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Posted By: Danny C. Fourm Member Get Togethers - Your Thoughts? - 06/15/13 04:18 PM
Matt and John recent meeting revived my interest re: this topic.

I stated a few years ago that a get together with forum members would be wonderful. My wife and I had the pleasure of meeting and dining with (my twin from a different mother and father) Mario and his bride a couple of months ago. Great get together to say the least.

How great would it be to have say a regional get together maybe every few years? And a bigger national meeting once every ten years or so?

Hurry up as that ten year meeting is starting to be a real stretch for some of us.

Now I'll ask for your opinions, but before you give them let me say we all know why this would be tough to organize so please dwell on the positive with your thoughts and suggestions and not why it won't work.

Thanks,
Danny,

you're a mind reader! I was just thinking the same thing.

I agree that putting it off for too long is risky, given the average age of the forum regulars. But making it too soon would exclude some because of existing vacation plans.

I think if we set a date and place about 1 or 2 years out, people will have plenty of time to plan for it. June 2015, for example, would be good for me because I will have just retired and neither time nor money would be an obstacle yet.

A good location for a SouthEastern USA meeting would be Atlanta, which is the home of at least one forum member, and in reasonable driving distance from Fla, Lousisiana, North Carolina etc.

Or, we could include the entire East coast, in which Case NC would be almost the middle. There are at least 4 or 5 forum members in NC

Other Ideas:

1) plan a cruise, and anybody who wants to come could make reservations on the same cruise. That would open it up to a much larger attendance

2) rent a beach house or mountain cabin and extend an open invitation to the forum. (it would be a good idea to get a head count in advance so the rental could be appropriately sized)

3) Maybe PGMusic would host something. I'd be willing to attend on my own dime if the official nature of the event lured a larger crowd. But it would probably be most workable for the West Coast contingency

Any of these ideas should include some provision for jamming or at least entertaining with our own trax
I know of four members in the Atlanta area, including myself; I've met two and corresponded with the other. The only reason a meet might not work for me would be travel expenses, but I'd do anything I could to attend one locally.

It would be worthwhile giving some consideration on how to promote such an event outside of the forums, or they could be mighty small meetings. PG Music might or might not be willing to provide space on their site. Would craigslist be a reasonable choice?

Richard
I'd prefer to keep it going this way, via posts on the forum, where it would be accessible to all forum members.

I think Craigs List could get weird... besides which fact, 90dB might cross post our thread and make fun of us

wink

Originally Posted By: Pat Marr
I'd prefer to keep it going this way, via posts on the forum, where it would be accessible to all forum members.

I think Craigs List could get weird... besides which fact, 90dB might cross post our thread and make fun of us

wink



I agree. Who knows whom we will get if this is put up on Craigs List.

I would suggest this take place next year. It might be held in a large hotel with a dining room and maybe a conference room. Reservations would not be an issue if the city and place is chosen early enough.

Also maybe one meeting in the East at the same time one is held in the West, possible for both the USA and Canada. Couple this with conference rooms and Tele-conferencing this might include more of us.

Just a though.
Quote:
Also maybe one meeting in the East at the same time one is held in the West, possible for both the USA and Canada. Couple this with conference rooms and Tele-conferencing this might include more of us.


hey that's a great idea! If the two get togethers were held at places with WI-FI, a laptop at each event plus Skype would be a very inexpensive way to make it happen!

What this idea needs is someone to assume responsibility for the project (on both coasts) so things actually happen instead of just being discussed then forgotten.

A solid date is the first thing to nail down so people who work can schedule vacation time well in advance. Location can come later

We should also collect a list of potential attendees. That number would decide pretty quickly whether we'd need a coliseum or a beach house for the meeting.

Put my name on the list as an attendee (but I'm a terrible planner)
Just a suggestion:

I see that the month of June was mentioned.
The Canadian kids are still in school that month.
Perhaps July or early August would work better.

Oh, and count me in.
I'm also retired and always on the lookout for an adventure <grin>.

LLOYD S
Skype is the only possibility for me but count me in.
Originally Posted By: Don Gaynor
Skype is the only possibility for me but count me in.


I'm not a skype user so I don't know its capabilities...

is it (or any other such app) capable of connecting multiple people at thes same time? Maybe we don't even need the expense of a physical trip to meet each other. I'm imagining a Brady Bunch / Hollywood Squares interface in which we all have our own little corner of the screen, and we can throw paper airplanes at each other.

wink
Originally Posted By: Don Gaynor
Skype is the only possibility for me but count me in.


