Word reached me today; I am not at this point certain whether I misunderstood what was said before or whether financial circumstances have been reviewed since then, but Anonycon cannot afford to provide me with a place to stay, only free admission. I understand completely and have no bad feelings about this, only regrets–I know no one of whom I am aware in the Stamford, Connecticut area, so I will not be able to attend. I wish them the best. I don’t like to be among those who can’t attend a convention without some arrangements being made to pay for my room, but I lose money when I attempt to cover my own expenses, generally, and this business is tough enough without that kind of cost.

My big accomplishment of yesterday is a substantial improvement in the new Multiverser.org web site. I have probably doubled the number of dead links, thank you, by installing pages to fill all the dead links that already existed which in turn link to other non-existent pages. Still, there is now more information than there was, and I believe that any link on the entry page which you select will take you somewhere.

I also did a smattering of editing on the Romans notes, which I of course do whenever I can anticipate being stuck waiting somewhere. I finally got my mother-in-law to the bank with her social security check, two and a half hours on my part to get there, wait for her, take her to the drive-up window, return her home, and get home myself, primarily because she is uncomfortable if she does not take the check to the bank herself. As Arthur said of knights picking flowers, someone’s got to do it.

The weekend cometh, and I will have a day to attempt to catch up all things at home, but I do not yet know how that will go. Let me not get ahead of myself–I am not yet done with today.

–M. J. Young

I’ve been reprimanded concerning this blog. The reprimand and the explanation were both in writing, and not terribly clear. On the one hand, it seems that the powers that be object to me saying too much about company projects and progress, and on the other hand it is felt that there is too much personal information included. I have explained that the point of the blog is to let people know what progress is being made and the obstacles, personal and professional, that impede that progress, but apparently I do not exercise sufficient discretion in what I reveal. However, I have also been told that this is not a directive to discontinue the Blogless Lepolt, so as of today I’m feeling my way through what to say.

I will say that despite the many complications this weekend’s Ubercon IX feels, from this point, like the best con I’ve yet done. I ran more players in more games than I can remember, and it created a very positive buzz throughout the convention, as people were talking up the game. Even more encouraging, when events would happen in play which I thought wouldn’t sit well, or I was having trouble juggling so many players in so many worlds, those whom I thought would be uncomfortable spontaneously commented about how fun and exciting it was. Even better, I have what I am presently considering a tentative invitation to Anonycon in Stamford, Connecticut, the third weekend of December–someone I understand to be the principle organizer is eager to play (to continue his game) and have it run at his convention, to the point that I think he’s going to comp my room as well as my badge. I’m eager to do it. Oh, and I sold a fair number of books, too, which will make everyone happy.

In case you hadn’t noticed, before I left I posted the promised review of the book Evil Star. Don’t ask me why I put the time into it; I think it was because it kept nagging at me, so I figured if I got it finished and posted I would stop wondering whether to do it.

So I’m back to the usual Monday stuff, which I won’t detail lest it contain too much personal information or something. I’m too tired to think through it all anyway, so let me turn my attention elsewhere.

–M. J. Young