Heinlein Reader’s Discussion Group
Thursday 10-11-2001 9:00 P.M. EDT
No Topic – Planning Session
Here Begins The Discussion Log
You have just entered room “Heinlein Readers Group chat.”
DavidWrightSr: Now it’s working
ddavitt: great
ddavitt: so; good news on Connie
DavidWrightSr: I haven’t heard back from her on getting set up. I expect I will sometime soon.
djindalian has entered the room.
DavidWrightSr: A newcomer?
ddavitt: Sure; or she is doing it on her own
ddavitt: Hi there.
DavidWrightSr: Hi. djin
djindalian: Sorta its djinn/dave hi y’all
ddavitt: I meant Connie, not you djinn sorry:-)
DavidWrightSr: Welcome to the group. I don’t believe you have been here before have you?
DavidWrightSr: Of course, I’ve seen you a lot on afh
djindalian: no, its usually pretty inconvienient for me. Off work today though
ddavitt: Glad you could make it
djindalian: me too.
ddavitt: No chat scheduled though; we are going to try and get a schedule sorted out
ddavitt: If you have any thoughts on future topics that would be great
djindalian: whats the discussion tonite?
ddavitt: New ideas always welcome
djindalian: oops
ddavitt: None tonight
ddavitt: No problem
ddavitt: We may have a guest author soon; Conie Willis
DavidWrightSr: We kind of let things slip through the cracks what with everything going on.
ddavitt: Connie that is.
DavidWrightSr: I’ve got to find some of her works, Any suggestions
djindalian: thats cool, I liked ‘to say nothing of the dog’
ddavitt: I enjoyed To say Nothing of the Dog
ddavitt: And one she did with Cynthia Felice, promised Land
DavidWrightSr: I’ll try to find them
djindalian: In fact, I read it cause I recognized the title, because Kip’s dad read ‘3 men in a boat’
ddavitt: Doomsday Book was good too…but I wasn’t so keeon on lincoln’s dreams; gripping but a flat ending somehow
maikoshT has entered the room.
ddavitt: Yes; she dedicates the book to Heinlein
ddavitt: I remember going after JKJ’s book after reading HSSWT when I was 11
ddavitt: I wanted to know about opening that can!
DavidWrightSr: I’ve downloaded it but haven’t had a chance to read it yet.
ddavitt: It’s very funny
djindalian: really funny
ddavitt: The soppy bits are funny too…not sure if that was intentional or not
djindalian: I always thought it was
ddavitt: I think they were, AG thinks they were serious
ddavitt: He was a Victorian writer; they did go in for hearts and flowers
ddavitt: But they are so overdrawn and usually something funny happens to interrupt the musings so i think they were a joke
ddavitt: Meeting them in TSNOTD was great
djindalian: That was funny, recognized them right away.
ddavitt: Have you read the sequel?
ddavitt: About the bike trip round Germany?
NuclearWasteUSN has entered the room.
djindalian: no didn’t even know about it
NuclearWasteUSN: Good evening all.
ddavitt: That is just as funny but has chilling bits when you realise WW1 was round the corner
DavidWrightSr: Hi Jim.
ddavitt: Hi there Jim, nice to see you
djindalian: hi
ddavitt: Three men On The Bummel
ddavitt: Probably can download it
djindalian: cool!
ddavitt: we have no topic Jim; just going to sort out a schedule if possible
ddavitt: How about your mars talk?
ddavitt: I saw you volunteer:-)
NuclearWasteUSN: LOL
ddavitt: You would enjoy hosting it
NuclearWasteUSN: I don’t think we are ready with it for tonight.
ddavitt: Oh no, but we can work it in and set a date, right?
NuclearWasteUSN: Certainly
NuclearWasteUSN: And you can even volunteer me to host it.
ddavitt: Just discussing Connie Willis as she is going to be guesting soon
ddavitt: I wil do:-):-)
ddavitt: How about 25/27 oct?
ddavitt: Or is Connie down for that?
