It's a 'wheneverual' thing.

Subject: It's a 'wheneverual' thing.
Author: Huinesoron
Posted on: 2014-05-19 09:09:00 UTC

We used to do them pretty much yearly, but we've broken that chain in the last year.

And as a note to all our furriners - in the past, we've several times held Gatherings just because Americans (usually) were coming over. So if you're planning a trip over at any time of the year, and have a free day somewhere in there, ask the Board. You might be surprised how big a Gathering we can pull together.

hS

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UK PPC Gathering? by Huinesoron on 2014-05-16 14:36:00 UTC Reply

Over the decade-plus of the PPC Board's existence, we've had several Gatherings - get-togethers of community members for a day of fun and general randomness. Starting with Oxford 2004, Britain has been a hub for Gatherings - we've done London three times, Bath twice, and even went as far north as York (and Leeds and Hull, but I wasn't there for those).

But it's been a few years since the last one. So is anyone up for it?

Activities are pretty ad-hoc, and decided on the fly by all attendees - so there's no need to worry about being dragged into something you don't want to do. Anyone in the PPC community, however long or short your stay, is welcome - and yes, you can bring friends, parents, bodyguards, anything. You won't need them, but this is the Internet - I understand people get a bit wary about safety.

This is a UK Gathering, but it's not just for people in the UK. If you honestly think you can get here - or are planning a trip to Britain anyway - you're welcome to come along. Just try and distinguish between 'I wish I could' and 'I actually can'!

Now the tricky parts... when and where. For now, I'm going to leave these wide open. Well, mostly wide:

When: This summer. Assuming we still have school or university students on the Board, the summer holidays are usually the best option. We usually (but not always) run Gatherings on Saturday. So suggest some dates that are good for you, and we'll try to narrow it down.

Where: We're going high tech with this one... here is a map. Zoom in on your location - or rather, your nearest big city or town, or whatever you feel comfortable with; we don't care where your house is - click, and fill in your name. The 'message' can be your town (again) or just... a message, but I think it does demand you put it in. And select a face to represent you.

The 'where' will be decided based on where people are. If everyone lives Up North, there's no point planning a Gathering in London! Folks from overseas, unless you have a specific location you're visiting, it's best to stick your pin in London - that's where most of the transport network comes in to.

I've already pinned myself and Kaitlyn (apparently I live in a school and she in a park - so pretty accurate!), so come along, and join the... uh... the preparing-for-fun, I guess.

hS

Suggested date(s): 16th (and 15th?) August. by Huinesoron on 2014-05-18 08:36:00 UTC Reply

Saturday August 16th would be an ideal date for us, since we can get my parents to babysit. What does any/everyone else think? And if we extended backwards to Friday 15th, who would be able to come?

If these dates don't work, go ahead and suggest more.

Location deliberately left vague, but let's be honest, it's looking like London.

hS

I could do 16th Aug. by the Irish Samurai on 2014-05-19 12:21:00 UTC Reply

And could probably spend a day of holiday for the 15th if there was something happening on that too.

Looks like we're scrapping the 15th. by Huinesoron on 2014-05-19 13:08:00 UTC Reply

All the responses have been on the lines of 'I could maybe make that, but it'd be difficult', and at least three people (including me) would have to spend holidays to do so... I'm getting the distinct feeling we're on for the 16th, though.

Now we all just have to remember it for the next three months...

hS

Just to note... by Cassie on 2014-05-19 08:03:00 UTC Reply

We may have another American with us - Lycaenion, who has just graduated and as a present gets to come over for two weeks (dates not yet finalised). She discussed the matter with me last night and I told her when the Gathering was, so she may schedule her visit to coincide. :D
Whelp, there goes my slim chance... by Iximaz on 2014-05-19 01:37:00 UTC Reply

of persuading my parents to let me go to London as an unaccompanied minor on a Friday school night to meet a bunch of people I met on the internet. XD They'd never let me do something stupid on their anniversary!

Urf. At least next year, I'll be a legal adult and will try my hardest to come along! Wait- this... isn't an annual thing, is it.

It's a 'wheneverual' thing. by Huinesoron on 2014-05-19 09:09:00 UTC Reply

We used to do them pretty much yearly, but we've broken that chain in the last year.

And as a note to all our furriners - in the past, we've several times held Gatherings just because Americans (usually) were coming over. So if you're planning a trip over at any time of the year, and have a free day somewhere in there, ask the Board. You might be surprised how big a Gathering we can pull together.

hS

Still like as not unable to come... by wobblestheclown on 2014-05-18 23:59:00 UTC Reply

Because Dreamland.

