get/together

Hey guys,

It's not really quite that time yet, but I have been devilishly organised -- WORSHIP ME -- and started making bookings. So can confirm at this early juncture that the dates for this year's get/together will be the weekend of 7 and 8 October, and as always the bracketting 6 and 9 for those who are in town/can take leave/would like to make a long weekend of it.

I do strongly recommend out-of-towners make accommodation plans as quickly as they reasonably can, as the World of Wearable Arts complication seems to be multiplying with each passing year.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to offer feedback on last year's g/t, and apologies for never quite getting around to responding. I did hugely appreciate it all, and fortunately totally agreed too. Love it when that happens!

Extended Hours Saturday:

"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." -- arysteia

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

"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.)" -- labellementeuse

"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*." -- kiwisue

"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 in, but still have breaks and not feel rushed." -- owlishfun

I feel like there's a quorum here for keeping extended hours. Obviously self care something to bear in mind.

Pizza Party:

"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." -- arysteia

"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." -- maudlinrose

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. -- labellementeuse

The idea of tables for pizza is a great one! I liked the pizza quiz and thought it fit nicely in the evening time slot. -- dewey3067

"I really loved the Saturday format & agree that pizza while playing pub quiz would be A+." -- blademistress

Can I get some follow up/additional opinions on the 'set up tables for pizza during quiz' vs 'dinner first, quiz second' suggestions?

Reduced Hours Sunday:

"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." -- arysteia

"For Sunday, I think you're right, and a return to the traditional 5-6pm finish would be better." -- maudlinrose

"Sunday I agree, it was a tad wee bit rushed..." -- labellementeuse

"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." -- owlishfun

Again, I think there's a quorum here for returning to standard hours. Self care still a good thing!

Sunday Dinner/Drinks:

"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." -- arysteia

"I did really enjoy spending a couple of hours drinking cider in a pub." -- maudlinrose

"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.)" -- labellementeuse

Can I especially ask for further comments/suggestions here? The way I see it we have a few options: a) straight to Kilbirnie at ~7pm as in years past, choice of the Indian or the Thai based on majority vote; b) drinks at the Cutting, stay there for dinner (ie as last year but starting later); c) quick drink at the Cutting (or alternatively Gasworks in Miramar?) then to Kilbirnie for dinner. Otoh that's probably pushing dinner a bit late for some, otoh it may suit early leavers to come for a drink but skip dinner? Please make your voice heard here if nowhere else.

Content:

"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." -- dewey3067

"I always enjoy the discussion sessions, any chance of another on Sunday if the program is expanded? Apart from talking about stuff, I enjoyed all the presentations with a special shout-out to the history ones, and both the art and podfic ones." -- kiwisue

"Thirding - I loved the shit out of the art presentation especially, and would greatly enjoy that becoming a regular event." -- maudlinrose

"An opportunity for 2 minute informal mini pimps." -- blademistress

Yes to all these things, but if you have any other ideas let's be having them.

Get/Together 2015 will be held the weekend of 3rd and 4th October, plus the usual frivolity Friday 2nd and Monday 5th for anyone who's in town.

We'll be based at St Christopher's again (same location as last two years), many thanks to china_shop for being our point person on this.

I know there was some discussion last year about whether it's still worth booking accommodation at the Brentwood given we're no longer based in Kilbirnie. I'll leave that to someone else (dewey3067?) to make a post about and you can talk there.

I will be putting up the content volunteers' post shortly though! Please start thinking about what you might present. Otherwise it'll be just the pub quiz, my thoughts on Fast and Furious part two -- the foursomeing, and my oral history of get/together. Rapidly followed by my mental breakdown. So. Um. Volunteer please. ;-p

Hi all,

I know not everyone checks lj regularly anymore, heck, I never do, but hopefully you've still got notifications turned on for the comm!

First and foremost, this year's dates are: weekend of 4th and 5th October.

Secondly and excitingly: this is our tenth anniversary so we'll be going all out to be bigger and better than ever.

Thirdly and possibly tediously: if you have twitter, follow us there @get__together, and even if you don't, https://twitter.com/get__together is a good place to check in occasionally to see what random quick thoughts have occurred to me suddenly.

I would really, really like to see as many as possible of you there, especially old faithfuls from the early days who didn't make it last year. Come back to us! We miss you! It'll be like a reunion, a renaissance, a resurgence, and a get together all in one.

Updates/details to follow in short order.

ETA: If you'd be interested in a group accommodation booking please indicate that as a reply to Dewey's comment in this post.


