ATLOSCon 2015

 Posted by on 31 March 2015 at 10:00 am  Announcements, AtlosCon
Mar 312015
 

I’m delighted to announce that I’ll be speaking at ATLOSCon in Atlanta in late May, over Memorial Day weekend. My talk is titled “Rethinking the Role of Philosophy in Life,” and here’s the abstract:

Philosophy matters but perhaps not quite in the way we often think. Anyone who has spent time around religious people — or even Objectivists — knows that their professed ideology doesn’t always match their statements and actions. Christians embrace wealth and free markets, Muslims eschew violence and repression, and Objectivists demand agreement with and respect for authorities. What accounts for these discrepancies? Is it inconsistency, hypocrisy, or something else? Diana Hsieh will explore these questions, arguing that the standard explanations for how a person’s ideology impacts his thinking and choices are woefully inadequate. She’ll explore the difference between a person’s professed philosophy and his operational philosophy, as well as all the layers of influence between them, including culture, communities, relationships, personality, and experience. Ultimately, this richer understanding of the role of philosophy in life can help us make better use of the philosophy of Objectivism, as well as be more accurate and fair in our assessments of others.

This talk will be bleeding-edge material for me: I’ve been actively stewing on these topics for the past few months, and I have lots more development to do before ATLOSCon rolls around in a few weeks. So expect something interesting!

I’m really looking forward to spending time with old friends — and meeting new ones — at ATLOSCon. Plus, the schedule of classes looks chock full of interesting material!

ATLOSCon… and a New Horse!

 Posted by on 30 May 2014 at 10:00 am  Animals, AtlosCon, Horses, Personal, Sports
May 302014
 

Last weekend, Paul and I headed to Atlanta for ATLOSCon, a weekend-plus conference produced by the Atlanta Objectivist Society. We couldn’t attend the whole conference due to conflicts in our schedule, but we greatly enjoyed ourselves nonetheless. So if you’re interested in Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism and you’d like to meet a slew of interesting, benevolent, and happy people, set aside Memorial Day of 2015 to attend! The conference just gets better every year, and new faces are very welcome.

Two days before heading to Atlanta, Martha Deeds suggested that I look at horses to buy there, as the pickings are very slim for thoroughbreds in Colorado. My reaction: “Uh uh uh…. OKAY!” I drove out to Conyers with Arthur Zey on Sunday evening to check out a just-off-track thoroughbred mare, and I liked her so much that I bought her!

She’s very forward, she’s built uphill, and she’s powered from behind. All of that is critical, but I fell in love with her big floating gaits and unflappable attitude, which you can see in this video:

I rode her too, of course — walk, trot, and canter. I even jumped her over a little crossrail a few times. She’s very, very green (i.e. inexperienced, untrained), but she’s also calm, sensible, and willing.

She only raced nine times. Apparently, she never took to it. Her race name is Phantom Opera. I don’t want keep that, although I like “Phantom.” I think I might compete her as “Phantom Luck,” but I’ll call her Phantom or Fanny (Phanny?) at home. Oh, and here’s her pedigree.

She’ll be mine — ALL MINE — when she arrives from Atlanta in just a few days! We’ll have lots and lots to learn together. Since she’s so recently off-track, I’ll be training her slow and easy for the next few months. (She needs to gain about 100 pounds too.) Meanwhile, I’ll continue to train and compete Lila, who will soon have a new friend!

May 052014
 

I’ve not been blogging much lately, I know. That’s because I’ve been working damn hard on various projects — particularly Explore Atlas Shrugged. (I’ve revised and expanded the questions, and now those questions plus the podcasts are available for $20. Now I’m working on a print-on-demand and e-book version of the questions.)

Nonetheless, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that I’ll be speaking at ATLOSCon in Atlanta over Memorial Day weekend. I’ll give a talk on honesty, lead a discussion on Objectivism, and broadcast the radio show. Also, I’ll have tons of fun, because ATLOSCon is always a blast.

Here are the descriptions of my talks… and if you’d like to attend, be sure to register pronto, as classes are filling up quickly.

