Monthly Archives: May 2011

May 19-22: 2010 Nebula Awards Weekend and Photography

Leave a reply

If you read SF or Fantasy, you’re probably aware of the two awards publishers hope to get a chance to show on the cover of the paperback edition of last year’s hot new book, the Hugo (World SF Convention)  and the Nebula( Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America). There are plenty of others that do, or should matter; the Arthur C. Clarke award, the Philip K. Dick Award, and the Aurora among them, but the two best known are the “Hugos” and the “Nebs.”

This weekend it’s time for the Nebs, and since they’re being held in DC at the Dupont Circle Hilton this year, that makes it a whole lot easier for me to attend. I’ll be there with my camera(s) shooting on behalf of the Nebula committee. Keep an eye out here for pictures, which I’ll post as soon as I’m able.

By the way, everyone is welcome to join us at the Nebs. The Friday mass signing is (I think) free, and you’re welcome to buy tickets for the rest of the activities. Even more so than Readercon, this is a gathering of writers looking to network and learn about their craft. It’s also a gathering of some of the most delightful and interesting folks you’ll ever meet, but that’s just a bonus.

Events I’m planning to shoot: (as well as wandering around during the weekend getting pictures at panels, in hallways and in the bar…)

Click on links for Flickr Image sets

Sources/Links:

Winston on the Bus

Leave a reply

I took the bus back from Richmond to DC early Sunday morning. I love contrasts, so after driving John’s Mini Cooper S all over West Virginia, getting on a budget bus with a Chinese driver and full of folks dropped off by a collection of barely running vehicles, or who’d sprinted across the industrial landscape to the bus’s 7-11 launching point provided the perfect counterpoint to end my trip with.

The seats filled up bit by bit, each of use staking out our row with bags and purses and coats. Whatever we could use to signal that this isn’t the seat you were looking for. Move along. Move along. Continue reading →

Texas College Junior Win’s Poetry Award

Leave a reply

Esther McClure Win's Poetry Award (click to enlarge)

While going through papers at EJ’s Uncle Johns over the weekend, we came across this page from the Uvalde Leader, her local town paper from her Texas days. John was clearly proud of her, and it’s probably no surprise that I am as well – Ernest

From the Newspaper Article:

Winning two awards for ber poetry in one week was an unexpected pleasure for Southwest  Texas Junior College student Esther McClure, particularly since one of the awards carried state wide recognition. McClure won first place in the college poetry division of the SWTJC Creative Arts Contest, which concluded with the awards ceremony on February 22. Continue reading →

Soup #18 Chicken ‘n Rice

Leave a reply

Last week’s soup, which hasn’t actually been written up yet on account of my being very, very busy, was a variant on Hungarian Goulash, made with cabbage and ground beef. Comments ranged from “fabulous” to “edible,” depending on where a spicy goulash fell in my test crew’s comfort zones. I liked it pretty well, but ground beef will never replace chuck for goulash.

To follow up I promised a soup that should fall in the center of everyone’s comfort zone; Chicken and Rice, made from one of those roasted chickens you find by the checkout at the supermarket.

Since I’ve been traveling during the week and spending all weekend in class for the last two weeks, that fit my schedule perfectly. Sunday night I could have a low stress dinner with my gal, and leftover bones  and bits could go into making stock, while the extra meat got split up between lunches and soup. Continue reading →

Soup#17 Goulash zupe

Leave a reply

I’d been thinking about lower carb content soups recently, and itnoccurednto me that ground beef, chopped tomatoes, and an onion were a good basenfornsomething. I’m always happy to make chili, and some oregano and basil would give me an Italian soup, but there was something else n e back of my mind quietlybasking fornattention.

Hugarian paprika. Let go goulash!

Sure, goulash oftwn means potatoes, that’s carb death, but even without you could do a pretty good job. Oh,mandit had to be quick, because I’ve been in classnall weekend.

Let’s go!

2 onions, cut half both ways, then in thick slivers
2 tsp. finely minced garlic
1 T olive oil
2 T sweet Hungarian Paprika (I recommend Penzeys)
1 T hot Hungarian Paprika (I recommend Penzeys)
1/2 tsp. crushed caraway seed (optional)
4 cups homemade beef stock (or 3 cans)
3 cups roasted tomatoes (or 2 cans diced tomatoes – I recommend Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes if using canned tomatoes)
2 cups finely diced cabbage
1 lb. lean ground beef (ground chuck is best)
1 jar (12 oz.) roasted red peppers, diced into 1 inch pieces
sour cream for serving (I use light, do not use fat free sour cream with added sugar)

Links / Sources

http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2006/02/goulash-soup-with-red-peppers-and.html