The Transmogrification of a Geek

Gilbert Trainer Rugby Ball

Once upon a time there was a queer, geeky kid who hated playing sports.

He was too short for basketball, plus he hated the cultural expectation that he should love and play the sport.

He was too lightweight for football, he didn’t have enough upper body strength for baseball, he found wrestling and gymnastics and swimming far too emotionally dangerous.

Additionally, even at the tender age of 13, he saw in his parents the germ, the possibility of becoming THOSE kind of sports parents.  Adding pressures to exceed in a sport on top of the already barely endurable pressures for exemplary academic performance would have been disastrous.

So, p.e. was endured through elementary and junior high school, except for 7th grade when his p.e. teacher was a 20-something blond bodybuilder (think late 60′s Aquaman), and avoided in high school.

Fast forward 32 years.

I’ve been snowboarding for over 8 years, a recreational mountain biker for much longer, and while I still have no affinity for playing the aforementioned team sports (I’ll watch college football), I’ve developed a hankering for Rugby.

Yes Rugby.

I don’t just want to watch, I want to play. A team sport.

And so, on this coming Tuesday, I’ll attend my first practice with the Boston Ironsides, a member of the International Gay Rugby Association and Board (IGRAB (yeah, i know)).   I bought a practice ball (above left) & mouth guard & practice shoes yesterday.  I still need to buy boots.  I have more kit pieces arriving Monday or Tuesday.

Gods above and below, what have I become.

Video Equipment For Sale

I’m selling a bunch of Video Equipment on Craigslist – http://boston.craigslist.org/nwb/pho/2225220347.html – over $2000 worth of stuff for $1500.

• Panasonic DVX 100A, 3CCD Camera: 285 hours, Excellent condition
• Bogen 3066 head
• Bogen 3021 tripod

Plus much, much, more Local only.  Cash only.

Illuminati Pentagon Snowboard

Are you a snowboarder?

Do you have a taste for the esoteric, the obscured, the hermetic, the occluded? Do you see the fnords?

Do you love a great bargain?

I love my Illuminati Pentagon snowboard (look left) and I thought I’d never have the chance for another Illuminati board, until now.

Lance Pitman of Illuminati Snowboards has a groupon like deal: If he can get 50 pre-orders @ $50, he’ll do a limited 2011 run of grand spankin’ new custom snowboards boards.

Just in case you don’t know, Illuminati Snowboards was famous for creating insanely great boards.  Boards that, if sold by a major manufacturer, and if sold in a chain, would cost huge dinero.   They, however, sold direct to the public at excellent prices.

Then they would sell planks with minor cosmetic errors (mine has a tiny printing error) mid-summer, for crazy prices. That’s how I got my Pentagon.

More orders = lower $, starting @ $325.
Direct sale to you + no store = great pricing.

Yes, I’ve already pre-ordered.  Yes I want my riding friends to have one of these and not only because I’ll get to order one too.

Look around online for reviews of Illuminati boards.  Then, Sign Up – http://bit.ly/eKgHfq

Please Note, You will have to sign in, but don’t worry. Lance is a Good Guy

You Want To Work on an Original Science Fiction Musical!

Greetings Everyone:

My friend orawnzva, a.k.a Ben Newman is building a creative team for his intriguing and highly original science fiction, action adventure musical, Walk In The Day – http://orawnzva.livejournal.com/66594.html – You can read the specifics of his request here.  Basically, he’s looking for an assistant production manager, cast members, musicians, composers, etc, etc.

Ben is an incredibly intelligent and creative gentleman. If I were you, I’d contact him.

Contact him directly for more info.

