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Fanfare! LITFEST 2023

Dates for LITFEST

  • Total voters
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So the word is in ... I will be busy all day on the 22nd of April playing the faculty spouse role in some as-yet-unnamed 'activity' somewhere in and around Glasgow. *sigh* No LitFest for me. It kills me to be so close and yet still not be able to attend. I'll wave towards London as I'm trundling around on the back of some tour bus.

To be fair, the spouses of scientists are generally a blast to hang out with--most of us are science nerds ourselves, and many of us are flat out weird and wacky (which you need to be, in order to handle our spouses). So I expect to have a good time, regardless. Still, I'm thinking ...

LitFest New Zealand 2025!
 
RG Worsey said:
Not yet. Could be handy. If I stay with a friend that I haven't seen for years, it'll be awkward not giving them my time and attention.
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Could you bring them along?
Robinne Weiss said:
So the word is in ... I will be busy all day on the 22nd of April playing the faculty spouse role in some as-yet-unnamed 'activity' somewhere in and around Glasgow. *sigh* No LitFest for me. It kills me to be so close and yet still not be able to attend. I'll wave towards London as I'm trundling around on the back of some tour bus.

To be fair, the spouses of scientists are generally a blast to hang out with--most of us are science nerds ourselves, and many of us are flat out weird and wacky (which you need to be, in order to handle our spouses). So I expect to have a good time, regardless. Still, I'm thinking ...

LitFest New Zealand 2025!
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HIJack the bus and meet us in London. They sound like a gas. Tell me they are not all female though?
 
Ok what RG said. Does this mean spouses are not welcome? That's a bit awkward for those of us traveling with them. Mine may not be known on here but he is there at every pop-up and a writer himself albeit academic.

Whether it's an advantage or not-he sees pixies when he has sufficient drink taken. He can give broadsword, buckler, crossbow advice. Also anything that goes BANG. When he was at Freshfields a social outing was planned at a shooting club. A toff complimenting him on his ability with a Purdey's was told, "Thanks. I am better with an AK47." Courtesy of the Swiss military. He grew up in the remains of colonial Pakistan and speaks Urdu. Also about 6 other languages. You can ask him about anything in history from why the Roman cavalry did not use stirrups to the topic of his doctoral thesis, 'Spies in Tokyo from 1900 to the 1960's. Could he be grandfathered in as a research consultant?
 
Pamela Jo said:
Ok what RG said. Does this mean spouses are not welcome? That's a bit awkward for those of us traveling with them. Mine may not be known on here but he is there at every pop-up and a writer himself albeit academic.

Whether it's an advantage or not-he sees pixies when he has sufficient drink taken. He can give broadsword, buckler, crossbow advice. Also anything that goes BANG. When he was at Freshfields a social outing was planned at a shooting club. A toff complimenting him on his ability with a Purdey's was told, "Thanks. I am better with an AK47." Courtesy of the Swiss military. He grew up in the remains of colonial Pakistan and speaks Urdu. Also about 6 other languages. You can ask him about anything in history from why the Roman cavalry did not use stirrups to the topic of his doctoral thesis, 'Spies in Tokyo from 1900 to the 1960's. Could he be grandfathered in as a research consultant?
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So why did Roman cavalry not use stirrups?

(When I was very young and galloping, I very often didn't use stirrups because they'd slipped from my feet, and at that speed it was better just to hang on rather than find them again).
 
Hannah F said:
So why did Roman cavalry not use stirrups?

(When I was very young and galloping, I very often didn't use stirrups because they'd slipped from my feet, and at that speed it was better just to hang on rather than find them again).
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My grandfather had seen a man drug to death so I was never allowed a saddle. If we were driving cattle I would use a man's saddle but tuck my legs underneath the fenders. Probably one reason proper riders think I'm a mess. My prime directive is keeping the horse between me and the ground,.
You can try a Roman saddle if you come. They were designed to be a stable fighting platform. The weapons were mostly light spear, javelins and short sword. Only pic I can find at the moment of roman re-enactment in Switzerland
 

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Could spouses not go off into town and entertain themselves? It's a good point, actually. I had assumed it was a get together for Litopians. If people bring partners and friends, it will change the atmosphere and flow of conversation. People will inevitably sit with the person they've brought and make smalltalk and in-jokes.
 
