, the Whistler and other legends of the war against Ma Bell.

Douglas Berry (M), Christopher Garcia (Computer History Museum), Steven Mix (Green Machine Comics)

The Coming Job Crash
26 May 2018, Saturday 14:30 - 16:00, Synergy 4 (San Mateo Marriott)

Automation is threatening more and more jobs, with nothing to replace them. How will this change society? What will people do all day?

Douglas Berry (M), David Friedman (Santa Clara University), Dr. Jim Doty

Let's Not Kill Hitler
26 May 2018, Saturday 20:30 - 22:00, Synergy 5 (San Mateo Marriott)

Changing history by diversion rather than bloodshed.

Douglas Berry (M), Margaret Organ-Kean, Tamora Pierce, Steven Mix (Green Machine Comics)

Are Cupcakes Really Evil?
27 May 2018, Sunday 06:30 - 08:00, Connect 4 (San Mateo Marriott)

Transformative Roles and Baked Goods in Modern Science Fiction.

This is all Doug Berry's fault.

Douglas Berry (M)

GM trials & Tribulations
27 May 2018, Sunday 16:00 - 17:30, Synergy 5 (San Mateo Marriott)

"Are you sure you actually want to do *that*?"

Darth Solar (501st Legion, Rebel Legion, TRMN, Colonial Fleet) (M), Paul Kwinn, Douglas Berry

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A Great Hugo Finalist List, Even If I'm Not On It.

2018-03-31T22:11:20Z

As it turns out, this was not my year to be a finalist for the Best Fan Writer Hugo Award. Me getting that nod was the darkest of dark horses, but I had been told be several people that I was getting nominations so there was that sliver of hope. Or dread, it was hard to tell.

This year, for the first time, the reveal was held in a public place with satellite gatherings at Eastercon in the UK and Norwestcon in Seattle. The presentation videos rolled with only minor technical glitches. The crowd at the 7 Stars Bar and Grill here in San Jose was having a great time, most of us there were people working for Worldcon. A lot of fun was had. As well as delicious bar food.

But even though my name wasn't on it, I was really happy with the list of finalists. Because for the most part, it doesn't look like me. We are seeing more women, more writers from Asia and Africa, more persons of color with a different perspective on what culture and technology mean and how to weave it into a fantastic setting. They are showing us new eyes to look through.

To me, that's what a really good story does. It makes me experience a different place or time through the eyes and mind of the characters. Sometimes that can be challenging, and I like that. Reading Steven Barnes' Lion's Blood made me angry. It made me furious. I wanted to through the book across the room. Because it showed a world where my ancestors were brought to North America as slaves. Reading the book was a struggle, but from that struggle, I gain a new perspective on history.

This is why I love reading authors who don't just show me a different world, they show me a different way of processing that world. Ann Leckie's Radch series broke my brain with the constant use of female pronouns by the first-person viewpoint character. I loved it! Challenge me in your writing! Make me question my assumptions! Show me not just a different word, but a different way of seeing the world.

That being said, I am thrilled by the amazing diversity of the ballot. Let's see what's what.

Best Novel

The Collapsing Empire, by John Scalzi (Tor)
New York 2140, by Kim Stanley Robinson (Orbit)
Provenance, by Ann Leckie (Orbit)
Raven Stratagem, by Yoon Ha Lee (Solaris)
Six Wakes, by Mur Lafferty (Orbit)
The Stone Sky, by N.K. Jemisin (Orbit)

I had to giggle. After the final collapse of the Sad/Rabid Puppies, what gets onto the list of finalists? Raven Stratagem, and out-and-out military space opera. Yoon Ha Lee has built a fascinating world, with big starships that blast each other to bits.

Handicapping this race? I think Scalzi and Jemisin are neck and neck.

Best Novella

All Systems Red, by Martha Wells (Tor.com Publishing)
“And Then There Were (N-One),” by Sarah Pinsker (Uncanny, March/April 2017)
Binti: Home, by Nnedi Okorafor (Tor.com Publishing)
The Black Tides of Heaven, by JY Yang (Tor.com Publishing)
Down Among the Sticks and Bones, by Seanan McGuire (Tor.com Publishing)
River of Teeth, by Sarah Gailey (Tor.com Publishing)

I nominated “And Then There Were (N-One),” so that's my early favorite. Need to read a couple that I missed. Binti: Home should get a lot of votes.

