Official launch -- let's go!

[arysteia]

Looking back I see that since covid it has been tradition to officially kick off get/together season 3-4 weeks out, so we're right on target. That's also when I typically get the invoice for renting the hall, haha, so it's definitely the season.

I actually did intend to send out an earlier announcement this year, not because the normal shenanigans need it (let's face it, after so long you all know exactly where and when without being told) but because I had something a bit special planned for the twentieth anniversary, and I kept waiting and hoping for various *cough*real estate related*cough matters to resolve themselves. Obviously that didn't happen...

Anyway, I won't get bogged down in that (see discord for vaguely hopeful but not terribly exciting updates) but suffice it to say after some long chats (extra special thanks to labellementeuse and archiesfrog) I've managed to shake off the slough of despond, and while we will be acknowledging the 20th anniversary this year, we will be celebrating the 21st next year. It seems fittingly old school, on reflection, to go imperial rather than metric. Or so I'm telling myself. ;-p

So, uh, next year you will get a much longer run up to festivities, and a few calendared items that might not be the usual. Or we won't have g/t at all because I will be in jail for arson and insurance fraud. One or the other.

As for this year, I am delegating a lot of tasks, and I thank those people for volunteering from the bottom of my heart:
-- blademistress is obviously still in charge of tech
-- erilyn is in charge of pub quiz
-- shihadchick is in charge of the pizza order
-- archiesfrog is in charge of restaurant reservations
-- labellementeuse is minister without portfolio and/or Alfred

I'm going to focus on the timetable and posting updates for now. Expect the usual flurry over the rest of this week. And in the interests of reducing stress levels when the weekend actually rolls round, two requests:

1) Please don't arrive early on Saturday and Sunday. Every year I post that doors open at 10am, and every year people start arriving earlier and earlier. Apart from the fact that I'd like to finish my breakfast, unpack my car, and have a quick look around, this made a real problem for me last year when I couldn't hand on heart tell the community centre manager that I had/hadn't seen what state the stage curtains were in when we arrived. Almost no one is at the mercy of the bus now, so please time your arrival for 10, and if you're early then please go get a coffee.

2) Please think about your energy levels and/or how much ~people~ you're going to have left in you, and be honest with yourself (and archiesfrog) about which group meals you are going to attend, and don't rush to answer "everything!". The last few years it's been getting worse, but last year was particularly bad with both Friday and Sunday night's dinner bookings made for 20 or 22 and then 15 people showing up. This is a great inconvenience to the restaurant, who on both occasions moved a lot of tables to accommodate us, and also embarrassing for the person making the bookings (traditionally me, this year M) who has to shamefacedly confess and face the music. So be mindful when RSVPing yes, and also if circumstances change, be proactive about letting M know so we can give the restaurants a heads-up.

That's it for now, further updates to follow shortly. You can confirm by replying to this post that you're coming if you want to, lol, but mostly I'm just assuming you are. :D