Seeking feedback re timings, food, etc...

[arysteia.livejournal.com]

Thanks for another brilliant year, everyone. While there were a few small hitches, technical and otherwise, I'm pretty pleased with how things turned out. I had a great time catching up with everyone, and meeting new friends. Thanks also for being so great at cleaning up and packing out -- women get stuff done!

Obviously we had a couple of major changes this year, and while they were forced upon us this time, I think it's a good opportunity to look at new ideas and ways of doing things.

From my perspective, I really enjoyed the longer run time on Saturday. It made my day feel less pressured, and I felt positive about being able to have more breaks between scheduled items instead of rushing. I also thought the "pizza party" went very smoothly, and I want to take this opportunity to give a big thumbs up to everyone's ordering and cashing up skills. Sunday was less good for me; we were up against the clock, and we made the best of it, but it felt like a little bit of an anti climax. I would return to a full day here for preference. So my initial thought, then, is that I'd like to keep the long Saturday and return to normal Sunday, with a ~6pm finish and a closing dinner in the old style.

It was a bit of a marathon for me coming up with a way for us to spend Sunday afternoon together; I was very conscious that transport is an issue, as well as finding a venue that can handle a large boisterous group, and there really aren't a lot of combined restaurant/bars that are happy for people to sit around all afternoon. I actually thought the Cutting did the job well, given our limitations, and I quite enjoyed being able to have a couple of drinks before dinner. I know it's not the most salubrious of venues, however, and I'm open to all suggestions re preferences for Sunday dinner next year. Happy to crowdsource this sucker!

Any other genius ideas you might have, feel free to toss those in here too. Onwards and upwards!

Comments

[maudlinrose.livejournal.com]

I too really enjoyed the longer runtime on Saturday this year. THOUGH I AM DOOMED TO NEVER BE ABLE TO FINISH MY VIDSHOWS DDD:

Next year I'd suggest we move some tables into the main hall for pizza/quiz, and that way people can eat while quizzing; I think that'd work well. And maybe book the hall until even later - not so we'd necessarily plan on using it, but so the time's there if we need it.

For Sunday, I think you're right, and a return to the traditional 5-6pm finish would be better. Though I did really enjoy spending a couple of hours drinking cider in a pub.

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

Next year I'd suggest we move some tables into the main hall for pizza/quiz, and that way people can eat while quizzing; I think that'd work well.

I don't hate this at all.

[arysteia.livejournal.com]

Yes, this is an excellent idea, and I didn't think of it at all, but you are very smart, Z, and this is definitely something we should talk about.

[maudlinrose.livejournal.com]

~~deeply nerdy and staggeringly articulate, that's me~~ <333

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

Saturday! I liked it long, too, and pub quiz & vids are actually pretty fun to have later. (I would have happily stuck around for the last five vids, personally.) I think the only thing I didn't like was pub quiz being broken up by dinner/eating off non-plates in the room. (This is because I am a nut who hates lap dinner.) I think I would have preferred it if a 30-minute dinner break had been scheduled in before or after pub quiz instead of in the middle just so I could stretch my legs a little bit, sit at the table and eat, etc. (I see there was an afternoon tea in there we didn't take - maybe if we moved that a bit later.)

Sunday I agree, it was a tad wee bit rushed. However, I quite liked the drink before dinner and I thought the food was very nice! (Although food is my 11th priority on g/t weekend.) So not all bad, and it did mean that people who were on their last legs/had trains and planes to catch could make it. I didn't even mind the Cutting - hilariously out of our usual scene but it was warm and dry and the drinks were very, very cheap. (On the other hand: somewhere slightly more central would have made staying later a bit more comfortable for me.) SO this is a tl;dr way to say yes please, extend the Sunday a bit, and I wouldn't at all mind/quite like keeping the late Saturday. Although it does mean less time to work on Sunday presentations :P

[dewey3067.livejournal.com]

The idea of tables for pizza is a great onemaudlinrose! I liked the pizza quiz and thought it fit nicely in the evening time slot.

I really enjoyed Fizz's talks showcasing the variety of fan works and talent. There was some mention of maybe making the art segment a regular feature the way we do vids and I am very much in favour of that.