Best Novelette

“Children of Thorns, Children of Water,” by Aliette de Bodard (Uncanny, July-August 2017)
“Extracurricular Activities,” by Yoon Ha Lee (Tor.com, February 15, 2017)
“The Secret Life of Bots,” by Suzanne Palmer (Clarkesworld, September 2017)
“A Series of Steaks,” by Vina Jie-Min Prasad (Clarkesworld, January 2017)
“Small Changes Over Long Periods of Time,” by K.M. Szpara (Uncanny, May/June 2017)
“Wind Will Rove,” by Sarah Pinsker (Asimov’s, September/October 2017)

This is a category where I need to do my homework. “Small Changes Over Long Periods of Time,” is a fascinating story about a transgender vampire. Nice to see more queer fiction getting nods.

Best Short Story

“Carnival Nine,” by Caroline M. Yoachim (Beneath Ceaseless Skies, May 2017)
“Clearly Lettered in a Mostly Steady Hand,” by Fran Wilde (Uncanny, September 2017)
“Fandom for Robots,” by Vina Jie-Min Prasad (Uncanny, September/October 2017)
“The Martian Obelisk,” by Linda Nagata (Tor.com, July 19, 2017)
“Sun, Moon, Dust” by Ursula Vernon, (Uncanny, May/June 2017)
“Welcome to your Authentic Indian Experience™,” by Rebecca Roanhorse (Apex, August 2017)

Another area where I will be doing some deep reading. But while good, Clearly Lettered in a Mostly Steady Hand doesn't really move me. It's part of a movement to more abstract, almost Kafka-esque storytelling.

Best Related Work

Crash Override: How Gamergate (Nearly) Destroyed My Life, and How We Can Win the Fight Against Online Hate, by Zoe Quinn (PublicAffairs)
Iain M. Banks (Modern Masters of Science Fiction), by Paul Kincaid (University of Illinois Press)
A Lit Fuse: The Provocative Life of Harlan Ellison, by Nat Segaloff (NESFA Press)
Luminescent Threads: Connections to Octavia E. Butler, edited by Alexandra Pierce and Mimi Mondal (Twelfth Planet Press)
No Time to Spare: Thinking About What Matters, by Ursula K. Le Guin (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Sleeping with Monsters: Readings and Reactions in Science Fiction and Fantasy, by Liz Bourke (Aqueduct Press)

I really think Zoe Quinn has a lock here.

Best Dramatic Presentation – Long Form

Blade Runner 2049, written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green, directed by Denis Villeneuve (Alcon Entertainment / Bud Yorkin Productions / Torridon Films / Columbia Pictures)
Get Out, written and directed by Jordan Peele (Blumhouse Productions / Monkeypaw Productions / QC Entertainment)
The Shape of Water, written by Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor, directed by Guillermo del Toro (TSG Entertainment / Double Dare You / Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Star Wars: The Last Jedi, written and directed by Rian Johnson (Lucasfilm, Ltd.)
Thor: Ragnarok, written by Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle, and Christopher Yost; directed by Taika Waititi (Marvel Studios)
Wonder Woman, screenplay by Allan Heinberg, story by Zack Snyder & Allan Heinberg and Jason Fuchs, directed by Patty Jenkins (DC Films / Warner Brothers)

Strongest this category has been in years. I think Get Out has a chance.

I'll do the rest of the categories tomorrow, as well as the 1943 Retro Hugo nominations.

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Meet the New Year, same as the Old Year...

2018-01-01T22:58:20Z

Well, this is 2018. The world hasn't changed much, I see, and the same problems that plagued us on the last day of 2017 are still here as we all shake off our collective holiday hangovers and face the new year.

We did end up staying up until midnight last night. A combination of a "Thin Man" movie marathon on Turner Classic Movies and far too much soda left me awake as the local artillery barrage went off. We were watching KRON, who had a live shot of the Embracadero in San Francisco (and it was a beautifully clear night, that you, Karl the Fog, for taking the night off) and as they kept talking the fireworks began. A quick message from the director confirmed that we were all ten seconds into the new year.

We even ended the year with something new. Kirsten has been doing amazing work managing her diabetes, and that means controlling carbs. Last night we tried pizza with a cauliflower crust. We could not tell the difference. Attention pizza places: first to offer this as an option gets our business from now on!

All in all, 2017 was a good year for me. I avoided both the ER and any hospital stays. I finally got the nerve to ask for help with my depression. And boy, was that a revelation. Not only am I severely depressed, says my doctor, I also show clear signs of a somatic symptoms disorder, PTSD, ADHD-PI, anxiety disorder, and borderline personality formation with masochistic style.

