Jlawrence’s Comments (group member since Mar 08, 2010)

Jlawrence’s comments from the The Sword and Laser group.

My third review from Jenny's to-read list, Ted Chiang's elegant novella of medieval Middle Eastern tales, The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate.

I'm halfway through the fourth book from her to-read list I planned to read this month, Ryu Mitsuse's Ten Billion Days and One Hundred Billion Nights, but I'm enjoying it and hope to finish soon.

Second review this month from the intersection of my to-read list and Jenny's: When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger. Excellent setting and solid writing, but I had some issues as well detailed in the review.

My first review inspired by Jenny's to-read list: Ryan North's 'Choosable-Path-Adventure' To Be or Not to be.

This is a great suggestion for paying tribute to Jenny.

From the intersection of my to-read shelf with hers, I'll try to read and review these this month (three of these are fairly short, so I'm hoping I can do them all):

When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger

The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate by Ted Chiang

To Be or Not To Be: A Chooseable-Path Adventure by Ryan North (currently reading)

Ten Billion Days and One Hundred Billion Nights by Ryu Mitsuse

Tainaron: Mail from Another City by Leena Krohn

I should be able to make it!

Yikes. I missed this story until checking on this thread today. I'd like to think it's not true, so many cool memories of that place including of course our many meetings there. Deeply terrible if it is true.

Etcetera sounds good to me, too.

Sorry y’all, I’m stuck at work and not going to make it tonight.

Mark, welcome to the meetup - hopefully I’ll see you next time!

Since we're not having to fit into Borderlands schedule anymore, I'm all for making the last week of the month be the regular meeting time - better for slow readers like me. :D

I'm also up for anywhere you guys wanna meet.

And here's the event RSVP link!

As mentioned in the older thread, Robert is now taking over organizing duties - thanks, Robert! We started a new SF thread so Robert will be able to edit the thread title each month.

I'll be in Houston for this July one - have fun, y'all!

Mark, hope you can make it in the fall! Fresno Bob, you're always welcome, incoherent or not.

Turns out I'll be in Houston on the 22nd for family stuff.

Also, I'm passing the book club organizer torch; Robert has graciously agreed to try out being the organizer and forum announcer for the meetups going forward -- makes more sense for someone in the city to be arranging them since we don't have our surefire place any longer. Thanks, Robert! I will still attend whenever I can.

Thanks for asking, Rob. We still don't have the place nailed down yet.

Speaking of that, Robert (SF Robert, not Roberator Rob ), Veronica will be reaching out to you about a possible different location for July, to help us start a sample-various-locales routine.

Thanks for setting that up, Robert!

I've made a goodreads event for June 17 at 6pm at Mission Comics and Art:

RSVP here

That sounds good, Robert! Can you see if Monday, June 17 works for them?

This meeting is cursed! Curio is closed on Mondays & Flor de Cafe closed early today. If you’re looking for us we’re next door to Flor de Cafe at Ritual Coffee.

OK! Next meetup on Mon, May 20 at Curio, with Cafe De Flor as backup:

RSVP here!

Other than Andrew's baby, I don't think under 21 has ever been an issue for our club.

For our first New Adventure how about we try Curio, and if it's too crowded, wander over to Flor De Cafe (which from the reviews sounds like it is rarely crowded)?

(I really want to try Manny's too, it can be next on the list...)

Monday, May 20 (since the last Mon of the month is Memorial Day)? What say y'all?

I like the rotating location idea. So for that, are you imagining we just pick places that shouldn't be too crowded (ie we don't schedule with the places beforehand)?

Fresno Bob, I like that idea. I can't remember - what is the noise level like there? Generally good for conversation?

And Andrew, that looks good, too.

I want to share with you all part of the email Z'ev, the Borderlands Cafe manager, sent me, as it applies to all of you:

"We really appreciate the support that you've shown the cafe; it was creating community space for groups like yours that we had in mind when we first opened the place, and I truly regret that San Francisco has changed to the point that a Cafe like ours is just no longer viable. We're super-grateful for how you've contributed to making a place that felt like home, and was a fun place to work...

Thanks again for everything -- we are happy that you have been a part of making Borderlands Cafe a special place."

*sniff*

He also offered to let us still use the Borderlands Cafe space in May, though it would be officially closed and all its furniture potentially sold at that point, so I decided it's best if we find an alternate place now.

He gave this list of suggestions we can add to our list of potential replacement places:

- Manny's (7/9am-10pm) (Andrew's suggestion, too!) https://www.yelp.com/biz/mannys-san-francisco
- Flor De Cafe (9am-7/8pm) https://www.yelp.com/biz/flor-de-cafe-san-francisco
- Maxfield's House of Caffiene (7/8am-7pm) https://www.yelp.com/biz/maxfields-house-of-caffeine-san-francisco
- Muddy Waters (6/7am-11pm) https://www.yelp.com/biz/muddy-waters-coffee-house-san-francisco

add to that
- Curio https://www.yelp.com/biz/curio-san-francisco

If we end up choosing something like Curio, we won't need someone coordinating with the establishment, but if we still go with coordinating with a cafe, I, as a no-longer-SF-local, need to deputize one of you San Francisco residents to be the scout/cafe liaison. Any takers?

Yes, I just saw the email this morn, very sad, it was a great meetup place. :( I'll let you all know what they say about our last May meeting date (our usual date would fall on Memorial Day so it won't be then, in any case).

Yes, open to suggestions for alternatives (the email also said they'd be offering some suggestions for groups looking for a new home)...