2 p.m.—Consuite opens. [Consuite]
2 p.m.—Registration opens. [Consuite]
2 p.m.—Gaming opens. The gaming room will be open throughout the convention (until 4 p.m. on Sunday). We'll provide tables and chairs and some games. Feel free to bring your favorite board game, card game, or other game. Run by Thorin and Richard Tatge [Gaming Room]
2–4 p.m.—“Crafty Time”—Bring your art or craft projects to work on. If you want, bring craft materials to exchange or give away. Coordinated by Laura Krentz [Programming Room] Maybe make something for the:
3 p.m.—“Mini Art Fair/Fannish Flea Market”—Bring vaguely SF-related stuff to sell, trade, or give away. This can continue for most of the con. People can find the seller to make arrangements for purchase or trade. Or leave a moneybox if you're okay with that. Items should be clearly marked with price [or FREE] and seller's name. Bring your own change and a card table for your stuff. Don't leave valuable items unattended. You must clear out everything remaining by noon on Sunday. Coordinated by Laura Krentz [Programming Room]
4:30p.m.—“Knife Sharpening Hands-On Workshop”—Learn how to sharpen your kitchen knives properly, in preparation for making edible art. (Some sharpening may start earlier or continue later.) Bring a small knife and any sharpening equipment you have. Josh More, Richard Tatge [Overflow Consuite]
5:30 p.m.—“Play with Your Food: Edible Art”—Make food into various creatures, objects, etc., using fruit, veggies, nuts, seeds, and other foods. Please bring a small, sharp knife (see above), plus something edible to turn into art if you want. Some materials will be provided. At the end, take photos of our creations. Josh More, Richard Tatge [Overflow Consuite] Then eat some of this at the:
7 p.m.—“Tropical Paradise Dinner”—We are trying something new this year: a buffet-style meal from Kabobs Indian Grill for only $10 per person (cash only)! Please register early for the con in order to receive an e-mail message with details (or see here) and get in on the order. ORDER CUT-OFF is Tues., Oct. 16 at 5 p.m. The buffet will include: Tadka Dal (vegan & gluten-free (GF)), Palak Paneer (vegetarian & GF), Butter Chicken (GF), Chicken Tikka (GF), Methi Chicken (GF), rice (GF), Samosas, and Naan in family-style amounts based on the number of participants. We will try to accommodate late additions to the order until Friday at 4 p.m., but there are no guarantees. Wear your favorite Hawaiian shirt or other tropical or Indian attire. [Overflow Consuite]
8:15 p.m.—“Opening Ceremonies”—Greetings, announcements, etc. Beth Friedman, Laura Krentz, Dean Gahlon, Patricia Zetelumen, Peggy O'Neill, others? [Programming Room]
8:30 p.m.—“ Dessert Party”—If you want, bring a short presentation (five minutes or less) of a favorite reading, poem, song, or other material to share. Please bring a dessert if possible. [Programming Room]
10 p.m.—“Airport Astronomy”—It's surprising what you can see from the parking deck! Using telescope and binoculars, we'll look for globular clusters such as M13, open clusters like the Pleiades, other galaxies, the Moon, and more. As before, Saturday will be the rain date, and if weather is bad both nights, we may talk about astronomy in the programming room later Saturday night. Rachel Kronick, Ctein, Eric Forste
11 p.m.—“Movie Night and Pajama Party”—We'll open with some animated shorts. Then help choose a movie from the selection we brought that most people want to watch. Snack on treats left over from the dessert party or bring in food/drink from the Consuite. Wear your favorite fannish pajamas. Dean Gahlon, Laura Krentz [Programming Room]
Morning—Toast and nut butters and other food that could resemble breakfast. [Consuite]
Noon—“Merrily Down the SodaStream”—If you're curious about SodaStream, this is your chance to try it. We'll bring some recipe ideas. You can also experiment with ingredients from the Consuite (or bring something) that might mix well with carbonated water to create unique and delicious drinks. If you have and are willing to bring a SodaStream soft drink machine and some syrups and SodaStream bottles, please let Laura know. We'll have at least two machines available. Dean Gahlon, Laura Krentz, Scott Raun, Irene Raun [Overflow Consuite]
1p.m.—“MnStf Board Meeting”—Open meeting. MnStf Board [Programming Room]
1 p.m—“‘Thoreau Country Minnesota’ events at MN Valley Wildlife Refuge Bloomington Visitor Center,” with Bloomington Amateur Radio Operators broadcasting live on site (see URL below for details). [Meet in hallway outside Consuite at 1 p.m., or walk over on your own and meet us for the Nature Walk at 2 p.m.]
2 p.m.—“Nature Walk in MN Valley Wildlife Refuge”—Bring camera, sunglasses, hiking shoes, walking stick, water bottle, sunscreen, etc. [Meet at entrance to Visitor Center at 2 p.m.]
