Writers With Drinks
Ended up dozing for much of yesterday afternoon, alas—which would've been fine if I'd actually been getting restful sleep, but I wasn't.
Anyway, in the late afternoon I finally got up and got dressed and headed up to SF to attend this month's Writers With Drinks. Drove to Millbrae, parked, took BART the rest of the way.
Had a slice of pizza across the street, then ran into Annalee and Charlie Jane outside the Make-Out Room (that's the venue where the event is held). Sat with Annalee et alia for the first half of the show.
As usual, Charlie had arranged a fascinating mix of spoken-word performance: stand-up comedy, poetry, nonfiction, and fiction. (Okay, when I say “As usual” I have to confess that I've attended only once before. But the reviews always talk about the mix of different kinds and genres of material.) As usual, Charlie's fabulous intros and other bits between performances were a tough act to follow. Among other things, she explained to us that, now that the Singularity had happened, we would find ourselves in relationships with uplifted flying squirrels. It went on from there.
My other favorite part of the show was, as expected, Alice Sola Kim's reading, from a story-in-progress. Good stuff.
After the show, I chatted for a bit with a newish friend who I hadn't expected to be there, then followed Charlie and Annalee and Alice and Ryan and Anthony and others to Frjtes, where I had big french fries with chili-infused ketchup, and there were fun conversations and discussions of sf and pop culture, and so on.
And thence eventually wended my way homeward.
A fun evening, although it reminded me that I'm not good at loud environments; hard to hear people talk in a crowded bar or restaurant. Still: fun, and good to see people.
Next month's Writers With Drinks will be a benefit/fundraiser for Strange Horizons in celebration of our tenth anniversary. Readers/performers will include Brandon Sanderson, Bonnie Burton, Kirsten Imani, and Shailja Patel. Saturday, September 11, at the Make-Out Room in San Francisco; doors open at 7 p.m. If they have the usual door pricing, as I'm guessing they will, it'll be $5-$10 sliding scale.
(Unfortunately, I gather that's the same night as that month's SF in SF. Sorry about that.)
Any local folks who can make it, I hope to see you there!