FromClaygary

everyone, Happy Belated Birthday jmh, I see I missed it yesterday. Hope you had a good one! Just got back home from Labrador, and yup! You guessed it! It's raining here! Guess I should be glad it's not the white stuff! Yep, Scarlett and merrieeee, I think even my thinking about Houston last night may cause rain to fall in your area for days....let me know if it worked!

Ahhh, I'm so there! I feel like I haven't even had a summer this year, and I LOVE Houston...it's been 6 yrs or so since I've been down your way. Love Galveston, Foley's and that huge mall in Katy...and of course Galleria! How could I forget Galleria! Be right there! *I wish......*

Heh....the other weird thing here...the TV channels are from Edmonton! (which, for the US people, is almost 4000 miles west of here) I wondered why I was getting General Hospital or some weird soap at 8 PM! Maybe that's why it's snowing.

That's IT!! Thanks! My mind just wouldn't come up with it. Could have something to do with being up at 2 AM. Snow doesn't seem to be sticking, thank goodness, but it's definitely white stuff. Lord. Aaaarrrgh!! Of course it is! Prepare for rain Wednesday late or Thurs...that's when I'm coming back....and I like your extra pay idea! Praying for a decent weekend. You got it!

...and what's even stranger, you notice, is that it's actually a dancing broccoli. Luckiest1 some days I'm not sure why I have a house and a mortgage...gotta have something to come home to every now and again I guess. Well, the shuttle picked me up at 3:55 AM and with some stress in Quebec City (plane 20 min late leaving Toronto~I had a half hour between flights) I arrived safe and sound in Labrador City, Labrador. Verrrrrry innnnnnnteresting......*channeling WTH was that 70's Goldie Hawn show?* You'll never guess what.....it's raining! I don't think I've been anywhere this year where it's NOT been raining! It's also very remote. Google! You'll see what I mean! It's also a mining town....but at least the hotel is better than I thought it might be. I may not have to sleep in my clothes tonight, and obviously there's internet. There's a surprising amount here, actually~they have a Tim Horton's, and a McDonalds!...and a Leon's Furniture, and a Sears (kind of...), and the ubiquitous Dollar Store of course. It's fairly treed, which surprised me...I was kind of expecting tundra...(ie, rock, marsh, no trees, like in northern Canada) and there are several beautiful lakes. ....AND, OMG, I just looked out the window and it's no longer raining.....it's SNOWING!!! ACKK!!!

Well, nearly bedtime..... I'm off to Labrador tomorrow AM, and the shuttle is picking me up at 4 AM. Although this is the first time I'm making this trip (and I usually enjoy 'splorin') I'm not really looking forward to it. I'm headed for a little mining town and I understand the accomodations are......"basic"...... Thank goodness, it's just for 2 days and 1 night. Someone please text me if all Clay breaks loose!!

AMEN!! to that!

((((Bella19)))) I didn't realize you were involved in that mess as well! Thanks for letting me know.....next year in Raleigh!

Geekette, thanks for the information about Super Shuttle, that helps tons! I'm shocked they haven't been there before now. Also, what a GREAT idea re the "BAF shuttle" ...I might just take you up on that!

calurker, I don't think any of us can answer that for you because prior to the ticket sale they are planning to change the BAF website to the new one~that's why it got put back. So there IS noone who knows what it's going to be like. In prior years, FWIW.... -it is not like Ticketmaster, with a time limit; however, there is urgency because you want to get your info in there as fast as possible so you don't lose tickets. Is there any chance someone with faster fingers could add you to their ticket list? -they were using the Yahoo merchandise system to sell tickets...so you "got tickets", but in fact there was no guarantee you actually HAD them until Aron emailed you back saying they had been processed...as the Yahoo system did not always "realize" it was sold out until after it actually was. Is that making any sense LOL? I'm hoping that this year it will work better. Wish I could relieve your stress! But I bet that didn't help any at all, did it? I have no clue how many people are planning on coming; but the venue seats around 550 (assuming they're using the same ballroom). Some of those seats will be sold to people who have pre-purchased gold and silver tables. My fairly educated guess from other years is around 20% or 100 seats. Add to that the invited guests who do not purchase seats....around 20? So there'll be about 320 tickets up for grabs on Aug. 11th. Depending on what happens that day (ie, Aug 11th) I suspect there MIGHT be another alternative for those who want to come, but are unable to get tickets, like was done 2 years ago...ie, a not-a-Gala where the event is streamed in and the participants there are on a video- or cell-cert, but in another venue somewhere close. All the fun of participating with other Clayfans, but not in the actual venue.

Ahhhh.....getting PAID for overtime! What a cool and unique concept! Must be a union thing?

memyb Getting excited about Gala? It was surprisingly inexpensive...I was kind of shocked! It's just a 19" as my corner desk is not able to accomodate anything much larger (although now that I have it in here, a 20" likely would have worked also). But what a difference from my old ...15" or so? Holy smokes. Now I have to figure out how to get this stuff (the old monitor and a printer I replaced about 6 mos ago) to the techno dump! I can barely lift the old monitor.

Big hugs headed out to everyone filling the caregiver role these days....I know it can be far from easy, and I appreciate you all as I know I'll be needing someone one of these days! I hope I can make it as easy as possible for them at that time. I am tha-RILLED to tell you I joined the 21st century tonight! I have a brand new, installed by me with minimal curse words about getting the cords up/down from the desk, new widescreen LCD monitor. Ah can SEE!! It is bright, big, and I can actually sit ergonomically in my chair, instead of having to hunch over the desk to be able to see! Weeeee-hoo!! This ROCKS!

