Back in Santa Fe. Still sick, but feeling much better than I did. Digging through mail and catching up on football.

Today I watched the Jets loss to the Ravens (pathetic offense, and though the D looked great in spots, they could not seem to get off the field on third down) and the Jets win over the Patriots (terrific). Was that really that same team? Sanchez looked wretched against Baltimore and great against New England. And Tomlinson appears to have some legs left after all.

Next up in the Manning Bowl. We’ll try to squeeze that in tomorrow, before the Sunday games.

The amount of mail and packages that have arrived in my absence is truly terrifying.

Current Mood: null

We’re back in the US, overnighting at LAX before flying home tomorrow.

Miserable trip. V-Australia is a great airline and did their best, but (1) I can’t sleep on planes, and (2) I managed to come down with some sort of crud the last day in Australia, so I felt wretched the whole way. At least I did not get food poisoning, as I did on my way home from Morocco last year. And getting sick at the end of a tip beats getting sick during the trip. I’ll recuperate at home, once I get there… there’s never been a cold or flu that could stand up to green chile.

Current Mood: null

We have emerged from the depths of the Jenolan Caves and returned to Melbourne again to unwind for a couple of days before flying back to Santa Fe… and the mountain of work that awaits there.

Got back to Melbourne last night just in time for a birthday dinner with friends. Sixty two. Ghods. I am officially a geezer. Oh, well. I’ve been geezing for years, if truth be told. Expect me to continue to wave my cane vigorously at all you young’uns and tell you how much better things were in my day.

(The Jenolan Caves are very cool, by the way. Especially at night, when the coaches leave and the possums and marsupial mice emerge).

Current Mood: null

Katoomba!

Current Mood: null

Another worldcon has come and gone.

We’re now on Lizard Island.

There are lizards.

More… eventually. Maybe.

Current Mood: null

Having fun in Melbourne.

Aussiecon IV starts on Thursday, officially, but people are already arriving. We’re here, obviously. So is GOH Kim Stanley Robinson, Greg Benford, others. More arriving every day.

If you’re a fan of SF or fantasy — not just my stuff, any SF or fantasy — and live in Australia, you owe it to yourself to get your ass to worldcon. This is THE event on the fannish calendar, the granddaddy of all other cons. The last time it was in Australia was 1999. It may be another ten years before it returns again. It may never return again. So let’s not hear mutters about other commitments and similar feeble excuses. Just do it.

Yes, I will be doing a signing in Sydney. But a signing is a poor substitute for a con. At a signing you’ll stand in line for hours to get maybe thirty seconds with me… or whatever writer you’re queuing up for. AT a con you can spend a whole weekend with your favorite writers and fellow fans. There are parties, drinking, panels, drinking, readings, drinking, quests, drinking, flirtations, the dealers room, the art show, drinking… and yes, signings too.

Current Mood: null