BUT....
what if the party came to YOU? Hmmm? what then?

We could gang up on the bad-ministrator and dump him on the floor
I realize that the subject line says "forum members," but I immediately thought of BIAB users in general, which is why I made the craigslist suggestion. Would there be interest in opening meetings up to the larger community and, if so, what would be the most effective way of spreading the word? (I have no objection to limiting it to forumites, I'm just raising the question.)
FWIW

http://www.ehow.com/how_6104272_hold-video-calls-once-skype.html
Originally Posted By: Ryszard
I realize that the subject line says "forum members," but I immediately thought of BIAB users in general, which is why I made the craigslist suggestion. Would there be interest in opening meetings up to the larger community and, if so, what would be the most effective way of spreading the word? (I have no objection to limiting it to forumites, I'm just raising the question.)


I can only speak for myself, but the main incentive for enduring the expense of a trip would be to meet people I feel like I know due to the many hours of interaction on the forum.

I would probably not allocate precious vacation time or travel money to meet strangers just because we use the same music software.

But the people on the forum have made me laugh, made me think, encouraged me when my wife died, made me say WOW to their music... I do want to meet some of them before I'm on the other side of the grass, and I'm willing to spend time and money to do so.
http://www.guidingtech.com/8397/liveminutes-web-conferencing/

a free web based multi-user video chat service
(web based would make it accessible to all operating systems such as Windows, Mac, Ubuntu, Android, iPad etc, so nobody would be excluded)
It seems to me the center of the Universe (at least here in US - is Chicago grin), hay, that is where I live crazy. So sounds like some weekend gathering at my place is in order. hehe.

[img:center]
https://www.dropbox.com/s/eyfeypkpv1wibmw/biabusermap.JPG?
[/img]

BIAB User Map]Signup on the BIAB user map!
Well now we have a real problem - the "insert image" is apparently not working in the new forum! Anyone had success with this feature? cry
So far so good, however there are a few of us in the UK or other countries outside of America where travel to America becomes a nightmare or just impossible for financial or other reasons.
In our cases though either skype or other web based conferencing may well be a possibility, but do bear in mind time zone differences!
Such things as early morning West coast America, is afternoon here in the UK, and by the time you over there are having an evening drink with friends, I will have been in bed for some time.
Just thought I would throw in my two pence/cents worth.
Some great ideas and thoughts . . . my favorite is to get something booked no later than 1 year or so away. You know attention span :>

I really like the regional ideas depending on the number of users who would attend.

Anyway some great ideas as thought starters, as pointed out (by I think Pat)I guess the 1st thing we need is a leader or leaders to take charge.

Personally with enough notice I would attend anything within the Atlanta area, or even any of the adjacent states. Keep the ideas coming.

Thanks all for your interest.

Later,
so far it looks like the following ideas are in general agreement:

1) July, August or Sept 2014 would be a good target time frame

2) small regional meetings interconnected with skype or other multi-user video chat program would greatly increase the number of participants

3) European participants may be able to access the multi-user video conference remotely, and/or have their own regional get-together

4) Atlanta works as the South Eastern meeting place

5 to be determined:
a) meeting places for other parts of the country and Europe
b) a more specific date
c) software to be used for video conferencing
d) person(s) to assume responsibility of coordinating the details for each location (preferably someone local to the site)
Originally Posted By: Pat Marr
so far it looks like the following ideas are in general agreement:

1) July, August or Sept 2014 would be a good target time frame

2) small regional meetings interconnected with skype or other multi-user video chat program would greatly increase the number of participants

3) European participants may be able to access the multi-user video conference remotely, and/or have their own regional get-together

4) Atlanta works as the South Eastern meeting place

5 to be determined:
a) meeting places for other parts of the country and Europe
b) a more specific date
c) software to be used for video conferencing
d) person(s) to assume responsibility of coordinating the details for each location (preferably someone local to the site)


Pat,

I know you put a lot of thought into this (here comes da but) but what I was thinking just an informal whoever can make it type get together. No conferences, no skype hook-ups, nothing formal. Just a time and place to shake the hand and hug the ladies of the forum. Or at the most a planned big group lunch or dinner.

I suggest start with a poll for us here in the Eastern or even South Eastern Region to determine the number of people who would attend, choice of location/city and date.