Confess Your Sins: The Moral Dangers of False Excuses

“False excuses” are lies told to conceal our wrongdoings from others. For example, a man might blame an accident on the freeway when late for a meeting, rather than honestly acknowledging that he was disorganized about leaving home. Or a woman might blame a co-worker for causing her angry outburst, rather than honestly admitting that she failed to control her temper. Of course, such false excuses risk all the usual harms of dishonesty — including damage to trust in relationships, a slippery slope of cover-up lies, and the erosion of character. Moreover — and less obviously — such lies inhibit moral growth by concealing character flaws and diminishing motivations to change. This talk will explore the dangers of false excuses, focusing on that interesting intersection between the virtues of honesty and pride.

What I Wish I’d Known as a New Objectivist

Many attendees of ATLOSCon have been studying and practicing the philosophy of Objectivism — as well as interacting with other Objectivists — for over a decade, if not two or three or more decades. In this interactive discussion, we’ll ask ourselves a seemingly simple question: If you could sit down with yourself when you were new to Objectivism, what advice would you give? What ideas, attitudes, assumptions, and practices would you want your younger self to question and re-think? In the process, we’ll consider the implications of that advice for our present-day choices about activism, relationships, and living well. This discussion should be of interest to new and not-so-new Objectivists.

Be sure to check out the other classes and social events too!

Me at ATLOSCon 2013

 Posted by on 20 August 2013 at 2:00 pm  AtlosCon, Personal
Aug 202013
 

Tammy Perkins posted this picture of me to Facebook last night… and I love it! It’s from the fabulous evening of rock climbing at ATLOSCon 2013.

May 252013
 

Here I am, doing research in preparation for tomorrow’s discussion of open relationships on Philosophy in Action Radio with Miranda and Arthur. ;-)

Join us… for the show, that is… there’s no more room on the couch!

P.S. Yes, I’m having too much fun at ATLOSCon!

ATLOSCon 2013

 Posted by on 29 March 2013 at 10:00 am  Announcements, AtlosCon
Mar 292013
 

Paul and I have had a fabulous time at past ATLOSCons, and ATLOSCon 2013 will be even better… because Team Perkins (a.k.a Greg and Tammy) will be joining us! Yipee!

For those not familiar, ATLOSCon is an Objectivist conference held over Memorial Day every year in Atlanta. This year, it’ll be from May 23rd to 27th. You can find the full list of talks here. Registration will be open soon, I imagine.

Team Philosophy in Action will give the following talks:

Diana Hsieh: Moral Amplifiers

Objectivism upholds seven major virtues as indispensable to our lives. Yet what of other qualities of character — such as ambition, courage, spontaneity, liveliness, discretion, patience, empathy, and friendliness? Are these virtues, personality traits, or something else? Diana Hsieh will argue that such qualities are best understood as “moral amplifiers,” because their moral worth wholly depends how they’re used. She will explain why people should cultivate such qualities and why they must be put into practice selectively.

Paul Hsieh: Can’t Stop The Signal: Will Disruptive Technologies Foster Individual Freedom?

New “disruptive” technologies allow people to perform end-runs around traditional middlemen, both government and nongovernment. Bloggers now let us receive news and commentary not available via mainstream media, home-schooling parents can teach their kids free from government constraints, and 3D printing may soon empower individuals to create tools (possibly even guns) in their home workshops. What disruptive technologies could dramatically alter our lives in the next 10-20 years? Should advocates of individual freedom and limited government view these technologies as good, evil, or mixed?

Greg Perkins: The American Trajectory: A Political Roundtable

This session will be a wide ranging discussion of the political events of the year, with a focus on the results of the election and the current state of the economy and culture. We’ll have our own McLaughlin Group! Audience participation is highly encouraged, as this will be a discussion forum for all attendees and not a lecture.

I’ll also be on a panel on “American Colleges from the Inside.”

On Sunday morning, Greg and I will broadcast Philosophy in Action Radio. That will be only the second time that Greg and I have done the broadcast together, in person… and I’m so looking forward to it!

It’s going to be a great time, once again! I hope that you join us!

ATLOSCon: Opening Ceremony

 Posted by on 4 June 2012 at 12:00 pm  AtlosCon
Jun 042012
 

I caught a bit of the fun from ATLOSCon’s Opening Ceremonies on video:

Jun 012012
 

My most heartfelt thanks to Kelly Elmore, Jenn Casey, Miranda Barzey, and everyone else at ATLOSCon 2012 for reminding me of the sheer joy of spending time with awesome Objectivists. I needed that really, really badly.

