Episode Number: 92
Episode Title: Fanny Pack Chic (listen to this episode)
Transcript by: Susan the Great
Support us: If you’d like to help us with our accessibility work and compensating Susan for her transcriptions, you can support the show in a myriad of ways!

Please contact us if you spot any errors.

Renay: Hey friends, I’m Renay.

Ana: And I’m Ana.

Renay: And you’re listening to Fangirl Happy Hour: Special Worldcon Edition.

[music break]

Renay: Welcome to the super professional Fangirl Happy Hour, where we know how to start episodes. Instead of going off on a tangent about Hugos for five minutes.

Ana: But that’s on-brand, and also I don’t know about being professionals about Worldcon either because I went to Worldcon but I didn’t actually GO to Worldcon, I was just like drinking beer, working, hanging out with friends, and I saw maybe half a panel. And I got to hug Daveed Diggs.

Renay: I’m still really jealous that you got to hug Daveed Diggs.

Ana: Actually, he hugged me. Actually, okay he just put his arm over my shoulder when we were taking a picture. Does that constitute a hug? Is that stalky? Is that like really creepy behavior? I’m sorry Daveed Diggs.

Renay: I’m still really jealous that you got to meet him.

Ana: He had the best ensemble, best clothes for the Hugo Awards, was so cool.

Renay: Okay, well, listeners, if you haven’t yet guessed, this is an extra episode! Bonus pod! For Ana’s experience in Helsinki.

Ana: Yaaay! That’s much better frame. [laughter]

Renay: And my experience being at home watching the livestream completely fail.

Ana: Something happened that night because no one could access the internet, either. The wifi was not working. It was unfortunate because everything else seemed to have gone okay. I haven’t heard anyone complaining about the con. I know there were problems with queues at panels because it was packed with people, like broke all kinds of records with over 6000 attending members. And even though the convention center was quite big, the room for the panels were small until they actually were moved at one point.

Renay: Yeah, I saw they closed memberships at some point, which I don’t think has ever happened before.

Ana: Yeah.

Renay: Which is kind of cool and is also a reason why we should be having more international Worldcons.

Ana: Absolutely.

Renay: Next year is in San José. PS space bees, if you’re gonna be in San José let us know because I’M going to be at San José. The next one after that is in Dublin.

Ana: That one I’m definitely going.

Renay: I don’t have a passport. I can’t go to that one.

Ana: You have two years to get that sorted.

Renay: How am I going to pay for a ticket to Ireland?

Ana: Let’s get a new Patreon level that will get you to Dublin.

Renay: We’re not going to abuse our patrons. We’re not doing it.

Ana: Maybe they want to meet you and me at the same time. It’s their decision.

Renay: You can come to San José next year.

Ana: Honestly, I’d rather save the money to go to New Zealand in three years.

Renay: If they win. That’s a long time for there to be a counterbid. I’m not getting my hopes up.

Ana: They were giving out those—how do you call the things that you put on your…?

Renay: Fanny packs?

Ana: No!

Renay: Hey New Zealand, there’s a free marketing idea: fanny packs.

Ana: No!

Renay: I love a good fanny pack. I don’t know what you’re talking about, those are so helpful.

Ana: It was these! How do you call these?

Renay: Ribbons!

Ana: Ribbons! Oh my god. I forgot the word ribbon and then replaced with fanny packs, somehow.

Renay: No, I replaced it with fanny pack.

Ana: Anyway, this year they had like Middle Earth 2020, a ribbon for that, so I got one for me.

Renay: I still think the fanny pack idea’s a good marketing strategy.

Ana: No. Renay, no.

Renay: Poll: do you think that New Zealand should have fanny packs as a marketing strategy.

Ana: No.

Renay: Tell us on twitter. Please side with me.

Ana: No, because we all want to go to New Zealand.

Renay: Are you suggesting that if they handed out fanny packs they’ll lose?

Ana: Yes, I am suggesting exactly that. We need to have a poll. Fanny packs, yes or no.

Renay: Yes. The answer is yes. They’re super useful. Okay Ana, tell us about your amazing convention.

Ana: So I got there on Thursday, was my first day officially at the convention. And it was really nice because I met Mieneke, from A Fantastical Librarian, and her husband Wiebe. And we always hang out together when we go to conventions together! I think this is the third year in a row where we meet around this time of the year and she’s lovely. And we met again and we went to the convention together. We attended a panel on asexuality in YA, which was interesting because there were no asexual representation in the panelists And it was all writers who wrote about asexual characters talking about that experience. And then very last-minute just before the panel started an asexual author presented herself and said, “Can I participate in this?” and that made it a little bit better.

