Maryland SF Update

[Dale Arnold]

BSFS Building COVID Notes:

We are opening some events at the BSFS Building for fully vaccinated folks wearing masks now and hope COVID continues to drop to safer levels to free more things up next month.  BALTICON AND BSFS Meetings are in-person and teleconference in October.  To attend in-person meetings at the BSFS Building see our directions page at https://www.bsfs.org/bsfsdrct.htm   Zoom and Discord participation is listed with event information below.

Book Club Meeting at BSFS:

The next book club meeting at BSFS will be held held October 23, 2021 at 7:30 PM as ZOOM Teleconference and in-person. Featured Book: A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny. Stop by the BSFS Building or join by Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/94129016253?pwd=LzRMVEZmVGtnUi9jOUc3MnFOcHFHQT09
Meeting ID: 941 2901 6253 Passcode: 041896   For more information bookd...@bsfs.org

Film Night at BSFS October:

The next film night will be held October 16, 2021 (for vaccinated and masked only please) from 5:00pm-11:30 pm. (Building opens at 4:00 PM for early arrivals) We will screen Troll Bridge an authorized Terry Pratchett fan film at 7:00 PM and before then at 5:00 PM will start and screen a recent Terry Pratchett professional production of “The Watch”  and after Troll Bridge continue the last episodes of The Watch. All on our 10 ft screen! Our license gives us the right to show The Watch, but we are not supposed to advertise on the web but can distribute flyers… so this email is like a flyer. Marty Gear donated to the production of Troll Bridge before his death in 2013 so join us in Marty's last premier in the BSFS Building!  For more info email da...@bsfs.org

Tabletop Role-Playing Game Event at BSFS:

 Next held September 26, 2021 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM Meeting on the Discord server at https://discord.gg/5U3s2YzPzQ To participate by Discord you do need to register for Discord if you have never done so before, but the process is fairly easy. For more info before the event contact BSFSE...@bsfs.org

Anime Social at BSFS:

 Held on October 23, 2021 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. This is usually a day of anime watching and just general hanging out in-person and this month it returns to in person for the vaccinated and mask cooperative. Those not vaccinated or mask friendly or just prefer or are far away can attend by discord as a watch party. Just show up or go to the Discord Server at https://discord.gg/5U3s2YzPzQ and select from the available channels #wach-parties. You do need to register for Discord if you have never done so before, but the process is fairly easy.  For more info or suggest titles for the future contact anime at BSFS dot org

Alphabet Soup Board Gaming:

Maybe returns October 10, 2021 at the BSFS Building from 12:00 Noon til 5:00pm (under a new manager so need to check with the new manager and will update www.bsfs.org) Board gaming using the Hal Haag Memorial game collection. For more info contact pa...@bsfs.org



Borrow and bring back books from our 13,000 item free lending library at any event or meeting at the BSFS Building.

Balticon Planning and BSFS Business Meetings:

These meetings in October will be in-person and teleconference by Zoom. You need to be completely vaccinated and wear mask to attend in person at BSFS. (I hate masks too, but sometimes you just need to do things. If you can not stand masks and vaccination then please attend by zoom. I am bringing 20 disposable masks for anyone needing one) To attend in October by Zoom using your computer use link https://zoom.us/j/97614691479?pwd=aDJscVhySGJ5TUpOZTNXRXBTaHJadz09
Passcode: 463191
Or iPhone one-tap : US: +13017158592,,97614691479#,,,,*463191# or +19292056099,,97614691479#,,,,*463191# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 301 715 8592 or +1 929 205 6099 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 6833
Webinar ID: 976 1469 1479 Passcode: 463191
International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/ac59gxWAiW

The Baltimore Science Fiction Society business and discussion meeting will be held at 8:30pm on October 9, 2021. Drop on by in-person or on Zoom to share ideas, watch us warp traditional parliamentary rules, hang out etc., see above.

The Balticon 56 Planning Meeting next held October 9, 2021 at 7:00 PM. Drop in-person or on Zoom and share your ideas about how to improve future Balticons. (or volunteer)

Writers Circle at BSFS:

BSFS sponsors a Writing Circle 6:30-8:30pm which usually meets every second and fourth Thursday of the month inside the BSFS Building, however, near term during COVID they are meeting by teleconference only by zoom on 10/07/2021 and10/28/2021. This is a SF and Fantasy focused writing group. If you write check it out. Many stories work shopped at this writer's circle have been sold to professional markets. This is a recurring meeting so to attend any Writer's Circle meeting use: Join Zoom Meeting at https://zoom.us/j/91064908740?pwd=TENjZ25HenRNOHhtcHFaRlZnOGE3dz09
Meeting ID: 910 6490 8740 Passcode: 805110   For more info contact BSFSE...@BSFS.org




Strand Theater Company Presents The Life of Countess Elizabeth Bathory:

The Strand Theater Company returns to live in-person programming with the opening production of the regional premiere of Blood Countess by Kelleen Conway Blanchard. The life of Countess Elizabeth Bathory, a historical noblewoman accused of bathing in young girls' blood so she could live forever young, becomes a supernatural tale both creepy and creepily funny in the hands of the playwright of Kelleen Conway Blanchard.  This fictional account follows the countess from her happy marriage to the fierce warrior Ferenc, to her conviction and death bricked up within the walls of her castle. Along the way it explores her possible motivations for the gory and sadistic murders of which she stands accused. Landing solidly on the dark side of dark comedy, Blood Countess still employs plenty of Kelleen Conway Blanchard's trademark humor and linguistic gymnastics. Runs Friday, October 22nd, 2021 through November 7, 2021. Tickets are $20 General Admission, $10 for students, seniors and artists. All performances take place at 5426 Harford Rd. Baltimore MD 21214. Proof of vaccination and mask wearing is required for attendance. For more information and tickets see www.strand-theater.org

