Murphy's Law? Check.

[truepenny]

It's raining today, very hard and very straight up and down, and it is very clear from the evidence of the mail that my postal carrier was caught out in it.

So, of course, today is the day my Campbell nomination certificate arrived.

I had to peel it out of the envelope, like peeling a very soggy banana.

Fortunately, between the outer envelope, the cover letter, the inner envelope, and the backing cardboard, the certificate itself¹ is a little warped and water-blistered, but actually dry. And the ink didn't run.

---
¹Which is prettier and less Scroogish² than my Ph.D. diploma.

²In the manner of Ebenezer Scrooge, pre attitude transplant. My diploma is like the ring from a Las Vegas wedding, where the gold comes off after a week and it turns your finger green.<sup>3

3</sup>I've been infected by the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest's results for 2006.<sup>4

4</sup>Curses upon Thanks to matociquala for the link.<sup>5

5</sup>Okay, I'm done now.

Comments

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

I didn't get a certificate!

*OR* a little rocket ship.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

I got one little rocket ship, but I've been told I should have had two, for the two nominations, and that I could get the second if I asked for it -- so presumably, so could you.

I only got one certificate, too, not sure what's up with that.

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

Oo. I should ask, then. Because I would like a little rocket ship.

Not that the cheeseboard isn't really nice.

Who does one ask?

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Presumably, you can come with me to Program Ops when I go to pick up mine. And at least the people there will know who the appropriate authority is.

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

oo. What a good idea.

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I am Teh Clever.

Sometimes.

[cherylmorgan.livejournal.com]

Are you talking about last year? If so the people to talk to are Captain Standlee or me.

There were certificates last year, but they were a bit late because they didn't have them in '95 and Mike and Debby assumed everything would be the same as last time they ran things. I spotted that one in the end, and we got them done.

Not 100% sure about little rockets for Campbell nominees as it isn't strictly a Hugo. I'll need to check on that. But you do get one little rocket per Hugo nomination. Just look at Resnick's armored chest in LA.

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Cheryl! I think it's decided each year if you get the rocket ship.

I think Lois Bujold has beaten Resnick out in the body armor--have you seen the Cetegandan Order of Merit? (http://blogs.ckdhr.com/dag/images/lois-with-hugo.jpg) it's Something Else.

[cherylmorgan.livejournal.com]

I think it's decided each year if you get the rocket ship.

It might be, but it shouldn't be. The regular Worldcon crowd are trying hard to ensure the nominees get the same sort of perks, year-on-year.

I have this vision of Langford making body armor out of actual rockets. He might need servants to carry it for him.

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

...there's an image I'm going to carry for a while.

[cherylmorgan.livejournal.com]

OK, I've had a word with Kevin, and he has checked his email archives to see what decisions were made last year.

What we were told was that Campbell nominees got neither a pin nor a certificate from us. The pin bit is easy. The Campbell isn't a Hugo, and therefore does not entitle one to a Hugo pin. The certificate is a little more complex. Because the Campbell is sponsored by Dell Magazines, not by WSFS, we understood that it was not our place to give out certificates. This is analagous to the fact that you got a (famously videoed) trophy from Dell, not one of our rockets.

I have no idea what happened this year. Possibly John Lorentz asked Dell if they'd like him to send out certificates to Campbell nominees. Possibly he thought it was his duty to do so. Unfortunately communication problems like this happen a lot because of the set-up whereby WSFS runs to voting but Dell sponsors the award. No one is quite sure who is supposed to be doing what. And with a different Worldcon committee each year institutional memory is hard to maintain.

I think all I can do at this juncture is apologize. Kevin discussed the issue with Vince & Colin (the Interaction chairs) at the time and a decision was taken. Obviously LA has decided to do things differently, but I have no idea why.

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

*g* It's not a problem, and no apology is needed. Thank you very much for the explanation!

[cherylmorgan.livejournal.com]

Thanks for being so understanding. Much appreciated.

Hugo/Campbell Pins and Certificates

[(Anonymous)]

Ruth and I started sending out the nominees certificates to the Campbell nominees back in 1998 (Baltimore) and making sure they also received the lapel pins then, because we were told "That's how it's always been done." (It seemed to make sense to me--the pins have sometimes been used as the OK to admit the bearing into various gatherings, such as the pre-ceremony reception.)

I carried on those traditions when I was Hugo administrator for ConJose in 2002, and it never occurred to me to do any differently this year for L.A.con IV. (And the folks in LA ordered enough pins to cover the Campbell nominees, without any prompting from me.) While Dell does sponsor the award, and provides the plaque for the winner, every other aspect of that award process is run exactly the same as for the Hugo categories...so it seems like we should also treat the nominees the same.

John Lorentz
L.A.con IV Hugo Counter

[cherylmorgan.livejournal.com]

OK, sounds like we goofed. Kevin and I are talking to people to see what can be done.

It is a rather ironic demonstration of how hard it is to pass on the institutional knowledge that Kevin didn't know this, despite having worked with John a lot before and having co-chaired ConJose. -sigh-

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

Well, the amazing thing to me is that Worldcon ever happens *at all*. I helped run an itty bitty convention, and that was more work than I ever want to see again.

You are mighty.

[cherylmorgan.livejournal.com]

OK, John has located a stock of rocket pins for us, so you'll definitely get one of those. Kevin is currently checking with Paul Dormer who made the certificates for Interaction. Somehow or other we'll get you (and the other four nominees) a certificate.

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

Well, thank you! That just made my day.

[cherylmorgan.livejournal.com]

And Paul has reported that he does have some certificate stock left. Phew!

[ronin-kakuhito.livejournal.com]

In the manner of Ebenezer Scrooge, pre attitude transplant. My diploma is like the ring from a Las Vegas wedding, where the gold comes off after a week and it turns your finger green.

That's exactly why you aren't supposed to wear a diploma as a ring. It is much safter to wear it like a hat.

[larryhammer]

Is it just me, or are the runners-up examples of better bad writing in almost every case?

---L.

[fidelioscabinet.livejournal.com]

They almost always are better examples.

[larryhammer]

And the Lyttle Lytton winners are even better. As usual.

---L.

[fidelioscabinet.livejournal.com]

Now, of course, you must drop everything* and buy a frame.

*Not literally.**

**Unless you feel like it.***

***Please warn us first, and watch out for the cats.****

****They do carry on so.

[handworn.livejournal.com]

Can we see it?

[nagasvoice.livejournal.com]

So, um, your certificate has acquired character, that's it. A little extra uniqueness.
My cat wants to claw his way up into my lap for attention, and honestly, my lap doesn't need any more character just now.
Also hard to type like that.
Congrats!!

[cherylmorgan.livejournal.com]

If the certificate is badly damaged, write to John Lorentz and tell him. They are not hard to produce. He'll probably be happy to replace it.

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

But actually, it's fine. If I put it in a frame, no one will ever know.

And I kind of like the reminder: oh, yes, this certificate came on the day the mailman nearly drowned.

[(Anonymous)]

I was planning on printing a replacement tonight.:)

John

[heresluck]

Our diplomas *are* really pathetic, aren't they? They're like the Monopoly money of diplomas.

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

They so are. And not even pretty colors, either.