Lisbon Break
In the first weekend of December, I went to Lisbon for Smofcon. The convention usually takes place in the States, so when the team from Dublin2019 offered stipends for Irish fans to attend, I jumped at the opportunity.
For those who don’t know – which I imagine is most, if not all of my subscriber list, which included me until September – Smofcon is a convention all about the organisation of conventions. It leans towards WorldCon and Eurocon, rather than San Diego Comic Con or NYCC, fan-led events that operate on a non-profit basis.
Smofcon
The convention took place at the VIP Executive Art’s Hotel, which features some stunning artwork at the entrance.
I really felt at home as soon as I arrived!
And before I get to the pun of the matter, I really did enjoy this break. I’ve never been to Lisbon, so when local artist Carlos Pedro offered to show me around before the convention, I immediately took him up on it! My favourite stop was to Kingpin Books.
It’s a fantastic shop in the heart of Lisbon that occasionally doubles as a publisher. They stock both English-language and Portuguese titles, as well as books from local creators. The next time I’m in Lisbon, I’m heading back!
The pun of the matter
There was but one bad thing about Lisbon: I had a wee accident.
On the Saturday morning, I slipped coming out of the bathroom after a shower. (That being despite the several towels I had on the floor to try catch any stray water!)
I found out yesterday, after a trip to my GP and then to A&E for an x-ray, that I managed to chip my ulna. The brace pictured is one I picked up in a pharmacy in Lisbon, but I was given a similar one after the x-ray. It’s a minor chip, so small it’s barely detectible, but still painful enough that I need the brace to limit accidental movement.
Now, I’m right handed. If I had to fall on one arm, I chose the correct one. I can still write by hand, but typing is something of an ordeal. Not because of the chip, but because the brace means my fingers have to stretch more to reach the keys. It’s really slowed me down and it leaves me prone to making more typing errors.
It sucks, but it could have been worse. It just means I’ll be a bit slower at getting some prose written than I’d have liked to be!
