April 6!!!

For those of you who missed my email blast this morning, Commander Fell and I had lunch (salad) yesterday and were pondering a few notions —

As we are NOT judging for a Reuben's category this year (too many chapters, too few categories) we thought it might be nice to give those of [us] who are missing the annual late winter/early spring fellowship by having a Nothing Too Serious Gathering of the Chapter. ALL are invited!!!

We looked at our calendars and thought April 6 might be a fine time. Location: Omaha. Venue: The Upstream Brewery (as they've been so darn good to us in the past).

This would be an excellent time to bring possible members either for the North Central Chapter or as potentials for the NCS. Introduce them to the mob and see how they deal with all the pressure (yeah, right). If we can get a large enough group (and it's heading in that direction so far) we will ask a couple folks (one member, one not) to be guest speakers and give a little chat. The other would be that if YOU are working on a presentation or something where you need some test subjects, guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) as it were, this would a perfect opportunity. :-)

We'll also be talking about upcoming events: Reuben's Awards in Pittsburgh, Ohio State Festival of Cartoon Art, Comic-Con (for anyone who wants to talk about that) and other Cons, the Toonfest, and of course the North Central Chapter's Fall Meeting.

So, if you're interested and think you can make the date, let ME or Paul Fell know. As I say, we've already heard from a few (since this morning) who would like to gather. Oh, and there will be, as always, food and DRINK. Wanna bring your spouse? Fine by me. There's no voting and they'd be more than welcome. If not, we can keep our big, fat mouths shut, as always.... a-hem.

Your fretless leader,
ME

Paul did a little checking and found that with at least 2-weeks notification, the Hilton Garden Inn will get you a room for $101. The Courtyard by Marriott goes for $103.

Anyone interested in WonderCon?

I just received word that WonderCon Anaheim (it moved from San Francisco), you might want to check out the website for professionals.

If you've ever been to Comic-Con International or one of the other big Cons, I'd recommend not waiting to get a hotel room. They go about as fast as tickets to U2, Bruce Springstein, or (if it were possible) a reunion concert of The Beatles.


Dear Mike Edholm,

We are pleased to announce that the professional application period for WonderCon Anaheim 2013 is now open! We invite you to be a part of one of the country’s best comics and popular arts conventions, taking place at the beautiful Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim CA during the weekend of March 29-31.

If you would like a complimentary badge to attend WonderCon Anaheim 2013 as a professional, you must fill out a “Comic-Con and WonderCon Anaheim Application for Professionals” and submit the required verification materials. Please visit http://comic-con.org/wca/2013/professionals for details. The application deadline date is February 22, 2013.

This email is NOT a confirmation of registration. Once you have completed the professional application and submitted the required verification materials, you will be sent an email containing additional information on how to apply for a WonderCon Anaheim professional badge.

We hope you will join us for WonderCon Anaheim 2013! If you have any questions, please email proreg@comic-con.org

Sincerely,
Chris Schoenthal
Professional Registrar
WonderCon Anaheim

Sad news

One our members, Chris Cassatt died Wednesday morning at his home in Aspen, CO. Chris was 66. Details can be found in this copy of the ASPEN TIMES (Thurs., Jan 17, 2013).

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/2013130119881

January 8 Birthday Boy

Wishing a belated Happy Birthday to our own Paul Fell. We're going to need a fire extinguisher before we light all these candles.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Tolkien

Today is the birthday of J.R.R. Tolkien, born in Bloemfontein, South Africa (1892). He studied classics, language, and literature at Oxford. In 1925, Tolkien returned to Oxford University as a professor. One day, while grading exams, he discovered that a student had left one whole page in his examination booklet blank. Tolkien, for reasons unknown even to him, wrote on the page, "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." This single line turned into a bedtime story that he told his children, and from there, a book: The Hobbit (1937).

You have a movie in the theaters now. Hope to see you at a screening. ;-)

(Courtesy The Writer's Almanac)