NuclearWasteUSN: Do we want to call for all the Martians the group can come up with, or should we limit it somehow?
ddavitt: Have to limit it to books people can read in the time
ddavitt: No point having too many…
ddavitt: Concentrate on H books and a couple of others maybe
ddavitt: I haven’t read rainbow mars
maikoshT: I suggested 25/27 for Connie, but haven’t had confirmation yet
ddavitt: couldn’t get into it but I will try again
NuclearWasteUSN: More fantasy than SF, but a fun read, just to see all the Martians again
ddavitt: well, you can be thinking about it Jim and doing a lead off post for afh
ddavitt: Can save it until the date is confirmed
ddavitt: usually that gets posted the Monday or so after the saturday chat
NuclearWasteUSN: No prob, will leave the dates open until we know for Connie.
ddavitt: Great!
ddavitt: There, that’s two sorted…
NuclearWasteUSN: Rainbow Mars has a very slow start. I put it down twice.
ddavitt: (This is easy)
ddavitt: I love their books usually..
ddavitt: especially the Dream park and Heorot ones
ddavitt: I want to go to Dream park one day!
NuclearWasteUSN: LOL I want to go to the Ring World
ddavitt: Now again, couldn’t get into those…
ddavitt: Oh well…
NuclearWasteUSN: Got a bit repetitive.
ddavitt: Dave, what was the position on Robert Crais again?
ddavitt: Is he available later on in the year?
NuclearWasteUSN: By the end I wanted the puppeteer to kill Louis.
maikoshT: I have never had any response from him. I don’t believe that the address I had for him was good
ddavitt: Don’t tell me! I may read them someday…I have one on my shelves I think
ddavitt: Did AG speak to him though at the book signing? memory going
maikoshT: I’m not sure. I know he spoke to Connie
ddavitt: And Felicia said she asked Lois Bujold to come
ddavitt: We could follow up on that maybe
ddavitt: djinn; anything you’d like to see discussed?
djindalian: nothing special
ddavitt: I know we had a poetry topic in the pipeline
ddavitt: Looking at the way H’s favourites influenced the books; Kipling, tennyson etc
ddavitt: That’s another one that needs some reading
ddavitt: Need an easy one or two as well
ddavitt: Ones people can discuss without too much effort involved; especially as they get busy with Christmas and such
ddavitt: We have had our Thanksgiving; halloween next
NuclearWasteUSN: An easy topic seems harder to come up with.
ddavitt: we never discussed the con either
ddavitt: but that moment has passed perhaps
ddavitt: I would have liked to hear about the panel discussing farmer in the Sky that AG was part of
NuclearWasteUSN: the con of which pro?
ddavitt: :-)world con
ddavitt: with that awful pun..millenium philcon
ddavitt: ,groan>
ddavitt: or giggle…depending
ddavitt: holidays in Heinlein…that’s easy..he didn’t seem to have any
ddavitt: I don’t recall Christmas on the Moon?
maikoshT: A lot happened to Kip over the Labor Day weekend 🙂
ddavitt: True!
ddavitt: And he got to do it twice
ddavitt: I never knew what that was as a child in the Uk; we don’t have it
NuclearWasteUSN: ISTR a reference to Christmas on the moon, and there is the Diner in Cliff and the Calories.
ddavitt: have August bank Holiday on the 30th
ddavitt: But the characters don’t all sit down and sing caros sort of thing
ddavitt: carols
ddavitt: It has become irrelevant on Mars, venus…
NuclearWasteUSN: Or was not part of the story.
ddavitt: when there’s no December, how can there be a Dec 25?
NuclearWasteUSN: True.
ddavitt: may have to do with religion and not wanting the books to be connected to one
djindalian: wasn’t one of Mannie’s family a preacher?
ddavitt: But christmas is, to many, a secular event
ddavitt: with the Sabbath on a saturday
ddavitt: that was a bit of a dig I always felt
NuclearWasteUSN: Yes, Greg I think.
maikoshT: Sabbath is Saturday 🙂
NuclearWasteUSN: Either that or a reference to the 7th Day Adventists
ddavitt: mannie didn’t have feelings about the faith; he just liked Greg and didn’t want to hirt his feelings
NuclearWasteUSN: Or the Jewish faith
maikoshT: We Orthodox distinguish between Sabbath and Sunday
ddavitt: Is it? I’m all confused now
ddavitt: Sorry.
maikoshT: No Problemo
ddavitt: Anyhow, the reference to them calculating it seemed to be a bit of a joke
NuclearWasteUSN: IIRC Sundown friday to sundown Saturday.
maikoshT: True
ddavitt: I’m going to go check it; brb
NuclearWasteUSN: Alex mentioned Christmas, but in just as backhanded a way. Not much celebration.
ddavitt: ah!
