Category Archives: Momentary Taste of WisCon Newsletter

WisCon 41 at-con newsletter — A Momentary Taste of WisCon, Monday edition

Last day of the con, last newsletter of the con.  ?????

Please don’t forget to turn in your plastic badge holder at the Registration desk.  While you’re there grab one of our Souvenir Books!  Enjoy a day of relaxing in Madison if you’re staying today, and safe travels if you’re leaving.

We all had a great time this weekend, and we can’t wait to see you again in a year.  Hope you can join us!

WisCon 42 — May 25-28, 2018

We are overjoyed to announce that our Guests of Honor for WisCon 42 are Saladin Ahmed and Tananarive Due!  Want to join us?  Memberships and hotel reservations are open!

Saladin Ahmed
Saladin Ahmed (Photo by Al Bogdan).

Tananarive Due
Tananarive Due.

Keep in touch after WisCon

We’ll miss you, too!!!  Please keep in touch!  Sign up for our email newsletter (eCube), or follow us on social media.

Registration / Lost & Found

Have one last question?  Want to register for WisCon 42?  Lost something over the weekend and hope someone turned it in?  The Registration desk is open until 1:30pm.

LAST CALL!

You still have a few more hours to visit the Art Show, Dealers’ Room, and the Con Suite.  And get your drabbles in to the Drabble Challenge!

  • Art Show:  10am – 12pm
  • Dealers’ Room:  10am – 2pm
  • Con Suite:  Closes at 1pm
  • Drabble Challenge:  Closes at 4pm

Today’s big events

SignOut

  • 11:30am – 12:45pm
  • Capitol/Wisconsin

Come to the SignOut, a signing party and WisCon farewell rolled into one! Writers and those who love them will gather together to sign and get signatures, to thank and praise and schmooze one last time before we fly away for another year.

Authors at the SignOut this year are:  Becky Allen, Charlie Jane Anders, Paul Dale Anderson, Eleanor A. Arnason, Robyn Bennis, Lee Blauersouth, Ty Blauersouth, K. Tempest Bradford, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Moondancer Drake, Timmi Duchamp, Amal El-Mohtar, Ruthanna Emrys, Alexandra Erin, Michael Thomas Ford, Andrea D. Hairston, Naomi Kritzer, David D. Levine, Nancy Jane Moore, Sunny Moraine, Pat Murphy, Anne M. Pillsworth, Beth Plutchak, Kiini Ibura Salaam, Cath Schaff-Stump , Nisi Shawl, Jan Suzukawa, Sheree Renée Thomas, Amy Thomson, Nancy Vedder-Shults, Cynthia Ward

Fond Farewell Party

  • 8pm – 12am
  • Room 629

If you’re still here on Monday night, come join others who are still here for a Fond Farewell party. We’ll have munchies, beverages, and good conversation. It’s the last party for WisCon 2017! It’ll begin at 8 PM and run until the last fan falls over.

Volunteer needs

Monday

SignOut:  Still needs volunteers to help with set-up and during the event.  Contact volunteers@wiscon.net.

Art Show:  Desperately needs help packing up the art of the 8 artists who mailed their work into the show.  Also needs help for breaking down displays during tear-down. Stop by the show in Senate (1st floor) to sign up.

Tear-down:  MANY departments will need help to tear down after the convention.  Stop by the volunteer board (2nd floor, next to Registration desk) to see where you can help!

More details on volunteering in the section at the bottom, or email volunteers@wiscon.net.

The once & future WisCon

How can WisCon improve?  What programming would you like to see next year?  Who would make a great Guest of Honor for WisCon 43?  Please check out this blog post and help us continue to build a great WisCon.

Need to contact Safety?

Reminder:  Our Code of Conduct

  • email:  safety@wiscon.net
  • phone:  608-957-7233 (957-SAFE)
  • reporting form: wiscon.net/report

Or look for one of our on-call Safety volunteers. They’re wearing bright yellow/green high-visibility vests.

WisCon 41 at-con newsletter — A Momentary Taste of WisCon, Sunday edition

It’s Sunday!  Which means the Dessert Salon and Guest of Honor speeches are tonight — CAN’T WAIT!!

Sunday’s also a great time to slow down for a minute, catch your breath, and make sure you’ve eaten recently.  And, oh, hey, have you taken your meds?  I almost missed mine this morning until a friend reminded me.

By the 3rd day of the convention we also have a fairly HUGE newsletter for you, so find a comfy chair and put your feet up for this one!

