Well, gang, the convention weekend is almost over.  The New Space Opera won a Tin Duck Award and tied for a Ditmar (go Russell!).  Many thanks to everyone who nominated and voted.  I am, in truth, tired and somewhat hung over, so I may not sound as happy as I could. I was also delighted with the congratulations I received about the Hugo nomination, and the recognition for the two other Western Australians who made the ballot.

There was much about Swancon that was good and fine.  I spent time talking and meeting friends old and new.  I did a panel or two, and heard about at least one that seemed hilariously misinformed.  I saw Stephanie from HarperCollins too briefly, had dinner with Theresa and Mitch and the gang, chatted with Glenda and Ken and Karl and Robert and Ju.  I spent time – a little – with the Last Short Story gang, who were fun and interesting and cool.

High points? Those were they.  It’s the people you go to conventions for, and not for anything else.  Marianne and the girls came in one morning, and we went to some of the kid’s programming. Yesterday we did Easter egg hunts and lunch. Today we saw Horton Hears a Who (which was terrific – wonderful work from Shaun Tan and a few others).

And now? A moment’s rest before tidying the house, picking up some friends from the convention, then chatting and dinner.  Another dinner tomorrow night, which should be lots of fun, then Swancon is done for another year.  I don’t know if we’ll go in 2009 — it seems awful hard  — but who knows?  Of course, between now and then there’s Denver and Calgary and Adelaide.