Yes, at this point Labor Day weekend should work for me; I may even be living at my very own house at that point! ....as opposed to a hotel room somewhere in the world. They do conventions at the hotel (obviously...). Do you suppose they would rent us a better connection for a nominal fee? That might be an option.

Love the ideas, Scarlett! I hope to have a netbook by that time and would be glad to participate. I believe the hotel internet last year was OK....but y'know....it's hotel internet!

.....and the third! I am LOOKING FOR A RIDE: Sunday, October 18th (after 1 Pm.....can work around your schedule after that point) Marriott to RDU (picking up a rental car) TIA for anyone who can help!! Will gladly offer gas money or lunch!

I have taken the liberty of adding a thread HERE for those who are looking for, or can offer, a ride back and forth between RDU and the Marriott for the Gala weekend. Hopefully we will be able to hook some people up! Also, I have finally been able to confirm our private room at the Marriott for breakfast today...please see the first post in the thread HERE if you are interested in the details and possibly joining us. Good luck to those vying for tickets on the 11th! (of August, that is....)

....and the second! I am LOOKING FOR A RIDE Anytime after lunch Friday, Oct 16th (I can work around your time) RDU to the Marriott (I am returning a rental car I won't be using for a few days rather than paying for parking downtown) Thanks to anyone who can help! More than happy to offer gas money or lunch!

Let me be the first! I can OFFER A RIDE: Thursday Oct 15th after 4:52 PM (my arrival time) Arriving on JetBlue My destination is Capital Blvd (North Raleigh), but I will take people down to the Marriott if you're headed there instead.

Hi everyone! I thought I would add a thread, as I know there will be people looking for rides to/from the airport in Raleigh for the Gala. For those who have not been to RDU before.....the airport DOES NOT have a shuttle service to/from downtown, nor does the Marriott. That leaves taxis which you can prebook or call; normal taxi fare one way will be around $35-40. If you are looking to share a ride, please post here: Arrival TIME and DATE ( I know some will be arriving early) Airline Offering a ride? Looking to share a ride? Destination? (ie, the Marriott or elsewhere?) Hope we're able to hook some people up!! PS Please edit your post when you are taken care of, so that people can see it's a done deal.

ncgurrl, I'm going to add a thread for rides, but saw your note here....I'm arriving at 4:52 PM on Thursday on JetBlue and renting a car. You're welcome to drive in with me, you'd have to come over to the rental car place on the shuttle with me and drive from there. I am not staying at the Marriott Thursday night, but I can take you there if you are.

I was FINALLY able to confirm the private room for our breakfast today (after numerous not-returned phone calls ). So....I think we're good! FearofH2O has Beads for Life all organized, and I have asked for a table specifically for her. If anyone has any questions, don't hesitate to PM me....otherwise, see you there! I will continue to check this thread as well for people wanting to be added, although unless we have some who have to change their plans :hug3: that will likely mean a seat in the main dining area and the invitation to wander over our way whenever you feel like it. Just a reminder.....PLEASE let me know if your plans change and you will not be able to attend so that we have a count for the hotel.

I know politics and religion are supposed to stay off of here, and this seems to be a little of both! but I'm just so curious...so fear or anyone alse from down that way... After following Clay's link I noticed the idiot is the House Minority leader (!) and has been in government for 5 terms.....people have re-elected this maroon 4 times!! I thought perhaps he was a newbie idiot, but it doesn't look that way. For some reason that won't come to me, I recognize his name....has he been involved with other idiocies I might know about in the past? It always just blows my mind when I encounter this type of thing in the area...because I normally think of Raleigh in particular as being quite forward-thinking, technologically current, certainly medically progressive. I'm not quite sure how someone who is scientifically sophisticated~can equate that knowledge with this kind of prehistoric crap! Justclay12 we have our moments....but just yesterday on the news there was a big brouhaha because the Minister of Tourism donated half a million $ from her budget to the Toronto Gay Pride parade. Which seems fair to me.....it IS a big tourist attraction! (and that's a whole other story...but I digress...) She was pictured doing so, on the news, surrounded by a group of people from the parade, in full costume; transsexuals, drag queens etc. People blew a GASKET apparently! And now they are considering removing her from the post. WTH??? So....y'know....everywhere has its bigots. I used to ride into the city every now and again with someone who thought "cruising XXX street" in Toronto was an entertainment opportunity. This was long before Clay came out. I still see her on the boards, but I wonder as well how she reconciles that with caring about him. Needless to say, I do not ride in with them anymore. I can't even begin to tell you how much that offended me.

Luckiest1, thanks for linking the breakfast thread while I was at work. I've said over there and will say here as well....don't worry too much about number of people. The private room holds 50-ish...but it opens to the main dining room, which can hold many more; and it would be easy to just back-and-forth between the two rooms. At the moment we have 54 signed up...but that may change dramatically as plans change closer to the event. I would ask, though, please.......if your plans do change, could you please post in the other thread or let me know that you are NOT going to be attending...that will help us a lot with planning. TIA. Really looking forward to the whole weekend!

List done to here. Yaaaay re the BFL arrangements Fear!! Looking forward to it! canfly172, I don't think we need to worry too much about the number of people. The private room can hold 50-ish, but there will be people cancelling as plans change....and the 50-ish is just in the private room, which opens to the main dining room. Seating would be available in the main as well, and it's easy to just wander back and forth. Shouldn't be a big deal.