Meeting of April 6, 1984, at Gillilands'; Alexis Gilliland presiding.
The meeting was called to order at 9:15 P.M. As the April WSFA Journal was available, it was agreed to waive the reading of the minutes. The treasury stood at $5,249.13.
MEMBERSHIP: Zip!
PUBLICATIONS: The April WSFA Journal was passed out.
ENTERTAINMENT: Doll Gilliland said that due to BaltiCon coming up and the fact that quite a few films have been mentioned for a movie party, she thought it best to discuss and plan a movie party after BaltiCon.
DISCLAVE 1984: Chairwoman Jane Wagner noted that she was attempting to set up a meeting with the hotel and the con's department heads. Everything else is generally moving along.
Doll Gilliland reminded everyone that if you're a WSFA member, you're duty bound to work on the convention. It's an unwritten WSFA law!
OLD BUSINESS: After checking around for an equitable hand truck replacement, Doll Gilliland reported that so far the search has been unsuccessful but they will continue to look. In the meantime, when Disclave starts she suggested that we ask one of the dealers if we could borrow one of theirs with the understanding that we'll bring it hack when they want to pack up.
NEW BUSINESS:
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The meeting disbanded at 9:39.
Meeting of April 20, 1984, in the Gilliland's hotel room at BaltiCon. Alexis Gilliland presiding.
The meeting was called to order at 9:12. As the secretary had left the previous meeting's minutes at home, the minutes were waived. The treasury stood at $5,062.97.
MEMBERSHIP: Zip!
PUBLICATIONS: the April WSFA Journal was still available.
ENTERTAINMENT: Brings you BaltiCon!!!
DISCLAVE 1984: Chairwoman Jane Wagner announced that there will be a 6:30 meeting on Monday, April 23rd, for department beads at the Sheraton Hotel in New Carrollton. The object of this is to become acquainted with the hotel and to clear up any possible problems with them. All concerned parties, please attend.
OLD BUSINESS: Zip!
NEW BUSINESS: Zip!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The meeting expired at 9:17.
ICEMAN is an interesting feature starring Timothy Hutton as anthropologist Stanley Shephard, brought to an Arctic base when they discover a man frozen solid in ice for a 40,000 year nap. Despite the fact that the caveman (John Lone) is made up as a Cro-Magnon, he is referred to as a Neanderthal (obviously director Fred Schepisi or make-up designer Michael Westmore never saw DINOSAURUS).
John Lone is impressive as the out-of-time wake-up artist, trapped in a world he never made. Shephard manages to hold off his dissection by Dr. Diane Brady (Lindsay Crouse) for behavioral study. Given a believable simulated environment, it soon is obvious that the ancient man must be contacted, which Shephard does, and names him Charlie (the closest sound to his growl-like name).
Highly intelligent, Charlie soon finds his way out of his controlled area and finds himself terror stricken in an environment we find completely natural. The sequence is enthralling, and although occasionally funny (running into glass doors. etc.), we begin to fear for his safety, particularly when he believes a helicopter he sees as being the god for which he was originally searching, forty centuries ago.
Few problems arise in the film, although we are never told whether or not an accidentally impaled lab tech dies. The only other real problem with the film is the editing of the ending, which, slightly overlong, almost becomes unintentionally funny. At least we are not given the "being re-frozen" ending one might expect.
April showers may bring May flowers, but Terry McCune's version of a garden is truly sf fannish!
Also included in this issue is art by the following people: Charles Gilliland on Pages 1 and 4, Joe Mayhew on Pages 2 and 3 and Warren Rodgers on Page 3. Thanks to those of you who contributed and what in the hell is wrong with the rest of you who can draw? C'mon folks, let's see some A R T!!!
His name was William B. Berg. To everyone who knew him he was, plain and simply: Bill Berg.
Bill was an honest man.
He was a husband, a father, and a fan.
He held every office in WSFA. But mostly he'll be remembered as the club Treasurer. He watched the club's money as if it were his own; maybe better. It was his concern over WSFA finances that prompted him to start the movement toward incorporation.
