more from Terminus
Aug. 8th, 2008 07:22 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rmLast night I finally finished my Snape and gender paper. At some point I still have to finish the duelling paper, but I am, such as it is, as prepared as I am going to get. The paper is, actually, very good. Very, very good. And I should tighten it up a little, add citations and submit it to a real journal.
Yesterday the only official con event was the opening dinner, which, like last year's was loud, chaotic and not that interesting. We spent most of the day wandering around Chicago instead. Because I forgot my swimsuit, I bought a new one, pink and white striped, with baroque-flavoured designs on it in black. It sounds ridiculous I know, and it is. It somehow manages to hit the same sweet spot of retro performed femininity, that my original quest -- something with navy blue and white and polka dots or a nautical theme -- would have. I was heels to the pool. There are pictures. It was rad.
After the welcome dinner,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
marchek and I went out walking again, this time to the great outdoor performance space that has the illusion of a roof. We had visited it during the day, stunned by the sound within its overhanging laticework of speakers as the symphony held open practice, and I was moved then. At night, the lawn above the seats was filled with families picnicking in the dark and children running and throwing frisbees that lit up. It was, in some way, profoundly futuristic and simple -- as if it were the sole great monument or public work in a communal culture where people always make their own entertainment. I have some great pictures, a few of which might get sent to Kali with the note "Boeshane ideas." It is unlikely I'll get to post any before I leave.
When we got back to the hotel, we stopped in at the Snape Wake. I was off-put, as I've been throughout the con, at the sheer volume and undignified girl screeching that has been hard to avoid at even the best events. But then, suddenly there was live Irish music and this too was like the families on the lawn in the dark, and Marci tried to teach a bit of Irish dance to this random girl and by the end of it we wound up dancing (badly and my fault) to Elvis.
Strange to have so many fine, fine moments at a con I so far feel rather disaffected about, although people seem to be very engaged by my work here and I know I have a good chunk of people coming to pretty much everything I am doing here, which is a huge relief.
During the day we stopped at Fanny Mae because I buy regional chocolates for Patty whenever I travel. I asked to see a list of their allergan information, and the two closest things to useful I was given was a list of items that omitted corn, wheat and soy (baring me from more than was probably necessary) and a note that none of their items are gluten-free.
Gluten-free, however, lacks a consistent legal definition and with a bunch of examination of the pre-packaged items, I was able to ascertain that most of their stuff was, in fact, not manufactured with gluten, but in a facility wherein gluten is also processed.
Some of us cannot eat food made on shared equipment. But there is a world of different between saying, "this food contains ingredients than will sicken you" and "this food may be a risk you have to consider intelligently." When I company says "none of our products are gluten-free" when many of their products contain no gluten-ingredients I get offended. It says to me they are lazy more worried about lawsuits than the actual consumer's ability to be informed and make choice. Many, many of the products I consume state "contains no gluten-ingredients, but there is a cross-contamination risk." _That_ is useful data. What Fanny Mae does says "we don't want to serve you." I hate it, and I run across is rarely, but it is angry making.
Patty, however, has chocolates ;)
Tonight? PF Chengs.
Also, wow, I totally want one of these: http://skingraftstore.com/Accessories.php
Yesterday the only official con event was the opening dinner, which, like last year's was loud, chaotic and not that interesting. We spent most of the day wandering around Chicago instead. Because I forgot my swimsuit, I bought a new one, pink and white striped, with baroque-flavoured designs on it in black. It sounds ridiculous I know, and it is. It somehow manages to hit the same sweet spot of retro performed femininity, that my original quest -- something with navy blue and white and polka dots or a nautical theme -- would have. I was heels to the pool. There are pictures. It was rad.
After the welcome dinner,
marchek and I went out walking again, this time to the great outdoor performance space that has the illusion of a roof. We had visited it during the day, stunned by the sound within its overhanging laticework of speakers as the symphony held open practice, and I was moved then. At night, the lawn above the seats was filled with families picnicking in the dark and children running and throwing frisbees that lit up. It was, in some way, profoundly futuristic and simple -- as if it were the sole great monument or public work in a communal culture where people always make their own entertainment. I have some great pictures, a few of which might get sent to Kali with the note "Boeshane ideas." It is unlikely I'll get to post any before I leave.When we got back to the hotel, we stopped in at the Snape Wake. I was off-put, as I've been throughout the con, at the sheer volume and undignified girl screeching that has been hard to avoid at even the best events. But then, suddenly there was live Irish music and this too was like the families on the lawn in the dark, and Marci tried to teach a bit of Irish dance to this random girl and by the end of it we wound up dancing (badly and my fault) to Elvis.
Strange to have so many fine, fine moments at a con I so far feel rather disaffected about, although people seem to be very engaged by my work here and I know I have a good chunk of people coming to pretty much everything I am doing here, which is a huge relief.
During the day we stopped at Fanny Mae because I buy regional chocolates for Patty whenever I travel. I asked to see a list of their allergan information, and the two closest things to useful I was given was a list of items that omitted corn, wheat and soy (baring me from more than was probably necessary) and a note that none of their items are gluten-free.
Gluten-free, however, lacks a consistent legal definition and with a bunch of examination of the pre-packaged items, I was able to ascertain that most of their stuff was, in fact, not manufactured with gluten, but in a facility wherein gluten is also processed.
Some of us cannot eat food made on shared equipment. But there is a world of different between saying, "this food contains ingredients than will sicken you" and "this food may be a risk you have to consider intelligently." When I company says "none of our products are gluten-free" when many of their products contain no gluten-ingredients I get offended. It says to me they are lazy more worried about lawsuits than the actual consumer's ability to be informed and make choice. Many, many of the products I consume state "contains no gluten-ingredients, but there is a cross-contamination risk." _That_ is useful data. What Fanny Mae does says "we don't want to serve you." I hate it, and I run across is rarely, but it is angry making.
Patty, however, has chocolates ;)
Tonight? PF Chengs.
Also, wow, I totally want one of these: http://skingraftstore.com/Accessories.php
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2008-08-08 01:37 pm (UTC)Also, PF Changs totally rocks. I'm really looking forward to introducing my younger brother (also with celiac) to it in Austin (Browncoat Ball) this year.
no subject
Date: 2008-08-08 08:39 pm (UTC)Did they really play Elvis on traditional Irish instruments?
Did the m-f really have the asshatery to tell you "Our crap might poison you, beats hell out of us?" At least the other company takes the approach "We can't guarantee this is safe, but we tried."
no subject
Date: 2008-08-08 09:14 pm (UTC)That said, I know why you're annoyed, and I wholly sympathise.
no subject
Date: 2008-08-08 10:57 pm (UTC)Best of luck with Terminus papers, and man I wish we had a PF Chiang's. Tons of real authentic Chinese in this town, any of which may be poisonous, and it's hard to ask when the staff's English is weak.
no subject
Date: 2008-08-13 06:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-13 06:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-13 09:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-13 09:10 pm (UTC)I think of See's as entirely unsophisticated, but really satisfying for what they are.