NuclearWasteUSN: Si?
ddavitt: sundown Tuesday to wednesady
ddavitt: spelling!
ddavitt: in the local time of the garden of eden
NuclearWasteUSN: OK, that works.
ddavitt: was THE sabbath
ddavitt: for Greg
ddavitt: most Loonies, it was Sunday
NuclearWasteUSN: Alex also mentioned the millenial calculations, and the calculations for the age of the Earth, and how no two groups could agree, so he used brackets.
ddavitt: I knew it was something different
ddavitt: Yes; all that discussion of dates in job was interesting.Wonder how much research H did>
ddavitt: And if he found it amusing..
NuclearWasteUSN: Probably background from his youth.
ddavitt: Yes..that comes through a lot in that book
ddavitt: I remember the revival tents coming to my town
NuclearWasteUSN: I remember discussion of the same people and dating at Kings Christian School in Lemoore growing up.
ddavitt: Figures are slippery
NuclearWasteUSN: And figurers are sliperier
ddavitt: Too true!
ddavitt: Alex dismissing fossil evidence made me smile wryly
ddavitt: Maybe on his world, it was only young
ddavitt: not millions of years old
NuclearWasteUSN: I have seen the same thing in politics, science, etc.
ddavitt: what, ignore facts that don’t fit your pet theory?
NuclearWasteUSN: Perhaps Mr. Hammes contention that all systems of belief are religions has something to it.
NuclearWasteUSN: Yes, exactly that.
ddavitt: I could accept that to a certain extent
NuclearWasteUSN: Or discount them with another contrived theory.
ddavitt: You can make a god out of anything
ddavitt: if you try hard enough
NuclearWasteUSN: Except me.
NuclearWasteUSN: If nominated I will not run, if elected I will not serve.
ddavitt: You don’t want to be worshipped and adored, Jim/:-)
djindalian: Church of Nuke
ddavitt: Has a ring to it
NuclearWasteUSN: Nope, I like arguing too much.
NuclearWasteUSN: Been having way too much fun of late.
ddavitt: I would like to be world dictator and sort things out but not a goddess
NuclearWasteUSN: I am waiting for LV to notice the Bugs Bunny gambit.
ddavitt: And I would only be it until things were tidy
NuclearWasteUSN: LOL
NuclearWasteUSN: Famous last words
ddavitt: I haven’t been following it much so that means nothing but it sounds fun
ddavitt: You don’t trust me? ,quiver of lip>
ddavitt: It wouldn’t take long to sort out.
NuclearWasteUSN: I have taken his usual position and he is arguing mine. He is gradually coming around to my way of thinking just by being denied his usual tools
ddavitt: I’ve coped with birthday parties for 6 year olds; i can handle anything
djindalian: hmmm…. there are some heads of state that could use a good spanking…
NuclearWasteUSN: Ever gone cutting wood with three year olds?
ddavitt: LV is Ok; he has been around long enough to be part of the bar furniture
NuclearWasteUSN: I like LV, just disagree with his politics.
djindalian: LV seems to have mellowed quite a bit too.
ddavitt: I am in charge at the school bus stop most days and am getting a reputation for being firm but fair…
NuclearWasteUSN: Then again, I disagree with most everyone’s politics.
ddavitt: And I’m bigger than them of course..
ddavitt: I don’t have any as such…just certain ways I think about things
ddavitt: I can’t label myself as anything in particualr
NuclearWasteUSN: I live near the high school. Had the kids convinced I ate people so they did not hang out in the alley, but now some of the kids I know are in high school. *sigh* I have to clean up after them every day now.
maikoshT: BTW, if there is anything that you wish to have deleted from the log, please let me know.
ddavitt: I just wish people would be more like me and my friends
ddavitt: Nice that is 🙂
ddavitt: i pity the man whose garden is by the stop
ddavitt: the little brats keep running all over it,, onto the road, throwing balls, stones as cars go by
ddavitt: I hold Eleanor right by me and glare
ddavitt: But now I tell ’em off
NuclearWasteUSN: Oh goodness I am in heaven.
ddavitt: Why?