As far as a coordinator is concerned I would hope someone from the destination city would step up and call a few shots or at least be a point man or lady.

By using the outcome of the poll we can determine where, when and who is coming.

Then each individual will be responsible for handling their own travel and hotel plans. Other than that we can play it by ear to determine what is done with any free time if available.

I'll start by placing the following poll on the forum:

Please rate your interest in attending a regional informal get together with other Forum Members sometime within the next 12 or so months.

Hey who knows, we may end up with a very small luncheon for two or two hundred. Either way I am in if the dates and destination work.

Make sense?

Later,
I wish I knew how to post a poll? Anyway here is the yes/no poll question I hope someone who knows how to post it will indeed do so:

If given 12 months notice of a forum member get together somewhere within the eastern region (most probably Atlanta) would you attend?

Thanks,
Thanks for your post, Danny. I had SUCH a good time with John Ford, I feel a lot more positive about this idea than I would have last week before he visited.

My preference would be to have a combination of social time along with some educational presentations, both by power users and if possible, PG Music.

I ran the academic side of a college, so I would be happy to consult with whomever winds up coordinating this event.

It would be pretty cool if you could arrange a room (conference room?) and someone to provide a small portable PA to hook up so that people who use BIAB tracks to perform could "show us how it's done"... hopefully someone who does it regularly and knows what they are doing to provide a "plug in here and go".... the BIAB open-mike...
Great ideas guys, this could really be something very nice!

later,
Atlanta? I'd go. Pa? I have one. I'd bring it.
I guess nobody wants to come to Houston???
Originally Posted By: LoveGuitar
I guess nobody wants to come to Houston???


awww, you'll be retired by then and you'll have PLENTY of time to travel to Atlanta.
wink

Or, Houston could have its own regional meeting. The farther people have to travel the less likely they will bother
You are right Pat my friend! But I would grab the wife and fly to Atlanta in a heartbeat.
........and , of course, there is Scotland!.....and other areas of the UK! Joe G.
Originally Posted By: Joe Gordon
........and , of course, there is Scotland!.....and other areas of the UK! Joe G.


y'all should be deciding on a location that's close enough for everyone in the UK to meet conveniently. Even though Danny doesn't want to make it complicated, I bet somebody sneaks a laptop with Skype to the Atlanta meeting. Don't ask how I know this.

wink

if your meeting happened to be on the same day, and somebody just HAPPENED to have skype... well... who knows...?
Two other forums I interact on do this regularly. The fender forum. www.fendeforum.com and the February album writing month groups have somewhat dedicated sections of their sites for meetup coordination. When I lived in MI I was close enough to rharv to meet and I regret that I never made the effort to do so.

Scott
while we're on the topic of forum get-togethers..

MarioD and I just realized that we were both visiting Harper's Ferry on the same day and during the same time frame! It's not a very big place, so we almost certainly passed each other more than once... but we didn't know what the other person looked like, so the passing went unnoticed to both of us

He said he was wearing a shirt with a guitar on it, and that he has a ponytail... I do recall seeing somebody with a ponytail and somebody with a guitar shirt, but my memory doesn't put them on the same person.

Bummer. I would have loved to walk along and chat. Maybe next time, Mario!
regarding micro meetings of two or three forum members:
John (Silvertones)... please keep me posted about any weekend gigs you may have coming up. It seems crazy not to have met the forum members in NC yet.

For that matter Jim Fogle and I both live in Winston-Salem, and we haven't even met yet!

We'll have to fix that one of these days
"I suggest start with a poll for us here in the Eastern or even South Eastern Region to determine the number of people who would attend, choice of location/city and date."

I think the low-hanging fruit would be to first get the poll going, and target interested people who live in reasonable driving distance of each other. This could be done via the poll and , for people concerned about privacy - they could list the nearest multi-national food chain location - say a Starbucks or McDonalds', as their preferred meeting location (for planning purposes). This might also be done automatically if everyone posted this location into their profile - hek PG could then put everybody's name and location on a Google map.

The next reasonably priced alternative was Pat's suggestion on the live webconferencing; I was interested in locating people to Skype with some time ago, but never pursued it. This idea is quite similar, and I think a very good one. In fact, there would need to be a few 'conventions' around such meetings so they remain somewhat orderly (e.g. number of users, turn taking, topics of interest). I think the best presentations are those that can demonstrate how they use the products in real time for different purposes - sought of like a 'show and tell' - which is more inspiring live than in a pre-recorded video. With this approach, while the geographic location isn't so important, meeting time is the big barrier - and this could also be posted in someone's profile and aggregated to a centralized list as a starting point for a meeting coordinator.