Amal El-Mohtar — Schedule changes

Amal will be doing her honey-tasting at 1–2:29pm today in room 627.

Unfortunately, she’s had to withdraw from her other appearances today in order to rest her voice for the Guest of Honor speeches tonight.

Register now for WisCon 42!

Start planning your 2018 trip to WisCon now — memberships and hotel reservations are available today!!  WisCon 42 will take place Memorial Day weekend — May 25-28.  Full details on membership costs and next year’s room rates are in this blog post.  Adult memberships for WisCon 42 reflect a small price increase to $55 (all other memberships remain the same).

Toilets for all

We’ve had some questions about our arrangements for all-gender toilet — because it really seems like WisCon should just have all-gender toilets everywhere, right?  We agree!  But unfortunately, that’s not possible for the time being.  At this time the hotel cannot accommodate this need; the issue remains open. In the meantime, WisCon wishes to be very clear that we support all people’s right to use the restroom they consider appropriate.

We have all-gender toilets in two locations:

  • In Conference 1, on the 2nd Floor  (Yes, this is an awkward location.)
  • On the 6th Floor, between rooms 627 and 629

And, of course, all women are welcome to use the women’s restrooms.  All men are welcome in the men’s restrooms.

Questioning anyone’s right to use a restroom based upon a perceived mismatch between their gender and who a restroom is “for” is a violation of WisCon’s Code of Conduct.  If you feel unsafe or harassed, our Safety Team is here to assist you.

  • email:  safety@wiscon.net
  • phone:  608-957-7233 (957-SAFE)
  • reporting form: wiscon.net/report

Or look for one of our on-call Safety volunteers. They’re wearing bright yellow/green high-visibility vests.

Magic the Gathering tournament

  • Sunday, 4-5:15pm
  • Room 606

Formerly the Teen Programming Magic the Gathering tournament, the tournament is now open to all WisCon attendees.  THERE WILL BE PRIZES.  Tap your mana, shoot with your dragon — BOOM! — victory.

Film project; Researcher

At WisCon this year we have two folks working on projects who have asked for our help connecting with people.

Clara Pacotte — Film project

You may see Clara filming during WisCon.  She’s familiar with and has agreed to our photo policy; if you need to ask her to stop filming you, of  course do so.

Here’s what Clara has to say about her project:

The project is a splitted interactive “movie”. It is composed of four videos parts and textual, audio and visual documentation.
In each short documentary that will constitute the movie’s poles, I will explore one of the following themes:

  • Genre and sexuality in science fiction : interviews of guest writers about genre questionning in sci-fi, social alternatives and women’ status
  • Testimonies for the future : members of the Wiscon tell how they imagine women in 2070
  • From the 70s to the present day : the link between Wiscon’s original history and its current situation, focus on Wiscon as a community as well as a concentration of ideas
  • Fictionalized Madison : this part present several sequence-shots of Madison from different transportation means, mute and surrounded by voice recordings of Wiscon members telling their favourite part of their favourite science fiction story.

I need your participation to make this project exist. To be interviewed or give an audio or textual testimony, you can contact me at clarapacotte@gmail.com (in french, english or spanish). This way, we can already get in touch as I begin to plan the filming.

I’m available for any question and will be glad to give you more details if you send me an email.

Joey DiZoglio — Researcher

Joey DiZoglio is a student from Brown University’s Medical School researching women and non-binary health care providers who write speculative fiction. He will be in attendance at WisCon. If you identify as this kind of author or want to meet him or suggest authors you read or know then contact him at joseph_dizoglio@brown.edu or on Twitter @JoeyDiZoglio.

Workshops — Clarification on how to join them

We’ve caused some confusion about how our Workshops operate, and we are deeply sorry about it. To clarify:

The WisCon Workshops are sign-up in advance. This was not made clear in the program; we apologize for the oversight. Many of the WisCon Workshops are full and unfortunately cannot take drop-ins. Some can! Email workshop@wiscon.net to ask! This was something we missed when Workshops expanded from Friday-morning-only format. Again, our apologies! We are already fixing it for WisCon 42.

Volunteer needs

Sunday

Safety:  Needs volunteers for shifts throughout the convention.  Training provided!  Contact safety@wiscon.net.

Con Suite:  Openings today until 8pm.  Stop by and ask the person with the orange apron for shift openings.  Everyone visits the Con Suite at some point — this is a great way to see people you may miss otherwise!