2 p.m.—“Let's Talk About Books”—What was your favorite SF/F book you read this year? What books did you think were overrated? What would you recommend (or not)? For those who are not going on the Nature Walk. This will also serve as an alternate activity if the weather does not cooperate for the Nature Walk. Discussion led by Magenta Griffith [Programming Room]
4 p.m.—“Minicon Programming Brainstorming Session”—This meeting is not an official, badged Conjecture event, and anyone is welcome to attend. Emily Stewart [Overflow Consuite]
5:30 p.m.—“Making Halloween Cards”—Come join us to play with card making tools and techniques. Materials provided. Bonnie Somdahl, Becca Leathers [Programming Room]
7 p.m.—“Pizza Party”—We will coordinate a group order of pizza. Up to 5:30 p.m., put in your order for pizza with Scott or Irene Raun. Coordinated by Scott Raun and Irene Raun [Overflow Consuite]
7:45 p.m.—“Tea and Scones”—Tea tasting in honor of Graham Leathers. Led by Becca Leathers
8:30 p.m.—“Live Music Concert and Social Featuring Graham Leathers”—Enjoy some music by our favorite fannish musician from the Great White North. Optional fancy dress—dig out your favorite dressy duds, cool costume, or elegant Elise-ian necklace to wear. Graham Leathers [Overflow Consuite]
10 p.m.—“Money Duck Madness”— How many con attendees can we get to play Money Duck at once (at several tables in separate groups)? Coordinated by Patricia Zetelumen [Programming Room and possibly also in Overflow Consuite]
11 p.m. until whenever—“Late Night Music Circle”—Bring instruments and a copy of Rise Up Singing if you want. Coordinated by Peggy O'Neill [Overflow Consuite]
11:59:59 p.m.—“Spirit Tasting”—What's your favorite style of strong spirit? Scotch? Gin? Rum? Something else? Why do you like it? This is a roundtable programming item in which participants bring a bottle of something impressive or interesting to share with others, and try what others bring. Knowing our crowd, this event will probably strongly favor Scotch, but other spirits are (of course) welcome. Emily Stewart [Programming Room]
Morning—Bagels and other food that could resemble breakfast. [Consuite]
Noon—“Computer/Tech Roundtable”— Last year's roundtable was lots of fun, and some of us undoubtedly have new electronic toys to show off. Let's gather around and ogle each other's new gadgets, applets, tablets and aglets. Hosted by Rachel Kronick [Consuite]
1 p.m.—“Reading by Caroline Stevermer”—Caroline will read from unpublished works. Caroline Stevermer [Programming Room]
1:30 p.m.—“Closing Ceremonies”—Should we do this again? Do you have ideas for next year? Will you help run things? Tell us your favorite memory of Conjecture 3. Beth Friedman, Laura Krentz [Programming Room]
6 p.m.—“Dinner at the Tea House in Plymouth”—Sign up by 2 p.m. (sign-up sheet will be located on the bar in the Overflow Consuite until it closes at noon on Sunday; after that, it will be in the main Consuite). Please indicate on the sign-up sheet whether you intend to meet us at the restaurant or meet in the hotel lobby at 5:30 p.m. to carpool to the restaurant.
8 p.m. to whenever—“Dead Dog Party”—We have the Consuite all night, so come back to the hotel after dinner and hang around, chat, play games, and eat leftovers. (Warning: if you hang around long enough, you'll probably be asked to help with final cleanup. Many hands make light work.)
Talk to Laura to volunteer to help with program items. If possible, please let her know what you plan to bring to the dessert party Friday night so we know we will have a reasonable quantity and variety.
Please consider bringing your own bottle/mug/cup for water, coffee, tea, etc. to help reduce the amount of waste this con produces. (You could even bring a fancy teacup for the tea tasting!) Every little bit helps! Thanks!
Note: Subject to change, of course. We'll announce and post changes at the convention. Locations for these events are listed in [brackets]. Program participant names are listed in italics.
Since we aren't doing the photography panel this year, photographers are welcome to bring a slide show of photos on a CD or thumb drive to show on the TV in the Programming Room whenever appropriate. Talk to Dean Gahlon ahead of time about technical requirements.
All convention events are located on the Concierge (13th) floor. The Consuite and Overflow Consuite are across the hall from each other, the programming and gaming rooms are in rooms located between the Consuite and the elevators. There will be signs on the doors as well as a sign directing you in the right direction from the elevators.
Consuite = Presidential Suite (1321)
Overflow Consuite = Concierge Suite (1332)
Programming Room = Room 1340
Gaming Room = Room 1318
When events are not scheduled in the programming room, it is available for impromptu (or not-so-impromptu) discussions or the showing of DVDs. (We will bring some DVDs.) If you come up with an idea during the convention for an event that you'd like to share with the rest of us, talk to Laura Krentz or Dean Gahlon.