Green-Green

1:53am

Heard a big clunk and the lights flickered. Guessed it was the transfer switch. Actually I suspect that the power had come back and the transfer switch had flipped and then the power glitched while the generator was in its seven minute cool down mode. So it momentarily cycled.

I am thinking this because (1) the transfer switch is usually able to come off the generator fast enough we don't get a glitch and (2) I heard the generator shutdown at 1:58am, which is only five minutes.

From a cold power outage, it takes about six seconds for the generator to come on and stabilize. With the generator already running, the transfer switch has to sense an outage before switching over.

20:18

Since I had calculated that the power went out at 5:35am on Sunday and back on at perhaps 1:53am on Monday, we were on the backup power for 20 hours and 18 minutes.

Considering it's 22°F outside right now, the investment in the generator was SO worth it.

Dr. Phil

2014 Con Jobs

17-20 July 2014
The other day I wrote about memberships going up January 1st and hotel blocks opening January 11th (DW) for Detcon 1, the 2014 NASFiC in Detroit.

That's the Big SF con this summer. But I have others I hope to attend.

23-26 May 2014
Memorial Day weekend sees a lot of SF/F cons, including one of my faves. WisCon 38 is the feminist science fiction con that I attended twice in 2004 and 2005. Very well run, with impressively run daycare and consuite. Given that I am missing ConFusion in 2014 and we haven't been back to Madison WI in a number of years, seems to me that if I take off the whole summer and not just half, I can go to WisCon this year.

Check them out. If you are interested in attending WisCon, know that (1) like Detcon the membership rates go up January 1st, (2) they cap attendance at 1000 so you really need to buy in early and (3) rooms at the excellent Madison Concourse Hotel go fast. On the other hand, due to demand outstripping availability, you can usually sell a membership and cancel a room reservation if you find you can't use it.

14-16 November 2014
WindyCon 41 at the lovely Westin Lombard Yorktown Center -- the hotel in a mall parking lot with the most excellent Harry Carey's Steakhouse.

Just as Detcon is run by some of the same people as ConFusion, WindyCon helped with last year's Chicon 7 WorldCon in Chicago. I think they'll be less exhausted than last November. (grin) And I missed them this year by dint of just getting out of the hospital.

Don't Forget 17-19 January 2014
Because I will just have started teaching again -- and I am not yet ready to do a hotel room by myself, given the difficulty of getting the left shoe on over the AFO (grin) -- I shall alas not be attending Legendary ConFusion (or ConFusion 40 if you're keeping score). But I heartily recommend this well-run Michigan SF/F con.Pre-registration is open until midnight, December 31st, and they will be again at the Doubletree Hotel Detroit/Dearborn.

See you in 2015, ConFusion.

Meanwhile

Having done my civic duties, I shall sit back and enjoy the snow globe drifting on down all around us. Very pretty.

Dr. Phil