That said...I realize there are people who live in geographically distant locations that have cultivated deep relationships over many years on this forum, that would like to meet in person. This would obviously involve some travel.

...just some more ideas. And count me in if there's no plane travel or no driving greater than 1 hour from NYC : )
Originally Posted By: Joe Gordon
........and , of course, there is Scotland!.....and other areas of the UK! Joe G.


How about the Isle of Skype? grin
Has it crossed anyone's mind that it might all end in a Mega or even Ultra pak bust-up.

I suppose we could all blame Pat then for organising it, or I forgot its always Rharv's fault.

smile

Musiclover
Originally Posted By: Pat Marr
regarding micro meetings of two or three forum members:
John (Silvertones)... please keep me posted about any weekend gigs you may have coming up. It seems crazy not to have met the forum members in NC yet.


Ditto. I've missed a couple of opportunities to meet Mr. Tones in the past and I'd like to remedy that. cool

R.
Originally Posted By: rockstar_not
Two other forums I interact on do this regularly. The fender forum. www.fendeforum.com and the February album writing month groups have somewhat dedicated sections of their sites for meetup coordination. When I lived in MI I was close enough to rharv to meet and I regret that I never made the effort to do so.

Scott


Me too
Guess I thought you'd be here for longer than you were.

I also regret not meeting j conley.
I made the effort to go to a couple shows he was supposed to be at, but his health prevented him from making the trip on those two occasions, so I met some of his friends instead.
Guess it wasn't meant to be.
Originally Posted By: Pat Marr
while we're on the topic of forum get-togethers..

MarioD and I just realized that we were both visiting Harper's Ferry on the same day and during the same time frame! It's not a very big place, so we almost certainly passed each other more than once... but we didn't know what the other person looked like, so the passing went unnoticed to both of us

He said he was wearing a shirt with a guitar on it, and that he has a ponytail... I do recall seeing somebody with a ponytail and somebody with a guitar shirt, but my memory doesn't put them on the same person.

Bummer. I would have loved to walk along and chat. Maybe next time, Mario!


My wife informed me that it was a warm day so I probably wasn’t wearing one of my guitar shirts. I was probably wearing this: Mario and Linda (I'm on the right)
and with that lady.

My front side looks like this: MarioD

Does either of these ring a bell?
Posted By: occ Re: Fourm Member Get Togethers - Your Thoughts? - 06/22/13 05:18 PM
There are several PG members that live in Louisiana. Maybe we could rent a van and meet the others in Atlanta or somewhere. occ
OCC,

That is a great idea, not the van rental because I can't see making this trip without my bride as we would include some family and civilian friend visiting both ways. So if wives are included we would need a BIG VAN!

But heck why not start with a meeting here in Louisiana, even though I am in South Louisiana I don't mind driving north of Alex to see some of my Yankee friends :>.

I know of the following: Josie, Russ, Cajun Jeaux, yourself and another who's name escapes me from Rayne I think. Am I missing anyone else?

Later,
Originally Posted By: rharv
Originally Posted By: rockstar_not
Two other forums I interact on do this regularly. The fender forum. www.fendeforum.com and the February album writing month groups have somewhat dedicated sections of their sites for meetup coordination. When I lived in MI I was close enough to rharv to meet and I regret that I never made the effort to do so.

Scott


Me too
Guess I thought you'd be here for longer than you were.

I also regret not meeting j conley.
I made the effort to go to a couple shows he was supposed to be at, but his health prevented him from making the trip on those two occasions, so I met some of his friends instead.
Guess it wasn't meant to be.


Well, the invite is open if you ever make it out to the Front Range in CO (Fort Collins, Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo). I'm in the Springs, and would be willing to drive or host to any of those locations.

-Scott
My parents just finished a trip from MI to SD CO etc. .. nice loop I'd like to do myself eventually. When I do, you'll know. Their pics along the way fueled the fire in me.
Nobody wants to come to Las Vegas? smile

115 F this weekend.

Don S.
Posted By: Mac Re: Fourm Member Get Togethers - Your Thoughts? - 06/26/13 03:12 PM
Had to gig there back in the late 70s.

Vegas?


No thanks.



--Mac
Well,

regarding forum member get-togethers:
Looks like Silvertones and I will be meeting soon.