That last one is about my tendency to really be down on myself and minimize my achievements and feel like I'm not worth much. I have a lot to work through. But I'm doing it and will be seeing an NP therapist soon along with my psychologist. There may be happy drugs in my future. Whatever it takes.

But yeah, 2017 was not terrible for me, personally. We made it to BayCon and had a great time. The Free Trailer Beowulf performed like a start on the Burning Man trip, and my writing, while erratic, was there. Kirsten and I celebrated 26 years of marriage in May. We started walking more.

I'm deliberately ignoring the bigger picture of the last year to focus on my personal experience. Which is something I need to do more for my mental health.

There were some downsides, of course. My Xbox died, and we don't have the money to replace it. My little sister continues to demand that I have zero contact with her and her family for reasons that have never been explained to me. The Giants had a terrible season and the Dodgers made it to the World Series, where they lost to the Astros, thank the Gods of Baseball. But with everything considered, this was a better year than many I've had.

This morning we made our third pilgrimage in as many days to work on the trailer. Nothing too much this time, Just some fine-tuning of what had gone before. We're all ready now for the next steps in Burn preparation. Or an overnight camping trip, if we happen to feel like it. Just accomplishing things feels good.

I haven't made New Year's resolutions, instead, I've set goals. Write here at 750 Words every day and try to keep raising my word count. Eat three times a day, even if my midday meal is just some chips and salsa. Keep working to get me back up to my goal weight of 160lbs. Get into a face-to-face roleplaying game. Socialize with people more often. Take more risks. Get better.

Because Halford knows I am going to have plenty of chances. I've signed up for Santa Clara's Citizen's Police Academy. We have Baycon in March, Playa preparation work in July, then in August, we are both volunteering that the 76th World Science Fiction Convention here in San Jose. I'm working in publications, Kirsten in Fan Lounge. If working a WorldCon isn't crazy enough, we have a three-day turnaround before getting on the road for Burning Man.

Oh, and I've also agreed to co-edit and write for an issue of the Hugo Award-winning fanzine The Drink Tank about horror in heavy metal music. Plus my own writing projects. Then there's the fact that we're planning on completely new bedroom furniture with the tax refund. Hail IKEA, full of stuff!

The key is to have a plan and stay focused on the immediate goal. I have to learn to recognize when I'm spiraling into a dark place and pull out. That's a skill I need to learn.

2018? Bring it on!

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My Baycon Schedule

2017-04-21T16:35:12Z

Subject to change.

Hey Kids, Let's Put On A Religion!

Friday 15:00 - 16:30, Synergy 1 (San Mateo Marriott)

Let's build a God, and a religion to go with it. The audience will help the panelists create a theology and talk about our concepts of divinity, morality, and authority.

Douglas Berry, Colin Fisk (M), Fr John Blaker, Tory Parker, Prof. David McGaffey

Dystopian Space Opera from Ancillary Justice to Rogue One

Sunday 13:00 - 14:30, Synergy 4 (San Mateo Marriott)

Loren Rhoads (M), Juliette Wade, Douglas Berry, Andrew Clark

Military Science Fiction

Sunday 17:30 - 19:00, Synergy 4 (San Mateo Marriott)

James Jones (M), J. L. Doty, Douglas Berry, Tory Parker, Michael Garcia

How To Build Your Own Death Cart Using Only A Parrot

Sunday 19:00 - 20:30, Connect 1 (San Mateo Marriott)

The Programming Ninjas respectfully decline to be held responsible for Doug Berry. He was like this when we got him.

Douglas Berry (M), Steven Mix

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My Convolution schedule

2016-09-16T00:28:34Z

I, and at least one mobility aid, will be at Convolution. Here's my panels:

The Monsters of Doctor Who
Friday 15:00 - 16:30, Boardroom V

From the Cybermen to the Slitheen- we love them all! Join our panel of Whovian experts as they share their scariest Timelord terrors!

Doc of the Bay (M), Doug Berry

Geek Networking
Saturday 15:00 - 16:30, SandPebble B

How to make something of all these geeky folks you know!

Steven Savage (M), Doug Berry, Ms. Jennifer Carson, Nita, M. Todd Gallowglas

RPG Story Structure- Writing for Playing
Sunday 10:00 - 11:30, Parlor 2036

There's a difference between writing a story for it to be read, and writing one for it to be played through. Our panelists will help shed some light on how to best make your roleplay story playable.

