Another Item Checked-off the Pre-Con To-Do List

I finally got around to buying my Aurora Awards Banquet ticket tonight. Although a small part of me wants to grumble about having to pay another $40 on top of what I've already shelled out in WorldCon membership fees, airline tickets, hotel costs, etc, I have to ultimately shrug and look at it in terms of "well, I've already shelled out how many bucks on con membership, airline tickets, hotel costs, etc - what's another 40 bones on top of that?" Besides, they've gotta pay for the shindig and the awards somehow, and I don't begrudge the organizers selling tickets to do that. Going to the banquet a couple of years ago when VCon hosted it in Richmond (okay, that year it was a lunch, not a supper banquet) was a nice opportunity to meet some good folks from different parts of the country. And hey, with all of my carry-on of boosting Canadian SF, I can't very well miss our national awards ceremony when I'm already flying half way across the country to be at the con, can I?

Now, if only the con organizers would get around to releasing the programming schedule so I can figure out how I'm gonna spend the rest of my time there. I want to see if I'll have a few windows to slip away from the con and do a little touring - and eating! - around Montreal.

Anyhow, next item on the pre-con checklist: head on over to White Dwarf Books to pick up some business cards or brochures to drop off at whatever table the con sets aside for promotional stuff. Sure, White Dwarf is a long, long way from La Belle Province, but there's always a chance someone looking at the table will be heading west at some point, and if I can help steer a little geek traffic towards my friends at the store, it's the least I can do to thank them for all of their hospitality.

After that, I think it's just a matter of waiting until my flight out on the 5th.

I'm starting to look forward to this geeky getaway.