Baltimore ComicCon Returns:

The Baltimore ComicCon returns to in-person October 22-24, 2021 at the The Baltimore Convention Center as a huge dealers room with traditional comics and lots more. Stop by and see us at the BSFS Table! (COVID Vaccination Proof and Masks required, strict mask type criteria imposed so make sure yours passes) See the list of artists, times and locations at https://baltimorecomiccon.com/

[Dale Arnold]

Covid and such has caused a few changes to my earlier email and so sending out this updated version for late October and early November with “*” marking updated information from prior email and “&” marking something completely New…

Oh… and be careful to only use the zoom links on the bsfs.org page for the link they specify for a particular event. People keep using the first link they see on the page which sometimes is not the right one to go where the active event is occurring and then land on the wrong zoom event days early or days late…

Regular Film Night at BSFS:

Next held October 16, 2021 (for vaccinated and masked only please) from 5:00pm-11:30 pm. (Building opens at 4:00 PM) We will screen Troll Bridge an authorized Terry Pratchett fan film at 7:00 PM and before at 5:00 PM a recent Terry Pratchett professional production called The Watch and then after Troll Bridge we will continue with the rest of The Watch. All on our 10 ft screen! BSFS member and godfather of the masquerade Marty Gear donated to the production of Troll Bridge before his death in 2013 so join us in Marty's last premier in the BSFS Building! (some will remember Marty performed as Cohen the Barbarian as cosplay and theatrically and Troll Bridge features Cohen as protagonist, not with Marty in the role though)

& Special Film Night at BSFS:

Because it is the fright season, on October 30, 2021 as a Halloween treat we will screen Mystery of the Wax Museum and Doctor X in glorious digitally restored original two tone technicolor from 7:00pm-10:00 pm. (Building opens at 6:00 PM)  (technicolor as rendered on LCD projection of course) All on our 10 ft screen! Historical commentary on these films by Thomas the Red before and after the screenings.  (for vaccinated and virus reducing masked only please)

& Author Reading at BSFS:

 On November 13, 2021 at 8:00 PM author E. J. Wenstrom will read from her book Departures. In-person and by Zoom. This will be between the normal Balticon and BSFS Business Meetings and will also be in-person and by Zoom. See bsfs.org for meeting details and Zoom login link. More information about E. J. Wenstrom at www.ejwenstrom.com/

& Charm City Spec Event Sponsored By BSFS Outside BSFS Building:

  The next Charm City Spec is coming October 27, 2021 at 7:00 PM on the patio of The Ivy Bookshop with readers...John Appel, Assassin's Orbit; Scott Edelman, Things That Never Happened; Tessa Gratton, Strange Grace; Justina Ireland, Ophie's Ghosts; Karlo Yeager Rodriguez, Speculative Fiction for Dreamers: A Latinx Anthology; A. C. Wise, The Ghost Sequences. Be forewarned: several of the readings will be appropriate to the spooky season. Also on offer: door prizes, snacks and beverages, Q&A, a mass signing, old friends and new! For more information see https://www.facebook.com/CharmCitySpec/

* Tabletop Role-Playing Game Event at BSFS:

Next held October 31, 2021 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM Meeting on the Discord server at https://discord.gg/5U3s2YzPzQ To participate by Discord you do need to register for Discord if you have never done so before, but the process is fairly easy. For more info before the event contact BSFSEvents at bsfs dot org  Maybe in person in November.

* Anime Social at BSFS:

Next held on October 23, 2021 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. This is usually a day of anime watching and just general hanging out. This month as a discord watch party. Just go to the Discord Server at https://discord.gg/5U3s2YzPzQ and select from the available channels #wach-parties. You do need to register for Discord if you have never done so before, but the process is fairly easy. The anime social for this October is gonna be a little spooky. At 2PM We'll be watching episodes 1-3 of Digimon Ghost Game; a brand new entry into the Digimon series with a supernatural emphasis. At 3:30PM we'll watch episode 1-3 of The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window, a supernatural mystery/horror series with some BL romance. And finally, we'll episodes 15-16 of GATE, where hopefully (fingers crossed) will finally get the help she needs to deal with her daddy-issues.. For more info or suggest titles for the future contact anime at BSFS dot org

 

& Alphabet Soup:

The Alphabet Soup Board Gaming event returns October 23, 2021 (not the normal second Sunday, this is Fourth Sunday and is a special one time move) at the BSFS Building (for vaccinated and masked only please) from 12:00 Noon til 5:00pm Board gaming using the Hal Haag Memorial game collection. To attend email pa...@bsfs.org and let him know you are coming as unless he gets minimum 4 people confirmed he will cancel this month.

Book Club Meeting at BSFS:

Next held October 23, 2021 at 7:30 PM as ZOOM Teleconference and in-person. Featured Book: A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny. Stop by the BSFS Building or join by Zoom (only use this zoom link for book club, for other zoom meetings use proper links below) at https://zoom.us/j/94129016253?pwd=LzRMVEZmVGtnUi9jOUc3MnFOcHFHQT09