Setting Shirecon Dates

[Scott of Hyperborea]

Now that it's a new year (by the Shireroth calendar, at least), it's time to set some final dates for Shirecon. We have two proposals: one for an April/May date to be closest to Shireroth's actual birthday, the other for a June/July date to take advantage of summer vacation. I think it's agreed to have two different sites, one in London and one in NYC, and to have festivities last for about a weekend. These two don't have to take place at the same time.

I would like everyone who's thinking of coming to Shirecon to post on this thread with the following information:

1. Which site are you going to?
2. Is either time period absolutely impossible for you to make?
3. If both are okay, which would be MORE convenient?
4. Are there any specific dates or weekends that you're unavailable within those time periods?
5. If you live within commuting distance of one of the sites, would you be able/willing to put impoverished foreign Shirerithians up in your house?

[Scott of Hyperborea]

1. I will hopefully be attending the London convention.
2. Either is possible in theory.
3. Any time after June 25th I'd be on summer vacation and not in a huge rush to catch flights to make school days.
4. June 18th to 25th is finals week and kinda hectic for me. Will have an unmissable USMLE date sometime Julyish, but should be able to plan around it. April 6-12 is a family vacation I might wanna be on.

[Arviður]

I can't say that I will be coming, but depending on money and stuff like that I hope to go the one in London...

1. London
2. Summer
3. -
4. No.
5. -

[Ari Rahikkala]

1. London
2. Probably not.
3. Probably April/May.
4. None that I know of at the moment.

[Aurangzeb Khan]

1. London is the more likely of the two
2. Nah, either is fine.
3. June/July
4. Probably but I don't know yet
5. In theory (<2hrs from London) yes but at this rate I'm likely to be unemployed and homeless by then.

[dr-spangle]

1)London with 99.9% certainty :P lol If I win the lottery or budget my money very well (both equally unlikely) who knows? :P
2)Neither is impossible
3)April 2nd to 18th I'm off school, school breaks up for summer july 24th. I will have exams in june and July but don't know when yet.
4)Fridays and Saturdays I have work, but I can book holiday time off again
5)I live a good few miles away, so not really close enough... (1 hour 50 minutes away) however I'm quite possibly willing to put some money forwards to help such shirerothians, but I can't exactly give much...

[Eoin]

1. London
2. Nope, but advanced notice of what time period is chosen would be very useful.
3. June/July probably.
4. None that I know of right now, this may change.
5. Apparently my "commute" is less than Ardy's, but I won't be returning to Bray during the festivities so probably not.

[Artz]

1. London
2. I'm not sure if I'll have college in July or not and if I do, I only have a week off (last week).. but I definately have time off in April (first 2 weeks)
3. April has a wider holiday gap
4. In july I'll probably be in college from the 1st to the 23rd. In april, I'll be in college from the 19th - 30th
5. I live a fair bit out.. but, if someone was coming from abroad and was really stuck for accomodation, they could probably have the sofa for the night (as we havn't got a spare room). Though, I may be staying over at spangles (as hes taking me to London for the meet).. so.. that may change. I'd need early contact if anytone wished to stay.

[Chrimigules]

1. NYC
2. April
3. June/July
4. Spring Semester ends May 5. Don't know yet when final exams start. Don't know if I'll be taking a summer class (probably not) or when the summer session begins.
5. Not sure if my parents would be keen on housing strangers, but we have a large backyard where people can set up tents.

[Erik Mortis]

1. NYC is the only one I could afford. Even then.
2. I don't know. If I have this job, I can get the time. If I have another... *shrug*
3. Either is the same.
4. See above.
5. NA

[Ruth]

1. London - April, NYC - Summer

3. Probably London, in April, but I might be able to make an early June gathering in NYC, if I coordinated it with my return to the US.
4. I am not yet sure.

[Ryan]

I can probably do both provided they don't occur at the same time. NYC is a pretty easy trip for me.

1. NYC
2. Anytime as long as I'm not preoccupied with work
3. Summer
4. Can't say yet
5. I'm 40 minutes from the Metro-North train to NYC (which takes about 2 hours from Wassaic to NYC) so I could put people up at my place or possibly car pool with people to the station. I have a spare bedroom for guests.

1. London
2. April only
3. See above
4. Not really. I need to book this ASAP tho, so a firmer date would be good.
5. N/A

[Malliki Tosha]

1. London, if I'm going (depends on cash etc.)
2. Summer is the only possible
3. eh
4. Could be. Hard to say six months in advance.
5. hahaha...

[Nick Foghorn Leghorn]

1. Which site are you going to?
NYC

2. Is either time period absolutely impossible for you to make?
Hypothetically, yes.


4. Are there any specific dates or weekends that you're unavailable within those time periods?
March 20/21 I'm running a team through the Tiger Valley 3-gun competition in Waco, Texas.
April 30 to May 17 I'll be in the process of graduating from Penn State.