After enduring months of intense bullying from some so-called Objectivists, I’d been feeling really disheartened — even seriously depressed — in the weeks leading up to ATLOSCon. At my worst, I felt a desperate need to flee from the Objectivist community — not just in disgust, but to protect myself from further attacks. Overall, the whole experience felt far too reminiscent of my “mean girls” hell of 7th grade in public middle school.

Many people were appalled by the attacks of the CP’ers and their ilk, I know. I’m deeply grateful to every person who opposed their bullying, whether by public comment or private message. I’m especially grateful to the people who made a good joke of the CP’ers, as they so richly deserved. Yet that doesn’t mean that their defamatory campaign was easy for me to endure.

Alas, many Objectivists were aware of these attacks yet said nothing, even privately to me. I wouldn’t expect anything of strangers, but I did expect something from people I’ve known and been friendly with for years. Never in a million years would I have stood by silently if those people were attacked and defamed in such vicious ways, even if I disagreed with them on some points.

Perhaps those silent people didn’t realize the extent of the attacks; perhaps they didn’t think I was much affected by them; perhaps they assumed that I’d know their view of them; perhaps they’re secretly sympathetic to them; perhaps they think I’m getting what I deserve. I just don’t know, and I’ve been painfully shocked by too many people to make benevolent assumptions any longer.

My disappointment was so much more bitter given the hard work I’ve done over the past decade to promote Objectivism and individual rights, as well as to cultivate an active Objectivist community. For example: I managed Front Range Objectivism for five years, making it into one of the largest and most active Objectivist communities in the US. In that time, I lead three Atlas Shrugged Reading Groups; I helped establish three new study groups; and I produced two fabulous SnowCons. I created the Explore Atlas Shrugged series of podcasts and discussion questions. I co-authored two policy papers, an essay for The Objective Standard, and many op-eds and letters in defense of abortion rights. I raised money for The Undercurrent via matching funds. I created the OLists, enabling Objectivists to interact based on their shared values, including activism. I created a friendly Objectivist presence in the paleo movement via Modern Paleo and its weekly Paleo Rodeo. I testified at two hearings against Colorado’s campaign finance laws. I edited many op-eds written by Ari and Paul. I gave lectures on the Objectivist view of moral perfection, myths about Ayn Rand’s philosophy, the virtue of pride, the virtue of justice, the moral basis of capitalism, the deeper meaning of “Atlas Shrugged,” and more. I did all that and more while busy in graduate school, struggling with health problems, and developing my career. I was only rarely paid for my efforts.

Given that context, I was shocked and hurt by the seeming indifference of so many Objectivists to the vicious bullying I and others endured for months on end. If the most productive, capable, and ambitious volunteers in a community are repeatedly attacked, maligned, and misrepresented — while most in that community watch in silence — those people will flee and focus their efforts elsewhere, with predictable results for said community. Objectivists, of all people, should understand that.

(Hence, if you’ve been aware of the attacks but you’ve not said anything to me, better late than never. Unless we’ve been in contact lately, I don’t know where I stand with you, but I’d like to know, for better or worse.)

I was particularly disappointed by the silence of people who knew what was happening and could have made a difference, if only they’d spoken out. That’s been really painful for me to accept. The whole experience has affected me deeply, and it’s not something that I’ll ever forget.

That’s a pretty depressing backstory, I think. Alas, it’s been far worse to live through it. Yet the cloud has a silver lining: that depressing backstory is also why ATLOSCon was so vitally important to me this year.

At ATLOSCon, I could talk to anyone, whether we’d met before or for the first time, without worrying that I’d be accused of eating babies for breakfast. I enjoyed my time spent connecting with old friends, as well as meeting new people, immensely.

At ATLOSCon, I delighted in the thoughtful and creative contributions of my audiences in my presentations. I love to learn from intelligent, principled people — and I experienced that in spades.

At ATLOSCon, I enjoyed a slew of conversations with smart, thoughtful people on topics of major interest and value to me, such as personality theory. I learned some surprising things about myself from these conversations. Win!

At ATLOSCon, I heard, first-hand and in-person, just how disgusted people were with the attacks on me. Even when I already knew the person’s views, that meant a whole lot to me.

At ATLOSCon, I could disagree with people, tentatively float some idea, or make some outrageous joking claim for laughs — without fearing that someone would twist my words so as to unjustly attack me. I didn’t feel on guard in the slightest.

Mostly, I was among my kind of Objectivists — meaning rational, independent, benevolent, joyful individuals. For the first time in months, I knew and felt fully the value that such people bring to my life and my work. I’m so grateful for that.