NuclearWasteUSN: My wife got me Applets and Cotlets.
NuclearWasteUSN: A candy from my youth.
ddavitt: what on earth are they?
NuclearWasteUSN: Have not had them in many years
ddavitt: ah..describe, I love candy
NuclearWasteUSN: Fruit with nuts and sugar.
ddavitt: wine gums and fizzy sweets mostly
ddavitt: in a bar?
NuclearWasteUSN: Yes
ddavitt: I haven’t seen them before
NuclearWasteUSN: Well, little bites, about like a bite sized Snickers.
NuclearWasteUSN: There are from Washington State.
ddavitt: I know what you mean..we called snickers, marathon in the UK
ddavitt: but now the name has changed
NuclearWasteUSN: Never seen them outside of Washington, my wife has heard me talk about them and found them online
ddavitt: same with opal fruits becoming starburst
ddavitt: and oil of ulay, oil of olay
NuclearWasteUSN: http://www.libertyorchards.com
ddavitt: you can find anything online. Anone see Buffy last week?
ddavitt: They found the urn of osiris on ebay
NuclearWasteUSN: Try finding Tillamook cheddar for a reasonable price. *shudder*
NuclearWasteUSN: rofl
ddavitt: books though….I have found books I’ve lusted after for years.
ddavitt: Still way out of my price range but at least I know they’re there
NuclearWasteUSN: This is true, and books I lost long ago, along with title and author.
ddavitt: who makes Tillamook?
NuclearWasteUSN: Made in Washington/Oregon
ddavitt: ask OJ
ddavitt: he might be able to get it for you
NuclearWasteUSN: Tillamook creameries.
ddavitt: i miss the range of cheeses we had in the UK
NuclearWasteUSN: Best cheese in the world. Wisconsin is a poor second rate.
ddavitt: Hmm..I dunno about that
ddavitt: but I like very mild cheeses.
NuclearWasteUSN: You might like this area. Or the Tillamook Creamerie, wonderful tours.
ddavitt: David is the other way; loves Stilton, blue
ddavitt: smellier the better
NuclearWasteUSN: Extra sharp white cheddar
djindalian: stilton is good!!
ddavitt: I like double Gloucester sorts
ddavitt: It’s mouldy!!
NuclearWasteUSN: Sitting on the table warm so it is almost as spreadable as butter
ddavitt: smells like sweaty socks
NuclearWasteUSN: Tastes like ambrosia.
NuclearWasteUSN: Mellow cheeses have always seemed a waste of time to me.
ddavitt: chacun a son gout
NuclearWasteUSN: Like decaffeinated coffee, alcohol free beer/wine, bridal suite without a bed.
ddavitt: No; just a gentle, subtle taste
NuclearWasteUSN: You sound like my wife.
ddavitt: on granary bread with a good cider and lots of Branston pickle
ddavitt: a lady of taste obviously!
NuclearWasteUSN: She married me 🙂
NuclearWasteUSN: Good bread and pickles, now that I agree with.
ddavitt: ever had branston pickles?
ddavitt: They do have them in canada but they’re British
NuclearWasteUSN: No, we usually put up our own.
NuclearWasteUSN: (Only way to get a decent hot pickle.)
ddavitt: hot…you are like mu husband
NuclearWasteUSN: I will look for them next time I cross the border.
ddavitt: he loves spicy food, I hate it
ddavitt: Bp aren’t spicy
ddavitt: just tangy
NuclearWasteUSN: When I make chili I have to make a pot for her and one for me.
ddavitt: We are off topic!
ddavitt: This always happens…
ddavitt: food then alcohol take over!
ddavitt: 🙂
NuclearWasteUSN: Extremely, but then, I have not been volunteered to do the easy chat.
djindalian: causing hunger too
ddavitt: I will have to vanish in a minute
ddavitt: Baby has been a monster recently and I’m low on sleep
NuclearWasteUSN: I know. BRB going to cut some ham and cheddar and slap it on 7 grain bread
ddavitt: She was good last night so I’ve got fingers crossed
ddavitt: OK
ddavitt: So, looks like we can fit Connie in whenver she likes, Jim will do mars and…we need a quick topic to fill in a gap
maikoshT: So we have either Connie or the Martian thing next time depending on whether or no Connie gets back and lets me know that she is set up . Right?
