Was Re: [AGA-mcm] AGA convention update-Now : What If

[Larry Lampert <l_lampert@yahoo.com>]

I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM ACTUALLY GOING TO POST THIS RIGHT
NOW BUT HERE GOES.........

As usual I am really ready for a post-fish-conference
rest but I think I need to post this sooner rather
than later........

What if we had a conference but it wasn't an AGA?

What if it did not cost anything but still had a nice
venue?

What if it still had several quality speakers but no
speaker costs?

What if we had no formal banquet, no fancy schedules,
no external audio video needs?

What if we did not even have to deal with registration
at all?  


What if we could actually hang out with the members
instead of working and just saying hello as we run
from one place to the other?

I am not proposing an AGA but rather a less-than-AGA
event to stand in it's place for continuity purposes.
It would be more organized than a Plantfest but
nothing near an AGA.

Jeff Senske and I are toying with the idea of having
an event at his gallery. The venue could hold 75
people maybe more. Jeff, Mike and possibly Luis could
speak. Jeff is going to ask them first so please do
not say anything to anyone.

The proposed schedule would be a Friday tour of the
top five AGA mainteained tanks in Houston. Everyone
would be responsible for their own rides. Saturday, we
would have three talks in the gallery and a little AGA
auction or just a plant swap. We would recommned a
couple of hotels but no contracts.

Jeff has a little PA system and I can get a projector.
He can get some food catered in cheap and I think I
can get him to eat (pardon the pun) the costs anyway.
After all suckers like me will be buying the ADA
goodies while we are there ;-). 

I am not ready to jump on this yet but I wanted to see
what you guys think b4 doing anything else. Jeff and I
talked for an hour or so about this and a few other
things. I think it is doable as long as we present it
as what it is and what it's not (an AGA). 

Think about it and let me know. If there is interest
on our part I will get the ball rolling if not I will
let Jeff know now before we go an further.

--- Erik Olson <erik@thekrib.com> wrote:

> Hi folks,
> 
> Got off the phone with Jim from SFBAAPS just now. 
> Confirmed that they are 
> still shooting for November 2006 date for
> convention, so any contact with 
> vendors about Feb 2006 is going on entirely in said
> person's mind.
> 
> They visited four hotels back in March, at least two
> of them in the 
> $100/night range.  DG didn't like any of the four
> because they weren't 
> classy enough, and instead concentrated on Officer's
> Club.  When Officer's 
> Club deal fell through, he bailed on the process and
> didn't pick up any of 
> the other hotels.
> 
> No progress in last two months (Jim blames himself),
> but there is a 
> monthly open house/meeting next Sunday where he'll
> bring it up.  Members 
> are geographically separate, and e-mail
> communication doesn't work well.
> Jim had written up a proposed agenda, but then
> someone posted it on 
> public APC forms.  He's a little leery about that
> now, but is going to 
> send the document to me.
> 
> Based on last couple of meetings, members are
> enthusiastic about the 
> convention, and volunteering.  Grassroot support is
> there.  Club is 
> healthy, about 30-40 paid members and another 20
> hangers-on.  Club has 
> little organization because they don't need it for
> their own operation, 
> and has been detrimental when organization has been
> "imposed" on it by an 
> individual.  No new info here.
> 
> Recognizes need for organization in regards to
> convention.  I suggested 
> they concentrate on hotel, noted AGA is in a pickle
> because AGA *needs* to 
> have a convention in 2006.  We can't just let
> deadlines expire like we did 
> in 2005.  We need to communicate and see progress on
> a regular basis or 
> have to seriously investigate other clubs.  I
> mentioned that hotel is 
> lynchpin.  He's going to start the hotel work back
> up.
> 
> I hope I am not stepping on any toes here, but with
> what's at risk, I've 
> decided to take a bigger stake in making sure this
> works. I am going to 
> start calling Jim on a semi-regular basis.  I think
> that until some 
> progress has occurred, it will be best to do phone
> communication. 
> Hopefully we'll get things to the point where
> planning can move back to 
> the conheads list.
> 
>    - Erik
> 
> -- 
> Erik Olson
> erik at thekrib dot com
> _______________________________________________
> AGA-mcm mailing list
> AGA-mcm@thekrib.com
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> 

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