Coming to Philadelphia
Posted on January 5, 2006 Posted by John Scalzi 15 Comments
Tremble, Philadelphia! For I am coming to you!
On January 26th, in fact, I will be doing an in-store event at Germ Books + Gallery (308 E. Girard, 215-423-5002) with Ron Hogan, whose rockin’ movie book The Stewardess is Flying the Plane! got a coveted starred review from Publishers Weekly (“In a few words or phrases about the plot or star, Hogan reveals quirky details on the making of the films… As coffee-table books go, this is one of the year’s most fun”). Ron’s written a book on films, I’ve written a book on films… what do you think we’ll be talking about at our appearance? If you said “Most likely, film in some fashion,” you’d be entirely correct. Good on ya.
Furthermore, most likely we will be specifically chatting about science fiction films in the 1970s — which as it happens was a particularly interesting time in science fiction film. The plan at the moment is to have the two of us blab at each other for a while and then open up the floor to questions, comments, and spontaneous dance routines from the audience. But you never do know. Hey, it’s a live appearance! Anything could happen. And both Ron and I are smartass know-it-alls, so I expect this to be fun. At the very least we’ll amuse ourselves.
Not counting being trapped at the airport for 12 hours, this will be my first visit to the City of Brotherly Love, so naturally, if you happen to be in the area, it’d be swell if you could drop by and say howdy. I do believe the event will occur around 7 or so; I’ll doublecheck with the Germ folks and give more specific time details the week of the event. But pencil in the date right now. Come on, what else are you doing on the 26th of January? Exactly. So you might as well come on down.
To give you an idea of what you’re in for, check out the Fox Movie Channel this weekend, when they’ll be showing both ZARDOZ and DAMNATION ALLEY!
Question: What do Steve Bainbridge, Ron Hogan, and Cherie Priest have in common?
If you said “They are superhuman freaks who can hear their name being whispered in a blog 1,024 IP addresses away,” you would be correct. (All three managed to be the first commentors on Whatever posts about themselves.)
K
Are you kidding? Speaking for myself, I have matrix of 10 separate blog searching software logarithms that let me know when someone’s writing about me almost even before they post. I wouldn’t be at all surprised that others do, too.
Aha! So that’s how you managed to parachute into a newsgroup when I mentioned I was having trouble reading Whatever in my browser. (Still am, by the way. Have to use a different browser to read it. What I won’t do for you!)
Philadelphia is ready for you! (I think.)
Considering that I haven’t yet made a JournalCon (figures that when I finally move here from Italy, they make the dates incompatible with an academic calendar), this may be my only opportunity to ever see you in person, after 8-ish years of reading the Whatever (and, once upon a time, those exciting days of Journal-L; ah, nostalgia!). So I will definitely be there. I may even manage to drag along my friend the film scholar, which will at least make one of us who (probably) will know what you’re both talking about.
You have blog searching logarithms? That’s what I call advanced math. These logarithms wouldn’t happen to have imaginary bases would they? ‘Cause that would rock.
Wow, you’ll be in Philly the same day as Neil Gaiman… what are the odds???
http://www.neilgaiman.com/journal/2006/01/mostly-books-and-beards.asp
I was born and raised in Philly, although I haven’t been back for a couple years.
Have a cheesesteak, John. Have an italian hoagie. And an oven grinder. And and and….
I miss the food I grew up on.
What time will you two be speaking?
Just for those of us who have to be at work that day…
I believe around 7 or so, although I’ll need to confirm. I’ll post times as soon as I have them.
two words: CHEESE STEAK
Dude… got dinner plans?
Chris: I would love to, but I don’t know my schedule yet, so I can’t say yes with confidence at the moment. Let’s take this into e-mail — drop me a line, please.
Be sure to check out the Mütter museum if you get a chance. It’s around 22nd and Market.
The Body Worlds exhibit is also in town, at the Franklin Institute, not far from the Mütter. If you want to make a macabre afternoon of it.
What role of the Internet in the modern world?
We shall talk about