Arisia 2011 – My Panel Schedule

So, this coming January, I will once again be a program participant in Arisia 2011 – http://2011.arisia.org, self described as, “New England’s largest and most diverse science fiction and fantasy convention”.  In my humble opinion, the “most diverse” part of the descriptor could easily be expanded to nationwide.  But I digress.
I will be participating in 4 panels:

• Introduction to SF Criticism – What is it, what is it for, and what is its terminology? Where do we find it? How do we apply it? And, ultimately, how do we contribute to it?
• Queer SF&F – Queer topics and characters are becoming more common in science fiction and fantasy–or are they? Do modern authors really do a better job addressing these concerns than in the past? How has the field changed? And what effect has it had on the fans?
• I Married a Non-Fan – She/he is only at Arisia because I’m here. How can we make the con a better experience for those who aren’t part of fan culture? Is conversion possible? If so, what’s the best approach? Mixed relationships can be difficult, so let’s share some ways to make them work. And how will we raise the kids–as fans, or not?
• Age and Treachery: The Older Fan – How does growing older impact one’s experiences as a member of fandom? How do our experiences color how we enjoy the ideas, the stories, and the media? Did we think, a decade (or three) ago, we’d still be going to conventions and seeing the same friends? Are we worried about the future of fandom?

What else will I be doing there?  Perhaps some live streaming video of an event or two. Perhaps taking lots of pictures. Perhaps a blog post or two.  Definitely lots of reconnecting with friends, old and new.

Fanac, lots of fanac.

As usual, this will be a whole lot of fun, but in a different way than conventions were fun when I was 1/2 my current age.

Who knew?

Outryders 2010 – 2011 On-Mountain Schedule (New England Locations)

Here’s the New England portion of the Outryders 2010-2011 on-mountain schedule

View Larger Map

Awesomeness

TEDx Boston – The Mind Map

TED^x Boston could have been a bit overwhelming. OK,it was a bit overwhelming. Luckily I have a trick up my sleeve for situations exactly like TED^x, where I’ll be bombarded by a large amount of data in a short amount of time. There is no way that I would be able to take standard, linear notes that would capture the richness of the experience. So, just as I did throughout undergrad part II and grad school, I mind mapped like crazy, prompting many an onlooker to comment.

Other folks have posted their own summaries of the day’s proceedings so I will not duplicate their work. I will link to them, though, at the bottom of this post. Please, take a look at the map I’ve created, and use it as I do, as a way to make concrete the shape and structure of the day, the interrelationships and resonances, the confirmations and contradictions between the ideas presented. So many of them are so compelling, I’m sure that many of these memes have infected my brain.

Please note, the mind map linked to is very, very large. Below the map is a translation of the map into a linear outline, all courtesy of Freeplane, an open source, java based mind mapping tool. I’m mostly happy with it, though it could stand some improving. For example, I could not find the spell check feature they swear is in there.

Anyway, the map is linked below. Have fun!

TED^x Boston Mind Map

TED^x Boston Mind Map

The map is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution – Noncommercial – Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Please let me know what you think.

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And now those Promised blog links.

• Ali Powell
• Bill Ives
• Kurt Eng
• Georgy Cohen
• The Twitter Feed
• The Facebook Page
• Flickr Photos
• HashAlbum
• Georgy Cohen
• Pete Bell
• Cesar Harada

More as I come across them.

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I was not the only person drawing like mad during the presentations. Graphic Facilitators from Collective Next were busily illustrating the key ideas in each presentation. They were displayed en masse at the post-conference reception.

TEDx Boston

Today I spent all day at TED^x Boston. My brain is full of intriguing ideas; some I agree with, some of which I’m not too sure of, all of which have me thinking. Thinking more than usual.

If you know me, that’s a lot of thinking.

What is TED^x Boston? For that matter, what is TED? Well, you could just follow the link, but I’ll tell you. TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. TED originally stood for Technology, Entertainment, Design, but the conference has grown in scope far beyond that.

What then is TED^x? TED^xis a new program that enables local communities such as schools, businesses, libraries, neighborhoods or just groups of friends to organize, design and host their own independent, TED-like events.

