[AGA-sc] ideas from the phone

[Erik Olson <erik@thekrib.com>]

Larry called tonight... transcribing some of the ideas we discussed.  You 
guys all know I love to transcribe...

Iron Aquascaper:  Apparently Jeff Senske has offered to run the "whole 
thing", i.e., get all the hardscape, set it up, MC even.  (Just not plants 
and a/v.) He would prefer to have control over the whole thing.  His only 
request is that it'd be credited "Iron Aquascaper Contest sponsored by 
ADG" or something.  This really does change the dynamic of the situation, 
because we could concentrate our volunteers on setting up Amano's demo. 
It also is a plus because it allows us to have two display tanks that 
clear by Saturday morning, run on display all of Saturday and get 
auctioned off Sunday.  Yes, I still think that the events are too similar, 
but that has to be balanced with the expectations that Jeff already has of 
"getting to run the IA next time" + all the talking Larry has done with 
him, so I am willing to suspend my dissent for this.

We would probably want to do a big wholesale plant order specifically for 
Amano and IA, unless we know of specific member donations...  so no 
biggie, we just double the order.

If we are not going with the Iron Aquascaper, there will need to be a big 
talk with Jeff at this point.

Field Trip:  This must be figured out ASAP, because we can't get the 
website up for registration until this happens.  Larry's talking with 
"Jim" from Seachem who also has contacts with the Atlanta Aquarium.  Still 
mulling over whether to do Seachem, the aquarium, or both.... some 
possibilities:

   A: Seachem-only in the morning.  Rent a bus.  Someone does a talk at 
Seachem.  Come back in early afternoon, and then everyone's on their own 
for the afternoon.  Go to the aquarium, shop, whatever.  Crew gets ready 
for Friday evening.  Lots of breathing space, options for everyone.

   B: Aquarium-only in the morning.  No bus rental -- walk over.  Jim 
gets us some kind of behind-the-scenes tour. Ends, "whenever".  Again, 
breathing space.  Add Seachem talk to the Friday night line-up.  Small van 
of AGA bigwigs takes a private Seachem tour on Thursday?

   C: Seachem in the morning, aquarium in the afternoon.   Kinda like "A" 
except with guided behind-the-scenes tour of the aquarium.

I can't get a read which one people would prefer.  I don't know if the AGA 
membership is into a tour of a factory.  I *do* know we could probably 
make a pretty amusing fake video of the tour to show Friday or Saturday 
night.


Speaker line-up:  If we do the Iron Aquascaper Friday night, I offer this 
suggestion (which may or may not be identical to Scott's... I can't find 
the archive e-mail)...

   Friday night: Iron Aquascaper Contest Sponsored by ADG (tm)
   Saturday AM: Tissue Culture Guy
                Amano talk
       (lunch break -- begin setting up Amano demo)
   Saturday PM: Dr. Tan (moss guy)
                Amano demo

   Banquet: Aquascaping Contest Awards
            Karen Randall

In order to keep things moving, start the awards DURING dessert.

Note that in this schedule, there is no spot for Jeff Senske to give a 
talk.  I think that between his desire not to speak, and his desire to do 
the IA, that we could explain there is just not enough time for the extra 
talk.  Does that seem reasonable?

Note also that if we went for tour option B, Friday night would start an 
hour earlier, with a Seachem talk.

Committes:  I think that someone needs to formalize who all the committee 
chairs are.  The degree of random motion, especially with vendors, is 
worrying me.  If they're working together, that's cool.  But I have no 
idea.

I would summarize the short-term priorities for this convention:

1. DECIDE ON FIELD TRIP OPTION.
2. DECIDE ON IA (given this new info) + get on same page with Jeff.
3. Get registration open.

then start tightening up the committees, delegating, etc.

   - Erik

-- 
Erik Olson
erik at thekrib dot com
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