RG Worsey said:
Not yet. Could be handy. If I stay with a friend that I haven't seen for years, it'll be awkward not giving them my time and attention.
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I’ve arranged to stay the night at my brother-in-law’s house in London. He’s Ruby’s dad. He has a good sized guest room and a massive L-shaped sofa in the lounge, so can give us both somewhere to sleep. Does that work for you?
I’d probably drive to his house first, then take public transport to Ruby’s place (The Street Easy), then I can drop you somewhere convenient for you the next day, as I’d have my car. X
 
Vagabond Heart said:
I’ve arranged to stay the night at my brother-in-law’s house in London. He’s Ruby’s dad. He has a good sized guest room and a massive L-shaped sofa in the lounge, so can give us both somewhere to sleep. Does that work for you?
I’d probably drive to his house first, then take public transport to Ruby’s place (The Street Easy), then I can drop you somewhere convenient for you the next day, as I’d have my car. X
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OK, sounds great. I can bring a sleeping bag if needed.
 
Don't know about James who'll be with his own, but I can guarantee we'll not be sitting together whispering and pointing. Don't we get enough of each other the long winter evenings? Nobody ever thinks we're together at parties. For one thing I don't sing. And I don't recite all 27 verses of Poe's The Raven. But I'll leave it up to the group. If the vote is no spouses then I'l ask himself.
 
RG Worsey said:
@Emily. Do you think it's a good idea to set up a poll to see whether this meetup is just for Litopians to meet in person and have a great social, or whether anyone can be invited (friends, partners). Bearing in mind that people have assumed different things so far, it would be nice to have clarity on this.
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There are a lot of lurking Litopians. Do we want to encourage people to come that may not have much of a presence online as well? What are expectations for the get together?
 
RG Worsey said:
@Emily. Do you think it's a good idea to set up a poll to see whether this meetup is just for Litopians to meet in person and have a great social, or whether anyone can be invited (friends, partners). Bearing in mind that people have assumed different things so far, it would be nice to have clarity on this.
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We can do this, indeed. I was under the impression (mistaken, perhaps), that most would come by themselves... It doesn't bother me, personally, tbh, some may feel more comfortable with a back-up person if they are a little shy :)
Pamela Jo said:
There are a lot of lurking Litopians. Do we want to encourage people to come that may not have much of a presence online as well? What are expectations for the get together?
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We want to encourage everyone to come!! It'll be fun, sure to be interesting, the food will be amazing (as will we be, no doubt ;) ) and this kinda thing is GOOD for writers (and everyone).

Any reticent writers, lurking out there... Come along, please! (all the beseeching emojis inserted here)
 
Emily said:
We can do this, indeed. I was under the impression (mistaken, perhaps), that most would come by themselves... It doesn't bother me, personally, tbh, some may feel more comfortable with a back-up person if they are a little shy :)

We want to encourage everyone to come!! It'll be fun, sure to be interesting, the food will be amazing (as will we be, no doubt ;) ) and this kinda thing is GOOD for writers (and everyone).

Any reticent writers, lurking out there... Come along, please! (all the beseeching emojis inserted here)
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Essentially that is why Juerg would want to come. He joined Litopia though he doesn't participate directly. But he is writing a book about the history of horses, and is currently working on an academic article about Arab horses in German romances about the Crusades. He's been published far more than I have. He'd want to come for the craic not because of me. So where does the distinction lie?
 
Well... Technically, he's a Litopian and a writer, so... ;)

The TRUE test of everyone's writerliness and Litfest worthiness will be when I accost them at the door, and before they enter, they'll have to write an exact 53-word Flash Fiction piece on a specific topic decided, on a whim, by me.
 
Pamela Jo said:
Essentially that is why Juerg would want to come. He joined Litopia though he doesn't participate directly. But he is writing a book about the history of horses, and is currently working on an academic article about Arab horses in German romances about the Crusades. He's been published far more than I have. He'd want to come for the craic not because of me. So where does the distinction lie?
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Maybe encourage him to post on here a couple of times, to say hello? Then he won't seem like an outsider.
 
RG Worsey said:
There was a suggestion about having a get-together in Scotland, though no plan formed. If there's enough interest, I'd be happy to help organise it, and would suggest Glasgow, as it's easy to reach by train from London, Manchester and Birmingham, has an airport, and has accommodation half the price of Edinburgh, yet Edinburgh in a cheap train ride away for anyone wanting to visit.
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Can we please do this for LITFEST 2024?
 
Trains to London on the West Coast Main Line are showing as "bus" for that weekend, with a caveat that they may run after all, so I will need to decide closer to the time if I can come. Since 2021, trains in Britain have been shocking unreliable and bad. I am happy to drive to anywhere except London. So will lyk early April if still coming.
 
I'm the same. I'm deciding closer to the time because I don't know if money I'm waiting for will arrive on time or not. It's not just the travel, it's also the cost of kennelling my dog while I'm away. I also won't dare drive in London, and no trains? Eek!
 
I'd really like to, but I might wait till next year, cause flights + hotel is a bit too much for one weekend. If I was also going to Scotland I would definitely go, but coming all the way from Spain...maybe next time! But have fun!
 
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