Art Show:  Needs a volunteer for the 5-6pm shift today.  Stop by the show in Senate (1st floor) to sign up.

Monday

SignOut:  Still needs volunteers to help with set-up and during the event.  Contact volunteers@wiscon.net.

Art Show:  Desperately needs help packing up the art of the 8 artists who mailed their work into the show.  Also needs help for breaking down displays during tear-down. Stop by the show in Senate (1st floor) to sign up.

Tear-down:  MANY departments will need help to tear down after the convention.  Stop by the volunteer board (2nd floor, next to Registration desk) to see where you can help!

More details on volunteering in the section at the bottom, or email volunteers@wiscon.net.

Lost & found

The Registration desk (2nd floor) has the following items in Lost & Found:

  • orange bag with white paint on the side
  • jumbo Hefty™ zipper bag containing a lot of brown fabric (sweater? shawl?)
  • black zipper hoodie with roller derby team logo
  • gray T with long navy sleeves
  • black sweater
  • stripey-grey Mossimo hoodie
  • red composition book
  • ball of multicolored yarn in the blue-purple range, with attached crochet project
  • ball of multicolored (rainbow) string
  • small dolphin pendant
  • two magnetic “pin” backs

If you’ve lost any of these items, please come and retrieve them from Registration.

We also found a con badge.  Ask at the hotel front desk.

Today’s big events

Dessert Salon

  • 7:30-8:30pm
  • Capitol/Wisconsin

What’s a little decadent, a little laid back, and full of great conversation? Our Dessert Salon! Every year, right before the Guest of Honor speeches, WisCon members (who have purchased a salon ticket) enjoy delights crafted by the Concourse’s pastry chef, up to two desserts per ticket-holder.  You can peruse the selection of desserts to find one that suits your particular dietary needs on this blog post.

Guest of Honor Speeches
& Tiptree Ceremony

  • 8:30-9:45pm
  • Capitol/Wisconsin

The Guest of Honor event is the high point of the WisCon weekend.  This is when we celebrate and honor our guests, and our guests honor us with a speech, a song, or whatever they wish.  At the end of the evening, we’ll announce our Guests of Honor for WisCon 42.

Gaming

Open Gaming Space will be open 8pm – 12am in the second floor lobby in front of the Dealers’ Room doors. We will teach and play a variety of modern games open to casual drop-in players. Most games will be suitable in theme and content for players of a variety of ages from children on up. New players are welcome and encouraged to join us! This year, we are excited to share new additions of Braille-marked accessibility kits to our collection, for the popular Pandemic and 7 Wonders board games, as well as a Braille RPG dice set that can be loaned out for scheduled (or impromptu) role-playing games.  We welcome you to bring games to share with fellow attendees, or to choose a game from our collection to play.

Today’s Open Writing Salon

  • Sunday, 8-10pm — With drive-by drabbling!

Looking for a quiet place to get some words on the page? Join us every morning and evening from Friday night to Sunday night for an opportunity to share space with other writers. The full weekend schedule is in this blog post.

Weekend drabble  challenge!

For the WisCon FanFic Drabble Challenge, we’ll be accepting works that are 100-250 words long, from any fandom. These will be collected and included in a collection on the Archive of Our Own. The challenge is open from Saturday at 12pm through close of con on Monday at 4pm.  This post has all the details!

Today’s Con Suite menus

This blog post has the full list of menus for the weekend.

Sunday dinner (3-5pm)

  • Ian’s Pizza

CART / live-captioning service available

WisCon is proud to offer live-captioning services — available all weekend long, at request, for (almost) any panel.  We always offer the service for Opening Ceremonies, the Tiptree Auction, and the Sunday night Guest of Honor Speeches.  But would you like to have CART for a panel you’re going to attend?  Our CART providers will be hanging out in the Green Room (2nd floor) all weekend long.  Check with a Green Room volunteer to see if the CART provider is available.  Or you can email access@wiscon.net!  Want to follow our CART captioning on your own device?  The URL is: bit.ly/wiscontext

Location typo in the Pocket Program Book

Our printed Pocket Program Book has a typo for the location of the Safer Space for People with Disabilities.  It’s in room 625.

The once & future WisCon

How can WisCon improve?  What programming would you like to see next year?  Who would make a great Guest of Honor for WisCon 43?  Please check out this blog post and help us continue to build a great WisCon.