But this isn't how I remember Bill.
I see him in the kitchen of his home; the Cullen living room; the Gillilands' apartment on Pennsylvania Avenue. Cigarette in one hand, beer in the other; talking. He loved to talk, about everything, but especially Science Fiction.
I think Bill must have been born bald. I can only remember him with shiny pate and snapping eyes. And his warm and animated personality shown through his every gesture.
Bill and Phyllis met at WSFA. Betty was born into the club and the three of them were permanent fixtures; main stays.
The Club, along with a lot of us are going to stop every once in a while and say: "Where's Bill?"
If there is a hereafter, we'll all walk up to Bill some day, and he'll say, "I'm glad you could come. Have you read the latest book by .........".
And the ultimate meeting will come to order and we'll all wait for Bill to tell us how the club finances stand. We'll all know that because Bill is there, everything will balance out.
Wait for us, Bill.
Despite some last minute uncertainties as to whether or not we had a room at the convention - much less as to whether or not we were even going - we made it down to IstaCon after a 12 hour car ride. Not only was I a programming assistant at the con - which entitled me to wrestle unmovable (it seemed) walls - but I was drafted upon my arrival to help create and moderate a McCaffrey trivia panel.
The con was heavily McCaffrey-oriented; however, there was some Star Trek and general science fiction program items. There was a viewing of Fantasia which everyone enjoyed on Sunday morning.
Registration came to about 600 (and a robot that looked like a Coke
can). There was a wide selection of saleable goods in the dealers'
room and there was a "Crafters' Fair" on Saturday morning.
The Art Show had an abundance of merchandise and a considerable number
went to auction. The auction didn't end until 12:20 A.M.
on Sunday; I know because I worked on it! An All-You-Can-Eat Banquet
was held earlier Saturday evening, complete with the presentation of
the traditional Southern awards: a bottle of good wine to the last
table to be unleashed called up, and a bottle of Wild Irish
Rose to the preceding table. With the exception of the beef, the food
was edible (gasp!). So much so that I had thirds (but then I was
very hungry). Kelly Freas, Bob Maurus and Ms. McCaffrey were
in fine form, and the hotel staff were thanked for their cooperation.
Surprise of surprises, at the "Impressions" which was (sort
of) held immediately following the banquet, I was publicly
thanked for having lured so many non-Southerners to IstaCon. I
muttered something suitably confused, and made it back
to my seat. (Alas, my tape machine preserved the moment.) My heartfelt
thanks to all of you who helped me to spread the word about IstaCon.
At the con I also huckstered, acted as an art agent, attended
Pernese business meetings (yes, we are getting ourselves loosely
disorganized), met people from across the country who I've
known for years but had never met, listened to McCaffrey's GOH speech
on the genesis of the dragon books and on her future plans, saw jan
howard finder's slide show on Australia and New Zealand, did my best
to warble to the filksongs until about 3:00 A.M. both Saturday and
Sunday, attended various room parties both nights, kept myself going
on Coke and munchies from the con suite, and collapsed in the car
Sunday night as we headed back to D.C.
All in all, it was an enjoyable convention for me. Despite their protestations, the con committee must also feel likewise. Why else are there already dim rumors about IstaCon 2?
May 4 - 6: COLORADO MOUNTAIN CON at the Westin Hotel,
Cascade Village, 1300 W. Haven Dr., Vail,
CO 81657 (303) 476-7111 Rates: $35/44.
With Theodore Sturgeon, Jayne Tannahill
Sturgeon, Ed Bryant, Stephen R. Donaldson,
Real & Muff Musgrave. Membership: $12.
Write to: Box 541, Leadville CO 80461
(303) 486-2016
May 4 - 6: ONOCON '84 at the Sheraton Hotel in
Syracuse, N.Y. Rates: $45/50. +7.
