Not the Week in Review

[kate_nepveu]

The only noteworthy thing I did this week was go to a party celebrating a co-worker's wedding. It was a very nice party, and I got to use the cool portable Pyrex thing Mom got me (cheese lasagna, which seemed to go over very well), but it's not much of a post.

And I don't feel like finishing my Worldcon report tonight.

So instead, from sdn's question (via sartorias's pointer), we have:

KateCon

(First, I fully endorse mrissa's comment to the original post.)

At KateCon, no programming would start before 11:00 am. However, there would be extensive brunch materials in the consuite for actual morning persons.

I would ask cool people if they wanted to give short talks about interesting things, and then take questions. Probably I'd let them talk about whatever they wanted to, but I'd start with suggestions about their work or enthusiasms—I'd see if elisem wanted to reprise her Worldcon talk on jewelry that I missed; if Chad wanted to give his spiel about laser cooling; if rivka could bring us up-to-date on the current best practices in HIV prevention and treatment; if sloanesomething wanted to point out the details that make for a really committed costume; if Jim Macdonald had interestingly grisly stories from his volunteer EMT mode. tnh could finally deliver the rant "Ambient Misinformation about Publishing and Writing, and the Cultivation of the Reader Mind: A Rant I Didn't Get to Deliver at Noreascon," if she didn't want to do her party trick of trimming fiction on the fly.

I think I would decree that there would only be one programming track. If it's my con, why would I want to miss anything? (There would also be breaks in the schedule, for intense conversations, foisting books on people in the dealer's room, resting, or meals.)

Recommendations panels would be required to have handouts. And to actually recommend things.

There will be microphones for everyone, and everyone will be required to know how to use them.

Panels would mostly be about books. There would be a lot of roundtable-style panels, but not exclusively, because sometimes you just want to listen.

However, all panels would be required to leave at least 1/4 of their time for questions.

And, of course, the badges would be extremely readable.

Comments

[montoya.livejournal.com]

Of course, unless it's a small con, the single programming track would probably get too crowded, so it'd probably be best to have an alternate programming track of uninteresting yet popular topics. Perhaps "Heinlein: Why he's so much better than so-called 'Literature'", or "Guns in SF".

[kate_nepveu]

It would be a fairly small con, and not everyone would be interested in all panels, so I don't think crowding would be a problem.

And why would I want uninteresting topics at my con?

[orzelc.livejournal.com]

It would be a fairly small con, and not everyone would be interested in all panels, so I don't think crowding would be a problem.

Crowding among attendees, anyway. Given some of your other suggestions, I think they'd be outnumbered by the con staff...

[kate_nepveu]

I've modified my dealer's room idea:

All booksellers in the dealer's room will be placed together, to make it easier to look for that one book you want.

Anyone selling things for under $10 will be required to take pre-paid KateCon money (like gift certificates), to avoid that annoyance of "I really want this, don't have any cash, and hate to use/will not be allowed to use plastic for such a small amount." Dealers will turn in the accumulated KateCon money for cash at the end of the con.

Oh, and everyone can have ribbons for their badges if they want. Actual volunteers etc. will get specially-patterned ribbons, but cool ribbons will abound for the taking (this is stolen from Albacon, where I was very pleased to get a white Order of the Bastard ribbon for my badge).

[corruptedjasper.livejournal.com]

How is KateCon money any more convenient than cash, though? Assuming there's a plastic<>KateConMoney converter in some place, and in the other alternative an ATM somewhere.

I mean, besides you being able to literally print money.

[kate_nepveu]

No ATM fees.

But possibly the idea (which was a falling-asleep thought) could have used a little more work.

[corruptedjasper.livejournal.com]

Ah, ATM fees. Right. Was one of the unpleasant bits of being in the US, that. Around here, and "around here" means all of europe, including at least unto Romania and Turkey, ATM fees are nonexistent and at most you might get hit with a quarter or two in fees from your bank. For the vast majority of europe, I pay no more than for using an ATM in my own country -- ie, nothing. With which I just mean to say -- not something foremost in my mind, that.

[kate_nepveu]

Oh, it was probably not that good an idea to start; I'd originally thought of making all the book dealers share one table (with bar code stickers to identify merchandise and send their share their way), but decided that was a little too much work for even a fantasy. The gift certificates were a half-baked last-minute substitution.

[pnh.livejournal.com]

One track! One convention! One Big Union!

(Re the party trick, Teresa says: "I'd need an overhead projector.")

[kate_nepveu]

(This union, will there be meetings? . . . No meetings.)

And in the imaginary world where I can get the hotel to provide hot brunch (omelettes made while you wait, etc.) for hours, you bet we can get an overhead projector . . .

[sloanesomething.livejournal.com]

Kate, I can say of your con:

COMMITTED!

[kate_nepveu]

Go me!

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Where do I send my membership fee?

[kate_nepveu]

Not necessary--this is the imaginary world where I've won the lottery and am funding everyone's memberships and hotel rooms (to make sure all the cool people from around the world can come!).

[sraun]

Ever see the movie Brewster's Millions? This would be a great way to take care of his problem? I've occasionally had a similar fantasy myself - only my planning includes hiring a bunch of the people that throw/threw Minicon to help pull it off! Pay my friends several grand each for three weeks work tossing together a con at the last minute - I think I could find volunteers. ;-)

[thette.livejournal.com]

Should I ever cross the pond for a con, KateCon is not a bad alternative.

Unfortunately, I can't do this meme. People would bully me into actually organising it and they would have a good chance of succeeding. Then, of course, it wouldn't be nearly as nifty as I imagined, and I'd totally stress out from the planning.

[kate_nepveu]

Ah, I have no such fears--I _know_ I couldn't actually do it, at least not well enough to want to put my name on it, so it remains an amusing timewaster.