 Got an hour or two to volunteer? #WisConGiveBack

What makes WisCon go are the volunteers. Have a free hour or two? Would you like to help out and earn a rebate on your membership?  If you’re up for volunteering, please email us!  volunteers@wiscon.net

  1. Current urgent needs are posted on a white board next to the Registration desk on the 2nd floor.
  2. We always have a strong need for folks who can help out in the Con Suite.
  3. We also have a regular need for volunteers at Registration Desk and the Art Show desk.
  4. Other specific needs are added as needed to the blog’s volunteers tag.

Need to contact Safety?

Reminder:  Our Code of Conduct

  • email:  safety@wiscon.net
  • phone:  608-957-7233 (957-SAFE)
  • reporting form: wiscon.net/report

Or look for one of our on-call Safety volunteers. They’re wearing bright yellow/green high-visibility vests.

WisCon social media

WisCon 41 at-con newsletter — A Momentary Taste of WisCon, Saturday edition

HOW IS IT SATURDAY ALREADY???  But don’t worry, WisCon’s not even half over yet.  Today we have the Bake Sale, a Magic the Gathering Tournament, and the Tiptree Auction.  Plus, y’know, tons of panels and readings and parties and … and … and ….

Don’t forget we have a Quiet Place if you need a break!

And if you need a snack, please stop by the Con Suite!  It’s for anyone who needs it — whether to make your con more affordable or because your blood sugar is dropping or just because you’re getting hangry between panels!

Saturday’s top volunteer needs

  • Con Suite needs a ServSafe certified volunteer 3-4pm today.  Stop by the Con Suite (room 638).
  • Art Show has hour-long shifts available all afternoon.  Stop by the Senate rooms on the 1st floor.
  • The Bake Sale needs help with sales.  Stop room 627.

More details on volunteering in the section at the bottom, or email volunteers@wiscon.net.

CART / live-captioning service available

WisCon is proud to offer live-captioning services — available all weekend long, at request, for (almost) any panel.  We always offer the service for Opening Ceremonies, the Tiptree Auction, and the Sunday night Guest of Honor Speeches.  But would you like to have CART for a panel you’re going to attend?  Our CART providers will be hanging out in the Green Room (2nd floor) all weekend long.  Check with a Green Room volunteer to see if the CART provider is available.  Or you can email access@wiscon.net!

Moderator needed

We’re looking for a moderator for the “My Voices, Your Voices, #ownvoices” panel on Sunday at 10am.  Unfortunately, the scheduled moderator wasn’t able to make it to WisCon this year.  If you can step in, please contact the Green Room on the 2nd floor!

How do I join the WisCon organizing committee, and what even IS that???

  • 4pm Saturday
  • Room 605

WisCon is run entirely by volunteers, but who are these attractive people and what the heck do they do?  Please join us for some spontaneous programming where we’ll demystify these and other questions!

Location typo in the Pocket Program Book

Our printed Pocket Program Book has a typo for the location of the Safer Space for People with Disabilities.  It’s in room 625.

Swimming!

There will be a teen-and-up Open Swim with a lifeguards on duty both Saturday and Sunday 2:30-3:45pm.  Join us on the 3rd floor!

Posting your posters

Have a reading or party at WisCon that you want to advertise?  Want to get the word out about some Spontaneous Programming you’ve planned?  You can make a poster to hang around the convention space.  Flyers in the stairwells can be posted NOW (previously some folks had been told they had to wait until Sunday — we apologize for the confusing information).  You can also post your flyers and posters on the 2nd and 6th floors around the elevators but not IN them. Signs on the 1st floor can ONLY be posted on the bulletin board — except for things officially from WisCon Access.

Browsing & shopping

Today’s a great day to take a stroll through our Art Show and Dealers’ Room.  And don’t forget to cast your vote in the Art Show awards by 6pm tonight!

  • Art Show hours:  9:30am – 6pm
  • Dealers’ Room hours:  10am – 6pm

Today’s big events

Bake Sale for Tiptree

  • 11:15am – 5:15pm
  • Room 627

Every year, WisCon hosts a bake sale to support and raise money for the Tiptree Award.  A wide variety of cookies, breads, cakes, pies and delectables are baked and donated by Tiptree supporters.

Tiptree Auction

  • 7:30-9:15pm or so
  • Capitol/Wisconsin

Do feminists have a sense of humor? Come to the Tiptree Auction and find out! You might come away with a first edition signed by LeGuin, a glow-in-the-dark squid, a statue of Space Babe, or a book from Alice Sheldon’s library. It’s never the same show twice, and whatever happens, there are always lots of laughs, all for a good cause. Every bit of the money you spend is donated to the James Tiptree, Jr., Award.