R.L. King, Doug Berry (M), Colin Fisk

Given my broken foot and general health, I'm very happy that I only have one panel a day. Expect me to be planted somewhere mellow when I'm not involved in a panel.

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BayCon is nigh!

2016-05-26T21:30:19Z

My schedule for Baycon. Note, as part of the Yak Mil Panel joke, you won't see me listed in the program book for two of my three panels. Trust me, I will be there.

Next Year in New Jeruslaem: Religion and Expansion Into Space
Saturday 13:00 - 14:30, Connect 4 (San Mateo Marriott)

Many religions have specific requirements, such as facing a holy site during prayer, or required pilgramages for the faithful. How do you do that when you are many AU or even light years from Earth? We will discuss both some of the troubles the religious will face, and how religions adapt.

ElizaBeth Gilligan, G. David Nordley, Tom Saidak, Randy Smith, David Gerrold

Domestic Sales Of Yak Milk

Sunday 08:00 - 09:00, Connect 4 (San Mateo Marriott)

Expert in the field Doug Berry presents his current research.

Douglas Berry

The Lost Solar System

Sunday 10:00 - 11:30, Connect 4 (San Mateo Marriott)

Before we started sending probes everywhere, we had a very different view of our solar system. Come discuss Martian canals and the Swamp-Men of Venus!

Jay Reynolds Freeman

And the usual reminder. Due to my stroke, I may not remember you. Even if I've known you for years. If I give you a blank look, please just re-introduce yourself and remind me how we know each other. That usually works.

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Everyone calls me the wheeled one...

2015-05-04T18:28:09Z

Obscure Who references for the win.

Today is the 24th anniversary of my marriage to the ever-awesome kshandra. I am so lucky to have found her.

In other news, Kirsten and I have started pricing wheelchairs. The simple fact is that walking over long distances and extended periods is becoming increasingly difficult and painful for me. I can handle a shopping trip, but I'm actually dreading getting around at Baycon. I still walk a lot, I just want the fall back so I'm not spending all my spoons on dealing with the problems with my legs when I should be enjoying an event.

This is not something that Medicare will pay for as I've not gotten a doctor's order for it. But I feel that it will be good in the long run, as the cost of renting a chair every time I need one would soon outstrip the cost of just owning one.

I'm not looking for a mobility scooter for a couple of reasons. Cost is the first one. Second is I still have occasional balance issues that make me a little leery of sitting on something that has me perched on a seat. This is why I use the recumbent bike at the YMCA. Finally, I want to stay as in shape as possible. Running a person-powered chair helps with that.

Ideally I'd like to find a good, sturdy, lightweight folding model. Orange frame would be nice, but not vital. Looks like we can get a decent one for under $200. We're going to the Palo Alto Farmer's Market next weekend, we may do a little window shopping for chairs on that trip.

Speaking of Baycon, it would be nice to have my schedule.

Now, everyone go tell Kiri that she's awesome.

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10 days and a wake up. (Random Shit)

2015-03-17T19:58:54Z

My apologies for mostly vanishing over the last week or so.

The letter from the government telling me that I can work again and all my benefits were going away just kicked my butt.

I was seriously non-functional for eight hours after reading that, and barely able to operate as an adult for the rest of the week.

But things have been done.

We filed all the paperwork for a reconsideration.

We've contacted a legal group for assistance.

We've spoken with my doctor.

Which also led to another melt-down when it turned out that none of my referrals had gone through.

Which should be fixed now.

But we did enjoy FogCon.

Remember FogCon? We went to FogCon before all this started.

Nice, relaxing event.

I got the entire Mars series autographed by Kim Stanley Robinson.

The non-awards banquet was good.

Saw some old friends we haven't encountered in too long.

Next up, BayCon, where I will be a panelist.

We've learned that we need to get a room on site so I can retreat and rest.

This drama has also played merry hell with my workout schedule.

I either forget to go to the Y, or am too stressed to go.

That changes now.

The YMCA is now on my calender. Three visits a week minimum. Monday night aqua-aerobics with kshandra.

The change in my energy level since I started working out has been amazing.

My writing continues to improve gradually.

Working on a couple of things I might submit for publication.

The writing group I attend through Santa Clara Adult Ed has been amazingly helpful.

I'll probably self-publish my novel through Amazon, just so I can saw I wrote a novel.

