1. I'm sorry that the last print issue was dated March/April 1995 -- and thanks to all who wrote to tell me. We've done a new front page with the correct date; if you need one (if you're a library, for example), just let me know and it will be mailed to you.

2. A number of you have written to ask if I have an online copy of the L&SF Directory Page, so that you could email it (to be included in the currentissue of the directory.) I don't have one, and am too swamped with work toadd it. However, you can fake it, and we'll enter the data as we go. *You need to answer only those parts that you want to answer; if some of the information is for our files only and should not appear in the directory, be sure you make that clear in your posting.* Here we go...;

I need your name, snailmail address, phone and fax, email address; I need to know what your connection to linguistics and to science fiction is -- writer, reader, business, poet, just interested, artist, whatever; I need to know if you'd be interested in contacting others and if so how -- that is, other members should contact you by email only, snailmail only, phone, not at all, etc.; I need to know what you think of the L&SF "mission statement" (roughly, that linguistics is our best tool for bringing about social change and sf is our best tool for testing such changes before they are implemented in the real world, therefore the conjunction of the two is desirable and should be useful); I need any comments you might want to share with the membership about the organization, the newsletter, changes you'd like made, ideas for the future, and so on. I am especially (passionately) interested in your ideas on how we might expand our membership more efficiently. Thank you much.

3. My thanks to those of you who've been sending me material about the White Is Good/Black Is Evil equation in science fiction; a number have sent examples of exceptions. I'll report on all this in the print issue; I want to try to read some of the materials you've mentioned before I say anything. (That is, I'm interested in whether the attempt to reverse the equation *works* for the reader, whether it's maintained throughout the story, and so on.)

4. As you know, I just got back from Minicon, the science fiction convention in Minneapolis. It was wonderful -- I recommend it wholeheartedly. It was huge -- roughly 3700 people attending, but I saw not a single glitch. If there were problems, they were all taken care of so smoothly that nobody but the concom (convention committee) knew about them. I think I would have noticed if things had gone wrong, because I was on deck twelve hours a day; I saw no problems. Suppose you'd like to attend next year: Minicon 32 will be March 28-30, 1997, with C.J. Cherryh as Guest of Honor. You can get information about next year from request@minicon32.mnstf.org or at info@minicon.mnstf.org; also by snailmail from PO Box 8297, Lake Street Station, Minneapolis MN 55408-8297.

My first programming was a "breakfast with Suzette Haden Elgin" on Friday morning at 9; I assumed there'd be half a dozen people there and that we'd be through by 10 at the latest. There were 20-plus at the table, and I had to walk out on the group just before 11 to get to my next scheduled event. The discussion was heated; the major topic was the shameful way that our educational system "teaches" students about language, grammar, and related topics. My ancient underground grammar text (titled, with no originality at all, The Joy Of English) was discussed, and some of the group asked me how I'd feel about putting it online. I told them I had no objections; we'll see what happens. (This is a text I wrote for a publisher once when -- despite my insistence that it couldn't be sold even if they priced it at five cents a copy -- the publisher insisted that it was something they wanted from me. I wrote it; it went out to peer reviewers; the reviews came back saying "This is wonderful but nobody will buy it"; I then used it in my own courses at San Diego State and it was pirated far and wide.) We'll see what happens.

The 11 o'clock event was a Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense workshop, two hours long, for which I assumed I'd be lucky to get 20 people; there were more than 60 there. (My thanks to the concom for running more handouts.) This is the fourth time (I think) that I've done a Gentle Art workshop at a con, and it's always gone extremely well. I think I understand why, although I may be missing something. First, because sf people are deeply interested in everything to do with language; second, because they fancy the martial arts and accept GAVSD as a linguistic martial art; third, because the sf community welcomes many people who -- because of their bodyshape or disabilities or lifestyle -- are subject to a great deal of verbal abuse elsewhere. (I am very proud of this aspect of sf, and proud to be part of it.)

I won't run you through all the rest of my programming, that not being of general interest. Much of it was on the subject of *religion* and sf (or in sf); there was also a session on "the fiction of Suzette Haden Elgin" that turned into an intense discussion of feminist issues -- and where I got a chance to demonstrate that I try very hard to base my fiction on science, rather than, as I am usually accused of doing, relying on "whimsy." There was a panel on swearing and incorporating swearing and cursing into your sf writing; I made a plea for more attention to the craft of *blessing,* for a change. (There are many college courses on swearing and cursing; so far as I know, there's not a single one on blessing. That's a clue.)

The program track for children was so neat that the adults were jealous. Lego science experiments; origami; slime stuff; all about harps; fun with bubbles; more. Way cool, according to my grandkids. A con is one of the few places in this country that a family can go and take the kids; I recommend it. And since Minicon is always held over Easter weekend, it's a plus that the whole family can go.

There was an enormous and spectacular masquerade, there were dances, there was an art show -- including an exhibit of 100 Emshwiller paintings, there was filksinging (which I never got to, and I'm sorry, but it just wasn't possible with my schedule), there were bellydancers galore, and you never saw so many parties in your entire life.

Fandangous, Gentle Readers. Highly recommended. To my regret, I have to report that George spent the entire con at his table in the dealer's room. It's a dilemma.... you have to choose between wishing for brisk sales and having to miss all the programming and parties, or wishing for slow sales that will let you leave the table once in a while and do con things. We had brisk sales, and that's a great help in Mortgage Mode, but it was hard on George.

Final note: If you are a mundane and are concerned that you'd be totally out of place at something like Minicon, please let me reassure you. You will have a wonderful time, and Minicon would be a perfect choice for your First Con.

Enough for now; I've got to go make coherent noises at editors by phone. I *did* get the book on hatespeech turned in on time to John Wiley & Sons; I do expect the May/June issue of L&SF to go out to you on time. (I'm almost scared to say so, thus risking the wrath of Providence, but at this moment I really do see no new catastrophes on the near horizon.) George is at this moment working on getting out the other newsletters to those of you who are waiting for them....

Suzette Haden Elgin