Remind me to wear gloves when we hang out.
I'm afraid for my city. Lock up your daughters!
EDIT: Actually... that might just give him ideas.
Don't get him excited, that will only end badly for all of us.
*bump* Less then a month to go now!
There's a possibility I may have to work till 5pm on Saturday but still OK for both Friday and Saturday evening.
Bring it on!
I probably won't make it now, had to take an emergency holiday this weekend, so it's unlikely I'll get the weekend off for this.
why did you have to go and bump the thread Baloki now look what's happened. It's going to be me, you and Steve in a shed in Oldham at this rate!
(it's cool guys!)
Serious post is serious!
What the hell were we all smoking when we decided 4 weeks past Christmas, 3 weeks in to the new year was a good time to plan this? I mean seriously were we all high at the time? Also this was post changing things around for me to attend my house mates leaving do (which is likely to cost me a small fortune too). Personally I'm going to be unable to get a train up to Manchester, this now means I can't really do friday, I could get a coach and arrive at 20:45 at the coach station ratty, tired and I'd have to make precarious arrangements for leaving work early, I know I can't book more holiday that weekend due to the short notice, I'd have to rely on a gentleman's agreement with my boss that if it's quiet enough I can leave on paid holiday early. Problem is it's January and I'm a CSP which means it's busy and getting out early doesn't happen if anything he's more likely to want me for overtime. I can get a coach return for Saturday - Sunday, arriving at around 12 noon Sat morning and leaving 3pm Sunday afternoon.
Personally I say looking at the thread as to who might come, who can't come, who will come but might have work first and those like me who could come but we might be too broke to do so... We mulligan this, this gets kept on hold. We look for better times in March or April the usual Easter period meet up for students it provides a half term in the region, for professionals it gives us time to book more holiday in and in all cases save up a bit more cash to do this. I think it genuinely is the best answer to this.
If we postpone:
1) Location remains Manchester, there's numerous reasons I'd prefer Birmingham and I'm sure Paul will agree with me on 99% of these reasons. But frankly I cannot be arsed to have the whole "Oh lets have it here!" argument/discussion/wank fest again.
2) If however 50% or more of the rest of you agree to change location the only other location we consider is Birmingham. I'm not stupid enough to suggest you all come London, it's one of the priciest cities in the country and aside from me you'd all be paying accommodation and travel expenses. A good reason why we often suggested Birmingham in the past however is that travel wise whilst the journey times may be different; the cost is generally pretty equal across the country it also means that pretty much everyone going is going to have to stay in a hotel. This means we book 2 or 3 rooms at the Britania Hotel on New Street (or a premier inn/travellodge who gives a smurferoo the Britania is directly opposite the trains and wasn't too bad price wise and put up with our trout before though) we split the cost of the rooms and everyone going has effectively paid the same sort of money to be there. I know some of you will think "but hey guys, I live here, I'd put one or two of you up!" it's not really the point, say Baloki puts me up, Bubba puts Tara up, the rest of the people going share hotel rooms well I've spent £14 quid getting to Baloki's and back and maybe a tenner on getting around Manchester, Tara the same, Parker the poor sap has spent around 15 - 20 getting to Manchester and another 30 or so on accommodation. He gets the troutty end of a big stick and feels like a short changed prick when we all turn out to be boring net people. I know some members especially newer ones or those who haven't done meet ups before will disagree with me but trust me and if Paul, Baloki, Psi or any of the other "Meet up veterans" wants to chip in here this does work well.
3) Dates agreed by all parties but I'm thinking no later than Easter though we avoid Easter itself (if needs be we'll book it for after Easter but ideally we get it done before hand) since train/road disruption and also the fact that some people such as Tara work retail getting a bank holiday off in Retail can be tough especially one during a half term. Downside of half-term/easter holidays is 1) any attractions will be crawling with kids out of school for holiday. 2) travel disruption is rife, though I have only experience of going to the Birmingham meet ups at this time, I will say anything on the Easter Sunday in Birmingham is closed except a couple of pubs and Mac Donalds meaning we've always had plenty of time to waste which can be a good thing or it can be a bad thing, certainly booking travel for past 3pm is silly because generally there's not many people left past then anyhow. I remember last Birmingham Meet Up left myself and TUH drinking in a pub he had a flight back to Germany at 6pm with nothing open at all and everyone else on "non changeable journey" tickets I was the only one who could hang with him til that time and then get a train home, then again being the host person that time I felt it prudent to make sure my return ticket allowed me to get any time train so I could definitely ensure people got off safe.
4) Failing an agreeable date I say smurf you all, we wait until the weekend closest to June 19th and you all come London, we get tanked and celebrate me growing old disgracefully in style. (I'm joking)
5) For that weekend for those who booked it off and have availability to travel to London (which will likely be Baloki and Paul) I say come down and we go out for a drink I live near a couple of cheap hotels if you don't fancy a couch or if there is a new house mate in my house replacing the Aussie (really doubt it since the girl leaves on the 14th)
If you agree with me on the first question there: Postpone yes/no lets hear it in true mafia style:
Vote: ##Yes
Well I'm the only smurfer who lives in Manchester so obviously I'm up for any weekend based in my city but... if there is a bigger get together based down South in the Summer then I'd be more than happy to attend. I have family down there who can happily put me up.
Last edited by Bubba; 01-03-2013 at 02:24 AM.
I'm happy to be flexible. I am still available if we do it this month or I can go when it is postponed. At this rate though I think there's only Baloki, Bubba and me in January now so there might not be any pointI know Baloki has put a lot of work into organising this so I'd like to see what he has to say.
I agree I think Baloki ought to put some input in to this too, I just feel it might have run away on us this time, we did pick a relatively bad time of year fiscally speaking for most people.