January 19 KaCSFFS Meeting CANCELED

The January 2019 meeting of the Kansas City Science Fiction and Fantasy Society has been canceled due to adverse weather. 

We said our mournful goodbyes to The Writers Place in December. The KaCSFFS Board continues to search for a suitable new regular venue. As we moved into the "week of," questions still hung over us about where we could meet.

Time grew short, and the weather forecast for Saturday kept growing more dire. If the snow didn't get us, the temperatures were poised for a major plunge.

KaXFEN come from all over our metro area. We have members in the Northland, members in Raymore, MO, members in Independence, MO, and members in Lawrence, KS. 

We want ALL of you to stay safe and warm, out of snowdrifts, off of the black ice, and snug in a warm place. So the Board has decided to CANCEL Saturday's meeting.

Let's all hope for better weather in February.

We already have a plan for Feb. 16, 2019!

We're still looking for a venue, but the planned program is our annual look back at the best and worst of the past year in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and speculative fiction on TV. Once again our knowledgeable discussion leaders will be Carol Doms and Ken Keller. This annual review of the previous year has become a highlight. Don't miss it!

But wait! There'll be chili, too!

Yes, the February meeting will see the return of our annual Chili Cook-Off. Break out your best chili recipes, your favorite sides and/or toppers, and plan to share them. Keep watching this blog and our Facebook Page, for the latest details.

IMAGES: Many thanks to Vermont Public Radio, for the "colorful question marks" illustration; to KSHB Kansas City Channel 41 for the 7-day Weather Forecast image, featuring a 100% chance of snow on Saturday, Jan. 19; to Destination Kansas City, for the multi-county, two-state map of the Kansas City metropolitan area; and to SYFY Wire for the retro TV image.

TV and a bowl of chili! What better, on a winter night?

January KaCSFFS meeting features winter favorites!
When: Saturday, January 20, 2018. Doors open: 6:00 p.m. for setup -- Program begins 7:00 p.m. begin close-down by 9:30.
Where: The Writers Place, 3607 Pennsylvania Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64111

Annual Chili Cook-off

The Annual KaCSFFS Chili Cook-off is an ever-popular winter meeting event. We're following tradition and holding it in January this year. Please prepare and bring your favorite chili recipe, to share and vie for recognition! 

We will have separate categories for SPICY and MILD, so the unwary won't be disappointed. Please prepare a small sign that:

• Gives your chili a TITLE (that won't betray who brought it).
• Indicates whether it goes in the SPICY or MILD category.

We'll vote using the chili titles to identify favorites in each category!

Don't want to bring chili? Then bring your favorite side dishes or garnishes: cornbread, shredded cheese, corn chips, sour cream--whatever you like best with your chili! And as ever, bring your own drinkables, too. KaCSFFS provides cups, bowls, and tableware.

A review of SF, Fantasy and Horror TV in 2017 

Here's a small sampling of the 2016 shows, discussed by our panel in 2017. What will they discuss this year?

Another KaCSFFS January favorite also returns: our panel discussion of the best and worst science fiction, fantasy, and horror genre television shows in the year just ended. Recently, we've had a lot of them to discuss!

Weather permitting, we'll hear once again again from our panelists Carol Doms, Ken Keller, and Earline "Cricket" Beebe. Have your own strong opinions? Bring them: (civil and reasonable) audience participation is encouraged! Help us make sense of 2017's television offerings.

IMAGES: The photo of the KaCSFFS Chili cook-off lineup from 2015 was taken by Jan S. Gephardt for KaCSFFS promotional use. In the montage, the Lucifer image is from the Lucifer Wiki; the one for The Expanse is from YouTube; the Stranger Things image is from TV Series Online; and that for Outcast is from a website that's no longer there. Many thanks to all!

Chili cookoff and SF/F TV and Movies at January meeting 1/21/17

What: January KaCSFFS Meeting
When: January 21, 2017, 6:00-9:30 p.m.
Where: The Writers Place, 3607 Pennsylvania Ave., Kansas City, MO 64111
Food Theme: Annual Chili Cookoff!
Program: SF and Fantasy TV and Movies: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, led by Carol Doms and Ken Keller

Warm up the winter night with our Annual Chili Cookoff
Every winter in recent years, KaXFEN have fired up our slow-cookers, baked up some cornbread, and brought in our favorite toppings and sides for the Annual KaCSFFS Chili Cook-off. Join the fun and the deliciousness! 

Please bring your own preferred choice to share: Chili, sides, cornbread, or toppings.

Get a preview of SF&F TV and movies to come! 
Join the discussion with Ken Keller and Carol Doms, as they survey some of the upcoming offerings among science fiction and fantasy movies and TV. What favorites are coming back? What promising new shows are in the pipeline for 2017? This was such a well-received feature in 2016 we've asked our favorite media mavens back to discuss this year's crop of picks and pans.

