Geeks at the Laundromat
Feb. 11th, 2016 11:54 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lydamorehouseSometime I amaze even myself with my extroversion.
Today, right? I'm at the laundromat washing some of our rag rugs. These aren't ones we've finished, but ones that we got over the years from my mother and, before her, my grandmother. Some have just gotten grungy. Others, Inky decided to pee on (before he started taking Prozac to solve that issue.) The laundromat is the one place that has sturdy enough washing machines to handle these heavy rugs. I can put in four or more at a time. It costs $4.50 a load, but it's worth it, because these machines have three rinse cycles, too, so ALL that grimy grit actually gets pushed out of the rugs.
Like you do, I brought along my computer and tried to write. To be fair, I didn't just try. I actually managed it. I added another chapter of UnJust Cause up on Wattpad.* But, with three rinse cycles, the rugs take a long time. I bought a candy bar... and a guy helped me find a quarter that the machine rejected so forcefully that it skidded onto the floor. I thanked this stranger and... happened to notice he was reading Ann Leckie.
"Aha!" My mind went into full POUNCE mode, "A science fiction fan!"
So, I asked him how he was enjoying the book. I noted that I'd read both Ancillary Justice and Ancillary Sword. He thought the book was okay. I confessed that I found the gendering thing a bit distancing, like I never really connected to the characters because I couldn't imagine them, physically, in my head. We bonded over this. He said he'd been recommended the book by Greg at Dreamhaven. "Ah," I smiled, "So you're one of my people. Do you go to science fiction conventions?"
He blinked. "I didn't even know there WERE conventions"
Oh, my friend. I have Good News for you.
This reminds me of the fact that Naomi Kritzer and I have long *wished* there was some geek version of a 'chick track' that you could pull out and hand people like this. Seriously, it would say, "Geek! Have you heard the Good News!" and then go on to explain that you don't have to be alone (especially not in this town), Fandom is waiting to welcome you home. For all that it would mimic a religious track, it would be full of useful geek info, like a list of some of the conventions in town with websites, the bookstores, resources, etc.
I, of course, ended up telling him that I'm a science fiction writer and gave him my business card. Which reminds me, I have to put more in my wallet. Because, yes, I actually hand them out CONSTANTLY. (Too bad this only works to boost my local reputation. When I volunteered for WorldCON programming this year, I got the, 'uh, we're not sure who you are exactly and while you *might* be cool enough to be on paneling, we can't guarantee anything, but go ahead and fill out our survey anyway' version of the programming letter. Which is fine, actually, because last WorldCON I went to was Chicago, and I suffered a massive attack of impostor syndrome and didn't really have a good time. This WorldCON, I'm hoping to avoid all that by hanging out with my friends Eleanor and Naomi and generally just being a fan.)
Anyway, I just thought it was both a really funny exchange, and also REALLY TYPICAL of me.
---
*I'm actually starting to think I might be closing in on an ending to this story. If I do get to an end, I'm probably going to pull down copies of all the chapters and rework the thing into an e-book that I'll self-publish. Fingers crossed. It's going to be a lot of work, because a huge section in the middle kind of makes no sense and was entirely ramblely, but it'd be nice to have an e-book out there. I still occasionally hear from fans of Precinct 13, so that's cool.
Today, right? I'm at the laundromat washing some of our rag rugs. These aren't ones we've finished, but ones that we got over the years from my mother and, before her, my grandmother. Some have just gotten grungy. Others, Inky decided to pee on (before he started taking Prozac to solve that issue.) The laundromat is the one place that has sturdy enough washing machines to handle these heavy rugs. I can put in four or more at a time. It costs $4.50 a load, but it's worth it, because these machines have three rinse cycles, too, so ALL that grimy grit actually gets pushed out of the rugs.
Like you do, I brought along my computer and tried to write. To be fair, I didn't just try. I actually managed it. I added another chapter of UnJust Cause up on Wattpad.* But, with three rinse cycles, the rugs take a long time. I bought a candy bar... and a guy helped me find a quarter that the machine rejected so forcefully that it skidded onto the floor. I thanked this stranger and... happened to notice he was reading Ann Leckie.
"Aha!" My mind went into full POUNCE mode, "A science fiction fan!"
So, I asked him how he was enjoying the book. I noted that I'd read both Ancillary Justice and Ancillary Sword. He thought the book was okay. I confessed that I found the gendering thing a bit distancing, like I never really connected to the characters because I couldn't imagine them, physically, in my head. We bonded over this. He said he'd been recommended the book by Greg at Dreamhaven. "Ah," I smiled, "So you're one of my people. Do you go to science fiction conventions?"
He blinked. "I didn't even know there WERE conventions"
Oh, my friend. I have Good News for you.
This reminds me of the fact that Naomi Kritzer and I have long *wished* there was some geek version of a 'chick track' that you could pull out and hand people like this. Seriously, it would say, "Geek! Have you heard the Good News!" and then go on to explain that you don't have to be alone (especially not in this town), Fandom is waiting to welcome you home. For all that it would mimic a religious track, it would be full of useful geek info, like a list of some of the conventions in town with websites, the bookstores, resources, etc.
I, of course, ended up telling him that I'm a science fiction writer and gave him my business card. Which reminds me, I have to put more in my wallet. Because, yes, I actually hand them out CONSTANTLY. (Too bad this only works to boost my local reputation. When I volunteered for WorldCON programming this year, I got the, 'uh, we're not sure who you are exactly and while you *might* be cool enough to be on paneling, we can't guarantee anything, but go ahead and fill out our survey anyway' version of the programming letter. Which is fine, actually, because last WorldCON I went to was Chicago, and I suffered a massive attack of impostor syndrome and didn't really have a good time. This WorldCON, I'm hoping to avoid all that by hanging out with my friends Eleanor and Naomi and generally just being a fan.)
Anyway, I just thought it was both a really funny exchange, and also REALLY TYPICAL of me.
---
*I'm actually starting to think I might be closing in on an ending to this story. If I do get to an end, I'm probably going to pull down copies of all the chapters and rework the thing into an e-book that I'll self-publish. Fingers crossed. It's going to be a lot of work, because a huge section in the middle kind of makes no sense and was entirely ramblely, but it'd be nice to have an e-book out there. I still occasionally hear from fans of Precinct 13, so that's cool.