I've decided that, as I'll have left the country by the end of March, it'd be nice to be able to attend one more Get-Together before I go. With this in mind, I now open discussion for a potential OD Get-Together 2007.

When?
In order for me to attend, we'd be looking any time before the last Friday of March - the 27th, to be precise. Ideally we're looking February sometime, possibly early March.

Where & What?
Undecided yet. Last year's visit to Alton Towers was quite successful and was probably the best Get-Together we've had so far. So something like that - a place to go to with things to do - would be ideal. I'll edit this post when we have a better idea.

How?
Once we work out where we're going I'll edit this bit with travel information.

As it's your last UK meet for the forseeable future, Ben, how about we make it an extra special one over two or more days?

That sounds delicious.

I've decided that, as I'll have left the country by the end of March, it'd be nice to be able to attend one more Get-Together before I go.
Whoa, I missed this. Where are you going?

Los Angeles. I'll be out there for at least a year doing a Filmmaking Course the NYFA operate out of Universal Studios Hollywood. After that I might just travel around the country and see what sights, as it were. It could potentially be a permanent move, but I haven't decided on that yet - it all depends on how this course goes, I guess.

Not exactly sure when I have exams but from the timetable I think I can gather that they'll be around 14th/15th/16th of March... so if I do go this time then I'd prefer it after that.

I should be free almost whenever. I'm out of the country for a while in July, but so's Ben anyway. Other than that, give me enough notice and I can be there.

I should be able to go.

This is all good stuff. Now all we need to do is work out what we're doing...

Los Angeles. I'll be out there for at least a year doing a Filmmaking Course the NYFA operate out of Universal Studios Hollywood. After that I might just travel around the country and see what sights, as it were. It could potentially be a permanent move, but I haven't decided on that yet - it all depends on how this course goes, I guess.
Hey, that's cool. Is this thanks to your dad?

Ben's moving for various reasons but his dad will generously be accomodating him for as long as necessary.

I won't lie and say that my Dad's presence in LA wasn't a contributing factor. Since he left I have always had a desire to live out there, even temporarily, and the more I visit the more I fall in love with the city. It's crazy really, because by contrast Luton looks nicer than LA does, but I just geta better vibe from LA. So that's where I'm going.

Amy and I were talking about moving out there for a couple fo years at one point, but she decided that we couldn't leave the cats behind and for that reason alone neither of us could go. Gah.

As usual, I'm interested, but not sure if I can attend.

If it's over several days, might I recommend over a weekend? That way, college people miss less.

Not in Sweden you say? FINE THEN. I'll just have my OWN get-together by myself! Take that!

Can I come?

In all honesty, if we want to do this sooner rather than later we need to start planning now. Ish.

Not in Sweden you say? FINE THEN. I'll just have my OWN get-together by myself! Take that!

I think that my family is going to Sweden sometime, actually.
Maybe this summer.

Of course, there's the fact that Sweden's a rather big country.

Well, you've done a theme park and bowling. Are there any gaming events in Jan or Feb? We could couple it with some work then. Apart from social activities there are tourist spots, nature spots, famous places, that sort of thing. Maybe a tour of a developer studio or something of that fashion? Visit to a museum of some kind? Unfortunately my knowledge of stuff like that is very bad.

Maybe a tour of a developer studio or something of that fashion?
T17 HQ and boozing with the teamsters in a pub afterwards?

Bloody hell I forgot where I was! That's certainly a possibility but I doubt the Teamsters will be bothered about babysitting a bunch of strangers.

There's a Maplin in Wakefield, now :)

There's a Maplin in Wakefield, now :)

Well, we're not going there.

*bump*

UK people or otherwise: suggestions are needed, please advise.

Somewhere ideally indoors (due to the time of year we're going), but with many activities like Alton Towers so we can make a day of it.

Also somewhere it's easy for us all to get to.

Hmm.

Some sort of science museum?

Uhh, the Catalyst? Bit boring, that. Jodrell Bank? What am I saying?!

Somewhere ideally indoors (due to the time of year we're going), but with many activities like Alton Towers so we can make a day of it.

Also somewhere it's easy for us all to get to.

Hmm.

Some sort of science museum?

If we want to do something over a few days it might be worth considering something larger than one building. We could all get to London easily enough, and cheaply enough if we book early. No idea what accomodation would cost, but at least there's loads of stuff to do.