Fantasy GOH: L. Sprague deCamp, SF GOH:
Frederik Pohl, Artist GOH: Carl Lundgren,
Fan GOH: Jay Kay Klein, Fan Artist: Randy
Elliot, TM: Graham Diamond. Banquet (6:30
P.M. on Saturday). Membership: $15, One-
day at $8. Write to: Box 305, Syracuse,
N.Y. 13208
May 4 - 6: VIKINGCON 5 at the Western Washington
University & Leopold Hotel in Bellingham,
WA. Rates: $33/35/38. Artist GOH: William
R. "Roo" Warren Jr., TM: Alan E. Nourse,
With Gordon R. Dickson, Steve Leialoha.
Membership: $15. Write to: Room 402,
Viking Union, W. Wash. U., Bellingham,
WA 98225 (206) 676-3460
May 11 - 13: TEXARKON 3 at the Tall Timbers Resort &
Inn in Texarkana, AR. Rates: $33/40, +5.
GOHs: Mr. & Hrs. Theodore Sturgeon,
Artist GOH: Phil Foglio, TM: Robert Asprin,
Membership: $15. Write to: 102 E. 29th,
Texarkana, AR 75502
May 18 - 20: MARCON 19 in Columbus, OH at the Quality
Inn, 4900 Sinclair Rd., I-71 & Morse Road,
Columbus, OH 43229 (614) 846-0300. Rates:
$43/46, +6. GOH: C.J. Cherryh, Artist
GOH: Tod Hamilton, Banquet (Saturday A.M.
brunch): $7.50. Membership: $15. Make
checks payable to: "OSFS, Inc." Write to:
Box 14078, Columbus, OH 43214
May 25 - 27: CONQUEST '84 in Kansas City, MO at the
Howard Johnson's (ATTN.: Deanna Curran),
610 Washington, Kansas City, MO 64105
(816) 421-1800. GOH: Frederik Pohl, Fan
GOH: Susan Satterfield, TM: Tom Disch.
With: John Kessel, Glen Cook, C.J. Cherryh,
Poul & Karen Anderson, Bob Tucker & others.
Membership: $20. Write to: Box 6212, Kansas
City, MO 64111
May 25 - 28: DISCLAVE '84 at the Sheraton Hotel in New
Carrollton, MD. Rates: $48 flat. GOH:
H E R E Connie Willis, Featured Artist: Paul Yurek,
W E Ghost of Honor: Eric Blair. Membership:
G O $15. Write to: 3326 Lauriston Place,
A G A I N ! Fairfax, VA 22031
KEY: (H) - Hardback, (P) - Paperback
and (T) - Tradepaperback
Asimov, Isaac w/Charles G. Waugh & Martin H. Greenberg (Eds.):
Magical Worlds of Fantasy 2: Witches - $3.50 (P)
Presents the Best Science Fiction Firsts - $17.95 (H)
Young Mutants - $7.95 (T)
Barnes, Rory & Damien Broderick: Valencies - $7.95 (T)
Blatty, William Peter: Legion - $3.95 (P)
Bova, Ben: Orion - $7.95 (T)
Bradley, Marion Zimmer: The Inheritor - $3.50 (P)
The Mists of Avalon - $8.95 (T)
Bunting, Eve: Strange Things Happen in the Woods - $1.95 (P)
Cleve, John: Spaceways #17: The Carnadyne Horde - $2.95 (P)
Cook, Glen: The Black Company - $2.95 (P)
Dann, Jack & Gardner Dozois (Eds.): Magicats! - $2.95 (P)
deLint, Charles: The Riddle of the Wren - $2.75 (P)
Dick, Philip K.: The Man Whose Teeth Were All Exactly Alike - $19.50 (H)
Ellison, Harlan: Stalking the Nightmare - $2.95 (P)
Fisher, Paul R.: The Hawks of Fellheath - $2.25 (P)
Ford. John M.: The Final Reflection - $2.95 (P)
Gerrold, David: The War Against the Chtorr, Volume 2: A Day for
Damnation - $15.95 (H) & $6.95 (T)
Greenleaf, William: The Pandora Stone - $2.75 (P)
Hoover, H.M.: The Shephard Moon - $11.95 (H)
Johnson, Annabel & Edgar: The Danger Quotient - $12.95 (H)
Jordan. Robert: Conan the Magnificent - $2.95 (P)
MacAvoy, R.A.: Damiano's Lute - $2.75 (P)
Mailer, Norman: Ancient Evenings - $4.95 (P)
Malzberg. Barry & Martin H. Greenberg (Eds.): The Science Fiction
of Kris Neville - $19.95 (H)
Masterton, Graham: Solitaire - $3.95 (P)
May, Julian: The Saga of Pliocene Exile, Volume 4: The Adversary -
$15.95 (H)
McGarry. Mark J.: Blank Slate - $2.75 (P)
