July 8-11. My writing presentation and discussion at the con, "Imagine or Die," is currently scheduled for Thursday, July 8th at 8:00 PM and will run for 90 minutes. I also plan to do a reading, autograph session, a kaffeklatch, and a panel or two. "Imagine or Die," is about the creation, care, and feeding of your individual imagination.
Readercon is always fun. If you like to write, read, collect, or discuss science fiction and fantasy, take a chance and attend. You will meet a great bunch of folks and have a mind-bending ball.
After the SMA All-Class reunion banquet in Staunton, Virginia this past April 10th (celebrating my 50th), I had my picture taken with some of the VWIL cadets who attended the banquet. The full story of how a bunch of alumni geezers from a defunct all-male military academy wound up sponsoring the cadets of an all-female military college program must be written somewhere on the web. In short, all of these grandfathers and granddaughtrers adopted each other. Meeting with these young women, doing what I can, and learning about the advances and accomplishments of the Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership(VWIL)are three of the more important things I do every year.
The photos of the reunion are courtesy of my classmate and friend, photographer George Fairlamb, who has photographically chronicled the appearances and ceremonies of the VWIL Corps on his website. He took about half a million photos of this year's alumni review parade and of the reunion, so give him time to post them. Meanwhile, hit the link below the photo to see more of the VWIL Corps of Cadets, the only all-female cadet corps in the world.
For those who would like to learn more about the VWIL program, click on the link below.
At the Alumni Review Parade, awards and scholarships are awarded deserving cadets. The mysterious Regina initiated and paid for a scholarship in my honor that I was called on to present. I learned about this a few minutes before the ceremony and when George Fairlamb snapped this photo, which is why I am so magnificently attired. The fellow to my left, in the Army dress blues, is Brig. Gen. Mike Bissell, VWIL's commandant of cadets.
My shoes were shined, at least, and that is a new Yankees cap.
