About the May meetup: which day are most people going?

Subject: About the May meetup: which day are most people going?
Author: Laburnum
Posted on: 2009-04-16 23:41:00 UTC

Turns out there's an important family party on the Saturday evening, which I cannot miss on pain of being dismembered by outraged grandmother. This means I'll only be available for either the Saturday morning (so I can catch a train back in time) or Sunday after late-ish morning depending on train timetables. Which time would be more convenient for everyone else who's going?

(BTW, if we make the Natural History Museum, someone has to bring along a cardboard cutout chainsaw and put it on the statue of Darwin for a photo op. See here for why.)

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About the May meetup: which day are most people going? by Laburnum on 2009-04-16 23:41:00 UTC

Oh, no... by Cassie Cameron-Young on 2009-04-17 12:44:00 UTC Reply

Well, sadly, I won't be able to make it. Both sets of people whom I was depending on for somewhere to stay have made other arrangements for that exact weekend, and I just don't have the money to afford a hotel or a B&B.

*insert grumble about stupid benefits agencies not keeping on top of things and lack of work here*

So, unless I can somehow gain enough money within the next three-four weeks to pay for train fares, somewhere to stay and misc. other costs, I'll just have to wish y'all good luck and have fun, and then maybe try to arrange another Gathering some other time.

nor I by Pads on 2009-04-17 16:34:00 UTC Reply

As previously mentioned there's the three-day birthday bonanza slash concerted effort to contract liver failure a few days after that weekend, and the first of the guests coming up for it arrives on the Friday. And we're probably off to a gig in Sheffield on the Friday so I couldn't come down that night anyway. There's also that whole recession thing - I and my twenty grand debts will be spending the foreseeable future on the dole, so I can't really go spending anything on frivolities.

Could always have another northern Gathering over the summer though. (Or even a Hull Gathering a week after the London one, if anyone fancies joining me in my descent into celebratory alcoholism.)

Yeah, my parents say it's probably better ... by Laburnum on 2009-04-17 17:28:00 UTC Reply

... if I skip this one and we do another one closer to home another time.

I don't really drink, though, so not sure if I want to come and join in the drinking spree. Maybe waiting till the summer is the best bet.

I've talked with Neshomeh (News re: May) by Huinesoron on 2009-04-19 15:13:00 UTC Reply

Since there seems to be a distinct lack of anyone being able to get to the London Gathering in May, unless there's a sudden upsurge, I've said she might as well come over to Bath and have a "Gathering" with Kaitlyn and me. If anyone is closer to Bath, and/or for some other reason would be able to do that but not London, they'd be welcome. And of course, if more people can do London, it's easy to switch back. Bath is mostly contingency after the number of people who can't come.

hS

Unfortunately by Ansela on 2009-04-20 02:07:00 UTC Reply

both Bath and London are a bit far away and too expensive right now. If I can get a job before then that might change, although it's unlikely.
Which date would be easiest? by Laburnum on 2009-04-19 22:14:00 UTC Reply

I can usually ask at work to arrange my shifts for the week so I have whichever day free. (Joys of working part-time.)

Iiiiii thought you were skipping it? by Huinesoron on 2009-04-20 10:19:00 UTC Reply

[Is confused]

hS

Sorry, my mistake. Just can't make that particular weekend. by Laburnum on 2009-04-21 01:36:00 UTC Reply

Thought you meant to meet up in Bath at a different time.

Agreed. Speaking of which... by Cassie Cameron-Young on 2009-04-17 18:38:00 UTC Reply

Fynn and I were discussing this earlier. He's quite happy to come to a summer Gathering if one can be arranged, and I'm more than happy to arrange it. :D

So we can discuss this another time, maybe?

I'd be glad to help arrange it. by Laburnum on 2009-04-17 19:16:00 UTC Reply

So yes, keep it for another time.

Maybe if we have one in a few months I'll have had time to buy a whole bunch of orange fur fabric and make a Raketooth the Amazing Three-Armed Fox coat ... or maybe I should save that for next year.

Oooh, cosplay! by Cassie Cameron-Young on 2009-04-17 20:36:00 UTC Reply

I wanted to do that for this year's Gathering, too.

Go on, do it! And I'll have to make a few decisions... Agent!me, or Random!LOTR!Human. :P What's your thoughts?

Depends on what's easiest. by Laburnum on 2009-04-17 22:16:00 UTC Reply

Agent would probably be easier because you can just get a black T-shirt and jeans. Add black circles under your eyes and you're done ^_^

Does anyone know where I could find a pattern for making a fox costume? If I just use one layer of fur-fabric, maybe with a bright red lining if I have time, and an opening up the front, I could make it look like a pelt. Cut the edges ragged, tear out random clumps of fur, splatter red paint and maple syrup on it, and I'm done! (If anyone reading this isn't familiar with the mission in which Agent Laburnum acquires this pelt, odds are they don't want to know about the maple syrup.)

Awesome. by Cassie Cameron-Young on 2009-04-18 18:36:00 UTC Reply

I still have my jacket from last year, the one with the DMS flashpatch. Remember it? :P I'll fix it up a bit (the patch is starting to come off) and come as an Agent, then. *glee*

And I reckon you could look in local fabric shops... or maybe Google for the pattern or something. If it comes to it, you could always just ad-lib. :P *grins* Ah, yes. The maple syrup. An essential part of the whole thing.

