Re: [AGA-sc] San Jose Report

["Karen Randall" <krandall@rdrcpa.biz>]

Hi Erik,

Yes, I will bring my projector, and remember, I have a long cable too.

Karen

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Erik Olson" <erik@thekrib.com>
To: <aga-sc@thekrib.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 03, 2006 2:30 AM
Subject: [AGA-sc] San Jose Report


> Met with Jim L ("convention chair"), Michael LaFlamme (my little helper),
> and Chuck Rambo (my SVAS contact, ACA bigwig, and local Bay Area Mole) at
> 3:30 in the hotel before heading off.
>
> Michael's wife is lending us a nice laser printer (HP Laserjet 2200).  I
> tested it with the auction computer and it works great.  We will be able
> to use this for printing incidentals like walk-in badges or signs) as
> needed through the weekend, and also for auction receipts on Sunday.
> Very cool.  She also has access to seven LCD projectors, so we could get a
> backup that way.  Chuck said he could bring the SVAS projector as well.
> Nice.  We need to remember to get a 25-foot VGA cable, though (Larry, do
> you have access to that one I bought for you guys?)  (Karen, please bring
> your projector regardless, if you can!)
>
> Transferred 75 pounds of A/V and auction gear to Michael, where it'll sit
> in storage until November.  Nice load of my stress level.
>
> Went off to the meeting, where we were joined by Leon Garden ("Field
> Trip") and Karleton ("PR guy #2").
>
> Leon imparted the info I have now mentioned in the other e-mails about
> there being 60 tickets available, but that there are only 50 bus slots.  I
> do remember him saying there might be more like 54 bus slots, but let's
> shoot for 50).  Discussed the minivan plan.  Reiterated that he has all
> the snack stuff taken care of.  Jim has volunteered to tip the driver and
> be the FT headcounter guy/chair.
>
> Leon also re-iterated his Krombholz-like desire to return to the
> Chattanooga-style auction where everything was silent and the items got
> stuffed into bags and picked up at the end.  Boy, he dislikes those live
> auctions, and having to surrender his driver's license.  (Do we have to
> make them surrender their drivers license?)  I explained that this was all
> well and good when we had 1/5 the amount of stuff to sell, but there just
> was no way we could pull this off anymore.  He was mildly impressed that I
> at least had the silent and live auctions tied together on the same
> system, and that we'd be using a computer rig that at least one person was
> familiar with (not to mention a spare hard drive with a backup image of
> the entire auction database machine that can be installed in virtually any
> laptop if something happens to the main system).  He's still not
> convinced, but we agree to disagree.
>
> Discussed at length why various people were going AWOL.  Always amusing to
> hear the responses:
>
>   Skids: Talks big, then shies back.  Michael L was just plain embarrased
>          about the whole "We're going to make a GREAT bid!" posturing.
>
>   Bill Harada: Pissed that we're not letting volunteers get in the talks
>      for free.  Apparently off sulking.  (Sorry, this chronology
>  doesn't make sense, as he stopped participating long before we had
>  the stupid thread with Gomberg.)  Later heard he was also sulking
>  about not having his stuff used, whatever that means.  Kareleton
>  will ask him about making a large poster and/or program blowup
>  for registration area.
>
>   Gomberg: Everyone was asking about who would be Gomberg's "keeper".  Jim
>  had some interesting perspective on PAM from the perspective
>  of an old-timer local...speaking of which...
>
>   Jim: Did you know Jim was a member of the AAGA?
>  Check out TAG V4#4, page 114... I pulled it up on my archive DVD!
>
>   Tom: Apparently Tom has stopped returning e-mails from SFBAAPS folks.
>  He is alienating every forum and mailing list one by one. He also
>  is now working for UC Davis.
>
> Iron Aquascaper challenge will be entirely handled by SFBAAPS folks.
> This seems to be a mutually agreeable idea: I think Jim really wants
> SFBAAPS to handle at least one aspect of the convention, and to me nothing
> important hinges on the Iron Aquascaper part.  They can have fun with it.
> Jim (and perhaps Karleton, who took lots of notes) will insure that they
> have equipment, materials, and people.  We brainstormed some pretty cool
> and funny ideas to include, include sport-announcer commentary,
> American Idol style bickering amongst the judges, tag-team handoffs
> mid-scaping, "And now, representing the Dallas-Fort Worth Club,
> Laaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrry LAM-PERT!".  I suggested at least one joke
> material such as a plastic castle be included in the materials.  So we'll
> see.
>
> Jim has offered to also handle buying of hospitality food/beverage if
> needed.  Those in the know could perhaps advise?  (I had no idea, because
> I have no experience in this area.)
>
> Meeting started.  Talk went pretty good.  Happy to see their wireless
> system (more expensive than mine) crackles and buzzes something awful.
> Caught myself turning my head and getting my voice cut off many times -- 
> I'm one of those bad speakers who does that!
>
> We got a couple of people offer to volunteer as runners or reg helpers.
>
> Several folks said they're coming, so I think we might see 5-10 hotel-less
> walkins from SVAS.  (We'll have to decide how stringent we're going to be
> about the club affiliations.  I would suggest we drop the requirement for
> anyone who volunteers as a runner or reg helper from one of these other
> clubs.)
>
> As I mentioned elsewhere, Chuck Rambo wants to put up fliers, so we need a
> flyer.  Good timing from Kirsten on conheads!
>
> I really found it good to talk to the guys face-to-face.  I really wish
> there was a way for all of us to talk to all of them this way.  Try
> explaining to someone in e-mail how we just can't let everyone who
> volunteers in for free vs. explaining this calmly to them directly,
> letting them explain their point.
>
> Jim asked me point blank "Why do you do this?"  (a statement that says
> much about the local club/forum/slacker/whatever mentality more than
> anything I could come up with).
>
> I had to think about it... I said that I personally do this because I like
> working A/V an putting together the disks, but I wasn't really sure
> anymore.  Later on during the plant swap, Jim started talking excitedly
> with another member about one of the bags, showing how he grew it
> under certain conditions, but this other one he never really had luck
> with, etc etc.  It was then that it hit me the real reason.  I love
> hanging out with all these plant geeks, talking this stuff for 3 days
> straight, seeing a hundred other people just having a good time doing the
> same.  It's very hard to remember why, when everything's all clouded up in
> these layers on layers of planning, stress, and beaurocracy, but once we
> get in that Hospitality room on the 9th and start bagging auction
> plants...that's the reason.
>
>    - Erik
>
> -- 
> Erik Olson
> erik at thekrib dot com
> _______________________________________________
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> AGA-sc@thekrib.com
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> 


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