I think if we have a full day on Sunday like we used to, that I'd also like another discussion panel. One topic I'd really like to explore with our new folks, if we won them over enough that they come again ;-), is how they participate in fandom. Where they spend their online time, their impressions of community, and fannish spaces they inhabit. We always say we want to know where and/or what the next thing is but we do tend to stay in our familiar spaces. I realized afterwards that I was rather remiss in not asking but I also didn't want anyone to feel like they were being quizzed or put on the spot their first time. But next year they won't be new!

Thanks to Claire for supplying pictionary - it was lovely to have her there in spirit. <3. And I thought the multiple difficulty levels were a great idea.

And thank you once again for a fantastic weekend!

[shihadchick.livejournal.com]

<3

also obvs my vote is more theoretical than a result of experience, but i would also be happy to see a longer Saturday as suggested here.

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

claiiiire I was so happymad with you on saturday morning. <3

[livejournal.livejournal.com]

Hello! Your entry got to top-25 of the most popular entries in LiveJournal!
Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in FAQ (https://www.dreamwidth.org/support/faqbrowse?faqid=303).

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

In principle I think the longer Saturday is a good idea. This year it was just a problem of me not listening to my body telling me to take it easy *g*. I wouldn't mind a chill-out drink in a bar on Sunday either.

I always enjoy the discussion sessions, any chance of another on Sunday if the program is expanded? (and I see Dewey got there before me, so I second her suggestion).

Apart from talking about stuff, I enjoyed all the presentations with a special shout-out to the history ones, and both of mific's. Doing it right, definitely!

[maudlinrose.livejournal.com]

thirding Kiwisue and Dewey - I loved the shit out of mific's art presentation especially, and would greatly enjoy that becoming a regular event.

[blademistress.livejournal.com]

I really loved the Saturday format & agree that pizza while playing pub quiz would be A+. Alternatively an opportunity for 2 minute informal mini pimps.

[owlishfun.livejournal.com]

First off, I had an absolute ball, and I know that Erin and Amber did as well :D Won us over for sure ;D

Obviously I don't have previous years to compare to, but I really enjoyed the long Saturday. It felt like just the right length, with enough time to get lots of content is,but still have breaks and not feel rushed. I agree that the Sunday did end somewhat anticlimactically (though it was still a brilliant day!), and I really regret not being able to attend the dinner but my ankle was killing me by the then and I was ready to head home :(

I'm in Auckland next year for Honours, but I want to plan to come down to attend again. I kind of want to do a presentation next year if there is space for me (and if I end up having time to put one together).
I thought maybe something along the lines of my blog, so, I don't know, gay history is early 20th century Brooklyn/New York? Maybe looking more broadly at the value of historical accuracy in fanfcition or approaching history through fandom as a motivator for learning? Or if anyone is interested a presentation on film-tourism (traveling to locations for the purpose of reliving or immersing oneself in fandoms of some sort — Visiting Hobbiton, going to N.Ireland for Game of Thrones, visiting St. Bart's for Sherlock, etc...) I'm already doing research on that for my dissertation, so I'd already have to info on hand :)
I mean, only if those sort of topics would interest people, I'd hate to bore you lovely ladies ;D

Thanks for welcoming me so wonderfully into your group <3 I really look forward to getting to know you guys better!

[arysteia.livejournal.com]

Hi there!

Apologies for taking a million years to get back to you -- I meant to and somehow the time just got away from me. Story of my life these days.

Anyway, thanks for this, I really appreciated hearing from you. I'm delighted you guys enjoyed yourselves, and we really do hope to see you all back this year.

I for one would love a history oriented presentation. There's quite a few of us as you may or may not have noticed, and most of the others are enthusiastic amateurs in any case. Watch -- well not this space exactly -- for discussion about presentations and timetables later in the year. Hopefully you've tracked the comm, even if no one actually *uses* lj anymore.

We've booked in for 7-8 October, which is the middle weekend of the holidays -- hopefully that works for you too. And if you're in Wellington between now and then you should get in touch and we'll see if we can meet for dinner/drinks.

[arysteia.livejournal.com]

Heya, was just talking to Amber, so hopefully she will be in touch if you don't get this message. Hope you can make it, and any and all presentations welcome. If you can't, hope to see you next year. :-)