Morrow, James: The Continent of Lies - $15.95 (H)
Newman, Sharon: The Chessboard Queen - $5.95 (P)
Randall, Marta: Those Who Favor Fire - $3.50 (P)
Reaves, Michael: The Shattered World - $15.95 (H) & $6.95 (T)
Rosenberg, Joel: Guardians of the Flame Book 2: The Sword and the
Chain - $2.95 (P)
Sargent, Pamela: Eye of the Comet - $7.95 (T)
Stasheff, Christopher: King Kobald Revived - $2.95 (P)
Thomas, Frank & Ollie Johnston: Disney Animation: The Illusion of
Life - $29.95 (H)
Tolkien, J.R.R.: The Monsters & the Critics and Other Essays -
$15.95 (H)
Watt-Evans, Lawrence: The Chromosomal Code - $2.50 (P)
White, T.H.: Letters to a Friend - $6.95 (T)
Wingrove, David: The Science Fiction Source Book - $25.50 (H)
Yarbro, Chelsea Quinn: Nomads - $2.95 (P)
Zebrowski, George: Sunspacer - $7.95 (T)
The WSFA Journal is the platitudinous monthly newsletter of the Washington Science Fiction Association. Editor-in-Chief: Beverly L. Brandt, 3326 Lauriston Place. Fairfax, VA 22031 Telephone No.: (703) 573-8230
Mark Owings is fond of pointing out the role of Kitchens in WSFA history: There was a long-standing tradition of our Trustees meeting in kitchens to cook up their slate of candidates at the meeting prior to the elections. For several years those slates were drawn up in Bill Berg's kitchen.
Bill's kitchen was a comfortable place. Often as not you'd find Bill there before and after the meeting talking quietly with the group which had congregated there (also heating up dinner for his devious cat, Frisky). Bill was very generous with his home and it took a beating from WSFA. He enjoyed having us over and made us feel like family.
Naturally, when Betty invited us over to the house on Keating Street after her father's funeral, the WSFAns wound up in the Kitchen. It was great getting together with Chick Derry again. He was one of the seven fans who founded WSFA over a keg of Beer back in 1947. Chick is one hell of a raconteur and he and Mark and Mike Walsh, Pat Kelly, Jul Owings and some others of us swapped stories, asked obscure questions and got answers! The feeling of good fellowship was as strong as ever in Bill's kitchen. It made me think of my first WSFA meeting back in 1960.
Bill was there with his wife, Phyllis (so was Betty, curled up with Miss Cullen's scottie, MacDuff, under the old horsehair settee). I was made to feel welcome by everyone on the club. WSFA was then more an association of friends who enjoyed each other's company than a party of strangers doing their own thing. Perhaps it was easier to make new members feel welcome and to bring them into the daffy world of Fandom because the club was smaller and most of the members had been there a long time. Still I feel lucky to have been a part of that WSFA and to have known people like the Bergs as friends. Many of our present membership really never got to know Bill Berg. He was a quiet man, and in the last few years rather weakened by sickness, and so I suppose a lot of newcomers ignored him and really didn't understand that Bill had played a very important part in making WSFA the kind of club which would welcome them and try to make them feel like family. That is Bill Berg's legacy, a quiet and, I hope, persistent spirit of good fellowship.
5/9 Betty Lockwood
5/10 Beverly Brandt
5/10 Lisa Peoples
5/17 Sally Lewis
5/31 Victoria Smith