So thank you again to Kelly, Jenn, and Miranda for making ATLOSCon happen. And thank you to everyone who attended for their own selfish reasons. ATLOSCon was exactly the spiritual fuel that I needed so desperately, delivered just in time.

Mostly thanks to the joys of ATLOSCon, I refuse to give up on the prospect of a thriving Objectivist community, well-grounded in the virtues. Of course, some people will continue to behave like dogmatic asses, and others will continue to tolerate that. Alas, that’s not likely to change any time soon.

The rest of us are not powerless, however. We can practice the virtue of justice by speaking clearly and forcefully against any further bullying — whether publicly or privately. That might not stop the attacks, yet we shouldn’t underestimate the power of mere words. Mere words can discourage further attacks, particularly because so many bullies are cowardly social metaphysicians. Mere words can make all the difference to the people attacked, who often feel utterly alone, vulnerable, and abandoned by their friends and allies. Mere words can mean that other bystanders don’t walk away from the Objectivist community in disgust.

On the power of mere words, recall what Eddie Willers tells Hank Rearden on the eve of Hank’s trial. (The ellipses are in the original.)

“I wanted to say… because tomorrow is your trial … and whatever they do to you is supposed to be in the name of all the people… I just wanted to say that I… that it won’t be in my name … even if there’s nothing I can do about it, except to tell you … even if I know that that doesn’t mean anything.”

Hank replies, “It means much more than you suspect. Perhaps more than any of us suspect. Thanks, Eddie.”

Thank you, to every Objectivist who speaks out against bullying, intimidation, and unjust attacks done in the name of Objectivism, whoever the latest target. It means much more than you might know — more than any of us might suspect.

Mostly though, I hope that we’ll meet at SnowCon in March or at ATLOSCon next May!

ATLOSCon 2012

 Posted by on 7 May 2012 at 1:00 pm  Announcements, AtlosCon, Lectures
May 072012
 

From May 24th to 28th, Paul and I will be in Atlanta for the delights of ATLOSCon 2012. You can review the planned events and register here. Here’s what Paul and I will be doing:

Forgiveness, Redemption, and the Virtue of Justice Speaker: Diana Hsieh Date: Saturday, May 26, 2012 Time: 03:00 pm EST to 04:00 pm EST

As we live our lives, some people will harm us by their moral wrongs and honest errors, and we may commit such wrongs and errors ourselves. Objective moral judgment is an essential part of the rational response to such events. Yet circumstances often call for more than judgment: sometimes, forgiveness and redemption come into play. In this lecture, Diana Hsieh will explore the nature, function, and limits of forgiveness and redemption in relation to the virtue of justice. Then, with the help of the audience, she will apply that understanding to common examples of wrongs and errors.

Alas, this talk is up against sex and alcohol! I’m doomed! I just hope that enough people feel too guilty to talk about sex, but not guilty enough to want to drown their sorrows in liquor!

Panel Discussion and Q&A on Exercise Speaker: Ken Andrews, Jenn Casey, Tori Press, Diana Hsieh Date: Saturday, May 26, 2012 Time: 04:45 pm EST to 05:45 pm EST

This panel will be a roundtable discussion of different exercise methods (including running, Crossfit, Super Slow/Body by Science, and yoga) and their effects. The panelists will discuss their own motivations and experiences with exercise and will take questions from the audience.

I’m excited to talk about my experiences with SuperSlow, as well as to hear what others are doing and why.

Live Philosophy In Action Webcast Speaker: Diana Hsieh Date: Sunday, May 27, 2012 Time: 11:00 am EST to 12:00 pm EST

I’ll be broadcasting my live Philosophy in Action Webcast on Sunday morning, as usual. I’m not sure of the questions yet, but they’ll be announced the week before.

Philosophy in Action Workshop Speaker: Diana Hsieh Date: Sunday, May 27, 2012 Time: 01:00 pm EST to 02:00 pm EST

A virtuous person does not merely need to know the abstract principles of rational egoism: he needs to live them, day in and day out, in word and deed. When faced with the kinds of complex problems that arise in ordinary life, acting virtuously can be a major challenge. In this workshop, Diana Hsieh will lead a discussion on how to think through such real-life problems in a principled way, while respecting differences in context and values. Participants will submit questions in advance, and several will be explored in detail.