Gaming

Want to sign up for tonight’s games?  Email gaming@wiscon.net.  For full descriptions of the games, check out this blog post.

Fizzbin

  • Card Game
  • Saturday, 10pm-12am

The Last Seder

  • LARP
  • Saturday, 8pm-12am
  • Room 629

We are sad to announce that Saturday’s “Dr. Seuss” board game has been cancelled.  🙁

Today’s Open Writing Salon

  • Saturday, 8-10pm — With drive-by drabbling!

Looking for a quiet place to get some words on the page? Join us every morning and evening from Friday night to Sunday night for an opportunity to share space with other writers. The full weekend schedule is in this blog post.

Weekend drabble  challenge!

For the WisCon FanFic Drabble Challenge, we’ll be accepting works that are 100-250 words long, from any fandom. These will be collected and included in a collection on the Archive of Our Own. The challenge is open from Saturday at 12pm through close of con on Monday at 4pm.  This post has all the details!

The once & future WisCon

How can WisCon improve?  What programming would you like to see next year?  Who would make a great Guest of Honor for WisCon 43?  Please check out this blog post and help us continue to build a great WisCon.

Today’s Con Suite menus

This blog post has the full list of menus for the weekend.

Saturday lunch (11:30am-1:30pm)

  • Potato salad (vegetarian, GF)
  • Three bean salad (vegan & GF)
  • Carrot slaw (vegan & GF)
  • Jerk tofu (vegan, GF)
  • Sandwich platters
  • Sandwich bread (including GF bread)
  • Cheese slices
  • Sunbutter (nut free)
  • Peanut butter
  • Jams & jellies

Saturday dinner (5:30-7:30pm)

  • Chili night (beef & vegan)
  • Maple roasted vegetables (vegan & GF)
  • Rice

Got an hour or two to volunteer? #WisConGiveBack

What makes WisCon go are the volunteers. Have a free hour or two? Would you like to help out and earn a rebate on your membership?  If you’re up for volunteering, please email us!  volunteers@wiscon.net

  1. Current urgent needs are posted on a white board next to the Registration desk on the 2nd floor.
  2. We always have a strong need for folks who can help out in the Con Suite.
  3. We also have a regular need for volunteers at Registration Desk and the Art Show desk.
  4. Other specific needs are added as needed to the blog’s volunteers tag.

Need to contact Safety?

Reminder:  Our Code of Conduct

  • email:  safety@wiscon.net
  • phone:  608-957-7233 (957-SAFE)
  • reporting form: wiscon.net/report

Or look for one of our on-call Safety volunteers. They’re wearing bright yellow/green high-visibility vests.

WisCon social media

WisCon 41 at-con newsletter — A Momentary Taste of WisCon, Friday edition

IT’S WISCON!!

This is it.  It all starts today.  Do you have your Pocket Program Book (pick up a paper copy at Registration or W41_PPB-web)?  Or the WisSched app on your smart thing?  (Or both, who are we to judge?)  Have you started to get the lay of the land?  Con Suite’s on 6; Art Show‘s on 1; Registration/Info Desk is on 2.

Don’t forget to get some sleep.  Eat a meal or 2 (or 3!).  Have some fun!  And, by all means, let’s get started planning that revolution, comrades.

Today’s big events

The Gathering

  • 1- 3:45pm
  • Capitol/Wisconsin (2nd floor)

The Gathering is the official start to WisCon — every year on Friday at 1pm sharp!  This is the time and place to decompress from the rigors of travel, meet friends old and new, make the transition to WisCon space-time, and get into the WisCon frame of mind!

What’s happening at the Gathering this year?  This blog post will give you fuller details, but here’s a quick list:

  • Icebreaker Scavenger Hunt
  • Clothing Swap
  • Nail Polish Swap
  • the Fiber Circle
  • Gadget and Device Petting Zoo
  • Fancy Hair Braiding
  • an E-Textiles Activity
  • Tabletop Games
  • Lock Picking
  • Tiptree Auction Preview

First WisCon Dinner

  • 5:30-7:30 PM
  • Outside the Wisconsin Ballroom (2nd floor)

Is this your first WisCon? Or are you a long-time WisCon attendee? Either way, you are invited to meet up as a group right after the end of the first panels (5:15 pm) outside the doors of the Wisconsin ballroom. After meeting, we’ll all head over to a local restaurant. You will be responsible for the price of your meal and for providing the sparkling wit during the meal. For those of you coming to WisCon for the first time, this is a great way to meet and get to know others that share your passion for feminist science fiction and fantasy. And if this isn’t your first WisCon, please join us as well—it’s a great way to meet even more new friends and besides, the first-timers will be looking to you for advice!

