Friend a Day – Bridget Landry
Photo by Peter Verrant
CONvergence week continues!
Today’s friend a day was a Guest of Honor at CONvergence almost by accident. We went looking for a scientist from the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab and received a few suggestions. Knowing nothing about any of the people suggested, we decided to invite Bridget.
Boy was that a good decision.
Bridget is an honest to goodness rocket scientist who loves sharing her work with others. Her presentations on the latest Cassini data are always extremely popular. When they don’t make it on the official schedule, she does a guerrilla panel that often has more people than some official panels.
What makes her presentations work is her effusive personality. She thinks this stuff is wicked cool and that helps teach other people that it is, in fact, wicked cool.
Her enthusiam makes science accessible to laypeople, which is something I think is extremely important. When she does her Cassini presentation or her and Dr. Jim Kakalios rip apart the science in Mission to Mars, she is making science interesting and fun.
What makes her the perfect fit for CONvergence is the fact she truly is one of us. In addition to having one of the coolest jobs ever, she is an amazing costumer who shows up at every con with at least a half dozen costumes. I’m not sure I’ve actually seen her in regular street clothing.
She gets into the spirit of the convention in a way that makes her a delight to have around.
There have been a couple of years where Bridget came to the convention even though she was not an official guest of honor and even in those years, she was remarkably generous with her time. She has a mission, I think, to share her work with anyone who will listen and the good news is there area lot of people who will listen.
She’s not at the convention this week, which is a shame. She’ll be missed. I look forward to her next visit.
Friend a Day – Stephanie Zvan
CONvergence week continues here at Friend a day headquarters!
I met Stephanie when we were in the same play in college. I was nearly killed by a piece of scenery on opening night. That’s a different story.
After that show, I hardly saw her for years. It was only through the Skepchick/FreethoughtBlog events at CONvergence that we re-connected.
Stephanie is devoted to supporting social justice issues through her Almost Diamonds blog. She has become a target for a lot of internet hatred because she’s not willing to back away from an important fight. She’s openly critical of well known members of the atheist community like Richard Dawkins.
I can’t imagine how exhausting the abuse can become and yet Stephanie faces it with a sense of humor and, I think, the conviction that she is right.
When there is an issue that has me upset, I find that Stephanie frequently is commenting on exactly the thing that has me frustrated. Her thoughts are well researched and detailed. Certainly you can disagree with her but you can’t disagree with the effort she put into presenting a cogent argument.
She was a guest on Geeks Without God our first weekend and was one of the people who helped set the tone. We’ve had her back since to play the horrible Left Behind Board game. You have to have a little extra helping of respect for anyone who endured that game.
I remember working with Stephanie on that show all those years ago and even back then she had a ton of confidence you knew would get her through a lot. It is that strong sense of self that helps her keep saying things that make her a target for a lot of petty stupidity.
And that is something I don’t think the petty, stupid people have figured out. Being an asshole on the internet is easy. Fighting against the assholes is a lot harder.
I’m really proud to know someone who is fighting the assholes.
Friend a Day – Harry Knowles
Photo by Brett A. Hart
It’s CONvergence week and that means all my Friend a Day posts will probably have something to do with the convention.
Harry was a Guest of Honor at our first convention back in 1999. He’s returned a couple of times since then and I’ve been fortunate enough to go down to Austin almost every year since then for Butt-Numb-a-Thon.
Through that, I’ve gotten to know Harry as well as anyone who only sees him once a year can really know anyone. I love going down for the movie festival but I’m even happier to spend time with people I hardly ever see. Like Harry.
The thing about Harry is he is living the dream all of us geeks had when we were young. I’m not resentful of that fact because he is completely aware of how fortunate he is to live that dream and he is always doing his best to share it with others.
Sitting with Harry talking to him about movies is sort of like film school every time. He knows so much about the film industry and film history it kind of blows my mind. And he is so fucking smart, he can take all of that information, process it, and draw intelligent conclusions.
When he introduces you to someone, he will then probably spend at least twenty minutes telling you everything about that person. He doesn’t talk about that person’s faults. He tells you why he likes them so much. I think he just has the ability to see the best in everyone.
His sense of humor is mildly sadistic. If he pokes fun at you, it is because he likes you. He also expects the same in return. He is completely capable of taking as much as he’s been given.
I’m glad that we asked Harry to come to the convention all those years. If we hadn’t, I wouldn’t have ended up seeing him once a year. Once a year isn’t enough, but it’s better than nothing.
Friend a Day – Alicia LaMunion
Photo by Mike Lee
I’ve known Alicia since she moved to Minnesota several years ago. She became a large part of the local geek community as soon as she moved to town.
She has always been someone who has seemed very open and honest about everything. I’m not sure if I know anyone less deceptive than Alicia. I think she wouldn’t know how to be any other way.
