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October 1, 2000

Reflections on Year One

October 1, 2000 marks the official first anniversary of the NNG, and it seems appropriate at this juncture to take a moment to reflect on the year past. Pardon me, therefore, as I get a bit nostalgic and perhaps wax a bit poetic about my chosen hobby, which often swings between the poles of avocation and tribulation.

It's hard to believe that it has been a year since the launch of this web site. Wasn't it just yesterday that I started formulating my ideas, planning my content, and creating my architecture? Then again, why did some moments pass with an exorable tick tock, tick tock like some modern water torture? Perhaps it is a product of my own personality, perhaps of the changing nature of "real-life" circumstances, perhaps it is inherent in the very nature of hobbies themselves that at times they are highly enjoyable and at times feel tediously task-like.

Certainly there have been moments in the past twelve months when it has felt absurd to devote so much time and energy to this site, as it provides me no tangible benefits and affords me no professional acclaim. By publishing my work freely through this newest medium of ours, I've also run the risk of placing myself out there in a public space where people sometimes feel more at ease to criticize or make judgments than they might in other circumstances.

Fortunately, for the most part this potential for negative interaction has not been the case within the Stargate SG-1 community. The overwhelming response has been positive, through email, the guest book, and even in person. It definitely makes it all worthwhile to know that someone out there appreciates my efforts. If the sole outcome from my work on the site and related efforts was the sense of community I've found and the friends I've made, that alone would make all the long hours and occasional doubts well worthwhile.

So in closing, let me step back and try to be objective about my efforts to date. If I had to grade myself this past year, I'd give myself a strong mark for overall planning and technical production, a lower mark for the presented content, and a definite "needs improvement" on providing substantial updates on a more regular basis. There's lots of things in store in the near future (starting with a Gatecon 2000 report), and I've got an even longer list of things I'd like to get to eventually. So keep stopping by, and we'll see whether I can improve those marks over the next twelve months.

-- Meli

Site redesign update: things are still in the works behind the scenes, and I really do hope to make the switch over to http://www.sg1web.com much sooner rather than later, if for no other reason that it's getting more and more difficult to maintain two equivalent versions of the site! Stay tuned....

The Book Nook

This month, rather than presenting two individual books, I'm adding two fiction series to the mix. Though one is primarily fantasy and the other is a cross between general scifi and cyberpunk, both are highly enjoyable stories that place average, everyday folks, folks who could be us someday, in fantastical situations that stretch their skills and test who they truly are. Hmm, reminds me of this science fiction series I saw once....

The Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay (October 2000)

"Five university students meet a wizard who takes them to the heart of all worlds, Fionavar, where they discover who they were truly meant to be." Ok, so the official synopsis sounds like just about every fantasy trilogy that has come out since The Lord of the Rings. But this series is truly exceptional, as the author skillfully presents Celtic, Nordic, and Christian mythology and traditional fantasy elements, through the eyes of five "ordinary" young folks from our own time.
- The Summer Tree -- 0451451384
- The Wandering Fire -- 0451451562
- The Darkest Road -- 0451451805
Roc Fantasy / ISBN see above
Otherland by Tad Williams (October 2000)

Nominally cyberpunk, arguably sci-fantasy, and decidedly mythic, the Otherland series of novels are (literally) a hefty addition to the world of intriguing near-future fiction. A group of otherwise normal folk become trapped in a completely immersive virtual reality, encountering all manner of strange landscapes, from the historical, to the fantastical, to the physically impossible, all while attempting to stop an evil conspiracy.
- City of Golden Shadow -- 0886777631
- River of Blue Fire -- 0886778441
- Mountain of Black Glass -- 0886779065
- Sea of Silver Light -- forthcoming
Daw Books / ISBN see above