I hope everyone enjoyed our Vice Director’s beta test of his game for our last meeting. He is hoping to smooth out the rules and have it ready for MileHiCon this year. So if you have any recommendations on how he can improve the game I am sure he would appreciate it.

So here it is May already. The month started off with two great holidays that are not recognized as national holidays but should be, Free Comic Book Day (The first Saturday of May) and Star Wars day (May the 4th) falling on the same day. My family had a fun day of it hanging out at Mile High Comics and meeting Chris Claremont of X-men fame. He had some interesting insight into some of the comics he had worked on. My boys went as Dr.

So now I see this Director of DASFA gig is a learning experience. Why was I not told of this when I was tricked into volunteering? Somehow things do not always go as planned making it so there are times we need to work on the fly to keep things going. There is actual work involved in doing this director thing.

At our February meeting our guest for the night, Kronda Seibert, was a no show. As it turns out she had been given the correct date but somehow got it in her mind the meeting was week later. A simple mistake that we have all made at times, so it is easily forgiven.

Greetings one and all. As the new Grand High Director Potentate Supreme of DASFA for Life or until I step down or am voted out, my understanding is that I am expected to write a little article every month for your entertainment. As this is the first of these articles for me to write, I shall start off by thanking you all for allowing me this chance. This position will help me to recruit forces to combat and soon destroy the infidels.

This month Bruce and Sandy will again be hosting the hallowed-in-tradition DASFA Christmas Orgy. Yes, it’s that time of year again already…

The November Dead Dog at our place was fun and a number of folks showed up. Then the December Alternate was a Yuletide celebration at the Cup & Eagle (otherwise known as Mishalak Manor). There were sugarplums and baked yams, hot toddies and a goodly crowd … fun times!

After a full weekend of fannish fun at MileHiCon, we’re back to regular meetings. I trust you all had a good time at the con and am always interested to know what people did, what programming they attended and liked, and any ideas they have for next year. We have two Guests of Honor lined up so far--author, filker and Hugo-winning podcaster Seanan McGuire and writer and also Hugo Award-winning podcaster Catherynne M. Valente . (They both are involved with The SF Squeecast.) And New Mexico author and physicist Ian Tregillis will be our toastmaster.

I’m sure everybody remembers that we are not having the regular DASFA meeting this month because we will be at MileHiCon! At the Hyatt Regency DTC October 19-21, we have a full lineup with guests of honor Cherie Priest, CJ Henderson, Steve Brust, artist Stephen Hickman and toastmaster Stephen Graham Jones. Programming starts at 3 pm Friday, so if you can get off work early, do it! The full schedule is up on the con website (www.milehicon.org) for your perusal and planning purposes.

Since we will be having the picnic this month, there is no program.

Looking back, the July meeting and program went well. Travis let us vote on which story he would read, and the leprechaun assassin (with accent) won. I enjoyed it, and hope he brings the character back for another appearance … maybe a prequel. The Dead Dog wasn’t huge, but Travis and Chanel joined us and there was lively conversation, pizza and cheese.

I attended the last part of Paul’s August alternate … pool, conversation and cheese.

Our July program is author Travis Heerman. A freelance writer, poet, screenwriter, podcaster, English instructor, poker player, biker, and roustabout, Heerman is the author of two published novels (Heart of the Ronin and The Ivory Star) plus the upcoming Rogues of the Black Fury and a metric ton of role-playing game work. His short fiction pieces have appeared in Cemetery Dance, Historical Lovecraft, Library of Horror Press, Pulp Empire and others.

For the June meeting, sharpen your brains and uncap those sharpies because it's time for SF Pictionary! Those of us who feel art-challenged will have the option to be guessers instead of drawers .. though we will need a few braver souls to take up the marker.

I am waiting for confirmation of a potential program for July but it’s not definite yet.

I expect some folks will be attending part/all of the Denver Comic Con this coming weekend at the Convention Center … if anyone goes how about a brief con report at the meeting?