I work in a funfair now. Funfairs are cool.

That is pretty cool. by Huinesoron on 2014-05-19 09:04:00 UTC Reply

So you can't do the Friday either? That's a shame. Are there any dates/days you could do?

hS

Mondays-Wednesdays are good for me. by wobblestheclown on 2014-05-19 12:32:00 UTC Reply

However, I'm not about to make things awkward for people who don't have my particular work requirements. It sucks, but meh, there's going to be other gatherings. =]

It's possible! by Ekyl on 2014-05-18 17:27:00 UTC Reply

If I get the job I'm going after, I'd probably have to see how late a flight I can get on Friday or if I can conjure some reason to get that day off so I can get up there, but this lands between my summer courses and the fall semester so at least school wouldn't be in the way. Hopefully I can figure something out since round trip tickets plus a hotel stay for a night or two would be pretty pricey.

Um, Ekyl... by Huinesoron on 2014-05-19 09:07:00 UTC Reply

... flying back and forth across the Atlantic costs a lot of money. It's really not something you want to do as a day-trip. If you're planning a trip to the UK, find something or somewhere you want to visit, and make a week or so of it. Flying over for one day is a hideous waste of money. It's making me twitchy just thinking of it.

hS

Was already factoring that in. by Ekyl on 2014-05-19 09:08:00 UTC Reply

I'm not a complete moron, or at least not dumb enough to spend at least a thousand bucks on just one day in London.

Fair enough. by Huinesoron on 2014-05-19 09:38:00 UTC Reply

Hopefully I can figure something out since round trip tickets plus a hotel stay for a night or two would be pretty pricey sort of sounded like you were, is all.

hS

Oh! by Ekyl on 2014-05-20 16:39:00 UTC Reply

Yes, I see the problem now. When I said round trip I just meant for both going to England and leaving at the end of the trip, as opposed to a one-way flight.
I was eyeballing about a weekend or so to start with. (nm) by Ekyl on 2014-05-19 09:39:00 UTC Reply

Once again will have to check by Storme Hawk on 2014-05-18 12:15:00 UTC Reply

But I believe I will be free on the 16th, the 15th is the end of a holiday club that I help at every year, so so long as we can get everything packed away on the Friday I should be clear for the Saturday, if it's not I may not be able to do the morning.

Storme Hawk
Looks good. by Cassie on 2014-05-18 11:06:00 UTC Reply

I can do the 16th, and I guess I could use one of my holiday days for the 15th (they're there for me to have a little time off to relax, after all!), so that'd just leave me with the issue of finding somewhere to stay overnight (because I could NOT manage a day-trip to London from Preston two days running). Oh well - plenty of cheap hotels in London I'm sure. :)

Low Tech Solution/Posts So Far by Huinesoron on 2014-05-17 07:33:00 UTC Reply

We have five people - hS, Kaitlyn, Irish Samurai, Storme Hawk, wobblestheclown - in the general region of London, and one possible out-of-country visitor. Kaitlyn and I can do any day in the week (though there will be some weeks we can't do - I just don't know when yet ;)). wobbles can't do weekends.

Irish, Storme Hawk - what's your week/weekend availability? And what are everyone's thoughts about the Bank Holiday Monday (25th August)? I understand people occasionally do things with the mythical species known as 'other people' - possibly even the mysterious 'fami ly' - but I'm throwing it in there as a Date To Ponder.

And anyone else - keep on signing up! There's nowt better than coordinating a dozen people with wildly different availabilities.

(And if that happens - we've occasionally had two-day Gatherings before, with different people on different days. A Friday/Saturday pair isn't out of the question if we have significant can't-do-weekends attendees)

hS

*waves like a loon* by Cassie on 2014-05-17 10:27:00 UTC Reply

I'm a Northerner, as some of the older guys might remember, but the map won't load for me. I'm from Lancashire. But if I get enough advance warning of the date I can plan it around work (yes, I have a JOB now) and I SHOULD be able to make it! I'm pretty much open to any date people pick but weekends/bank holidays are definitely preferred; as long as it's not August 23rd I'm good.