Y'all are buying it. yes?

Still want to get back into gaming.

Thought I had a couple of leads on a group, but they fell through.

Anybody interested in a regular gaming night in the South Bay?

20 days to Opening Day for your 2014 World Series Champion San Francisco Giants!

Who have the Best Commercial Ever.

LET'S GO GIANTS!!!

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Baycon AAR

2014-05-27T17:01:53Z

That's "After Action Report" for you civies.

I personally had a great time. While adjusting to the New Normal™ is still a challenge, I think I did a good job of mixing doing things with down time. Next year, we spring for a hotel room though. Being able to get out of the noise and bustle for quiet alone time would have really helped on Sunday and Monday.

Sadly, I had to skip my last panel on Sunday due to an out-of-spoons error. But other than that, I did get to most of the items I wanted to see, enjoyed the art show and dealers room, and even signed a copy of Ground Forces! (Thanks, Bert!)

Thanks to everyone who read my previous post and took the time to reintroduce yourselves. You'll need to do it again at Convolution, more than likely. Health-wise, I did pretty well. My aphasia was mostly under control, proprioception was good until I got really tired, and so far I seem to have dodged the dread Con Bug. Extra thanks to those who fed us and/or bought me beer.

The hotel had done some major remodeling since last year. One new feature is a sort of snack bar/carryout place between the lobby of the Hyatt and the Convention Center. Really good fast food options and open most of the day. Since this was near where the hotel had put a temporary food stand during previous Baycons, I asked, and yes, the revenue from those tables had influenced the decision to install the new space.

One very cool thing was much of the lobby and ground floor area was given over to a temporary exhibit on the last days of Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. All sorts of photos, artifacts, and reconstructions made for an interesting distraction. As usual, the hotel was running a staff contest for who could get the most con ribbons on their staff badges. I love how the Hyatt as embraced our weirdness.

So a good con. I may get back into volunteering again since I've got nothing but time. But one thing I learned this weekend; I need to get back on a regular walking plan. Also, contact my doctor about my feet.

Music exactly expresses how I felt this morning.

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Something I need to remind everyone about before Baycon

2014-05-21T17:20:52Z

I don't remember you.

Thanks to my stroke I have almost zero retention of names and faces these days, even with people that I've known for decades. Unless you are part of my daily life, I stand a really good chance of having a blank look when you say hi.

Even with a name I might have problems. So many people go by different names in different places, I might know you as Captain Skippy from Live Journal, but not remember that you're Bob in real life.

So I beg patience and help. This, along with the aphasia, are the two most annoying aspects of surviving my stroke.

I'm also broke, so if anyone wants to buy me food or a drink, I'll not say no.

Thanks!

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My BayCon schedule

2014-05-13T17:24:43Z

1. Military Uniforms From the Past to the Future on Friday at 2:00 PM in San Tomas. [You are moderating.] (with G. David Nordley, Kay Tracy, Tory Parker)

Modern military uniforms draw design elements from uniforms of the past. Will future uniforms continue to follow old traditions? Join our panelists as they discuss uniforms used by real military units throughout history and those created in fiction and by fandom.

2. Rare Earth? So what, Who needs habitable planets? on Friday at 3:30 PM in Bayshore (with G. David Nordley (M), Kay Tracy)

When making space colonies is but a few weeks work for tireless robots, will we even bother to terraform planets? How would a future of space colonies around nearby red dwarfs differ from planet-based science fiction?

3. Alternative Lifestyles and Sci-Fi/Fantasy on Sunday at 10:00 AM in Lawrence (with Deborah J. Ross, Lynx Crowe, Allison Lonsdale)

From Heinlein's line marriage to Ethan of Athos, a discussion of alternative lifestyles, chosen or otherwise.

4. Alternative History: Historical Fracture Points on Sunday at 8:00 PM in Bayshore (with David Friedman, Adrienne Gormley, Steve Frankel (M))

A discussion of where history could have gone the other way. What if the Allies had landed at Calais?

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My Conjecture schedule.

2013-10-01T19:24:42Z

Panel 1: Fri 10/18 8:00 PM, 60 minutes.
Title: Animals That Should Not Be Uplifted
Precis: Does the universe really need sentient banana slugs? Our panelists will discuss the potential benefits and drawbacks to granting sentience to a wide variety of Terran species.

I'm on this one with Larry Niven and Vernor Vinge.