Definites (or near enough): meelie, erilyn, labellementeuse, maudlinrose, tamarillow, aworldinside, shihadchick, stickmarionette, blademistress, jocondite, the_antichris, nmarlowe, dewey, mab_browne, deepbluemermaid, cross_stitchery, sethra2000
Probables:
Possibles: jessikast

I was planning on posting registration forms and various other things this morning but it seems highly inappropriate now so I'll leave it till tomorrow. Instead I extend big hugs and best wishes to all our friends in the south.

First post!

The dates for g/t this year, unless every single member cries and can't make it, will be October 2nd to 4th. Announcing early so that in these times of economic karmageddon we can maximise our airpoints/savings etc.

We're investigating all the venue and accommodation options. Obviously this year we know to ask about capoeira drummers. ;-p

Hope to see you all there. Unless you're off to the States, in which case I guess we'll let it pass.

*****

Tiny heads-up:

china_shop is putting together the vidshow this year. She's specialising in multi-fandom vids, so if you've got any suggestions of gems send them her way.

Who's sick of listening to me moan? Yes? You? Cool, me too.

Today, however, I am filled with a whole new joy and optimism. What brought this on, you ask? Well for one thing, I called Geeks on Wheels (no, seriously, 0800 4 A GEEK, www.geeksonwheels.co.nz) and they have fixed my network and all my computers, and for the paltry sum of $200 I am sitting here surrounded by Teh Intrawebs. Seriously, I am bathed in the warm embrace. Both my desktops and my laptop and M's laptop are humming around me, and it is paradise. It is the closest thing possible to being McKay in Tao of Rodney.

Ahem.

*gets over indecorous squirming*

No, no, one more barb. I have also kicked Telecom to the curb. Goodbye you sanctimonious thieving wankers. Hello Telstra Clear my very best new friend. How you doin'?

Right. To the point.

My fandom renaissance starts today.

That means vigorous posting in my own lj... and also that it's time to get the ball rolling on g/t 2007.

As a hostess who always feels crushed and exhausted and ready to beg for death by the end (only to want to call you all back as soon as the door closes behind the last of you) I must applaud my own brilliance last year in shifting it into the holidays. Not having to mark 75 exam papers during the whole thing made my will to live slightly stronger. So. Same holidays this year then, since it seemed to suit most. And I'm told the 29-30th September is a long weekend in NSW, so I call shenanigans on the whole thing and nominate those dates. I swear I won't get roped into an IT conference this time.

So... I know it's very early in the year, but I thought I'd mention it anyway, in my newfound spirit of joy. All the polls and nonsense will come later of course. But start examining your finances, and your leave, and...

And you know what? Please start thinking about your fifteen minutes of fame, which I am reinstituting. I missed it last year. I'm going to crack my whip (it matches my cowboy boots I bought in Arizona) and be a little bossy about formats and timetables this year. But it will be to the good, I swear. You will be glad. You will. Or else. No seriously. Spirit of joy.

*squee*

We have our own community. I have informed my loved ones that they have to get out of the house Nov 26/27th. You all appear to be coming. Or trying. This thing is definitely happening now. Resistance is futile.

I'm going to make a call and say that we're going ahead with those dates, since most people said yes, a couple said maybe, and noone said no to it as a possibility. I now need you all to make a call about which day if any you want to include as a third - the Monday or the Friday. It would seem sensible, especially if you're flying in.

I've just had a quick look at the Air New Zealand website, and boy, time difference is a lot more annoying Sydney-Wellington than Wellington-Sydney. Ooh! I've just checked Qantas, and they're considerably cheaper. Bah humbug AirNZ!!! Anyway. If you took Friday off you could get in here in the early afternoon, see a bit of the town, we could all go for dinner and drinks, have an orientation etc, slash away merrily all weekend, and you could fly out crack of dawn Monday and still make it to work on time! (Sadly there are no Sunday night flights. Meh.) But have a look and talk among yourselves, guys.

In the interests of keeping costs down, and also upping the whole slumber party quality, I'm hereby extending an invitation to all the Aussies to bring a sleeping bag and crash at Stately Luthor Manor¹. You all seem to know each other pretty well, and it'll be fun. If you'd prefer a hotel room, I can, of course, recommend one.

So. Please join this community, investigate your bookings, and let's start talking turkey. Yaye!!!

1. The name by which my house shall be known here, to protect it from axe-murderers who trawl the internet pretending to be teenage girls when really they are truckers from Arkansas.