Chicago is looking good.

Subject: Chicago is looking good.
Author: the Irish Samurai
Posted on: 2014-08-21 13:00:00 UTC

In that there are a couple of people of there, with a couple more that might be able to drop by - I think this is the most people that can get to any one of the many locations I've been offered. Obviously, if I get sent out to America again I'll try to visit somewhere else.

At the moment, my work trip is looking like it's going to be Monday 8th to Thursday 12th of September. I'm assuming that people are going to have school/work/etc. on the Friday, but my company have given me permission to stay out there for the full weekend. So my current plan (assuming these dates don't change) is to finish my work, fly from Texas to Chicago either Thursday evening or during the day Friday, and be generally available for meeting up with whoever is around Saturday and Sunday. How does that sound?

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Any PPCers in America? by the Irish Samurai on 2014-08-18 23:14:00 UTC Reply

OK, so I already know the answer to that question, but the character limit kept cutting off my more sensible questions.

Anyway, my point is that there will be at least one more PPCer in the States in a few weeks time, because my company is sending me out to Texas. Basically I was thinking about tacking on some holiday to the work trip and trying for a Gathering (yes, I know I've just been on one, but it was fun so I want to do it again).

The details of my trip haven't been confirmed yet, but I'm likely to be out there either the first or second week of September, and from the discussion I had today I think the second week is more likely. And while my company is sending me to Texas, I don't have to spend all of my time there. While I can't really justify a random transatlantic flight, I could probably manage an internal flight if it meant meeting more people.

I know I haven't exactly given enough information to organise anything - specifically the lack of dates isn't helpful. But the way these trips normally work, if I waited till I was sure before mentioning it on the Board, I might not have had the time to organise anything.

So, yeah, anyone interested in meeting up?

Greetings from Hawaii! (nm) by Tigeress on 2014-11-07 16:43:00 UTC Reply
Texas Abilene area here. (nm) by y2k on 2014-08-22 22:27:00 UTC Reply
New Yorker here! by son_of_heaven176 on 2014-08-20 20:37:00 UTC Reply

Unfortunately, I doubt that I can make a trip to Texas. Perhaps you could be persuaded to cone to the East Coast?
Alaskan here. by World-Jumper on 2014-08-20 05:21:00 UTC Reply

Sadly, my location does not lend too well for any travel Down South. Still, if you all came to me instead...
Norfolk, Virginia (nm) by zdimensia on 2014-08-20 04:44:00 UTC Reply
Hello from Connecticut! by firemagic on 2014-08-19 21:58:00 UTC Reply

I wouldn't be able to go to a meetup, due to school. Oh well, I'm sure there'll be fun with the other PPCers!
I live in Arizona . . . by doctorlit on 2014-08-19 18:59:00 UTC Reply

But I don't get paid vacation, so I really don't like taking time off of work. Eventually, once I become a zookeeper, I'll be able to do things like that.
Texas here! by Tomash on 2014-08-19 16:39:00 UTC Reply

As of next week, I'll be at the University of Texas at Austin, so I can do anywhere within the range of Austin's public transit.
Greetings from Ohio by AdmiralSakai on 2014-08-19 15:20:00 UTC Reply

Cleveland, to be specific, although college is going to be a thing very, very soon and so I doubt I'd be able to make a meet.
Hello from North Carolina! by eatpraylove on 2014-08-19 13:32:00 UTC Reply

Sadly, I will likely have to pass on a potential Gathering because college. :|
Nebraskan checking in by Antigone68104 on 2014-08-19 12:31:00 UTC Reply

Unfortunately, my 40-hour work week (plus random overtime) is spread over six days, not five -- so even a weekend trip has to be planned far enough ahead of time that I can take a Saturday off.
I'd like to, but... by SkarmorySilver on 2014-08-19 03:58:00 UTC Reply

...I'm from Ohio, and I don't do states travel, so a Texas meeting is a no-go unless I move there after my college degree is done ^^;!
I'm a San Franciscan, by Ailavyn Siniyash on 2014-08-19 02:39:00 UTC Reply

but I'm only fifteen and I'm starting school soon, soooo... Yeah.

-Aila
Re: Any PPCers in America? by Miah on 2014-08-19 01:21:00 UTC Reply

I'm in Arkansas, but can't really travel very far.
There's always Boston! by Fractal Dawn on 2014-08-19 00:09:00 UTC Reply

I'm in the area, and I know I'm not the only East Coast PPCer, either, and for us at least it's actually reasonably easy to get from one place to another (trains are lovely), so Boston's viable for visiting and Gathering!
I don't know about Texas... by Iximaz on 2014-08-18 23:58:00 UTC Reply

But I do know that Darkotas and I could possibly make it to someplace near Indiana!
Come to Chicago! by Neshomeh on 2014-08-18 23:49:00 UTC Reply

We're a pretty major transportation hub, being somewhat central, so you can probably arrange to get a flight that takes you through O'Hare or Midway, and there might be a better chance of collecting other people together here on the fly. Our local transportation system is pretty good, so you can get into the city easily from either airport. Plus, we have many interesting museums and such, also accessible by public transit.