Maybe I'll post photos or videos if they aren't too incriminating.

I'm also going on a cruise later in the year, in case anyone else on the forum would like to take the same cruise. We could hang out in all the live music places and talk music.

Rather than posting the date publicly, anybody who might be interested should send a PM for further discussion.
Originally Posted By: Pat Marr
Well,

regarding forum member get-togethers:
Looks like Silvertones and I will be meeting soon.

Maybe I'll post photos or videos if they aren't too incriminating.



Great I was hoping we would get to see more then the ones shown on the national news. :>

Just kidding, you guys break a couple of legs!

later,
Well,

John Desjardins (aka Silvertones) and I visited at his home in Marble NC yesterday. I took a video camera and recorded a walk thru of John's gear setup and a demo of his new lighting stuff. Very cool!

I also recorded him playing some songs from his set (Backing tracks created in RealBand then played with Power tracks)

As soon as I have a chance to post the video to YouTube, I'll post the links here in this thread for anybody who wants to hear john play and see how his gear is set up.

After visiting him, I'd have to say that John is one of those understated people who doesn't brag on himself or present himself as being "somebody"; but it doesn't take long to observe that he is an uncommonly smart man who could easily boast in a bunch of different directions if that was his style... but it isn't his style.

Apart from the intellect thing where John is head and shoulders past where I'll ever be, we have a lot in common:

We both use BIAB and RB to create backing tracks for performing, (as opposed to using it to create original songs, as so many others here do)

Interestingly, when creating the trax, our work flow is almost exactly the same.

I work in a machine shop, and John has too in the past, so we have that work experience in common.

And we both lost our dear wives to cancer within the past two years, so we have been through the same hellish experience. John was very supportive and helpful to me during the time between my wife's diagnosis and inevitable death a year later. I will always be grateful to John for that.

Anyway, it was an enjoyable visit, and it left us both with a heightened interest in a larger BIAB get-together as discussed earlier in this thread. I hope that doesn't fall through the cracks.

videos to follow as time allows.
Glad to hear you guys had a big time, I can't wait to see the videos.

Later,
Originally Posted By: Danny C.
OCC,

But heck why not start with a meeting here in Louisiana, even though I am in South Louisiana I don't mind driving north of Alex to see some of my Yankee friends :>.

I know of the following: Josie, Russ, Cajun Jeaux, yourself and another who's name escapes me from Rayne I think. Am I missing anyone else?

Later,


Any interest Louisiana friends?

Later,
Quote:
Any interest Louisiana friends?


not just Louisiana friends... depending on when it is, I would see if there's any way I can come. I'd bet others within reasonable driving distance would come too

(at least advertise the date and time so people can make that call)

Originally Posted By: Danny C.
Originally Posted By: Danny C.
OCC,

But heck why not start with a meeting here in Louisiana, even though I am in South Louisiana I don't mind driving north of Alex to see some of my Yankee friends :>.

I know of the following: Josie, Russ, Cajun Jeaux, yourself and another who's name escapes me from Rayne I think. Am I missing anyone else?

Later,


Any interest Louisiana friends?

Later,


Danny, when you guys set a date either post it here or let me know when it is. Depending on the date and my cash flow maybe you can have a REAL Yankee and his wife join in on the fun.

An after though, maybe we can bring our instruments!

PS – you know you are going to pay for that Yankee crap!
Originally Posted By: MarioD
Originally Posted By: Danny C.
Originally Posted By: Danny C.
OCC,

But heck why not start with a meeting here in Louisiana, even though I am in South Louisiana I don't mind driving north of Alex to see some of my Yankee friends :>.

I know of the following: Josie, Russ, Cajun Jeaux, yourself and another who's name escapes me from Rayne I think. Am I missing anyone else?

Later,


Any interest Louisiana friends?

Later,


Danny, when you guys set a date either post it here or let me know when it is. Depending on the date and my cash flow maybe you can have a REAL Yankee and his wife join in on the fun.

An after though, maybe we can bring our instruments!

PS – you know you are going to pay for that Yankee crap!




Sorry Mario but I'm more Yankee then you. Maine.
Originally Posted By: silvertones
Originally Posted By: MarioD
Originally Posted By: Danny C.
Originally Posted By: Danny C.
OCC,

But heck why not start with a meeting here in Louisiana, even though I am in South Louisiana I don't mind driving north of Alex to see some of my Yankee friends :>.