Probably best not to wear it on the Tube ... by Laburnum on 2009-04-19 22:11:00 UTC Reply

... or at least not to sit down in it on fabric seats in public, since the largest concentration of maple syrup and fake blood would be on the tail end, ifyaseewhatImean. (Hard to find fake blood out of Halloween season too, but there are costume shops and such which have it.) Hm. Will need a few yards of orange fur fabric, some white for the belly, and some black for the tail-tip. Buying black gloves and socks for the paws might be easier than doing the fiddly bits even if it means they aren't as fluffy as the rest - will have to remember to buy two pairs of gloves. Can cut up the unnecessary fourth glove for the nosetip and such. Some of that hard-drying modelling clay (what's it called?) would be useful for the claws and teeth. Not sure how to make the snout stay stiff, though - something to keep the snout sticking out and not flopping over my face would be useful.

of course, if you want to do it the easy way by Pads on 2009-04-20 11:56:00 UTC Reply

You could just go to an antiques shop and look up - the furs I found in an antiques shop in Lincoln were all hanging from the ceiling. Whether you'd find foxes easily I don't know (I think mine are stoats), but unless you're freaked out by wearing something that died decades ago, might be worth a look.

Yeah, but it needs three arms. by Laburnum on 2009-04-20 18:18:00 UTC Reply

It's a big part of the gag that Raketooth had an extra arm thanks to a misused verb, and I don't want to cut up expensive antique fur coats for cosplay. Nor do I particularly want to slather them in syrup ...

to be honest the syrup is worrying me by Pads on 2009-04-21 01:17:00 UTC Reply

Any possibility of fake syrup instead? Otherwise I see plenty of comedy for your companions, but you yourself may object to being a) constantly sticky and b) chased around by demented wasps all day.

Yeah, true ... anything else of about the same consistency? by Laburnum on 2009-04-21 01:40:00 UTC Reply

Fake blood isn't a problem, I can get that from a theatrical supplies shop, but I see what you mean about the syrup. Not sure what else there is I could use that would work ... maybe mix some brown food colouring into glue and let it set so it isn't sticky any more? That way it won't wipe off either.

Of course I'm still stuck explaining to family why I want to make a costume designed to look like the skin of a six-foot-tall three-armed fox that was sodomised to death by trees, but that's my problem.

sodomised by trees? by Pads on 2009-04-22 01:45:00 UTC Reply

Glue on a few leaves and wipe it in poo, for the truly authentic look.

No clue what you could use to fake syrup. Something that sets would be best in terms of it not wiping off on everything, but you're going to want something that looks like syrup still. Not sure white glue will, y'know, reflect the light and such in the right way. If you know anyone who works in a makeup department, could be worth asking them. Otherwise, good luck with the glue.

Mix some syrup-coloured paint in before it dries ... by Laburnum on 2009-04-23 03:22:00 UTC Reply

... could work. Or I could smear syrup on it then wipe it off, thus leaving it with appropriately coloured stains but hopefully a lack of stickiness. Hm.

The glue would probably work. by Cassie Cameron-Young on 2009-04-21 18:44:00 UTC Reply

And you don't necessarily have to explain the circumstances of Raketooth's... demise. I doubt they'd be impressed by that bit, but a costume of a three-armed fox just sounds slightly eccentric. :P

Yeah. I'm pretty sure they just wouldn't dare to ask ^_^ by Laburnum on 2009-04-23 03:22:00 UTC Reply

Would YOU dare to ask?

If we're going... by Huinesoron on 2009-04-17 10:07:00 UTC Reply

... we could only do the Saturday. Morning or afternoon.

hS

Okay, I may be able to do the Saturday ... by Laburnum on 2009-04-17 12:52:00 UTC Reply

... Will have to show up early in the morning (staying over Friday night might be the obvious answer, I know a place I can go on shortish notice) and leave around noon. Will have to check train timetables to see if this is at all feasible. If it's not, I'll just have to wait for the next Gathering, no problem there.

Re: About the May meetup: which day are most people going? by khajidu on 2009-04-17 09:08:00 UTC Reply

Wow, a meetup not too far from my place ? Yay.
But I dunno if I can escape... lol, maybe next time.
I believe I am. by Lynxihez on 2009-04-17 07:44:00 UTC Reply

As long as Dad doesn't suddenly refuse to take me up. Either time is alright for me, I think, though I'm a mere semi-lurker and am therefore inferior to people who post here on a regular basis. :P

Er, no offence meant. Sorry.
The May say what now? (nm) by PitViperOfDoom on 2009-04-17 01:35:00 UTC Reply

There was talk of a London meet on May 9th-10th. by Laburnum on 2009-04-17 01:36:00 UTC Reply

I wanted to know if it's still on and which day I'd be better off coming.

Oh. Huh. by PitViperOfDoom on 2009-04-17 05:25:00 UTC Reply

Well, I'd love to come, but unfortunately, I live in America, and this glaurunging recession makes it bloody difficult to travel out of the country. Not to mention the fact that my mother doesn't actually know I'm a member of the PPC, nor is she aware of the PPC's existence, or exactly what it is. I guess I'm outta luck, then..

*sigh* Wish I could come... by Gabriel on 2009-04-17 01:11:00 UTC Reply

But there's a pond between me and England. A pond about 4000 meters deep and 3000 kilometers wide. And I don't have a raft.

tall ship? by khajidu on 2009-04-17 09:06:00 UTC Reply

Here's a tall ship.

And no star to sail her by? (nm) by kd7sov on 2009-04-17 21:02:00 UTC Reply

Pick any. by khajidu on 2009-04-17 21:15:00 UTC Reply

I would advise to watch for Earth rotation, though.

Thank you, admiral. *salutes* (nm) by Gabriel on 2009-04-17 20:17:00 UTC Reply