Fandom

I grew up in a blue-collar suburb. I knew other kids who read (not all of them the college-tracked kids...), but I didn't know anybody as deep into SF as I was.
And at Big Nerd College ("A Technological University"), lots of guys read the stuff... but nobody seemed to have time to do much about it.

I first heard of fandom because Asimov mentioned it all the time.
(My Asimov stories:
1. A summer in the late 70s, M & I are out for a drive, we wind up at the Rensselaerville Institute. And there he was, strolling across the grounds with a young woman on his arm.
2. Saw him again at one of the "New York is Book Country" fests in the '80s.
3. I sent him a postcard once; in his F&SF column, he had asked for info on a poem; using M's Granger's Index to Poetry, I was able to tell him.)

I saw Harlan speak at my college in the fall of 1974, and he positively excoriated fans and fandom. I never found fandom until well after college, and never really got involved until after I was a grown-up.

Back in the '80s, Latham-Albany-Schenectady-Troy fandom (Byron & Tina Connell, wombat, etc.) put on 4 cons: 1981, '82, '85, '86

My first look at the Con scene:
Fall of 1982, LastCon Too: Aaron and I got press credentials and looked in.
I interviewed Wilson Tucker, we went to see the masquerade.
Fulfilling several fandom cliches, I was gratuitously insulted by a teenager who was dressed in a Robin Hood get-up. I was 27.

Years later I discovered that one of my my college pals was involved in the revived local fandom, and with Albacon. I've been to seven of them to date, starting with the first:

1996 I was 41 yrs old. This one was on Wash Ave. Nancy Kress, Sheffield
1997 Oct 17-19 Ramada Sch'dy Melissa Scott (Paul Edward Zimmer dies)
1998 Oct 9-11 Ramada Friesner

2000 Oct 6-8 Ramada Glen Cook
2001 Oct 5-7 Ramada Larry Niven; Bonnie & Ted Atwood
2002 Oct 4-6 Ramada Mike Resnick
2003 Oct 11 Bujold I brought Alice (at 11) to Lake George
I'm pretty sure I missed 2005 (Terry Brooks),
I'm certain that I missed 2004 and 2006)

Out-of-town Cons:

Readercon 15 July 2003 I was 47 for my first out-of-town con
A day trip/one-day membership to meet Howard Waldrop, Rucker, etc.
Noreascon 4, Sept 2004 I was 48. My first WorldCon.
Terry Pratchett I brought Alice (12) along
Boskone 43, Feb 2006 Ken MacLeod. Mary was 9.
I brought all the girls. Mary's 1st con, M's 1st.
Readercon 18 July 2007: which will be my 12th con;
M & M's 2nd; Alice's fourth