When it comes to gardening, she is very talented and active. She has helped us a little bit with the plants around our house and without her help, we’d have nothing but weeds. I’m always impressed with people like Alicia who seem to have a natural knack with plants because I sure don’t have that knack.
Her interest in outdoor activities like fishing and boating is something she’s offered to pass on to our kids and I really appreciate that offer. I don’t fish but if the boys want to learn, it is great to know that we have a friend who not only can teach them but actively wants to teach them.
Alicia has a very pleasant demeanor that makes me look forward to seeing her. The pleasantry of asking you how you are doing never feels like just a pleasantry when it comes from her. She seems genuinely interested in the answer.
We have a tendency to run in to Alicia and her husband Mike at a lot of local events like movie openings, presentations by Neil Degrasse Tyson, conventions, and it always seems strange that I wasn’t expecting to see them there. They really embrace their interests and it is a big part of their identity.
I regret that some choices I’ve made lately have left less time for friends like Alicia. I’m trying to make a few adjustments to fix that because it is important to make time for friends like her.
Friend a Day – Christopher Robert Cargill
Photo by Eugene Hsu
I’ve known Cargill since I met him in a kitchen in Austin, Texas. We were both trying to stuff 200+ bags full of SWAG for Butt-Numb-a-Thon. Actually, I think I was mostly in the attic rolling posters.
I’m fairly certain I thought he was loud and obnoxious. I was an idiot.
He is loud. But he’s not obnoxious.
Fortunately, it only took me about 24 hours to figure that out.
Cargill is better informed about almost any topic than anyone I know. I may not always agree with his opinion (though I usually do) but I can’t argue with his facts.
I’ve gone to him for advice on several occasions as there are very few people whose opinion I value more than his. He has a way of cutting through all the bullshit and getting right to the central issue that has to be addressed.
He’s also one of the most gracious hosts I know. When Butt-Numb-a-Thon rolls around, he and Jess open up their home to a parade of out-of-town guests. I’ve never felt unwelcome in their home. They make you feel like you are one of the most important people in the world for the time you spend there.
In the years of doing panels with him at CONvergence, he has shown he is up for just about anything. If we are doing a comedy panel, he is funny. If we are doing a panel about movies, he knows a lot about movies. As a writer, he knows a lot about writing.
He doesn’t use a panel to sell his work. I assume that he expects being an intelligence and informed speaker can do more to sell his work than trying to talk about his work every second.
Cargill is going to be a Guest of Honor at the convention this year and that has been a long time coming. His resume certainly means he is worthy of the title. It is his personality, however, that makes him perfect.
He is loud, yes. He is also generous, intelligent, funny, and creative. I can’t wait for CONvergence attendees to get to know him better this weekend.
Friend a Day – Hal Bichel
Photo by Damon Thrift
I’ve known Hal for a few years now as she has gone more involved with CONvergence.
Hal has always impressed me with her ability to use social media. She’s been working with Christopher Jones to help increase his visibility on Twitter and Facebook and it has, I think, made a big difference in his visibility to his fans.
She can seem a little quiet when you first get to know her. I assume she is just sizing people up because once she knows you a little better, she is opinionated and passionate. When she has an opinion on how to improve something, she is not quiet about that opinion in the least.
I like that she will push her agenda to others. She isn’t shy about making her position known and trying to affect change.
As the picture of her Klingon Dr. Who costume would indicate, she’s also an imaginative cosplayer and she really seems to get a lot of pleasure from that activity.
When it comes to her involvement in fandom, I think she is really all in. She is always looking to immerse herself in the experience. She goes to a lot of conventions, cosplays, works with CONvergence, and really seems to embrace the community.
Working with her on the convention, one of the things I appreciate is her ability to be direct and succinct. When she asks for something, she does so clearly. She doesn’t try to sugar coat a request. She also understands if a request can’t be accommodated.
Her dealings with others are a lot more professional than one will find in a community of volunteers. She treats the volunteer position like a job. I think we could all learn from that and strive to be a bit more professional in our dealings with one another.
I’m pleased I’ve gotten to know her better over the last few years. Hal is, in a word, awesome.
Friend a Day – Salsa Sterling
Photo by Manna Jaeger
I’ve known Salsa since the day he asked me if he could try out for Vilification Tennis. He got up on stage that day and did…OK. But he’s gotten a lot better since then. In fact, I think he has improved with each passing year.
Salsa is always trying to get better. He is very analytical by nature and that means he spends a good amount of time looking at what he is doing and trying to figure out how to do it better. It also means he is very good at analyzing what others are doing well and doing poorly.
As part of Fearless, he is putting together some new shows and I really enjoy watching him work to expand what he is doing creatively. He’s been doing that for a while now with the Fandazzi Fire Circus as well. He’s got that bug to create new things and I think that’s great.
He’s grown more confident on stage in the last few years as well. It has really made a big difference in his stage presence and in the audience’s response to his material.
He’s also completely willing to give something new a try. When I decided I wanted to do a radio play at a Vilification Tennis show, he volunteered to do sound effects. That turned into a regular gig with Big Fun Radio Funtime.