Right, I'm ressurrecting this. We can, nay, we shall arrange this soonish!

Good luck to you in your future endevours abroad Ben. :) Just incase I don't hear from you.

Right! First job: What times can everybody make?

I personally have no pressing engagements before Ben leaves the country, aside from a few nights out and work things in the next couple of weeks, so more or less any time is good for me provided I get some notice.

Second job is deciding where to go.

Is there anything anyone reccomends?

I'm free every day between now and March 27th. Well, most days. I'm going away for a weekend some time in February, and I'm going to the UK Web & Mini Comix Thing on March 17th. Besides that I'm free as a bird.

I am stumped for ideas this time 'round.

I'm Canadian. Too bad.

Thanks for that.

I'm Austrian, but I would need €300.- for the flight and probably the same for board and lodge. :p

Right, we're over halfway through January. If we're going to make plans, it needs to be sooner rather than later.

Any ideas?

...Sooner...

The week beginning Monday 12th Feb is my reading week. I'd like to visit Cambridge at some point, but I'll be freer then than normal... I think

So our current window is 12th Feb onwards. How's everyone else's availability? I'll have a couple of days off per week each week but I don't know which will be mine then, yet.

Right. So. Far be it for me to criticise an American Governmential department, but it looks like these's been a delay in my immigration request. Namely, it was filed at the start of December and the Californian Immigration office are still working their way through requests from July. So it's looking likely that I won't be going until July which, obviously, gives us a bit more time.

I would like to get the ball rolling on this properly, though.

Now last year we went to an actual place, had a day out, and had fun. This is important. This year we may want to consider going to an event or something - a convention, for example. Any thoughts?

Any videogaming events happening?

So our current window is 12th Feb onwards.Well, you can probably include the weekend before that as well :)

This year we may want to consider going to an event or something - a convention, for example. Any thoughts?

OD'con ftw! ;)

Socrates awayyy!

*bump* Any ideas? Basically I have a 5 week Easter holiday to do nothing so I'm free from now until mid April.

We should do something like last year's Get-Together, which was (in my mind, at least) the most successful Get-Together we've had so far. So if we could go to a place and do some things, that would be splendid.

Do we know any web sites that lists places and their things?

This one?

http://www.places-to-go.org/

Intriguing, from that you could conclude that there is practically nothing to do in Northumberland except visit Castles.

I see Rutland has a railway museum.

We're not going to a railway museum.

I'll be honest with you guys - I have no idea what we should do.

Make perogies together; tons and tons of perogies. This is merely a thought meant to spark something interesting, like perhaps making something together, which isn't necessarily a heap of perogies.

I don't even know what a perogie is

EDIT: Okay, it's a kind of dumpling with a seemingly infinite list of spelling variations.

We're not going to a railway museum.

Heh, wasn't suggesting it. I was just curious about what there was to do in Rutland.

I know one or two nice places where I live. Trouble is, that's a good long way from where everyone else lives.

What I thought would be quite nice would be either one of those country parks or one of those activity centre type places, with pitch-and-putt and fields and stuff.

Well, there is a very large puddle in Rutland by the name of Rutland Water - you could spend a couple of days walking around it :p

There is always the obligatory theme park option - Alton Towers, Thorp Park etc.

We did Alton Towers last year, and as much as I would enjoy doing it again, I'm sure we can come up with something different.

We did Alton Towers last year, and as much as I would enjoy doing it again, I'm sure we can come up with something different.That's not what I've been hearing.

I'll be honest with you guys - I have no idea what we should do.

That's not what I've been hearing.

He's sure they can, he just hasn't himself yet.

There's a difference.

What I thought would be quite nice would be either one of those country parks or one of those activity centre type places, with pitch-and-putt and fields and stuff.

Anyone spot me saying that?

Something like this (http://www.heatherton.co.uk/) or this (http://www.sirgar.gov.uk/index.asp?locID=2738&docID=-1), but more centrally located.

Ben - you said in your first post that you have until the 27th, which is 6 days away now. So if you're going then it's going to have to be decided very soon.

I'm going to scratch that Thorpe Park idea - water rides in this weather won't be nice at all.

So as far as I can see it's Alton Towers or somewhere like Paul suggested where everyone can get to.

Ben - you said in your first post that you have until the 27th, which is 6 days away now. So if you're going then it's going to have to be decided very soon.But he said later on that his departure had been delayed until some time in July.

