DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | Spacewarp, v. 5, issue 5, whole no. 27, June 1949

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Spacewarp, v. 5, issue 5, whole no. 27, June 1949

Page 3

Timber!
(Benignly Blended But Blithe Babblings)
GAW, it just dawned upon our exam-numbed brain that we've been -- for all practical purposes -- putting this thing out on a bi-weekly basis for the past six issues. Not to mention such incidental chores as FAPA and SAPSzines (the former of which lies neatly stapled and all ready for mailing on the table before us; the other of which we plunked with a thud into the eager arms of the local postoffice a couple of days ago). Then there was the NFFF, the current prozines to read, and also the back issues which we managed to obtain from time to time. We still wonder what gives -- how we got all this done, and college too. We have now, we think, proved to our own satisfaction that when a fanzine or a fanproject folds because of "lack of time," the real reason is "lack of interest."
THE FOREGOING reflections on our fannish activities were inspired by a fact which first made us conscious that we were deeply involved in this hobby -- we've started buying our mimeo paper a half-a-dozen reams at a time.
WATCH FOR the r-tRapp valedictory of 1987, or whenever we get fed up with stf and fandom. "Ad, Drop Dead!" will make FTL's outburst sound like an NFFF WelCom letter.
IN THE MEANTIME, we're having fun. How about you?
NEVERTHELESS, we are somewhat relieved to find that our era of frenziedly racing the calendar is almost over. Think how luxuriously indolent we will feel, after getting out next month's WARP, when we go back to the old practice of taking four long weeks to prepare an ish! I dunno if you thought we'd ever get back to schedule without skipping an ish -- but we were mighty doubtful ourselves, at times.
WE ARE, for the first time since last Fall, reading a couple of library books just for the heck of it -- not for a class assignment. And fascinating they are, to be sure. One is an old favorite of ours, <underline>Mathematics and the Imagination</underline> by Edward Kasner and James Newman. We read this back in high-school days, and again overseas, but find it is still interesting as ever -- moreso now that we know more about math than we did in those days.
THE OTHER is a new acquaintence, <underline>A History of Western Philosophy,</underline> by Bertrand Russell. We've tried reading philosophy before, but never got very far before giving up in disgust. But this volume is fascinating. We keep thinking of Rog Phillips' comparison of fandom today to philosophers of previous ages, and whether it's that or Russell's semi sarcastic style, the story of philosophical conflict down through the ages reads incredibly like the history of a typical fanfeud!
INCIDENTLY, our reading habits have been ruined for life, through our being a stfan. We're constantly pausing at passages over which we would have passed unthinkingly in prior days, and chuckling to ourselves at the reaction they would produce if brought to the attention of Ben Singer. So help me, it's become a habit!
DID WE ever tell you our circulation is hopelessly low? We think it's because a lot of fen feel 15¢ is too much to pay for a fanzine --

3

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Timber! (Benignly Blended But Blithe Babblings) GAW, it just dawned upon our exam-numbed brain that we've been -- for all practical purposes -- putting this thing out on a bi-weekly basis for the past six issues. Not to mention such incidental chores as FAPA and SAPSzines (the former of which lies neatly stapled and all ready for mailing on the table before us; the other of which we plunked with a thud into the eager arms of the local postoffice a couple of days ago). Then there was the NFFF, the current prozines to read, and also the back issues which we managed to obtain from time to time. We still wonder what gives -- how we got all this done, and college too. We have now, we think, proved to our own satisfaction that when a fanzine or a fanproject folds because of "lack of time," the real reason is "lack of interest." THE FOREGOING reflections on our fannish activities were inspired by a fact which first made us conscious that we were deeply involved in this hobby -- we've started buying our mimeo paper a half-a-dozen reams at a time. WATCH FOR the r-tRapp valedictory of 1987, or whenever we get fed up with stf and fandom. "Ad, Drop Dead!" will make FTL's outburst sound like an NFFF WelCom letter. IN THE MEANTIME, we're having fun. How about you? NEVERTHELESS, we are somewhat relieved to find that our era of frenziedly racing the calendar is almost over. Think how luxuriously indolent we will feel, after getting out next month's WARP, when we go back to the old practice of taking four long weeks to prepare an ish! I dunno if you thought we'd ever get back to schedule without skipping an ish -- but we were mighty doubtful ourselves, at times. WE ARE, for the first time since last Fall, reading a couple of library books just for the heck of it -- not for a class assignment. And fascinating they are, to be sure. One is an old favorite of ours, Mathematics and the Imagination by Edward Kasner and James Newman. We read this back in high-school days, and again overseas, but find it is still interesting as ever -- moreso now that we know more about math than we did in those days. THE OTHER is a new acquaintence, A History of Western Philosophy, by Bertrand Russell. We've tried reading philosophy before, but never got very far before giving up in disgust. But this volume is fascinating. We keep thinking of Rog Phillips' comparison of fandom today to philosophers of previous ages, and whether it's that or Russell's semi sarcastic style, the story of philosophical conflict down through the ages reads incredibly like the history of a typical fanfeud! INCIDENTLY, our reading habits have been ruined for life, through our being a stfan. We're constantly pausing at passages over which we would have passed unthinkingly in prior days, and chuckling to ourselves at the reaction they would produce if brought to the attention of Ben Singer. So help me, it's become a habit! DID WE ever tell you our circulation is hopelessly low? We think it's because a lot of fen feel 15¢ is too much to pay for a fanzine -- 3