Why did he agree to do it? It wasn’t because he had any experience. It was because he wanted to try something new. He’s been learning as he goes but it sure does seems like he’s enjoying the process.
Since I met him, Salsa has gone from a young guy trying to figure out how to be good at things to someone who is viewed as a leader and a mentor. He has gotten there through hard work and careful thought.
It has been a pleasure to watch that process happen.
Salsa is a co-host of the Apropos of Nothing Podcast. You should check it out!
Friend a Day – Anjila Olson
Photo by Peter Verrant
I’ve known Anj for a long time. I worked as a hawker on her stage during the 1987 Renaissance Festival season. I’m not going to pretend all went well with us that year. I was finding my voice and it turned out that I wasn’t all that interested in being a hawker. That was my fault.
But you know what? You can get beyond a bad experience with someone because sometimes good people make bad decisions.
While she is moving on from it now, Anj spent the last several years at the festival as Alice the Cook. The festival is a strange beast that combines entertainment with education and it typically errs in the direction of entertainment. It is hard to fight against that tide.
But that is what Anjila did. Day after day, she worked to teach people something in an entertaining way. I don’t think her form of work was ever as appreciated as it should have been.
As a performer, I never walked by her stage without being offered something to eat and/or something to drink. With all the health issues she deals with, she never ceased to be concerned about the health of everyone around her.
When Anj commits to doing something, she commits to doing it as well as she possibly can. She spent hours of prep time every day she played Alice.
I see that commitment in every other part of her life. I see it in every career choice she has made. She is someone who will work as hard as she possibly can to make things happen.
She has a very genuine smile that is almost always present. When she is around, she makes others feel like they are the most important thing to her.
It was may fault that we got started on the wrong foot all those years ago. I’m glad that an ill beginning was overcome. Anj is a great person.
Right now, her husband is recovering from surgery. I’m going to link to his Gofundme page because that recovery is expensive and insurance doesn’t cover everything. Whether or not you know Anj and Chris, do them a favor. They deserve it.
Friend a Day – Jim Cunningham
Photo by John Gaspard
I’ve known Jim ever since I started working at the Renaissance Festival. He is well known to many as the master of the Feast of Fantasy now but when I first met him, he was a member of an act call the Comedy Troupe. Every member of that act was supremely talented.
What I enjoy about working with Jim is how generous he is to the performers who come to work on his stage. He is always conscious of our time constraints and always thanks us for our performance. I can’t even tell you how enjoyable it is to work with someone that professional.
A few years ago, there was a decision to start doing Vilification Tennis themed feasts and we went in having a clear expectation that we were to be doing extremely blue material. Unfortunately, the audience didn’t have the same expectation. The results were less than spectacular. I think the word “disaster” would be more appropriate.
We sat with Jim after the show and there was no anger. No finger pointing. Instead there was talk about how we were going to fix the problem for the second feast. There was no question that we were partners in finding a solution.
Whenever I hear Jim on the Radio or at a Twins game, I smile because I know him and he doesn’t just sound like a nice guy, he is a nice guy.
Jim is one of the hardest working people I know. I don’t know how many projects he has going at a time but there is always one more. He is in demand because he is one of the best.
He’s relentlessly positive. He always sees the best in others. He never focuses on the negative. To focus on the best in yourself and those around you is a talent that may be better than all the others he possesses.
I’m truly fortunate to have crossed paths with Jim. He’s one of the great ones.
Friend a Day – Courtney McCLean
Photo by John Robinson
I met Courtney at the Fringe Festival about five or six years ago. She is probably the most energetic person I know. And that is saying a lot.
Courtney is always excited about what she is doing. It makes me excited too.
She has good reason to be excited because she does such awesome stuff. Her stories are imaginative and clever. Her music with the Dirty Curls is catchy and funny. As exhibited in “Bump” at last year’s Fringe Festival, she can also bust a move.
All this, and she can play the banjo!
Simply put, if Courtney’s name is on something, it is something I want to see.
If it seems like she is running from one thing to the next, I think that is because she is always in the middle of doing something. She has what seems to be dozens of irons in the fire and, of course, they are all interesting.
As a songwriter, I’m particularly impressed with Courtney’s music. She writes a ton of songs are thematically similar and yet all very different. I spent most of my time watching them play paying very close attention to the lyrics because they are awesome.
I’m really in awe of her storytelling ability. It isn’t just the writing, which is exceptional, but also the personality she brings to the presentation. It is a vibrant and expressive personality of someone who is completely in the moment.
I think that is why I enjoy her presence on the Vilification Tennis cast. She is one of a few performers who walks on stage without a lot of prepared material. That can be a very risky proposition but I think it helps her be more present on stage than she would be if she walked in with only pre-planned material.
I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Courtney as a collaborator and as an audience member. She’s a truly talented person.
Grail Diary 