But it was the only panel I attended because I took a couple of books that I printed for Book Smugglers and I just planted myself next to a Narnia wardrobe—don’t ask—and just told people to come and get some freebies. And then lots of people came, and I met Juan San Miguel, friend of the podcast. I met Ellen, also a friend of the podcast. And Charlotte! So it was really lovely and we spent I think about an hour chatting? And it was really great.

It was kind of like it’s really interesting because there’s now this picture because I’m here because I know you from the Book Smugglers. Oh, I’m here because I know you from Fangirl Happy Hour, so I never know which hat I’m using at any given time. But yeah, it was lovely.

And then after that, on Thursday, Thea arrived, and we worked, slash drank, and the next day was the Hugos day. I did not sleep that night, Renay. I will tell you why. Because I kept thinking about this speech that you wrote for me. And I’m like, “Fuck, if I win this, I will have to read this whole fucking thing.” And I swear to god at one point my heart was beating so fast and my arms had, like with—with pain in my arms. And I’m like am I having a fucking heart attack because a speech for the Hugo Awards which I ended up not having to deliver because I fucking lost, or we lost. That was for nothing. That fear that I’m having a heart attack, and I’m like, “oh, I think Ira knows how to do first aid” so I was like, “oh maybe I can ask them to come here and help them because I think I’m literally dying.”

Renay: [laughter]

Ana: And that was at like 2am, 3am, 4am, and I’m like, I’m—I’m gonna look horrible at the Hugos. And I took like a melatonin so I was able to sleep finally, woke up early to go back to do the Hugo training. That’s when I met Daveed Diggs for the first time. And then I also met Ira and Susan, our, you know, the people that have helped us with Fangirl Happy Hour. And Susan does our transcripts and Ira has done our fab art. And I met and they were lovely. And then I was super excited about the Hugos, super nervous.

I looked super great also, because Mieneke came to iron my dress because I was freaking out because it was so wrinkled because of the suitcase and I don’t know how to iron. And I’m having like a meltdown at this get together and Mieneke’s like, “I’ll come, I’ll come and iron your dress for you, Ana.” And she so kindly came just before the award and helped us. We called an Uber and the Uber driver came and he was super horrible to us and told us that Thea had to sit in the front because Uber is illegal in Finland. And I’m like, “We’re gonna die on the way to the Hugo Awards!” But we got there safely and took pictures. They had tons and tons of pictures taken, and I hate the picture they took of me.

Renay: You could have done what I did and opted out of the pictures.

Ana: Oh no, I could never. [laughter] I want it kept for history. So I had three nominations, right? One in 2014 for The Book Smugglers and then two this years. So I’m three times a loser.

Renay: You’re in a very good club with George R.R. Martin.

Ana: That’s true. And also I was thinking maybe I’ll be the Leonardo Di Caprio of the Hugo Awards. It’ll take me fifteen years to finally win one.

Renay: And then you went to the Hugo Loser Party which I don’t think you remember much of.

Ana: I do remember, everything, it was super cool. George R.R. Martin throws a Hugo party every year and this year he closed a steampunk bar that had boats on the ceiling and steam coming out of everywhere with free booze, free food, for everybody that lost a Hugo, plus one. It was lovely. We spent a lot of time with everybody. We shared a cab on the way there with Lee Harris from Tor.com, and then people just came over and talked and we spent time together and then I started dancing by myself after three beers, I guess, and a gin? Maybe? I don’t know. It’s fuzzy. I didn’t have anything to eat, again. I had breakfast at nine, then we had a burrito; a small burrito at one?

Renay: You got so drunk.

Ana: At one point there were stars all over my face.

Renay: You got so drunk.

Ana: It very so nice. I could have stayed longer, but the next day we had a tickets to go by ferry to Estonia. We spent Saturday in Estonia and then Sunday we left. That was my Worldcon. It was lovely. It was really nice. I don’t know if I wish I had done more con stuff. It’s a really hard decision to make, because I was meeting Thea, and it’s like, I only get to see her once every year, and I guess I just wanna spend time with her.

Renay: This is why you need to come to Worldcon next year and spend time with me.

Ana: Oh yeah, aw.

Renay: KJ’s on a mission, who I need to have back on so we can discuss Spider-Man, which I need to watch. She has a goal to get as many people as possible to come to San José and she’s working on everybody. So beware if you see her icon coming at you on the internet.