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**** You are MODERATOR of this panel. Please see below.
Panel 2: Sat 10/19 5:00 PM, 60 minutes.
Title: Historical Models and Military SF
Precis: Do we really need to see another "Roman Empire in Space" or yet another rendition of the age of sail with vacuum? What other historical models, and figures can be used to make military SF fresh and interesting?

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**** You are MODERATOR of this panel. Please see below.
Panel 3: Sun 10/20 11:00 AM, 60 minutes.
Title: Campaigns that Went Wrong: GM Horror Stories
Precis: Have you ever broken the universe and had to reboot it? Did all your players run past your carefully placed clues and go straight off a cliff? Has a personality conflict driven players to quit the game en masse? GMs discuss worst-case scenarios and how to prevent or remediate them.

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Panel 4: Sun 10/20 1:00 PM, 60 minutes.
Title: Beyond Combat in Role-Playing Games
Precis: Just because RPGs grew out of wargaming, and most game systems focus heavily on combat simulation, doesn't mean that games have to stay in a combat-heavy rut. There's plenty to drive a story and excite the characters other than Killing Things. Solving mysteries, negotiating, creating friendships, building organizations (a kingdom, a superhero team, an Explorers' League) maneuvering through intrigues, discovering new lands/people/technologies, and falling in love are all good adventures in their own right. Discuss which game systems and worlds make it easier to move beyond combat and explore other types of narrative.

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**** You are MODERATOR of this panel. Please see below.
Panel 5: Sun 10/20 2:00 PM, 60 minutes.
Title: Pigs In Space: Capitalist Exploitation of Space for Fun and Profit
Precis: Where governments run out of budget to go, sooner or later private industry will venture. There are many potential sources of profit; manufacturing processes that fight gravity down here will go a lot smoother and cheaper in free fall, for one thing. And what about mining on Luna and Mars? Discuss current capitalist efforts to make money in space, and how soon they'll get off the drawing board and out of the gravity well. What new directions will they take as our technology improves?

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Thirty Days in the Hole (in my head)

2013-09-01T20:08:22Z

So, about a month ago I had a stroke.

( Seriously. I had a fucking stroke )

( So, what does it all mean? )

So, that's the deal. Thanks to everyone for their continuing support. Kirsten has been an absolute Goddess through all of this. Treat her as such.

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Notice of GAFIAtion

2012-10-25T18:01:11Z

Folks, I am taking a year off from fandom. Between my insane work schedule and the need to get some things moving in my life, I simply cannot even think about taking part in fannish activities. So, for the next year, no conventions and very little on-line fan presence for me.

I'm posting this because I'm getting asked constantly if I'm going to Convolution. I'm not, for several reasons, and I'm worried a repeat of last year's Baycon will occur, where someone buys me a membership.

So to be clear, I'm not going to cons. I don't really want to go to cons. After 30 years I'm burned out. So please, please don't gift me memberships. This isn't a matter of money, it's a matter of energy and time.

(GAFIA = "Getting Away From It All")

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Where in the world is...

2012-05-29T00:35:17Z

... ~~Carmen Sandiego~~ Doug Berry?

Now that I've got that song stuck in your head, I can tell you that I've been fighting the worst cold/allergy attack/bronchial yuck I've had in a long time.

So bad that I've been using the codeine-laced cough syrup I got a while back.

Which is now gone. I haz a sad over this.

But things finally appear to be improving, slightly.

Other than that, been working.

I did get a comped membership to Baycon.

Unfortunately, with my work schedule and general ill-health, I was only able to make a few hours on Friday and Saturday.

Still good to get out and see people.

Niece Prime is making me feel like a slacker.

She puts her resume up on Craiglsit, and is getting hits immediately.

Already interviewed for one gig, and is out right now confirming a writing gig for a furniture shop.

Paid by piece, but still, getting paid to write!

Which only reminds me that I'm really not doing what I need to do to write.

So from now on, one hour - minimum! - of writing daily.

Even if it is complete and utter crap, get it down on paper/screen.

In addition I'm going to start carrying my note pad in my backpack.

Should I eventually sell something, I'm buying a corduroy jacket with leather patches on the arms.

To wear to my first Worldcon as a Hugo Nominee.

Also will need a bubble pipe.

Note to self: Make sure jacket will go well with either the Campbell Best New Writer tiara or the SIX TIME HUGO LOSER t-shirt.

Giants are doing.. okay. Over .500. but a lot of questions still to be answered.

I am out of beer. How did this happen?

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