5. If you live within commuting distance of one of the sites, would you be able/willing to put impoverished foreign Shirerithians up in your house?
I don't think we've been able to eliminate the stains from last time.

But if there is nowhere else, we might be able to discuss some arrangements for one or two people.

[Björn Ironfist]

1. Which site are you going to?
I should be able to attend either of these (or both - time permitting).

2. Is either time period absolutely impossible for you to make?
The April/May time period would be impossible since I will be working.

3. If both are okay, which would be MORE convenient?
As per my statement above, June and later (through to August) would be best for me.

4. Are there any specific dates or weekends that you're unavailable within those time periods?
Not with regards to June-August.

5. If you live within commuting distance of one of the sites, would you be able/willing to put impoverished foreign Shirerithians up in your house?
If one or two people find themselves stranded in either location, and I attend, I would be willing to allow them to stay at my hotel with me. But only one or two (I would simply get a suite instead of a standard room). Since the odds are that my wife would be with me, my only stipulation would be that we keep in mind that there will be a lady present, and not to go overboard (only in the hotel, not at the meetings themselves...she will find other things to do).

[phineas elastopon]

1. Landan
2. No
3. Both pretty much fine
4. No
5. Non possum

[Ryan]

So my wife went ahead and booked us for London for March 30 thru April 5. We needed to try and secure tickets since airline prices are currently skyrocketing.

Any chance we can coordinate this while I'm in town?

I could also do with some recommendations for a first timer to London - accommodations, food, sights, etc. We'll be flying into Heathrow.

[Wil Nider]

Well there we are, someone went ahead and set the ball properly rolling. I can probably something around those dates.

[Scott of Hyperborea]

So my wife went ahead and booked us for London for March 30 thru April 5. We needed to try and secure tickets since airline prices are currently skyrocketing.

Um, did you just unilaterally decide ShireCon dates? That's REALLY not cool. I guess that would mean the convention would have to be the weekend from Friday the 2nd to Sunday the 4th. I think by a lucky coincidence that ends up actually being the best time for me, but I really wish you'd waited two or three days so we could all come to a decision.

April 2nd to 4th in London. Anyone have anything in particular to say about those dates?

[Ryan]

No, it's not unilateral. It's the only window we have to go to London, so we had to make it those dates. If ShireCon can fall within that time period, then that'd be awesome. If not, then I won't be able to attend.

[Iskander Mirkdale]

1. London
2. No
3. Either
4. Either April 3rd or 4th, but not both.
5. No

[Aurangzeb Khan]

No, it's not unilateral. It's the only window we have to go to London, so we had to make it those dates. If ShireCon can fall within that time period, then that'd be awesome. If not, then I won't be able to attend.

I'm sure either myself or Max could have our arms twisted to buy you a pint regardless.

[Scott of Hyperborea]

No, it's not unilateral. It's the only window we have to go to London, so we had to make it those dates. If ShireCon can fall within that time period, then that'd be awesome. If not, then I won't be able to attend.

Sorry Ryan, I briefly misremembered my own plans, panicked that I wouldn't be able to make it to the convention, and became unfairly angry. Hopefully everything will work out fine.

[Ryan]

No worries, I'm sure we'll be able to work out something. I'm looking forward to real British stout - not the cheap imported stuff we have here!

[Erik Mortis]

Since so few would be at the NYC, I probably wouldn't bother attending. and I can't afford london. So I will not be coming to this convention.

[dr-spangle]

Well, my school holiday (and also artz's (most probably)) is 2nd of april to the 18th, so that time fits in fine with us I do believe!


We shall be looking into getting a hotel in london for the night or such between sat and sun prehaps!

Someone better get some activites ready then?

Artz:
So, how about everyone has a meet on the saturday night (03/12/2009) and another one on the sunday morning (04/12/2009) until evening or such, and could move around london for that, visit some attractions and such!

back to spangle:
Such attractions may or may not include locking ardy in london dungeons.

[Harvey Steffke]

Since London seems to be the place to be, I will see what, if any, arrangements are feasible for me to attempt to attend. But I am not optimistic.

[Daniel Farewell]

Same here. I fail to see how I'll be able to save up anything at all the coming months.

[Santelran Rottsaa]

I could come in theory, but probably not. I was hoping this could coincide with the trip I was hoping to take to Sweden, but that's the first weekend after classes start for spring term, and I was either going to make my trip the week of March 22nd or sometime in June following that term.

However, I may come just to spite you.

[AryezturMejorkhor]

I'll be in the NY-DC area for probably the rest of the year, so as long as I'm free that particular weekend, I should try and make it.