I know of the following: Josie, Russ, Cajun Jeaux, yourself and another who's name escapes me from Rayne I think. Am I missing anyone else?

Later,


Any interest Louisiana friends?

Later,


Danny, when you guys set a date either post it here or let me know when it is. Depending on the date and my cash flow maybe you can have a REAL Yankee and his wife join in on the fun.

An after though, maybe we can bring our instruments!

PS – you know you are going to pay for that Yankee crap!




Sorry Mario but I'm more Yankee then you. Maine.


John, I have never heard of a Maine Yankee. Have you ever heard of the New York Yankees smile laugh

On a side note the wife and I may be in Maine this fall, not sure just yet. If so I’ll let you know.
But I bet the NY Yankees have heard and felt the wrath of the Boston Red Sox.
I live in NC now.
I originally posted video links from my visit with John DesJardins (AKA "Silvertones")here, but John created a new thread (link below)

http://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=212105#Post212105
Originally Posted By: silvertones
But I bet the NY Yankees have heard and felt the wrath of the Boston Red Sox.
I live in NC now.


From what I have read the Yankees and Red Sox hate each other. This goes back to the Babe Ruth trade. However I am not a big baseball fan. The NHL is the only pro sport I really follow with football a far second.

When I was typing I though that you lived further south. I though possibly you had just moved.
Gentlemen,

Really enjoyed the clip of the two of you on John's porch. Very nice setting,especially with the creek running behind your house.

John, you have one helluva one-man band. Don't know about your playing opportunities, but American Legions and VFWs would eat it up.

Percy
[quote=]

John, you have one helluva one-man band.

[/quote]

+1

Very nicely done!

Bruce
It was very nice seeing you guys on the video. It looked like you two were having a lot of fun together.

John, excellent singing and bass playing.

Danny and I did get together one night in Biloxi Mississippi. As part of our Florida vacation my wife and I were visiting her sister in Florida’s panhandle. I had emailed Danny and told him when I was going to be there and he suggested we meet in Biloxi, which was half way from where I was and where he lives. All four of us, me, Danny and our wives had a great time together.
Originally Posted By: MarioD
It was very nice seeing you guys on the video. It looked like you two were having a lot of fun together.

John, excellent singing and bass playing.

Danny and I did get together one night in Biloxi Mississippi. As part of our Florida vacation my wife and I were visiting her sister in Florida’s panhandle. I had emailed Danny and told him when I was going to be there and he suggested we meet in Biloxi, which was half way from where I was and where he lives. All four of us, me, Danny and our wives had a great time together.




Big Ditto what Mario said!

Although I really enjoyed the little video of John and Pat on the front porch, and keep in mind we don't have any videos to prove it, I still can't help but think Mario and I are prettier. Not by much mind you, but prettier none the less.

What do you think Mario?

Later,
When this thread started, I was still working and the time involved would have been prohibitive. However, now that I am .... wait for it .... RETIRED I would (will) be able to make a BIAB gathering.

Will it be like the old days of Apple where the 2 groups inside Apple were actually hated rivals? The Macintosh guys hated the Apple guys to the point where there were fistfights inside the Apple campus.

I can see it now. The BIAB guys rumbling with the RB guys. The Montagues and the Capulets, The Jets and the Sharks....

Although if this goes down in Atlanta or North Carolina, we'd have to bring some Yankee and Rebel into it, no? Maybe all the guys from above the Mason Dixon line wear blue and the guys below wear gray?

As long as I can find a dog friendly place to stay, I am in. Scuff goes everywhere with me. Renting a cabin sounds awesome but I don't know how that would fly with my overly friendly dog there wanting to jump in everybody's lap to lick their face. I had a FedEx delivery last week. By the time I got done signing for the box, she was sitting on the seat of the truck wanting to go for a ride. THAT friendly. Very confused by my being home every day, since I am now .... wait for it .... RETIRED!
Quote:
John, you have one helluva one-man band.

He really does! It blows my mind that with his talent and well-crafted backing tracks and his amazing gear setup he is not working daily... but, that's probably a function of where he lives more than its a function of what he can do. But *I* am very impressed with John's entire musical capability. He's got it together.