Art Show

Opening Reception

  • 6-7:30pm
  • Senate (1st floor)
Come to the Wiscon Art Show and meet the artists. Ask about their work, hear about their process.

Awards

Stop by the WisCon Art Show and vote for your favorite art and artists! Voting will open at 6pm on Friday, beginning during Meet the Artists, and will remain open until the Art Show closes at 6pm Saturday evening. This year’s categories are:

  • Best in Show (You’ll have the option to nominate an individual best piece as well as picking an artist.)
  • Best 2D Art
  • Best 3D Art, Non-Wearable
  • Best Wearable Art

Opening Ceremonies

  • 7:30-8:30pm
  • Capitol/Wisconsin (2nd floor)

WisCon welcomes everyone and officially begins the weekend of programming. Guests of Honor are introduced, the Tiptree winner is crowned, and there’s usually some form of entertainment. This is also the time for last-minute announcements and an explanation of some of WisCon’s policies. This is a great event if it’s your first WisCon!

Gaming

Set-up help needed

We have Braille compatibility kits this year for Pandemic and 7 Wonders, but we need some help setting them up! In particular, we need someone who can read Braille to set them up. Please contact gaming@wiscon.net!

Sign up for tonight’s games!

Want to sign up for tonight’s games?  Drop by the Gathering (1-3:45pm in the ballroom on the 2nd floor) or email gaming@wiscon.net.  For full descriptions of the games, check out this blog post.

Support

  • RPG
  • Friday, 8pm-12am
  • Conference 3

Strange Gravity

  • LARP
  • Friday, 8pm-12am
  • Conference 4

Weekend drabble  challenge!

In the fanfic world, a “drabble” is a work of fic that is very short. More traditionally, “drabble” designates a work that is precisely 100 words long. The constraints of the form, and the challenge they bring, are what makes drabble-writing so fun!

For the WisCon FanFic Drabble Challenge, we’ll be accepting works that are 100-250 words long, from any fandom. Though, the challenge would be to create a work that’s exactly 100 words long — bonus points toward your No Prize if you can manage this!

These works will be included in a collection on the Archive of Our Own. The challenge opens on Saturday at noon — stay tuned for the details of the challenge and how to join in!

The once & future WisCon

WisCon 41

We know things just got started, but as your weekend wraps up please take a moment to fill out our surveys and let us know what you thought and how we can keep improving the convention!

WisCon 42

Did something just happen in a panel to spark a great idea for next year’s WisCon?  Yes, we are taking programming suggestions for WisCon 42 already!  Just complete this form on our website.  No login necessary, but if you do log into your WisCon account you’ll receive an email confirmation of your submission.

WisCon 43

Yes!  We are already planning WisCon for 2019!  First and foremost — who would you like to see as a Guest of Honor?  This blog post talks more about how to nominate someone (and what the process after that is like).  To nominate, just drop a short email to gohnoms@wiscon.net.

Today’s Con Suite menus

This blog post has the full list of menus for the weekend.

Friday dinner

  • Chicago style Italian beef on rolls (GF rolls available)
  • Spinach & potato curry (vegan, GF)
  • Creole roasted sweet potatoes (vegan, GF)
  • Gingered veggies (vegan, GF)
  • Rice

Got an hour or two to volunteer? #WisConGiveBack

What makes WisCon go are the volunteers. Have a free hour or two? Would you like to help out and earn a rebate on your membership?  If you’re up for volunteering, please email us!  volunteers@wiscon.net

  1. We always have a strong need for folks who can help out in the Con Suite.
  2. We also have a regular need for volunteers at Registration Desk and the Art Show desk.
  3. Other specific needs are added as needed to the blog’s volunteers tag.

Need to contact Safety?

Reminder:  Our Code of Conduct

  • email:  safety@wiscon.net
  • phone:  608-957-7233 (957-SAFE)
  • reporting form: wiscon.net/report

Or look for one of our on-call Safety volunteers. They’re wearing bright yellow/green high-visibility vests.

WisCon social media

WisCon 41 at-con newsletter — A Momentary Taste of WisCon, Thursday edition

Welcome to WisCon 41!  The weather is still looking a bit cool, but at least we’re out of the 50s!

