A few updates on last weeks issue. "The Foxes," Toronto's newest monthly fannish meeting is actually held on the FIRST Thursday of the month (not the second as I mentioned last time). So the next meeting will be on 1 May 1997 at The Foxes Den, Bay Street, (South of Bloor, opposite Blockbuster video) in their private room towards the back. Just ask the barman. I'll be there from 7pm (after checking out the British election results) and everyone is more than welcome. The food is good, there is a good range of beer and the room is non-smoking and large enough for a big turn-out. Tell your friends.
DNQs to the max. In the past I've printed comments that weren't designed for publication. Nothing too bad, I'm glad to say, just surprising to the authors (and this isn't referring to you Lesley!) I welcome LOCs to TW but I also get a lot of other EMail so please, if you don't want your comments appearing below, make it plain on the EMail. I know a lot of people have already done that (thanks people) but just in case.
It's been a rough week. Suffering from the cold that will just not die. It is also my first week back at work, after two weeks off, and in this job you can't take sick days! Add tot hat a couple of double shifts this weekend and I'm really knackered. although I must say that picking up the long shifts is lots of fun and the money is really good, so I'm not complaining. Does cut into my social life somewhat, though. Sunday night is a leaving do for a person in work, so Monday's (2.25pm ET) live Arsenal match on TSN may be at home rather than the usual bar - though Wednesday will be Man Utd. getting stuffed by Borussia Dortmund - hopefully. So this is going out a bit earlier than usual and hopefully next time round I'll be in better form.
Andy Hooper has also been really nice about this letter substitute thing. But that is exactly what it is. I'm not looking for awards, major kudos or anything for this. It is just something I do - I like people telling me it's good - but I'd be doing it anyway, even if no-one was reading. It is part communication, part therapy and mostly just me. No other claims are being made.
Enough already. What, you still haven't signed up for the Toronto in '03 Worldcon Bid? Check out he site:
From:Steve Brewster
<Steve.Brewster@Bristol.ac.uk>
"Thanks for TW 11... Dreams. At the moment, I seem to be having
interesting dreams almost every night. Possibly this is because I've been
thinking rather deeply about certain aspects of my life recently, and my
subconscious is trying to put its own spin on these matters. Or possibly
it's just
the drink. (=Interesting combination. I must say, I
never tried it myself. Like, right, Tommy...=)
I've been rather lucky when it comes to violence: except for schoolyard scuffles (which died out when I was about 13) I've never come into close contact with violence - which is just as well, really, 'cos I'm soft as shit. Maybe my long hair, glasses, beard and general tall weedy looks mark me out as a non-combatant; but for all the drunken rowdiness I've seen in central Bristol over the past 3 year's worth of pub-closing-times, I could probably count on one hand the genuine fights I've witnessed."
[As a kind of codicil to the Catholic thing: I briefly visited a local hospital a few months ago for some quick tests (as an outpatient), and was asked whether the hospital's information on me was correct - Name: Steve Brewster, Date of Birth, blah, Address and Phone Number, blah, etc. Then the nurse behind the reception desk caught me out with an unexpected one: What's Your Religion? (Presumably in case the supposedly routine tests go Horribly Wrong.) I did the only thing that a youngish lapsed Catholic can do in such circumstances - namely pause, say 'err, none, I suppose, really,' and then feel extremely guilty for the rest of the afternoon.]
From:
Jerry Kaufman "We can read
TommyWorld just fine. We open it in Word. Then our jaws drop. I'm amazed
at the whole scene, from the guy with the gun to your cinematic response.
I shouldn't be totally amazed, since a guy with a gun showed up at a
Vanguard party years ago, and caused quite a commotion. In his case,
the
gun didn't get fired, though I heard it was shown off. (I didn't see it
myself.)
As for your response, my feeling was that it was like something out of a movie, with you as Bruce Willis or maybe Liam Neeson (if you'd prefer an Irish cool character). Maybe your response was rooted in your background; maybe it grew right out of your character. But from this end, it felt like a (highly satisfying) movie version of The Comeuppance. It also seemed cruel, but fair. I hope there isn't any weird or violent aftermath." (=In Jerry's defence, he quickly realised that it was fiction but I thought his response was interesting nonetheless. Yeah, it was highly cinematic and the character wouldn't be someone like Bruce Willis - more Christopher Walken or James Woods. Weird, eh?=)
From:"Nigel E. Richardson" <nigel@impolex.demon.co.uk> "Everyone is pretty much bored with the election and there's still 16 days to go. It'll be a Major Out not Blair In victory, as you won't need me to tell you. But it is fun to see the Sun trying to be Blairite. And the Telegraph has gone totally insane. A shame their online version doesn't carry Paul Johnson's lunatic piece from last Saturday about how a vote for "anti-sleeze candidate", Martin Bell (ex BBC war correspondent, you remember) is a vote for Rupert Murdoch and Michael Grade, "Channel Four's Pornographer In Chief". Quiet deliciously gaga. Meanwhile, I'm starting to put together the Corflu 98 webpage.... (nigel e. richardson's stuff, including COUNTDOWN TO THE BIG 40 is now available, via Iceland, at: http://this.is/grinder)"
From:Damian Kearney
<sgha105@sghms.ac.uk>
"TW7: I know what you mean about the patronising air some people
have when they meet an actual Irish person. I don't understand why, but
English people insist on telling me Irish jokes and can't appreciate it
when I don't laugh. TW9: Sorry to hear that Nyree's wedding is effecting
you so much. You are building a new life now, and have to move on. The
past can haunt in other ways besides dreams. Whatever you do, don't get
too homesick and move back; it will just
take time to adjust to Canada.
TW10: Nice piece of writing. Pity you didn't say in the article that
it was a dream. When you went over to the would-be-gunman and highlighted
that guns are deadly weapons, I just went, "Naw, that's not Tommy, there
would need to be a quick exit to the dry cleaners if it was." TW11: "Grade
school", what the hell is "Grade school". I think you are becoming too
acclimatised - remember Tommy it is "Norn Iron", "craic", "waines", "Veda"
etc. Keep telling yourself "I am an Irish man, I am an Irish man". BTW
how
difficult is it to get a good bottle of the ole Bushmills there? It is
great to hear from you, keep them coming. (=Yep, in
real life I would first have all dived to the ground, then found some
cover and finally made for the exit. Somehow though that doesn't seem to
go down so well as "highly dramatic cinematic experience." I still find
myself scanning people coming into bars and restaurants though, seeing if
there is potential trouble there or not. I have to make a least an effort
to fit in here! A taxi man the other night said that I was losing my
accent - although he thought I'd been here for YEARS. Bushmills is WAY too
easy to get...=)
From:Jada D. Wood"
<gldiloks@theschool.com>
"Hello. My name is Jada, and I got your e-mail address from the
Peace Book on the net. I am trying to gather some information about the
IRA. I would love to hear from you, if you are interested in talking
about the IRA. Please contact me. Thanks." (=Don't
get me wrong here, but I have a sneaking suspicion that this may, and I
use the word sincerely, may not be an entirely honest email. Perhaps Mark
or Damian may be able to help me here?=)