Map appears to be working again - pins all round? by Huinesoron on 2014-05-17 11:43:00 UTC Reply

And Cassie - congratulations on joining the Working Class! Wait, no, that came out wrong... :( Congratulations anyway!

hS

Map en't working for me, alas. by Cassie on 2014-05-17 13:07:00 UTC Reply

But thanks! ^_^

Map works... intermittently. by Huinesoron on 2014-05-17 14:27:00 UTC Reply

I've no idea what makes it start or stop. Sigh.

hS

It almost worked for me by Pippa's Ghost on 2014-05-18 12:51:00 UTC Reply

...but my marker appeared a couple of miles from where I'd clicked it. That's odd.

Anyway, I probably won't be interested in attending any get-togethers just yet. I'm an introvert anyway, and I still don't feel like I really belong here.

Availability by Storme Hawk on 2014-05-17 09:53:00 UTC Reply

Not sure about the 25th, I can't remember if I'm going to be on holiday with my family for that week or the next one. I'm going to have to check with my parents a couple of other dates as well. But besides that, August is slap bang in the middle of the summer holidays for me and I don't work (besides one week, as a volunteer at a local summer school-thing).
If it helps to know... by Ekyl on 2014-05-17 09:30:00 UTC Reply

Depending on where this falls and how things look for me, I'd almost certainly have to do a weekend. 25th isn't a holiday around these parts so I'd likely be at school and/or work depending on how that pans out.
Availability by the Irish Samurai on 2014-05-17 08:46:00 UTC Reply

Generally speaking, it'd be much easier for me to attend a weekend than a weekday.

The Bank Holiday Monday is a possibility, although I'm more likely to be able to do a normal Saturday/Sunday.

Filthy southerner reporting in! by wobblestheclown on 2014-05-16 21:57:00 UTC Reply

I'm from Ramsgate. If I was any further east I'd either be swimming or French.

Also, the High Tech Solution is refusing to be a solution - I'm getting a 404 error with it.

This all said... if it's on a weekend, I definitely won't be able to go. I work weekends. Specifically, I will be working in the visitor's centre and vintage arcade at Dreamland. Which should be good. =]
Sounds Interesting. by Storme Hawk on 2014-05-16 21:51:00 UTC Reply

I'm definitely interested, however I have quite a bit on during the summer normally so my free days may be a bit limited.

The map isn't working for me, but London or anywhere down south would be fine.
On a similar vein. . . by Rats on 2014-05-16 16:40:00 UTC Reply

Have meetups only been in the UK previously? Because I'm sure that there's at least a few PPC-ers in the NYC-metro area (it's a pretty decently sized and populated area) and it would be pretty interesting to organize one, methinks.

Unless one already exists and has been done in the past? In which case it would be cool to implement that again.

Thoughts?

No, they've happened all over. by Huinesoron on 2014-05-16 16:48:00 UTC Reply

The Wiki lists most or all of them; aside from the UK, we've had Canada, Utah, Pennsylvania, New Zealand, Chicago, San Diego, Seattle... I think there's even a New York one missing from the top of the list, actually.

The reason they've been focussed in England is basically that this is where I live, and I was both the creator of Gatherings as a concept, and the most enthusiastic proponent. But there's no reason in the world you furriners can't run your own!

hS

Oh, my mistake. by Huinesoron on 2014-05-16 17:01:00 UTC Reply

Two mistakes, actually:

-The very early Gathering was Philly, not New York. I actually very vaguely remember seeing pictures from it, even.

-Apparently I wasn't the one to come up with the idea. I was definitely the one to make them a repeated thing, though.

hS

I'd host a New York one, but... by Ekyl on 2014-05-16 17:15:00 UTC Reply

A) Not enough PPCers around here and I dunno how many'd be able to make the trip, and

B) Not sure there's enough to do around here to make the whole thing worth the effort. :P

I go back to Jersey in late August... by Lily Winterwood on 2014-05-31 18:49:00 UTC Reply

To head back up to Boston in early September.

So if you're free around that time, we could find something to do in NYC in August.
I was referring to NYC area, actually by Rats on 2014-05-16 19:26:00 UTC Reply

There is no shortage of things to do in Manhatten, though it's devilishly expensive.
I do see what you mean about there not being enough people, though. :( I saw your other comment with the World of PPC link.
In that case, come to Chicago instead. ^. ~ by Neshomeh on 2014-05-16 17:26:00 UTC Reply

Phobos and I are here, so it's a guaranteed Gathering of at least three, and Chicago has lots of stuff to do. Some of it's even free!

