Category: WWdN in Exile

For a couple of months, I’ve been making plans to return to the Tulsa Trek Expo as part of the 2008 Geektour.

I know there are a number of people who have been planning to come to the show because I’m on the guest list, and I know I’m going to disappoint a lot of people, but I’ve had to cancel my trip to the con.

I’m not going to go into details, because it’s awfully personal and none of anyone’s business, but I hope anyone who’s upset will try to understand and accept it when I say, "It’s personal, it’s family, and that’s all I’m prepared to say publicly about it."

I’ve already talked with the convention’s mysterious overlords, and we’re making plans to have me come out for the 2009 convention. In fact, Anne and I are already planning to make another road trip out of it.

I feel truly awful about this, and I’m incredibly sorry. I know that it’s going to be a great con, and I’ll definitely be there next year.

I just found out that Bob Justman died over the weekend.

Bob was a producer on the original Star Trek, and one of the few people Gene trusted enough to bring along with him when he began putting TNG together. When I talk about the things that make Star Trek what it is, that set it apart from other science fiction on television, I’m usually talking about something that was directly created or heavily influenced by Bob. His contributions to this thing we all love so much are difficult to overstate.

The Star Trek family had a rough May: Alexander Courage and Joseph Pevney both passed away last month, and while the fan in me felt compelled to honor and remember their contributions, the passing of Bob Justman feels like a tangible, personal loss, because I knew him, and I really liked him. Bob didn’t treat me like a clueless teenager who had no idea what the
hell he was doing, even if that’s exactly who I was when we worked
together.

I can close my eyes right now and see him standing just outside the set lights on stage six, gesturing excitedly at the bridge while our crew set up a shot. I can hear him tell me, "Good job, kid," after a particularly grueling day on Planet Hell. I can see him walking around the set with Gene during our first season, discussing — sometimes heatedly — how to make the show better. Bob really cared about Star Trek, and fully understood and appreciated what Star Trek meant to the people who watched it. If you’re one of those people, take a moment today to remember him; he was one of the Good Guys.

My episode of Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show won’t be "officially" released until tomorrow, but thanks to my extensive contacts in the seedy and delicious underbelly of the Internets, I’ve secured access to the episode a full 24 hours early.

I did some interviews to support this episode, including one with Monsters & Critics that’s pretty awesome. As soon as I get links to the other ones, I’ll update. Because, uh, you know, everyone really wants to read a bunch of interviews that I did.

Ahem.

Oh! I have a bet with Greg and Kim that we can make the YouTube "most viewed" page before Friday night. I looked at my stats and saw that there’s a little over a million people (holyshitomg) reading my lame blog . . . i can haz most views?

Elizabeth Bear’s doing a series of posts where she shares things she overheard
at WisCon. They’re all pretty awesome, but this one is TOTALLY FUCKING
AWESOME:

12.) R’lyehan tourist phrasebook:

Help. I am being devoured by your octopus.

My species does not breathe water.

No thank you. I do not wish a fungus.

I’m sorry, no. I have claustrophobia.

You seem to have a frog in your throat.
You seem to have a frog in your soup.
You seem to have a frog in your pants.

Would you like a lemon drop?

(from Overheard at WisCon)

Take a moment today to remember the people who have given their lives in the service of their country.

(Photo from flickr user jdcdc. Used under Creative Commons license.)