Maintaining Rational Optimism Speaker: Paul Hsieh Date: Saturday, May 26, 2012 Time: 04:45 pm EST to 05:45 pm EST

Given the state of current American culture and politics, it’s very easy to become pessimistic about the future. What are some methods we can adopt to maintain rational optimism, without falling into either error of undue pessimism or of wishful Pollyannaism? Given the current cultural/political context, how can we best preserve our long-term emotional health and maintain “the courage to face a lifetime”? Participants will be encouraged to share their own personal strategies and techniques, so that we can all incorporate the best of each others’ ideas into our own lives.

I’m a pessimist, so bah humbug to this talk!

Controversial Topics in Gun Rights and Self-Defense Speaker: Paul Hsieh Date: Sunday, May 27, 2012 Time: 02:45 pm EST to 03:45 pm EST

Objectivists recognize that the core principle of proper politics is individual rights, which includes the right to self-defense. But the proper application of these principles with respect to gun rights has often aroused passionate debate amongst Objectivists. This talk will cover some common Objectivist “hot button” issues with respect to gun rights, including (1) Should a rational government be able to require registration of firearms, (2) Does someone engaging in “open carry” constitute an “objective threat”, (3) What is the proper scope of self-defense vs. being obliged to delegate the use of force to the government, and (4) Is it moral and practical for citizens to own guns as a defense against future tyranny?

I’ve heard an early version of this talk, and it’s great!

Now… go check out the rest of the awesome offerings and register!

Report from ATLOSCon

 Posted by on 2 June 2011 at 10:00 am  AtlosCon, Parenting, Personal
Jun 022011
 

Note from Diana Hsieh, 22 Feb 2012

If you’ve come to this page via “Checking Premises” or something similar, please note that I’ve written a length commentary on the criticisms circulating about me, including explaining my views of various controversial matters, in this post: On Some Recent Controversies. I’d recommend reading that, then judging me based on my full range of work, not just a few out-of-context snippets. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me privately at [email protected].

***

Last weekend was the Atlanta Objectivist Society’s weekend mini-conference, ATLOSCon. And I’m delighted to report on its many awesome qualities! Here’s just a partial list of the awesome.

