Live From Denver

I made it to Denver, and the fun really starts tomorrow. In the category of "world is coming to an end, film at eleven," I was ready to leave early this morning. Usually, I plan out the time I absolutely must leave, then back off from that about ten minutes, and that's my target departure time. This morning, I was ready fifteen minutes before the target departure time. That's a danger zone because it's too much time to just sit around or to go ahead and leave, but it's not enough time to really do much of anything because then I'll end up being late. I got some tidying done, not quite to the level of company clean or even of not being embarrassed if I die in a plane crash and someone has to clean out the house, but pretty much to the level of being able to tell if someone ransacked the house while I was gone.

Then leaving at the target departure time, which not only allowed my usual cushion but also aimed at being a little early from a cautious estimate of the time the bus was likely to come, meant I was at the bus stop more than twenty minutes before the bus came.

Yep, I got wild and crazy and took the city bus to the airport. I'll be gone long enough that airport parking would get expensive, plus I have new car paranoia and don't want to leave it out in the airport lot for a week. Cabs get expensive, and I had a bad experience with SuperShuttle. However, I can catch a city bus across the street from my house, and with one transfer get to the airport for three dollars. It did make something that's about a fifteen to twenty minute drive take an hour, but it was still relatively hassle-free, especially given the cost. Unfortunately, this service isn't available on weekends. Believe it or not, the bus that goes to the airport only runs on weekdays.

Then I took the city bus from the Denver airport to downtown, where there's a free shuttle that runs by most of the hotels. The convention center is relatively close, but all the WorldCon events are at the opposite end of the convention center, so it's still a hike. I may have to rethink wearing the Infamous Red Stilettos to the Hugo Awards, but it does seem like I should be able to take the shuttle to a light rail stop, and the light rail stops at the convention center, very close to the place where the WorldCon events are, so I may do that Saturday night.

I probably won't do my usual con thing of hanging out in the con suite because that's at a hotel that's a good hike from the convention center. There's no ducking in for a quick snack between panels. I don't yet have a good sense for how huge this convention is because the only thing open today was registration. The fun giveaway was a "fan hydration device" (aka water bottle) to make sure we all stay hydrated and don't succumb to the altitude.

I have already been recognized, though. When I was walking away from registration, a guy from Sweden came up to me and mentioned having read my books. Then he referred to my essay on "fans in hiding," and it took me a second to realize he meant the Stealth Geek FAQ. So I've already had my celebrity moment.

Tomorrow's agenda: lunch with my agent, plus panels, opening ceremonies and the "Barrayar Summerfair" (as in the Lois McMaster Bujold books). Oh, and manning the SFWA table in the dealers' room and probably helping with the SFWA hospitality suite.