Dear Gentle Being, 3 JAN 2005

Welcome to the latest update for events occurring at the SF Discussion Group.

*****If you would like to avoid 3 weeks of winter in the great Northeast, consider a TOUR OF MIDDLE-EARTH! A QUEST TO THE LORD OF THE RINGS MOVIE SITES with expert escorts. The proposed dates are either 21 Dec 05 to 11 Jan 06 or 7 JAN to 28 JAN 06! Which set of dates works best for you? For more information contact: Janet Coyle at PACIFIC PATHWAYS, 1919 Chula Vista Drive, Belmont, CA 94002; 650-595-2090; nzaustours@pacificpathways.com ; www.pacificpathways.com or Mr. jan howard finder; wombat@sff.net ; 518-456-5242. *****

[As some of you know, I went on the trip in January 2004. We had "almost" enough fun. It was an amazing experience. Yes, it isn't cheap, but I felt it was worth every penny I spent. Janet is pricing the tour for a minimum of 10 folk for the tour. If we get more, the price will drop. Really think seriously about giving the tour a go. You won't regret it. It is a once in a lifetime sort of trip.]

Paul E Martens has a story up at Lenox Ave online at http://www.lenoxavemag.com/lenoxavemag/issue4connie.htm

On Wednesday, 10 November 2004 LASTSFA & Flights of Fantasy presented an evening with Pam Sargent & George Zebrowski at FoF. If you weren't there, you missed a delightful evening.

On Sunday, 21 November 2004 at 3:00 PM. LASTSFA and Flights of Fantasy presented an afternoon with Tee Morris author of Billibub Baddings and The Case of The Singing Sword [This is a hoot!], along with authors Valerie Griswold-Ford, Wen Spencer, Erik Admundsen & Barbara Chepaitis. A grand time was had by all.

On Wednesday, 8 December 2004 at 7:00 PM The Nomination Meeting was held at Flights of Fantasy. Come to the January meeting and find out who will be charting the future of LASTSFA.

*****On Wednesday, 12 January 2005 at 7:00 PM we will get together over at Flights of Fantasy for the Annual Meeting for LASTSFA at 7 PM. This will be just prior to the regular club meeting and program for that date. The only item on the agenda for the annual meeting will be the election of officers for 2005. You can pay your $10 & vote at the meeting.

AFTER the meeting there will be a discussion on the trials & tribulations of publishing on line. Several folk who have done just his will come by & share their stories and advice with us.

On Wednesday, 9 February 2005 at 7:00 PM. we will get together over at Flights of Fantasy to discuss Science Fiction.

On Wednesday, 9 March 2005 at 7:00 PM. we will get together over at Flights of Fantasy to discuss Science Fiction.

For signings at the Flights of Fantasy Bookstore, 488 Albany Shaker Rd, Loudonville, NY 12211; +1-800-300-READ; fof@nycap.rr.com & http://www.fof.net . Also check: http://www.lastsfa.org/lastsfa_calendar.html


Please drop by the LASTSFA web site at http://www.lastsfa.org . It has lots of good stuff on it, including a number of neat links & a calendar of events. Please join LASTSFA and help support our efforts to bring in speakers. Your financial support helps make these speakers possible. Talk to us! Send us money! Don't just sit there! Make it happen! Full Membership - $10; Student - $5; Family - $25. Send name, address, and check or money order to LASTSFA, P.O. Box 2085, Albany, NY 12220-0085, USA.


Drop by the ALBACON web site. http://www.albacon.org . You can see some pictures taken at ALBACON 97, 98, 99, Y2K, 01, 02 & soon 03. Get a look at the great happenings that went on. SF cons are not a spectator sport. Participate in one of the best cons running. Have you joined ALBACON 05? If not, why not? You can go to our web site http://www.albacon.org and register there. DO IT TODAY!!! ALBACON 05 can't succeed without your involvement. ALBACON 05 registration is currently only $35 thru 31 MAR 05. Such a deal! Get a friend to come with you! If you are going to a con, bring the ALBACON 05 registration form with you and get someone to join. It is $50 ATD.

Are you a gamer? Well, join us and help with the gaming portion of ALBACON. Contact Walter Wedenbine at tyger@nycap.rr.com . You can join ALBACON 05 for a reduced rate if all you wish to do is game.

The John W. Campbell Conference held at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas in July. Info:
www.ku.edu/~sfcenter/campbell-conference.htm , plus lots of links. The John W. Campbell Award and Theodore Sturgeon Award are given out at the conference.

The Alternate Universe [TAU] is a Science Fiction Fan Club for Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals and their friends. We meet in Albany, NY on the 3rd weekend of each month. For more information contact Paul at 518-767-9722 or at sciflyboy@hotmail.com

Prydonians of Princeton, meet in Lawrenceville, NJ. For more info contact the Pydonians at prydonians@aol.com or call 609-448-9062.

Philadelphia SF Society meets in Philadelphia, PA. For more info contact PSFS at nemesis@netaxs.com or call 877-656-3914.

Nota Bene: If you are getting this via snail mail, please let me know if you have an eddress. I would prefer to send updates to you via the net. On the other hand if you don't wish to receive this at all, please let me know.

Looking forward to seeing you at the meetings.

Ciao & teggeddizzi! May the Ghreat Wombat smile on you!

Yours sincerely,

 

 

jan howard finder, 164 Williamsburg Court, Albany, NY 12203-5506, USA; +1-518-456-5242; wombat@sff.net

ALBACON 05, 7-9 October 2005, Albany, NY, USA; committee@albacon.org or www.albacon.org The SF Con!

FGoH - ARCHON 30, 5-8 OCT 06, Collinsville, IL [St. Louis], www.archonstl.org J

*****Save the Wombat! http://www.yaminon.org [Listen to the music, see the pics, LEAVE MONEY!*****

When the Information Superhighway slows to a crawl or stops, you are experiencing "BYTELOCK!" I coined BYTELOCK on 17 July 1997. Please use BYTELOCK but DO cite the source. I would like to get into the dictionary.

If you are interested, you can find a summary of my travels in Australia from 16 AUG 1999 to 4 FEB 2000 at http://www.lastsfa.org/finder/wombats_wanderings.html

ALBANY in 09, A modest Proposal for a Modest Worldcon!; www.albany-in-2009.info