Or you and Phobos can just sit around plotting time travel shenanigans, either way. ^_~

~Neshomeh

Chicago is looking good. by the Irish Samurai on 2014-08-21 13:00:00 UTC Reply

In that there are a couple of people of there, with a couple more that might be able to drop by - I think this is the most people that can get to any one of the many locations I've been offered. Obviously, if I get sent out to America again I'll try to visit somewhere else.

At the moment, my work trip is looking like it's going to be Monday 8th to Thursday 12th of September. I'm assuming that people are going to have school/work/etc. on the Friday, but my company have given me permission to stay out there for the full weekend. So my current plan (assuming these dates don't change) is to finish my work, fly from Texas to Chicago either Thursday evening or during the day Friday, and be generally available for meeting up with whoever is around Saturday and Sunday. How does that sound?

Works for me 'n Phobos. by Neshomeh on 2014-08-21 15:42:00 UTC Reply

The "traditional" Chicago Gathering plan is to meet up by the old water tower in Water Tower Place, then proceed by light rail and foot to Museum Campus, which has the options of Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum of Natural History, and the Adler Planetarium. Or, we could catch a bus to the Museum of Science and Industry, further south. The planetarium wouldn't be my first choice, but we love the other three.

I'm a fan of the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, but it's kinda small and aimed more at a younger audience. It's close to the Lincoln Park Zoo, though, which is FREE, so if you're looking to keep spending to a minimum, that's always a good choice, weather permitting. Other free features worth checking out include the Lincoln Park Conservatory (tropical plants, orchids, ferns and such) at the north end, and a little interactive farm and a wetland nature walk at the south end.

There's also the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Chicago History Museum, which we've somehow managed to miss so far. I've heard good things about the Art Institute, but might be a bit similar to the London Gathering?

I can also see what free stuff is going on that weekend. There's always a chance for some kind of festival or concert.

And then you can always come hang out with us in the Lincoln Square/Ravenswood neighborhood. We have some fun little shops and good food up here, and we could play some board games at our place if everyone's comfortable with that.

It's your vacation, though, so the two of us are pretty cool with whatever you want to do. We live here, so we can do the rest whenever we feel like it. {= )

~Neshomeh

That all sounds good to me. by the Irish Samurai on 2014-08-21 23:31:00 UTC Reply

I do like a good science museum. Aquariums and zoos are pretty cool too, especially if they have lots of big cats to look at (the zoos that is - I'd be quite surprised if an aquarium had a big cat section).

And I'd definitely be up for some board games, particularly as I'll be missing out on my normal weekly gaming session due to being on this trip (that's the one downside to these work trips, but I think the travel opportunities more than make up for it). I'll see if I can find room in my bags to bring along a couple of games myself.

Cool! by Neshomeh on 2014-08-22 15:43:00 UTC Reply

So, for now let's assume Museum of Science and Industry on Saturday the 13th, with dinner and games afterwards. I have a church choir performance on Sunday morning (which everyone would be welcome to attend, not that I expect anyone wants to!), but after that we can do stuff, too, if we're not dead-tired and/or totally sick of each other. ^_~

The question is, can Iximaz and Darkotas make it, and when can they arrive? MSI hours are 9:30 am to 4 pm, so to get the most out of it I'd say we should meet about 9:00, but that's really early unless they can leave Friday and spend the night somewhere. Yet, starting much later cuts out quality museum time.

Also, depending on where people are coming from and how, it might make more sense to just meet in front of the museum.

How about I make a new post about this on September 1, and we'll see how things stand?

~Neshomeh

It'll be tricky to negotiate with the parental units... by Iximaz on 2014-08-23 00:33:00 UTC Reply

...considering Darkotas and I recently started seeing each other, if you know what I mean, (^_^) and two hotel rooms would be a tad expensive. I bet I could persuade my mom to take me, at the very least, and Dark will... huh, still not legally an adult. I'll have to ask him.

Considering the art museum is a public place, I think mom will be much more comfortable with the idea of her baby meeting people from the internet. That, and she likes museums.

But yes, a post at the beginning of September would be a good idea.

This will be tricky, indeed. by Darkotas on 2014-08-23 02:50:00 UTC Reply

If your parents are fine with it, I'm fairly sure mine will be - well, so long as I don't do something insanely stupid for some reason. This is also when being able to drive myself would be REALLY useful... In any case, I'll do what I can on my end, and being able to go would be amazing!

Chicago is potentially doable... by Iximaz on 2014-08-19 00:00:00 UTC Reply

Considering it's only about four hours' worth of driving away, as long as it happened on a weekend...

The drive feels like 8 hours, though. by Darkotas on 2014-08-19 05:56:00 UTC Reply

Nothing but rows and rows of corn... Hey, maybe I'd FINALLY be driving by then!

I'm in Tennessee, but not able to go to Texas or anywhere... by Anonymouse on 2014-08-18 23:44:00 UTC Reply

I'm only 17, after all...