AK Fest - 2011

Silence is not golden

I'll even buy Grumpy a beer ---even Ernie. Oh What the hell, drinks for everyone!!

I had a death in the family one month after the 2010 fest. I get over these things because when I was going to university I worked in the summer in a hospital on the nursing staff (nurses were a fringe benefit):yes: It makes you like cold ice (no feelings) to death and health unless its in your family. To me my health problems are almost not registering in my head, I just live on when I can. Now I am 59 years old.

I wish Dave would speak up and let us know what will be happening if anything. But I understand his silence and have to respect it. Best wishes for Dave.
 
Any updates on the 2011 AK Fest.

I've been really wanting to go the last two years but couldn't make it. I was absolutely planning on going this year.

I'd REALLY like to see this happen.
 
Since we're less than 3 months away, and thus far haven't heard any details ... I have to assume AK Fest isn't going to happen this year. I hope I'm wrong, but it would just be great to hear either way. If it's going to happen, all the out of towners need to know asap so we can make plans.
 
Darn, no fest this year

I would still like a chance to buy a Onepixel designed AK Fest shirt.



How about a little modern retro.

T-7.jpg
 
Who Bally or me?

Everybody!

Was the smaller turnout Saturday in Port Huron a bit more enjoyable?

Just different. It was nice to be able to sit in a listening room alone for a short time; really enjoyed that. But honestly, I like seeing everyone, so the more the merrier from my point of view.

But I was making a joke about the AK Fest junkies who are going through withdrawal now; come on and drop by a SMAC meeting!
 
3000 miles and a $600 plane ticket I would do for AK Fest, but probably not for a SMAC meeting. Would be nice to attend one, but just not real practical for me at this time.
 
I had the money up to make the trip up there ...after I heard the news...I went out and bought a polebarn... well..at least I got a place to keep my tractor now... the barn gets delivered and set up day after tomorrow...
 

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I had the money up to make the trip up there ...after I heard the news...I went out and bought a polebarn... well..at least I got a place to keep my tractor now... the barn gets delivered and set up day after tomorrow...

I guess you bought something that had a very bad WAF, so now you live in a barn...lol....enjoy your private room.
 
Every year I have told myself I should try to make it to the Fest, but every year work has kept me here during that time; it just hasn't been fortuitous timing. I just found out today that there is a VERY high likelihood I could finally make it, this year... I have to make a trip to the States within the next few months, anyway, and have some leeway in scheduling it, so the timing would have been great. The dates talked about were very close to my birthday, too, so I could have made it my birthday present to myself. :D Wouldn't you know, the one year I can finally arrange to come would be the one year the Fest was cancelled. :sigh: :tears:

Just as ironic, I have experience organizing a national conference in the U.S. involving four hotels and several college campuses simultaneously, with several thousand attendees with around 40 key speakers and multiple sessions over 4 days, etc... and with only a small staff that was almost all volunteer (I was paid)-- and did it on very short notice (they were ready to cancel if I didn't step in, and still ready to cancel if I said the time wasn't sufficient), and I did that before there were PCs to help with organizing data, AND everyone said it was the most successful one they could remember. I've also built up a network of three offices and 50 rep/agent offices across ten countries, that became a US$100 million business in less than two years. An AK Fest I could have done, I'm certain -- IF I weren't on the other side of the planet and not really able to take a few months off (a few weeks is possible, but a few months is not, as I'd lose ongoing clients/business --and a couple of weeks is not sufficient lead time to pull of an event like this.) Otherwise, I would have gladly stepped in to make this happen. But I'd have had to move to the States for a while to pull it off, and just can't spare that much time. Even in this age of email and Skype, to remote-control it from Hong Kong? Uh-uh, wouldn't work! :sigh:

It seems like there was a lot of HOPE for a Fest, and a lot of willingness by many to contribute what they could, but the people who might have spearheaded the effort were too far away or otherwise unable, and loose, volunteer committee things usually don't come off without someone dedicated full-time to pushing things through. Way too much risk to rely on such vague promises, without someone competent "making it happen."

I suppose we should all be very grateful to those who have organized all the past Fests, and I'm sure we all wish them speedy recoveries and better times ahead. Let's hope the Fest is back next year. Maybe I'll have another chance to coordinate a trip and make it to that one... I sure hope so!

I'm bummed... I've been thinking about getting to one of these for a few years, and finally... ah, well, such is life.

:scratch2: Maybe next year?! :dunno:
 
Every year I have told myself I should try to make it to the Fest, but every year work has kept me here during that time; it just hasn't been fortuitous timing. I just found out today that there is a VERY high likelihood I could finally make it, this year... I have to make a trip to the States within the next few months, anyway, and have some leeway in scheduling it, so the timing would have been great. The dates talked about were very close to my birthday, too, so I could have made it my birthday present to myself. :D Wouldn't you know, the one year I can finally arrange to come would be the one year the Fest was cancelled. :sigh: :tears:

Just as ironic, I have experience organizing a national conference in the U.S. involving four hotels and several college campuses simultaneously, with several thousand attendees with around 40 key speakers and multiple sessions over 4 days, etc... and with only a small staff that was almost all volunteer (I was paid)-- and did it on very short notice (they were ready to cancel if I didn't step in, and still ready to cancel if I said the time wasn't sufficient), and I did that before there were PCs to help with organizing data, AND everyone said it was the most successful one they could remember. I've also built up a network of three offices and 50 rep/agent offices across ten countries, that became a US$100 million business in less than two years. An AK Fest I could have done, I'm certain -- IF I weren't on the other side of the planet and not really able to take a few months off (a few weeks is possible, but a few months is not, as I'd lose ongoing clients/business --and a couple of weeks is not sufficient lead time to pull of an event like this.) Otherwise, I would have gladly stepped in to make this happen. But I'd have had to move to the States for a while to pull it off, and just can't spare that much time. Even in this age of email and Skype, to remote-control it from Hong Kong? Uh-uh, wouldn't work! :sigh:

It seems like there was a lot of HOPE for a Fest, and a lot of willingness by many to contribute what they could, but the people who might have spearheaded the effort were too far away or otherwise unable, and loose, volunteer committee things usually don't come off without someone dedicated full-time to pushing things through. Way too much risk to rely on such vague promises, without someone competent "making it happen."

I suppose we should all be very grateful to those who have organized all the past Fests, and I'm sure we all wish them speedy recoveries and better times ahead. Let's hope the Fest is back next year. Maybe I'll have another chance to coordinate a trip and make it to that one... I sure hope so!

I'm bummed... I've been thinking about getting to one of these for a few years, and finally... ah, well, such is life.

:scratch2: Maybe next year?! :dunno:

AK Fest 2012 in Hong Kong????...:thmbsp:
 
Grump,

Have you thought about down sizing the fest.... Rent large rooms with room dividers and take it back to the way we had it originally. Just members and no major vendors. I'm sure we could still have a blast.
 
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