Ana: That’s her mission. Okay, all right. I’ll be prepared.

Renay: So far we have a lot of people. I think me and Ira have agreed to go. Obviously Zach’s coming with me, my partner. I’m trying to get you to go… I’m excited about going.

Ana: I bet your favorite will be there too.

Renay: Kate Elliott? Yes, I’m hoping I can convince Kate Elliott to go.

Ana: And I bet it’s gonna be easier for John Scalzi to go.

Renay: It depends, I guess, on how people are doing with their book schedules. I’m hoping that there’ll be a lot of authors that I haven’t met yet there. Yeah, so space bees, if you have plans to go to San José or you’re noodling over the idea, I’m going to be there and I’m going to convince Ana to go somehow. So in closing you did not a Hugo. We did not win a Hugo for this podcast, but Tea & Jeopardy won, which is great.

Ana: Yes, absolutely. And her speech was great.

Renay: I look forward to seeing it when the video goes up of the ceremony.

Ana: Were we happy with the other winners?

Renay: Yeah, I was pretty pleased. I am super hoping that everybody goes out soon and buys The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin and reads it and then makes space on the Hugo ballot so N.K. Jemisin can get a hat trick. It’s such a good book. Also, congratulations to my co-editors and I for winning the Hugo in Best Fanzine. Because we did.

Ana: So proud. I was sitting with Susan and and Ira. They were just behind me and I kept like, “You’re gonna win this, it’s in the bag, you better prepare,” and Susan’s like, “No way,” and I’m like, “You are so gonna win this one,” and you did!

Renay: My mother and partner shot me in the face with the confetti gun.

Ana: Oh my god. [laughter]

Renay: So that’s how I celebrated: picking glitter out of my mouth.

Ana: [laughter]

Renay: It feels really surreal, but it always feels fun being nominated when the categories are robust and there are a lot of different voices. So let’s keep it up, Hugo voters! And next year we have a YA award!

Ana: I know. I don’t even know what to do with myself with this!

Renay: Anna worked so hard! Anna was on the Hugo committee!

Ana: Not me.

Renay: Not our Ana, but another Anna. And she worked really really hard on this committee, and they put out a report, and they chose a name. Next year it won’t be named, it’ll just be like “The YA Award,” but after that it will be called The Lodestar.

Ana: But why…?

Renay: Because of weird Hugo rules about ratification. But it’s gonna be called The Lodestar which is great. I love that it’s not named after a person. I’m so happy.

Ana: But what does it mean, does it refer to something, is it like—?

Renay: A lodestar is a star that is used to guide the course of a ship.

Ana: Ah, okay. I didn’t know that.

Renay: So I’m glad you had a good con.

Ana: Yeah.

Renay: I’m sorry I couldn’t be there. Space bees who were there I hope you guys had fun. Space bees who weren’t there I’m sure that you shared my frustration about not getting to watch the Hugo Ceremony. There’s always next year.

Ana: Yeah.

Renay: PS please come to San José.

[music break]

Renay: Thanks to all of the volunteers who worked hard to make Worldcon 75 a fun time.

Ana: And thank you to all the space bees who came to talk to me and say hello.

Renay: You can find us on Twitter at @fangirlpodcast. Email us at any time with feedback, concerns, or questions. If you’re listening to us via Ttunes, we’d love for you to leave a review. It helps our rating, brings us to new people, and then they can join the hive.

Ana: Our show art is by Hugo award winner Ira, and our transcripts are by Hugo Award winner Susan. Our music this week is by Chuki Beats and Boxcat Games. You can find links to their work in our show notes at fangirlhappyhour.com.

Renay: Drink enough water and take care of yourselves if you’re going to any rallies or protests.

Ana: And let us all save money to go to New Zealand in 2020.

Renay: Fanny packs!

Ana: Noooooo!

Renay: Thanks for listening, space bees.

Ana: See you next episode.

[music break]

Ana: Queen Hugorinna The First

[beep]

Renay: Okay, really, we should really— [laughter] Focus!

Ana: [laughter]

Renay: Focus!

Ana: [laughter intensifies]

Renay: We’re really good at this. We’re professionals.

[beep]

Ana: Okay. All right. That’s fine. You have a Hugo. You can do whatever you want, I guess.

[beep]

Renay: Time for some jellyfish pills.

Ana: I can’t. It’s not vegan.

[beep] [beep]