This is the first edition of our at-con newsletter, A Momentary Taste of WisCon, where you’ll find short updates on a daily basis (more often if necessary!).  Momentary Taste will be posted here on our blog, which also feeds into the WisSched app under the “Announcements” section.

Enjoy your WisCon!

Where’s the Registration Desk??

For Thursday night only, the Registration Desk will be on the 2nd floor of the Concourse and slightly further down the hall then its usual space.  At the top of the grand staircase, turn left and you’ll find the desk just beyond the double doors.

On Friday morning it will return to its usual spot at the top of the grand staircase, and then remain there for the rest of the weekend.

hours:

  • Thursday 7-10pm (For pre-registration pick-up ONLY — No new sales just yet!)
  • Friday 8:30am – 8pm

Concourse info

Pool hours have been extended to 1am for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.

Check-out time on Sunday and Monday has been extended to 12pm.

Planning to catch a meal or two at the hotel over the weekend? The Concourse sells food discount cards! The card is $10 and can be purchased at the hotel front desk. The discount is good for 20% off at CIRC Restaurant, The Bar, and room service. (It is NOT valid at the hotel Starbucks.) And it’s reusable for the duration of the conference! Basically if you plan on spending more than $50 in total at the hotel this weekend, it’s worth it.

Today’s big event

Guest of Honor reception and reading at Room of One’s Own

The unofficial but traditional start to WisCon is with a Thursday night reception and Guest of Honor reading at Madison’s feminist bookstore, Room of One’s Own.

There reception starts at 6pm. Wine, cheese, and crackers are served. Our Guests of Honor, Amal El-Mohtar and Kelly Sue DeConnick, will each give a reading.

getting there:  Room of One’s Own is just off State Street at 315 W Gorham St, Madison, WI 53703. It’s about 3 or 4 blocks away walking.  Our Room of One’s Own Reception page has both a Google Map and a photo of the storefront.

This year we are proud to offer an accessible shuttle service between the Concourse Hotel and Room of One’s Own. The shuttle will run between 4:30 and 7:30pm.

Got an hour or two to volunteer? #WisConGiveBack

What makes WisCon go are the volunteers. Have a free hour or two? Would you like to help out and earn a rebate on your membership?  If you’re up for volunteering, please email us!  volunteers@wiscon.net

  1. We always have a strong need for folks who can help out in the Con Suite.
  2. We also have a regular need for volunteers at Registration Desk and the Art Show desk.
  3. Other specific needs are added as needed to the blog’s volunteers tag.

Need to contact Safety?

  • email:  safety@wiscon.net
  • phone:  608-957-7233 (957-SAFE)
  • reporting form: wiscon.net/report

Or look for one of our on-call Safety volunteers. They’re wearing bright yellow/green high-visibility vests.

WisCon social media

Errata for Sunday

134 Call Out Culture II: Follow-up to the Discussion Held at WisCon 38
Feminism and Other Social Change Movements • Senate A • Sunday, 10:00–11:15 am
Riley is no longer a panelist.

156 Triple the Strength, Triple the Power!
Reading • Conference 2 • Sunday, 1:00–2:15 pm
Laura Lis Scott was unable to attend WisCon.

163 Don’t You Think He Looks Tired: Strategies for de-Moffatting Doctor Who
Reading, Viewing, and Critiquing Science Fiction • Caucus • Sunday, 2:30–3:45 pm
Christopher Hatton has been added as a panelist.

166 Communities and Languages: A Dialogue Across Worlds
Feminism and Other Social Change Movements • Wisconsin • Sunday, 2:30–3:45 pm
Kimberley Long-Ewing is no longer a panelist.

172 Intersectional Body-Positivity
Power, Privilege, and Oppression • Conference 4 • Sunday, 2:30–3:45 pm
The Rotund is no longer a panelist.

173 Elim Garak’s Weird Cardassian Penis
Reading, Viewing, and Critiquing Science Fiction • Conference 5 • Sunday, 2:30–3:45 pm
Christopher Hatton is no longer a panelist.

179 Identity outside the United States
Power, Privilege, and Oppression • Senate A • Sunday, 4:00–5:15 pm
Ashok Banker was unable to attend WisCon.

186 Historical Vampires and Buzzfeed Monsters
Academic • Conference 3 • Sunday, 4:00–5:15 pm
Tassie Gniady was unable to attend WisCon.