But he said later on that his departure had been delayed until some time in July.Ah, I must've missed that then.

As I am now a Certified Cockney Geezer, I have no qualms about doing this far too south.

Thusly I announce my actual interest in the meetup for once.

Fit as a butcher's dog, or something.

Euan suggested a Murder Mystery Weekend, although I have no idea how that would work out (where, when, etc.).

Fit as a butcher's dog, or something.

Euan suggested a Murder Mystery Weekend, although I have no idea how that would work out (where, when, etc.).

Worked in Milton Keynes, after you killed Alex.

I only have a couple of weeks left before I have to go back to uni and I think the only weekend date I can do is the 14th (I'm going away this weekend).

I should be able to do weekends after that but it's work dependent. I'm free in July on most days.

This is the thing - I can't really afford to do anything within the next couple of weeks - I have my medical on the 13th, and my interview at the US embassy before the end of the month. Thems ain't free.

...and my interview at the US embassy before the end of the month. Thems ain't free.
"Tell me, son. Are you a terrorist?"
"No?"
"Well then, welcome to the US of A! Here's your complimentary apple pie. That'll be $236.70. We accept all major credit cards."

My response would ideally also include the word "sir."

Right. So. Er. Yes. It's June 10th, I leave in 16 days but really I can't do anything after the 20th because I have to be at home ready and able to sign for my passport when it arrives, so that gives us until April 19th, excluding the 18th because I am, haha, at Alton Towers with my sister and a couple of her friends.

Which leaves us three options either we:

throw something together for this week coming,
all go to Alton Towers, again, on the 18th, or
those of us in or near the London area on the 20th can meet up at some point in the afternoon (my interview is at 9:30am and will apparently take up to three hours).

As I say, 16th or 17th suits me best. Where to go is another matter.

Couldn't really do the 18th as my parents would be at work and I wouldn't know how to get there by train or coach.

Conceivably I could reach London on the 20th via the magic of Paddington station, but it seems an awful lot of time and money.

I think that, considering you ended up paying more than you'd intended for Alton Towers due to my voucher snafu, I owe you about £35 in principle.

I can do the 17th onwards, babies. Alton Towers sounds good but only if people are serious about going on rides, 'cause that's the whole point of going. I expect a plan to be made.

Train, it should be easy, Paul. I used to be naff with trains but in January that all changed when I did my two-day round trip to Blackburn with two changes each way. I remember from last time this was planned that a service is operated that includes train and bus travel to and from the park.

throw something together for this week coming,
all go to Alton Towers, again, on the 18th, or
those of us in or near the London area on the 20th can meet up at some point in the afternoon (my interview is at 9:30am and will apparently take up to three hours).


1 I can probably do.
2 I can probably do.
3 I can probably do but I won't.

All the "probably" above means "assuming I can get time off work or it's on a weekend". I acknowledge it's unlikey the 18th or 20th will be weekends.

Let's see if we can actually get on Oblivion this time.

Why not meet up with Ben at the airport, a few hours before his departure?
You can hang around in the duty free shops and have luggage cart races.

Oh, I don't know. Maybe because my flight is at 11:30am, which means I have to be checked in by 9am, which means I have to get up at 5am and be on a train to Heathrow by 6am. Which means that other people would have to be up earlier.

Actually, I think that would be an all-nighter.

Actually, I think that would be an all-nighter.
Yeah, just meet on the night before with a bottle vodka.

Yeah, just meet on the night before with a bottle vodka.

If I wake up at the wrong airport in the wrong country then we know who to blame.

If I wake up at the wrong airport in the wrong country then we know who to blame.
Yeah, the vodka.

If I wake up at the wrong airport in the wrong country then we know who to blame.I'll be sure to be on the lookout for you.

I'll be sure to be on the lookout for you.

Oh, usually loiter around airports, do you? That's very suspicious behaviour if you ask me...

Jihad to ask, Ben, didn't you. Ha, ha!

I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE.



But I do not see why you did it.

I'll be sure to be on the lookout for you.
Oh, usually loiter around airports, do you? That's very suspicious behaviour if you ask me...
He looks determined too:
http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/4347/jihaddanrg4.png

Oh, usually loiter around airports, do you? That's very suspicious behaviour if you ask me...I'm pretty sure you'd make the news if you showed up half drunk half naked in our airports.