ddavitt: ideas anyone?
ddavitt: Sounds about right
ddavitt: that’s the 25 ans 27 Oct
maikoshT: Right
ddavitt: and 8 and 10 of Novemeber
ddavitt: any books we haven’t done for a while?
ddavitt: they make easy topics
ddavitt: because most people know them well enough already
ddavitt: How about looking at the stories where resistance groups fight back and analysing the effectiveness of their strategies?
ddavitt: free men and Sixth Column for instance
djindalian: That might be fun.
ddavitt: Topical but sort of inspiring
ddavitt: Do we have a host here then?
maikoshT: Would that include the Venerian colonists in Between Planets or something more unstructured?
DenvToday has entered the room.
ddavitt: I was thinking more of when the US is invaded
DenvToday: Greetings all
ddavitt: but we could bring in BP, sure
ddavitt: Hi Denv
NuclearWasteUSN: Not sure.
DenvToday: Hello 🙂
ddavitt: Just discussing topics for upcoming chats
ddavitt: About what Jim?
DenvToday: I can’t stay long. I have to be up early.
NuclearWasteUSN: Needed to scroll forward. n/m
ddavitt: we are about done I think
ddavitt: there wasn’t a topic tongiht so we ended up on food:-)
DenvToday: Always my favorite topic.
NuclearWasteUSN: How about some of the short stories as topics?
DenvToday: There’s a topic for discussion–RAH and food
ddavitt: Certainly is.
ddavitt: Comes into lots of the books
DenvToday: Indeed. He always makes me hungry.
NuclearWasteUSN: I would have to have my desk covered in snacks and apple juice.
ddavitt: Which ones Jim?
ddavitt: We did the FH ones fairly recently
NuclearWasteUSN: Any of them that we fancy, just throwing out an idea, not volunteering again yet.
ddavitt: Could look at the weirder ones in menace
ddavitt: or 6 X H
ddavitt: Goldfish Bowl, water is For washing
ddavitt: Thaose ones; the overlooked ones
ddavitt: You volunteered once; that’s enough:-)
NuclearWasteUSN: Goldfish bowl is one of my favorites.
NuclearWasteUSN: Egads, I heard that in the Navy.
NuclearWasteUSN: Usually just before a nasty assignment.
ddavitt: Ok, I propse a few of those neglected stories as a filler topic for emergencies
ddavitt: With the one about resistance fighters somehwere too
ddavitt: Jim, dave will let you know which date is the Mars chat
ddavitt: And we’re all done!
DenvToday: See you all on Saturday.
NuclearWasteUSN: OK, I will work on the post and flesh out the topic
DenvToday: I do have my dates correct, don’t I? It’s this Saturday?
maikoshT: Sounds good.
NuclearWasteUSN: Bye Denver 🙂
ddavitt: Looking forward to that
ddavitt: Well, no, not really Denv
DenvToday: Oh.
DenvToday: lol
ddavitt: I don’t think there’s anything planned for this saturday
DenvToday: No wonder I’m confused.
DenvToday: A week from Saturday?
ddavitt: Tonight is a blank chat
ddavitt: two weeks:-)
ddavitt: on the 25th and 27th
DenvToday: I haven’t been getting the mailings.
ddavitt: it will be a guest author; Connie Willis or a chat on mars
maikoshT: And probably no need to meet this Saturday since we don’t have a topic.
ddavitt: No, and I will be in Algonquin park with the bears
ddavitt: so I definitelt won’t be there
DenvToday: I’ll see you on the 25th.
DenvToday: Bye ’til then!
ddavitt: Great
ddavitt: Night all
maikoshT: See you all then
NuclearWasteUSN: We don’t need to go to the park for that, we have a pair just outside of town here
DenvToday: Night
DenvToday has left the room.
djindalian: night
ddavitt: I don’t want to meet them..bears are scary
NuclearWasteUSN: Good night all. 🙂
djindalian has left the room.
NuclearWasteUSN:
ddavitt: See you all , thanks for the input
ddavitt: me too
maikoshT: Log officially closed at 10:20 P.M. EDT
ddavitt has left the room.
NuclearWasteUSN has left the room.
Final End Of Discussion Log