Quote:
Although I really enjoyed the little video of John and Pat on the front porch, and keep in mind we don't have any videos to prove it, I still can't help but think Mario and I are prettier. Not by much mind you, but prettier none the less.


you'll get no argument from ME on that one! (John will have to speak for himself)


Quote:
Renting a cabin sounds awesome but I don't know how that would fly with my overly friendly dog there wanting to jump in everybody's lap to lick their face


OK, next year I will try to rent a cabin in the mountains of NC and everybody will be invited (depending on finances at that time... things tend to change unexpectedly at this age.)

It would probably be less expensive before the leaves start turning, but maybe less spectacular too. I noticed on the drive to John's that there are LOTS of white water excursions in that area. Also lots of fishing. B ut I'd rather just get a place that's far enough away from everybody that we can set up the PA and have a long jam session.

We can have some group input about what time most people could make it.

And if this one doesn't meet every need, then there's always the option of lotsa small meetings spread out regionally... (see Eddies thread)
Originally Posted By: Danny C.
Originally Posted By: MarioD
It was very nice seeing you guys on the video. It looked like you two were having a lot of fun together.

John, excellent singing and bass playing.

Danny and I did get together one night in Biloxi Mississippi. As part of our Florida vacation my wife and I were visiting her sister in Florida’s panhandle. I had emailed Danny and told him when I was going to be there and he suggested we meet in Biloxi, which was half way from where I was and where he lives. All four of us, me, Danny and our wives had a great time together.




Big Ditto what Mario said!

Although I really enjoyed the little video of John and Pat on the front porch, and keep in mind we don't have any videos to prove it, I still can't help but think Mario and I are prettier. Not by much mind you, but prettier none the less.

What do you think Mario?

Later,


Amen my twin from a different mother, amen!

We can say that because no one took our picture!

No we are not going to put up pictures of ourselves to prove it. You will just have to imagine it! We are laugh laugh laugh
A few final thoughts before this thread falls through the cracks for another year...

1) quite a few forum members have expressed an interest in regional get-togethers

2) those who aren't retired yet need to plan vacations well in advance because most employers want a rough draft of planned vacation time by the end of January.

3) The upshot is that anybody who is serious about hosting something should announce a tentative date ASAP. Details can be worked out later, but that would give people time to plan, and it would give the host advance notice of attendance.
speaking of forum member get togethers, I finally met Jim Fogle!

We both live in Winston Salem, but could never find a common time slot until today

Apparently neither of us looks like our avatars, because we stood across from each other for a while without realizing it was the person we were supposed to meet.

Jim is a very nice fellow, and we had about an hour of conversation in the lobby of a local restaurant before we both had to rush off to other commitments. Next time maybe we'll have time to actually EAT at the restaurant as we talk.

I'm sure we'll meet again. Still waiting for a regional get-together.
Pat, Jim asked my opinion of you. I had to be honest!
Danny, dogs are excellent barometers of people. If your dog still wags it's tail and licks your hand or allows you to pet it, then you are A-Numero Uno in my tome!
Originally Posted By: Don Gaynor
Danny, dogs are excellent barometers of people. If your dog still wags it's tail and licks your hand or allows you to pet it, then you are A-Numero Uno in my tome!


Marley loves me Don . . . never mind that juicy center cut pork chop I have tied around my neck!

Later,
Danny, old man, you are a filbert, cashew, pea, walnut, macadamia, pecan, or sumkina nut.
Originally Posted By: Don Gaynor
Pat, Jim asked my opinion of you. I had to be honest!


maybe that explains why he kept asking if I had an axe with me. You went and told him about all the murders, didn't you??
Originally Posted By: Pat Marr
speaking of forum member get togethers, I finally met Jim Fogle!

We both live in Winston Salem, but could never find a common time slot until today

Apparently neither of us looks like our avatars, because we stood across from each other for a while without realizing it was the person we were supposed to meet.

I'd love to be a dancing chicken but Don already has that avatar taken.

Jim is a very nice fellow, and we had about an hour of conversation in the lobby of a local restaurant before we both had to rush off to other commitments. Next time maybe we'll have time to actually EAT at the restaurant as we talk.

I taked so much I didn't realize Pat could talk for half an hour. Pat, next time it's all about you.

I'm sure we'll meet again. Still waiting for a regional get-together.


I had a great time and am looking forward to the next meeting. A regional meet would be special too!
Hey Guys and Guyettes,

I have come to the conclusion that the thought of forum get together (to most members anyway) is sort of like the old saying, "everybody want's to go to heaven but they don't want to die," or something like that.

Merry Christmas All!

Later,
We can get together here and nobody has to clean up afterwards
you may be right Danny
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