We Laughed, We Cried, We Told Jokes

I had the extreme good fortune to not only have seven (see if you can figure out what seven) books autographed by Travis S. "Doc" Taylor tonight, but to have dinner and a couple of drinks with him as well. He is a gracious and funny guy, and while he tries hard to project a "one of the guys image", there were more than a couple of times this evening when my jaw was hanging open trying to follow the way his mind jumps around.

Remember Neil Anson Clemons from Warp Speed and Quantum Connection? How about William Weaver from Into the Looking Glass and beyond? Now I feel like I've met them for real!

Let's see...spacecraft design. Child rearing. Detecting extrasolar planets with off-the-shelf equipment. Shrodinger's Cat. Quantum computers. Quantum physics and organic quantum computers. The Monoceros Ring. Roger Penrose. Miguel Alcubierre. Gamma-ray bursters. The Looking Glass books, The Warp Speed books. Other books he is written, has partially written, would like to write... Authors and/or stories that we both like. RoboTech. Star Blazers. Space opera. "Doc" Smith and parallels with Warp Speed and other books. Robert A. Heinlein. Spider Robinson. Lasers. Exotic space propulsion systems. How to get to another star in one person's "career life". Life extension. The wisdom of ordering sushi in a restaurant that is obstensibly Italian in nature.

And a whole lot more.

Folks, he's a fascinating guy. He's a very nice guy. If you get a chance to meet up with him at a convention or a conference, do so! You won't be sorry!

"Doc", it was great meeting you. I appreciate all the autographs! And the fascinating conversation! Is beer the same as coffee for you (hypes you up)?

Posted by Fred Kiesche at September 9, 2008 11:45 PM