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There's a big debate going on in the science fiction community going on about who feels welcome where and what that means. The sense of unwelcomeness originated with some older fen / pros talking about WisCON. Pretty much the most articulate summation that I've read so far on that subject comes from Sigrid Ellis: https://sigridellis.wordpress.com/2016/06/06/a-few-post-wiscon-thoughts-on-being-an-ally/
I've been thinking about the subject of aging and fandom on a more personal level. Nate Bucklin is someone I've known somewhat tangentially since I first started trying to write professionally. In fact, Nate was at least partly, if not wholly, responsible for connecting me to my then agent (and now rather notorious, speaking of WisCON,) Jim Frenkel. So, when Nate called several weeks back and asked if I'd be willing to help him with a writing project he's been trying to finish for years, I said yes.
Nate is currently living in a nursing home, the Augustana Health Care Center in Minneapolis (http://augustanacare.org). Because Nate has no internet access, I've been going to see him once a week to talk about this project, etc. It's pretty much as abysmal as you might imagine, but no worse than many of these places go. Nate has a small bed in a shared room, but there are lots of common spaces. It reminds me of the place my father stayed when he was in recovery for so long, though I daresay my dad's was a touch nicer, but probably due to being in a smaller town, if nothing else.
At any rate, I asked Nate today if he was getting a lot of visitors. He said 'No, not really.' So, if you know Nate or know people who know him, please spread the word that he'd like more visitors.
These places are rough, even when you know your time there is limited. I think a lot about Gardner Dozois and his wife Susan Casper who are in a similar situation in another city. Gardner, at least, is able to post updates and such on Facebook, and that was something my father was able to keep up with too. I actually gave Nate a computer (it was given to me as a gift, so I passed it on and, if he's interested, I'll see if I can get him set up to use Facebook and Gmail too. I know how much having outside contact kept my dad feeling at least somewhat more connected.)
I have to run pick up Shawn and Mason, but I just wanted to be sure to get this out there. Friends of Nate Bucklin! Go see him if/when you can! (if you need more specific info as to how to contact Nate, please feel free to drop me a line at my gmail address: [email protected].)
I've been thinking about the subject of aging and fandom on a more personal level. Nate Bucklin is someone I've known somewhat tangentially since I first started trying to write professionally. In fact, Nate was at least partly, if not wholly, responsible for connecting me to my then agent (and now rather notorious, speaking of WisCON,) Jim Frenkel. So, when Nate called several weeks back and asked if I'd be willing to help him with a writing project he's been trying to finish for years, I said yes.
Nate is currently living in a nursing home, the Augustana Health Care Center in Minneapolis (http://augustanacare.org). Because Nate has no internet access, I've been going to see him once a week to talk about this project, etc. It's pretty much as abysmal as you might imagine, but no worse than many of these places go. Nate has a small bed in a shared room, but there are lots of common spaces. It reminds me of the place my father stayed when he was in recovery for so long, though I daresay my dad's was a touch nicer, but probably due to being in a smaller town, if nothing else.
At any rate, I asked Nate today if he was getting a lot of visitors. He said 'No, not really.' So, if you know Nate or know people who know him, please spread the word that he'd like more visitors.
These places are rough, even when you know your time there is limited. I think a lot about Gardner Dozois and his wife Susan Casper who are in a similar situation in another city. Gardner, at least, is able to post updates and such on Facebook, and that was something my father was able to keep up with too. I actually gave Nate a computer (it was given to me as a gift, so I passed it on and, if he's interested, I'll see if I can get him set up to use Facebook and Gmail too. I know how much having outside contact kept my dad feeling at least somewhat more connected.)
I have to run pick up Shawn and Mason, but I just wanted to be sure to get this out there. Friends of Nate Bucklin! Go see him if/when you can! (if you need more specific info as to how to contact Nate, please feel free to drop me a line at my gmail address: [email protected].)