Or something like that. I went to SFWA’s Nebula Weekend in Chicago this past weekend. The turnout was a little less stellar than usual, but that didn’t stop NobleFusion from jumping right into the middle of everything. Attending from NobleFusion were me, Mike Higgins, Cathy Petrini, Barbara Hill, and Lawrence Schoen, as well as various familial units.

We toured Argonne National Laboratory and FermiLab, where we witnessed particles being accelerated and antimatter being created. (While it was very cool in theory, it was spectacularly undramatic to watch, being subatomic particles and all. But the equipment was impressive!) We skipped the banquet itself and ate a fabulous dinner nearby at Chicago 312 — I highly recommend it.

The awards ceremony was nice and the tributes to newly annointed GrandMaster Anne McCaffrey were touching and amusing. She is a lovely Grand Lady, and her son and granddaughter are wonderful fun!

Photos by Keith Stokes:
http://www.midamericon.org/photoarchive/05neb01.htm

Article in “FermiLab Today”, Wed. May 5, 2005:
http://www.fnal.gov/pub/today/archive_2005/today05-05-04.html

If the link is broken, try the photo:
http://www.fnal.gov/pub/today/images05/SFWA.JPG

Just for fun, NobleFusion toured the Art Institute of Chicago on Saturday and saw MUCH ART. On Sunday, Mike and I toured the Adler Planetarium, which has a fabulous collection of historic astronomical instruments.

Now that I survived the trip and the extended walking tours with less arthritis pain than I expected, I’m off to attend my baby sister’s college graduation in Virginia this weekend. Wish me luck — ours is a dysfunctional family. (But then again, aren’t they all?)