IMAGES: Many thanks to Wikipedia for the photo of the bowl of chili, and to the "Back to the Future" pinboard on Pinterest, for the retro-future viewer image.

And the Winners Are . . . Chili Follow-up

We had a good crowd and a strong collection of contenders at this year's Chili Cookoff. We had a lot of qualified voters, and all of our contestants had supporters.

Here are the winners who emerged. Jan Gephardt gave out the certificates:

Melissa Fischer captured "Best in Show" honors.

Ron Davis--Club's Choice--had a photobomber.

Davis promptly dealt with the photobomber.

Mary C. Chambers received the "Most Creative" award.

IMAGES: All photos are by Ty Gephardt, and used with his permission.

Fight the Chill with Chili at the February Meeting 2/21/15

We dodged a Weather Bullet! The Meeting is on!

The February KaCSFFS meeting (#514) will happen! We have a full evening planned.

Chili with cornbread

What:   February 2015 KaCSFFS Meeting

Where: The Writers Place

3607 Pennsylvania Ave., Kansas City, MO 64111

When: Saturday, February 21, 2015

5:30 Open Board of Directors meeting.
6:00 Doors open for setup and pre-meeting socializing. 

6:30 Start of Annual Chili Contest

7:00 Program begins.

After the Program “Chili break” to vote and have a brief business meeting. Winners will be announced, and certificates presented, at the end of the meeting.

Annual KaCSFFS Chili Contest (+More)

Chili Mac

Cook up your favorite chili recipe and bring it to share. Our enthusiastic tasters will have a chance to enjoy a tasty winter treat, and vote for their favorites.

We also encourage everyone to bring tasty side items that compliment Chili: your favorite Cornbread. Or Macaroni & Cheese for Chili Mac? Salad or slaw? Fruit? Desserts are always in order, too!

The KaCSFFS treasury is providing Ball Park-brand all beef hot dogs, buns, and shredded cheddar cheese for Chili Dogs.

Chili Dog

KaCSFFS also will provide plastic bowls, plates, plastic-ware, napkins and paper towels from our stash of party supplies.

Enjoy a Dramatic Reading for our Program
Saturday's program: Twice-past SFWFA president Robin Wayne Bailey will give a dramatic reading of his latest science fiction short story, "Tombaugh Station."

Robin Wayne Bailey gives a dramatic reading in 2013

It will be published this fall in Bryan Thomas Schmidt's latest original short stories anthology Mission: Tomorrow, from Baen Books.

Business Meeting 

After Robin's reading, there will be a "chili break," voting, and then the club's monthly business meeting. 

Remember:

February is the first month for Board of Directors self-nominations. The only person who can nominate you is yourself. So step right up!

Other business:

Member announcements

KC area events updates,

Presentation of Chili Certificates!

IMAGES: Many thanks to The Heritage Cook for the image of chili with cornbread, to WikiHow for the chili mac photo, and to SheKnows for the chili dog image. The photo of Robin W. Bailey doing a dramatic reading is from a Facebook album of an event at Prospero's Books in 2013.

Warm up to January at our Monthly Meeting 1/17/2015

What: Monthly KaCSFFS Meeting
When: Saturday, January 17, 2015
     5:30 p.m. - Open Board Meeting upstairs; food setup downstairs
     6:30 p.m. - General Meeting
Where: The Writers Place, 3607 Pennsylvania Ave., Kansas City, MO 64111

Think Warm Thoughts--and Share Them!
We're actually supposed to have a fairly nice weekend, but in January even the nice ones are chilly in Kansas City. That doesn't mean we can't be warm at heart, though!

Make the new year friendlier by smiling at everyone you see at the meeting--especially the new faces in the crowd. Of course we love our old friends, too, and our monthly meetings are a great place to reconnect.

Bring Warm Food--And Share It!
January has been our traditional month for the Annual Chili Cook-off, but other warm things are welcome as well: warm cornbread, freshly-baked cookies, hot cocoa, etc. And of course a beverage of your choice.

As ever, KaCSFFS provides plates, cups, napkins, and plastic utensils, but the "what to put in them" is up to you!

Will Ken Finally Get to Interview Ty?
They've tried to do it several times already--will President Ken Keller actually get to interview Ty Gephardt this month? Come to the meeting and find out! Ken also is accepting suggestions for other interesting KAXFEN to interview!

IMAGE CREDITS: Many thanks to Wallpaper Wide HDhttp://wallpaperwidehd.blogspot.com/2014/05/smiley-face-wallpaper.html for the smiley faces image, and to Wikimedia Commons for the photo of the bowl of chili.