If you know me, you know that I’m a mind mapper. For me it is the fastest way for me to record notes in high density, along with recording connections amongst and between ideas. Plus, the physical act of diagramming improves my recall. Re-drawing my notes improves my recall even more, in addition to allowing me to tease out even more connections / references / reflections / refractions / contradictions in the idea space presented and represented.

That’s why I’m not going to say anything more about TED^x Boston until this coming Sunday. The mind maps I generated are so huge, that it will take that long for me to straighten them out. They’ll be an integral part of my next post.

Until then, Keep Thinking. Share those Ideas.

NEARFest 2010

The wheel of time has turned round once more and we’re hard upon Summer.  The hands on the clock are difficult to read and overly complex, but that’s OK, it’s ticking in 13/8 time half of the time, the other half, it’s tocking in 7/3.    Most people when asked what time it was would throw up their hands in disgust and confusion, then shuffle away mumbling to themselves.

Others, however know, or at least they pretend they know, while quaffing down a micro-brew or 10.

There’s a proggyness in the air. The thunderclouds overhead look surprisingly like floating islands upon which caribou lackadaisically graze.  Look over there on Broadway, how did a lamb get downtown and why is it lying down in front of a theater where a passion play is being performed?

It’s time for NEARFest, the North East Art Rock Festival, and I’ll be hitting the road for Bethlehem, PA in just over 12 hours.

The line up this year, with their countries of origin:

• Eddie Jobson, The Ultimate Zero Project (ENG)
• Steve Hackett (ENG)
• Three Friends (ENG)
• The Enid (ENG)
• Iona (ENG)
• Riverside (POL)
• Forgas Band Phenomena (FRA)
• The Pineapple Thief (ENG)
• Astra (USA)
• Moraine (USA)

Damn, it will be good to hear Riverside live again after four years.  They played NEARFest 2006.  They were awesome then, I’m sure they’re even more awesome now.  Then there is Three Friends.  Who, you might ask?  Start with Gary Green (guitar, vocals) and Malcolm Mortimore (drums) of Gentle Giant, mix in generous amounts of, Roger Carey (bass and vocals, from Liane Carroll’s band), John Donaldson (piano and keyboards), Andy Williams (guitar, collaborator with Carey in the Engine Clutch And Gearbox trio) and Mick Wilson (vocals, from 10cc). The result? All kinds of Gently Giant goodness plus tons of new stuff.

Of course, I’ve been saving up to attack the CD bins at the vendors.
This years prey:

• A Perfect Circle
• Gentle Giant
• Symphony X
• Rocket Scientists
• National Health
• Opeth
• Atlantis
• Amon Duul
• Kevin Gilbert
• Royskopp
• Three Friends
• Frogg Cafe
• Ayreon – Actual Fantasy
• Aryeon – The Final Experiment
• Guilt Machine
• Ambeon – Fate of a Dreamer

As usual, yes, I know I could pick up some of these at Amazon, but:

1. What kind of fun is that?
2. Besos has enough money.
3. Oh, and… WHAT KIND OF FUN IS THAT?

I’ve gotta pack.  Talk to you all in a few days.

Science Fiction for Scientists & Engineers

Even as you’re reading this, Readercon is bearing down upon the world of F&SF literature like an express train.  Is that the light at the end of the tunnel I see? Perhaps.  It is definitely the light of sweet reason.

I’ve noticed that plenty of scientists and engineers do not like science fiction, even when they grew up on the genre and it was a major contributing factor to their chosen profession?  Why?  All too often, they find themselves unable to excuse the scientific and/or engineering inaccuracies in a text whose genre presupposes a basis in scientific fact.  They end up reading fantasy instead, which is unhindered by claims of ties to the real.

Are there authors currently producing science fiction where the science is as rigorous as the prose in beautiful?  I suggest the following and welcome suggestions for additions and subtractions, comments and criticisms.

• Rudy Rucker
• Ken MacLeod
• Charlie Stross

Who else would you suggest?