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This isn't going to be very articulate because today's schedule got stomped on by spending 4 hours in a dentist's chair this morning. (Planned, but still not pleasant.) But then, the regular reader has probably already gotten the gist of it from my day-by-day postings.

I had a completely fabulous time at Worldcon in Spokane. I enjoyed all the programming I was on (and was quite happy with the turnout for my Kaffee Klatch and reading, though I'm sure a more well-known author might have considered the numbers disappointing). I had a chance to meet up with various online communities and organizations that I've been involved with: Making Light, File 770, the Escape Artists podcast group. I met in person for the first time with a startling number of people that I've made friends with on Twitter. (If I don't mention names, it's only from the sheer volume I'd need to list.) I had some unexpected and very pleasant encounters with people from my past (including one woman I last saw during our freshman year at U.C. Davis in 1977). I spend several sessions hanging out in the SFWA suite and actually felt like I belonged there. I had planned and enjoyable dinner company for every single dinner (and ad hoc & enjoyable company for most breakfasts). I budgeted my time and energy sufficiently so that I never felt overwhelmed or at loose ends. I sold seven copies of my books (and gave away two more) and that's not counting any e-books that may have been ordered.

And most of all, I felt supremely at home. A feeling that was lacking at some of the other conferences I've attended this year. It's an interesting commentary that I had far more in-depth, energetic, and insightful conversations about lesbian SFF among SFF fans than among lesbians. (And the experience has set me ruminating on yet another blogging project I'd like to tackle. But more on that later if the impulse holds once sanity has returned.) If this year's convention schedule has been the "test run" to see what I should focus on in the future, let's just say that as long as the vacation and travel budget holds up, Worldcon's going to be on my default schedule for the foreseeable future. (This is, if my memory is correct, my fifth or sixth Worldcon. Previous ones weren't necessarily as uniformly enjoyable, but I've been sharpening my toolset a lot since then.)

I missed a few connections -- people I hadn't realized were there or who I simply never bumped into. Pre-con organization and communication was key to the connections I did make. So it probably isn't too soon to start making mental lists for Kansas City next year and Helsinki in 2017. Oh, did I mention? I'm absolutely definitely going to be going to Helsinki in 2017. See you there!