I don't believe you that there's nothing of interest in New York, though, even if you leave out NYC. Surely there's Albany, and lots of other quaint New England cities with museums and historical sites? Not to mention Niagara Falls! Plus, upstate New York is just pretty. And you should never underestimate the capacity of a group of geeks to entertain themselves. {= )

~Neshomeh

Aww man! by Iximaz on 2014-05-16 20:32:00 UTC Reply

I saw you mentioned Albany, and I thought you'd written New Albany, which is where I live. Still, it's only four hours away from Chicago! Did you go to Wizard World con a few years back?

New Albany? by son_of_heaven176 on 2014-05-16 23:23:00 UTC Reply

I didn't even know that such a town existed! But Wikipedia seems to say that there are quite a few towns with that name. Where are you from, Iximaz?

The Indiana one. by Iximaz on 2014-05-17 14:06:00 UTC Reply

Why, do you live near Louisville?

No. by son_of_heaven176 on 2014-05-17 15:44:00 UTC Reply

I just said that I had no idea that there was even a city called New Albany. And in this very same thread, I mentioned that I am from NYC.

Well, next year, we should have a Louisville gathering! by Iximaz on 2014-05-19 01:46:00 UTC Reply

It's in a fairly central-ish location in America, as far as population goes, and at this time of year, we could all go watch some horse races at Churchill Downs!

Okay, maybe not. Tickets during Derby season are ridiculously overpriced. And, to be honest, there's really nothing to do here. Chicago would probably be a better American location since it's fairly central, very populous, easy to get to, and has a lot of stuff to do.

Or St. Louis! Have you ever visited there? The Botanical Gardens are beautiful. Of course, NYC is great; I'd love to visit again. Last time was... *checks photo album* Holy crap, ten years ago??

So, any other Americans who'd be willing/maybe able to do a US gathering in 2015? Might as well start planning now. ;)

Of course, I would be partial to an NYC Gathering. by son_of_heaven176 on 2014-05-19 02:11:00 UTC Reply

We can go to Sony Wonder or the New York Hall of Science or the Statue of Liberty or Ellis Island or the Botanical Gardens, we could take a ride on the subway...
Ooh! Perhaps we could go to Coney Island! We could see the hot-dog-eating contest and the Fourth of July fireworks...
*walks off, babbling about the various tourist possibilities in NYC*

Please excuse my derpiness. (nm) by Iximaz on 2014-05-17 16:14:00 UTC Reply

No problem. (nm) by son_of_heaven176 on 2014-05-17 16:21:00 UTC Reply

You know Albany exists? :O by Ekyl on 2014-05-16 17:29:00 UTC Reply

I actually live right outside Albany, I just wasn't sure there was much of anything there for a Gathering to be worth the effort. Plus I'd have no idea what to do hosting it. :P I could always try sometime if there's enough interest, though.

(I actually have been considering a trip to Chicago, too, just been a matter of getting the means together and thinking up a good time.)

But you did just say "New York" with no context by son_of_heaven176 on 2014-05-16 19:21:00 UTC Reply

and when someone hears "New York," one usually automatically assumes NYC (and by that, one usually means Manhattan, even though there are four other boroughs in New York City)! I actually happen to live in Queens, but I believe that there's another Boarder upstate...
*looks at "the World of PPC"*
Yeah, hermione of vulcan lives upstate (and by that, I'm not talking about some very-far-south-but-still-north-of-the-Bronx county like Westchester County; she lives near the PA border).

That has nothing to do with my point in either post. (nm) by Ekyl on 2014-05-16 19:22:00 UTC Reply

Have summer courses and probably a job soon. by Ekyl on 2014-05-16 15:22:00 UTC Reply

That said, I've been wanting to make a trip to Britain anyway, so I can probably make some attempt at seeing what I can do depending on when we decide this is going down.

Also, that map isn't letting me place a marker. :(
I'd be up for that. by the Irish Samurai on 2014-05-16 14:50:00 UTC Reply

Sounds fun.

I never really plan anything that far in advance, so pretty much any Saturday in 'summer' should be good for me. The only Saturday I know I can't do is the 7th of June (but I'm assuming it'll probably be later than that anyway).

The only possible problem with my attendance is that my job frequently sends me away on fairly short notice (for example, today I found out that I'll be in Finland 3-12th June), but if I'm around I'll definitely attend.

'Summer' probably = August. by Huinesoron on 2014-05-16 14:58:00 UTC Reply

Though that's just a guideline - I'm quite happy to wobble it out into July or September.

hS