Re: [AGA-sc] San Jose Report

[Erik Olson <erik@thekrib.com>]

Tom was promoting the convention on a forum in the last couple days too 
(although with slightly inaccurate information...that's OK).  He's out 
there, we just have to be persistent at getting him.

And of course there's always the other side of the story.

   - Erik

On Sun, 3 Sep 2006, Cheryl Rogers wrote:

> Tom told me over the phone that he has the greatest respect for the AGA
> and still intends to help us. He is mad at the SF people because they
> ask him for his advice and then make fun of him when his advice changes.
> At first he was saying that the ADA substrates were no better than
> anything else, and now he has tried them and is singing a new tune.
> Apparently some folks at SFBAAPS called him on it and now he's pissed
> because after all, THEY didn't do any experimenting.
>
> Of course, this is Tom's side of the story. Who knows what really happened.
>
> Anyway, as of a month ago, he was not mad at US.
>
> Cheryl
>
>
>
> Karen Randall wrote:
>> Thanks for the update, Erik!  It sounds like it was a productive and
>> uplifting meeting.  Just reading about it got me more excited again, rather
>> than, "Oh, God, we've GOT to pull this off!!!"
>>
>> I am a little concerned about the situation with Tom.  He had agreed to take
>> Troels, Ole and me (as host<g>) out collecting, and now is not even
>> returning direct e-mails.  Fortunately, since Cheryl had his telephone
>> number, I can try to call him today.
>>
>> If he can't/won't take us out, we've got to arrange something else as
>> entertainment for those guys.  I know Tom has taken people in the Bay Area
>> club out before.  maybe we can get one of those to help us get to the
>> locations.  I suspect Troels and Ole don't really NEED Tom to tell them much
>> about aquatic plants once we get there ;-)
>>
>> In fact, even if Tom DOES still agree to do it, it might not be a bad idea
>> to have a back-up pesron who knows the locations and has a car.  But I
>> didn't want to bring this all up on the general list, have it get back to
>> Toma dn cause another kerfluffle.
>>
>> 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
>>> http://lists.thekrib.com/mailman/listinfo/aga-sc
>>>
>>
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-- 
Erik Olson
erik at thekrib dot com
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