  • Bacon: Paul and I stayed with the Caseys, and they made bacon for us, every single morning. (Yes, I did put that first on my list of awesome. I wouldn’t have made it through the weekend without all that bacon!) I love visiting paleo friends, because then I see how others eat paleo in their native habitat (i.e. at home). We didn’t do much eating at the Casey’s, due to a very full schedule. But the slew of bacon every morning was seriously awesome.
  • My Lectures on Pride: My two lectures on “The Theory and Practice of Pride” went well, I think. Most Objectivists aren’t too clear on the meaning and demands of pride, and that means that they can’t use it on a daily basis, as they do other virtues, to make their lives more awesome. My lectures were a start in the right direction, I think, and I look forward to doing more work on this topic.
  • My Rationally Selfish Webcast: We visited philosophic crazytown — twice, at least — but it was fun to do with a live audience. I’ve already posted the audio here.
  • The Casey Adults: We’d never met Brendan before, so that was a real pleasure. I particularly enjoyed my talk with him about their approach to vaccinating the kids, in light of his own family history. Also, he’s rather better-looking than his Facebook picture… and he has better taste in clothing. Jenn and I talked a good bit about “perfectionism,” which is a topic that I’d like to explore more in the future. Overall, it’s just so darn easy and pleasant to spend time with them: they weren’t a source of “introvert debt,” meaning that feeling of being drained and exhausted by other people, however fun they might be. (That term was coined by Tim, I think.) Maybe I only incur “introvert debt” by spending time with extroverts?
  • The Casey Kids: Happily, I got to spend some time with Ryan, Morgan, and Sean — although not as much as I would have liked. Sean pretty much ignored us: he wasn’t curious or nervous, just uninterested. Morgan and Ryan were exactly as Jenn describes them. Ryan was great fun to talk to, and I wish I had more time (and energy) to talk with him. At one point, Brendan explained who the pope is to Ryan, due to the pope being featured in a story Brendan was telling us. That was fun to witness. Morgan was perfectly sweet and amiable. I would have taken her home with me, because I’m sure she’d be no trouble at all, but alas, Jenn and Brendan would probably object. Also, I was particularly amused when Morgan fell asleep on the couch with her hair slightly in a plate of bacon. Sleepy Child + Bacon = Cute.
  • Positive Discipline in Action: At the Casey’s, I saw the workings of a deeply positive discipline household for myself, from the inside. I’ve spent oodles of time in families with kids ranging from about a year to ten years old, so I’m familiar with standard modes of interaction for those ages. The Casey kids periodically acted in impulsive or emotional ways, as all kids do. However, the resulting problems were solved in a remarkably low-drama, low-conflict way. I didn’t see the standard battle of wills, with the parent forcing their wishes on the unwilling child by threats or bribery. Rather, I saw something more like firm but friendly negotiation for mutually-agreeable solution, and that usually only took a few seconds. That was amazing, particularly given the stress of the weekend. Also, the kids had far, far more respect for the doings of the adults around them than any other kids that I’ve known. Also, awesome.
  • I was able to squeeze in a nice long chat with Trey about my plans for the Rationally Selfish Webcast, particularly the changes that I need to make it what I want it to be. That was super-helpful.
  • The Tweets: We had an excellent slew of #OutOfContext tweets, with my favorite being about my preference for more firm sausage at Saturday’s dinner. Yes, that’s true in all possible senses, although we were actually talking about food.
  • Jason Stotts: I had some good conversations with Jason Stotts of Erosophia about sexual ethics. Our general approach seems more similar than I’d expected, and I think that I need to be more careful in how I’m making certain claims, so that I don’t overstate my views. On that note, I had three (!) separate conversations about the morality of S&M at ATLOSCon, particularly where to draw the line between (a) beneficial enhancement of the sexual experience and (2) self-destructive harms, degradation, humiliation, etc.
  • The Volokhs: Paul and I spent an afternoon with the Volokhs, instead of doing the hike as planned on Sunday. (We were exhausted, so some quiet chat seemed so much more appealing.) I was fascinated to see how much older Charlie seemed than Sean, particularly in his verbal capacity, even though they’re basically the same age. I wonder if that’s just a temperamental, familial, or other ordinary difference — or whether Sasha’s talking to Charlie only in Russian makes some difference in Charlie’s verbal skills. (That was awesome to witness!) Also, I was greatly amused by Charlie’s chasing me down the long room in giggles, but then getting a bit nervous and running back to his parents, and then admitting that he was scared. With Hanah and Sasha, we had a lengthy conversation about the origins and basis of modern Judaism, which I found particularly fascinating, given my own interest in the history of religion. Earlier, we’d discussed why learning so often requires teaching (e.g. in law school or philosophy graduate school) rather than merely private reading and studying on one’s own. That was fascinating to me, and I’m going to have to think about the implications of that for my own work.
  • The Clutter: When Jenn says that her house is cluttered, she means it! It was remarkably clean, however. That got me thinking about what values I can and perhaps ought to let go, particularly given that I’ve just got to lighten my load of obligations. I’ve got an unrecognized perfectionist streak, I think, and that’s having some very pernicious effects on my health.
  • ATLOSCon Lectures: I particularly enjoyed Hanah Volokh’s lecture on interpreting laws, Miranda Barzey’s discussion of creating a value-dense home, and Kelly Elmore’s poetry class. Looking over the schedule again, I heard lots of good things about classes that I didn’t attend, and I hope that recordings will be available.
  • ATLOSCON People: I enjoyed meeting a whole slew of people that I’ve known online for ages, like Ansley and John, Tori, and Miranda. And I met new awesome people, like Tim and Faye. And I saw friends that I wish I could see more, like Trey, Earl, Tom, Shea, Jenn, and Kelly. For those not mentioned, please consider yourselves awesome too!

I hope that I’ve not forgotten anything too important, but if so, just add it to the comments. Honestly, I’m still rather wiped out from the whole wild weekend of too many people and too little sleep. I’m quite certain that if every weekend were like ATLOSCon, I’d be soon featured in a VH1 series entitled “Behind the Philosophy” that would track my heedless and wild rise, then my tragic downfall, and then my careful rise again. Happily, ATLOSCon happens only once per year, so I’ll be safe from that disaster.If you missed ATLOSCon, you should come next year! It’s fun, fun, fun! But you need not wait that long. You can attend the Chicago minicon over Labor Day Weekend (September 3rd and 4th) or to Denver’s next SnowCon from January 11th to the 15th.

Most of all, thank you to everyone who made ATLOSCon possible, both the other speakers and organizers! It was a fantastic experience, and I look forward to seeing everyone next year.

Suffusion theme by Sayontan Sinha