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Minicon 49
Well, I had a great time. Largely because I took it easy and didn't have a lot of running around to do. Mom was at the top of her game... at age 89. I went home early every night. At least twice, mom stayed up until 3am...
mplspunky as a sub-head for Opening and Closing Ceremonies worked out well. She was helpful and comfortable in front of an audience. The Guest of Honor were wonderful. Janny Wurts agreed to play the bagpipes and make a grand entrance at Opening Ceremonies, which she did. Toni and I spurred along the raging controversy about whether the event is "Opening Ceremony" or "Opening Ceremonies". Whee!Public Facebook Galleries:
20140413-18 Minicon pre-con, Thursday and Friday"
20140419-21 Minicon Saturday, Sunday and Monday
20140426 Minicon 49 Post-Mortem
Video: "Scotland the Brave/Amazing Grace" Janny Wurts April 19, 2014 (approved by Janny for the sound, not the vid)
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I only regret the pictures I didn't take, and I didn't take one of Myrna this year. We talked for a bit. and she seemed fine. I knew I'd be posting a lot of pictures and wanted to save some time. Humph.
A pattern seems to be that men die before big events, and women die after. Myrna looked like she was having a good time at Minicon, and died a few days later.
I understand and respect when people ask me not to take their photo. But please, understand that a recording of an event is not just for you. I will try harder in the future to talk you into letting me take a good photo of you.
Myrna at the Metrodome for the wedding of Laurel and Kevin 9/17/2005. This is the picture used by Gregg at the memorial, cropped just for her face.
Myrna at Conjecture, 10/14/11
"Smooooothing" for Myrna at the Minicon 49 Post-Mortem 4/26/14
Also: Myrna at Minicon April 7 (I think), 2007
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Matisse
The Mpls Institute of Arts has a special showing of Matisse sketches, paintings and sculptures from the Baltimore Museum of Art.
I confess, I've never quite understood all the fuss about Matisse, and this exhibit didn't help me understand any better. He's not a particularly good draftman: His faces are usually poor, his postures uncomfortable and everyone in his paintings looks sad. There are very few smiles in his pictures
Several people, including two docents, weighed in on this. Matisse was very demanding of his models, and frequently had them posing for up to 12 hours. This still seems iffy: Do the face first, or after a bathroom break. One docent tried to say that it was commentary on the hard life of women at the time. No, that doesn't work, as he has pictures of women watching parades or wearing fancy hats. If he wanted social commentary, he'd choose other subjects. He was all about composition.
I like how he uses colors to make planes and add a three dimensional depth to a flat picture. But others have done the same, better. Ah well. Yet another reason I'm a reviewer, not a docent. The exhibit is worth seeing, and you might get more out of it than I did.