I doubt it. Don't you get stag parties there?

Oh, usually loiter around airports, do you? That's very suspicious behaviour if you ask me...Yes, Dan, we wouldn't want anyone to mistake you for a planespotter :p.

Yes, Dan, we wouldn't want anyone to mistake you for a planespotter :p.
Yeah, that's my job!

Plus I spent all of summer loitering around Ryanairport. Mainly because I was working there. And also planespotting, as I was doing "Outside Ops"

I've just been chatting with Matt, and he says I should mention this (I thought it obvious, but there you go):

If I am to book time off work, I need more than an hour's notice. For example, there is nobody with any real authority in work tomorrow, so it would be impossible for me to book the 18th as holiday.

I'm not sure what part of this is the tricky bit, but there it is, I've spelled it out now so there's no excuse.

You said in this thread on the 11th that you could probably go to Alton Towers on the 18th if you could get time off work. I expected you to look in to the possibility. I asked you tonight because you hadn't said anything about it and we're running out of time. The decision to have the meet at Alton Towers has not been made behind your back.

Well it has, though, hasn't it? Otherwise I'd know about it. Certainly it hasn't been made in this thread anywhere.

Last time I heard anything, there were three options being floated. I didn't immediately try to book time off for all three on the off-chance, because that would have been silly. I rather thought we'd all say which were acceptable for us and then a decision would be made, at which point I'd try to book the time off.

The decision to go to Alton Towers has not been made. I asked you in Google Talk if you can get the 18th off so we can come to a decision. We established you wouldn't be able to go to Alton Towers on the 18th. What to do is still undecided.

Well, see, we can't really decide what to do unless we know you can definitely get the day off. Making plans to go to Alton Towers and then finding out you wouldn't be able to go would be a waste of time. You could have asked your bosses if you were allowed it.

You could throw a sicky, I suppose :)

It looks like the 17th is the day to do it.

The 17th would be more convenient. But yeah, when you used phrases like "it looks like you won't be able to go" and "The decision ... has not been made behind your back", that sort of implied to me that the plans were pretty final. I apologise if I've misunderstood you.

It looks like getting trains and what-have-you on the 17th is easy as pie. (Or the 18th, come to that, although as I say, I can't really do that politely. To be honest, I think I'd probably get away with just not turning up and phoning in, but I'd really rather not if it doesn't put anyone else out.)

That's okay. I'm sorry I didn't explain more clearly.

Frankly, guys, I don't think I'll be able to make it. I've been doing far too much slacking off on my dissertation, and I need to put in some serious hard yards over the next few days to get myself back on track. It is a shame, and it's my own fault for gazing too much into the abyss known as the Internet, but I need to draw some kind of line somewhere, manage my time and get a bit of self-discipline before it's too late. Too many days I've woken up, said "I must get some work done today", and completely failed to do just that. And frankly, I'm frustrated at myself.

I'm not going to go completely into my shell, don't get me wrong. I'm still going to give myself some time on the Internet to chat to people and stuff. But I've got to get over "Refresh Syndrome".

Oh, look, I've turned this into a NE&O post. Sorry. Anyway, I'm afraid I can't make the meet-up. Hope you guys who can all have a great time :).

For reference, the train tickets to Stoke are all saver returns -- so essentially on a weekend I can be at Alton Towers at about four hours' notice.

I'd just like to reitterate something which has sparked this thread of discussion (within the thread, I mean, not the thread itself). I'm at Alton Towers on Monday because I'm going with my sister and a couple of friends. So Alton Towers on the 17th wouldn't be good for me. If nothing else, I couldn't really get there.

If we're planning on meeting up on the 17th and doing something, that's cool. I'm all for that. But Alton Towers two days in a row would, for me, be a bit exhausting.

Last call for Alton Towers on Monday, 18th. I should be at the park about 9:40 providing everything goes okay and Ben and co. should be there at 9:30. For help with travel plans give me a shout.

I won't be able to go but it might be an idea to exchange phone numbers, if you haven't already done so, so you can keep in contact and find each other once you get there.

Yeah, erm, I don't think I can justify bunking off work to spend £50 seeing two people, one of whom I've never met.

I expect there'll be a study or a meeting or something in LA sooner or later. Free flights. Good stuff.

So... did anything happen in the end?

Yes.

http://www.benpaddon.co.uk/2007/06/19/whee/

I'd call that "No".