What I do: Dessert Diva

(First in a one-part series.)
Okay, okay, so that’s not the actual title, but it’s a lot more fun than Dessert Salon Coordinator, don’t you think? Plus, it comes with a sash. Seriously.

So what does a Dessert Diva do?

It starts at the beginning of the year when I contact our hotel’s banquet coordinator and ask for a list of desserts and prices. They talk to the pastry chef and eventually I get a list of 25 or 26 options from which I choose 20. I make sure we have a variety of flavors and textures and I make sure that we have plenty of vegan, nut-free, and gluten-free items. Then I start crunching numbers. Did you know we order 822 individual desserts each year? (A secret: We order 7 dozen chocolate-covered strawberries.) I not only have to balance flavors, textures, and allergens but I have to make sure that we order the right amounts. I order a lot of chocolaty desserts and a few of each of the vegan offerings. I don’t want you to be disappointed and we don’t want a lot of one thing left over because I ordered too much. I also want to make sure that everyone feels like they have plenty to choose from, even those with the strictest diets.

Once I decide on amounts of things—including the coffee, tea, and milk—I put it all on a spreadsheet which tells me how much it will all cost. If that isn’t too heart-stopping, I send it back to the hotel and then I kick back and answer your questions about allergens—which are sent from me to the hotel banquet coordinator to the pastry chef to the hotel banquet coordinator and then back to me—until the night of the Dessert Salon when I dress up, make sure you don’t have any questions or concerns, and order more beverages if we run out before the speeches start. The number of desserts I make off with is a closely-guarded secret. (Six, okay? I tried six last year. Don’t judge me!)
Did you know I can hold a dessert or two for you if you have allergies and want to make sure you get something that you’ll be able to eat? That’s part of my job, too. I even have an email address: dessert@wiscon.net

After the con, I contact the hotel’s banquet coordinator again and they tell me which desserts were left over and which disappeared really fast so I have an idea for the next year of how to better balance the order. Voila! Job done!

How did you become the Dessert Diva?

Well, in this case, it was all about who I knew. I had a friend who wanted to take a break and I just happened to be ready to take on a little responsibility. But you don’t have to know someone to get in on the action! When we have volunteer opportunities we post them on our blog. You can also check our at-con volunteer board on the 2nd floor for at-con volunteer opportunities.

It’s a delicious job, but somebody’s got to do it!

Lighthearted Shorthand Sans Fail

Panelist Jeanne Mealy brings these highlights from the Lighthearted Shorthand Sans Fail panel:

“The moderator is laughing too hard to moderate.” said Sumana Harihareswara at one point, and Heidi Waterhouse says she won’t soon be getting over the “douche industrial complex.”

The alternatives to terms like “you guys,” that we perhaps unconsciously use all the time, were (and may still be) posted outside of Capitol A (on the second floor to the left of Registration).

Dessert Salon Bourse

by Lenore Jones

What do I do if my plans change at the last minute, and I suddenly want to go / can’t go to the dessert salon? Come by Reg if it’s before 4:30 to buy / sell your ticket. If it’s after that,  don’t despair! There will be a Dessert Salon Bourse as usual, for last-minute buys and sells of dessert tickets. The Bourse will open at 5:15 and close at 7:00, at the Reg Desk. No ticket buy-backs or sales after 7, so hurry on in if your plans change!

Tickets purchased at the bourse will be $20 each.

 

How did Where Is WisCon Going? go?

Doodle of panelists.The Where Is WisCon Going? panel on Saturday quickly opened the floor to audience members to ask questions and offer suggestions about the future of WisCon. Some excellent dialogue was exchange and really good ideas were offered and Mary Prince (whose work you can find in the Art Show, check it out!) doodled this picture of panelists Bronwyn Bjorkman, Sandy-sashafeather, and Jacquelyn Gill while we all enjoyed a session of Q & A. Not pictured, Kristin Livdahl and Shayla D (me!).

Art Show Highlights

While not, perhaps, actually art, Tahlia D.’s redesign of the art show layout is spacious and delightful. As a person with a visual impairment, I often feel like a bull in a china shop, so the wide aisles make me feel safe enough to actually stop and appreciate the art. Granted, I snuck in in the middle of the night… Regardless, it’s a space that feels spacious and lends itself to stopping and really appreciating the works of art being displayed and, as usual, they cover a wide range of media, subjects, and styles.
While voting ended last night for the “Best of…” awards, you can still vote with your pocketbooks and take some of this beautiful craftsmanship home with you.