Back in 1990, I was one of the first people interviewed by Fast Forward. (I was interviewed again in 2010, which you can watch by checking out the archives here, but since that’s only last year, stepping into the time machine won’t be quite as interesting as what’s below.)

The show is currently run by Mike Zipser and Kathi Overton (who recently dug out the video you’re about to see). John Pomeranz conducted the 21-year-old interview. How has time changed us? Well, here’s what John and I looked like together 17 years later at the 2007 Worldcon in Japan.

What did I learn when looking back at the episode (during which I share the stage with writer Judith Eckerson)?

First, that I sure said the phrase “and so forth” a heck of a lot! Sure glad I broke myself of that habit.

Also, that I’m still just as protective of my prose as I ever was, continuing not to play well with others. (At least not on the page.) My world of words is not a democracy. You’ll see what I mean below.

Now that this has surfaced, the only bit of video that’s missing from my past is the Guest of Honor speech from Ad Astra in 2000, a few weeks after Science Fiction Age was cancelled. I threw away my prepared speech and instead gave my best recounting ever of the birth, life, and death of SFA. I know it was filmed, and I’m still hoping it will turn up. Hear me, universe?