[Stargate] [Hou-announce] populace meetings

[Darlene Vandever]

Hi, It's The Annes here,

Finally got my Internet straightened out. Whew! I was having major
withdrawal. Please allow me to put forward some of my thoughts here.

Ryan's has always (IMHO) been

1. too noisy (Ice machine foo-noise from the sometime others on the other
side of the screen; everybody chatting constantly)
2.  too crowded (tables and chairs too close together for good movement and
circulation)
3. too frustrating (having my back to my Baron and Baroness is just too
uncomfortable for words)
4. too distracting (noise; food; constant other conversations; people
getting up and down for more food)
5. rather scary (same feelings as Christianna the first time *I* showed
up....and sometimes still have those feelings)
6. often dirty (have you really *looked* at that carpet and those
bathrooms?)
7. bad to mediocre food (I've quit eating there if I can avoid it...I don't
like the tummy upsets the next day)

*On the subject of the cost of the security guard*----*this Barony can
afford it*. We have had a lot of success with our events over the past 5
years. Some of us have even been embarrassed as autocrats about the amount
our events pulled in for the Barony (myself for one). My single event's
profit alone would pay for the security guard for *3 hours* a meeting for
almost *TWO YEARS*! The cost of the new beautiful (Wow Thomas!)Baronial
thrones didn't hardly dent the balance.

I saw someone say something about spending our hard earned cash with the
sentiment of being against such a move. My question to anyone who might
agree with this sentiment is----If not this, than what are we holding onto
the money for? What purpose do we have in mind for the money we do earn from
events? We are not (I thought) in the business of earning money and storing
it up just for the sake of doing it. I would argue that we like to earn some
money from our events ***just for such a purpose....so that our lives are
easier and more comfortable as a
group!!***

Don't get me wrong. I am not advocating spending money just to spend it. But
the mindset that *everything* has to be free as though it were 1974 and the
Barony was 9 people meeting in someones living room is one that we need to
grow out of, folks! We have the funds available now. IF the Barony fell onto
hard times, THEN we can always go back to trying to find a free-be and
living with all the downside that goes with it.

Me personally, I don't know why this Barony isn't even considering renting a
hall once a month or something similar. I have belonged to groups with a lot
less money than this one that do something like that. My little
local teacher's group rented a room at the *Hyatt* once a month, for
goodness sake. But I'm NOT suggesting this because I really don't think that
the Barony would go for it.

*On the subject of food and supper*: Vasalisa said something at officer's
that she didn't think that we could bring food to the church and she wasn't
feeling well so I didn't start a discussion on that topic BUT I remember
bringing food to the libraries PLUS we *eat* at the church for feasts*and*
it has a kitchen.....sounds like food is an O.K. thing to me. I believe food
could be brought but that would be a future discussion *IF* we decide to go
to RMMC.

Going to supper with friends prior to the populace or making arrangements
with good friends afterwards is a very fond memory of mine when we used to
meet at Heights library. I see no reason why it wouldn't work now as well as
it did then.

*On the subject of a dirty church*: Antonello brought up the distasteful
memory of having to clean the church area prior to an event. (Who could
forget the smell of that soured mop!!! EWWWW!!!)

I have to say that in a discussion with some folks earlier this year, I
brought up that very thing as a reason as to why *I* didn't like the church
and got an *immediate* earful about how that was an isolated instance and we
have never had a problem like that since. Now *I* seldom get involved
with set up or take down anymore...something about not being able to walk
that good anymore....and so I can't say that this is or is not a fact. So
I'd like some of you folks who have used the church as an autocrat in the
last couple of years (looking right at Gerald and Christianna) to say if it
had a "dirt" problem when you arrived to set up?

So what other perks are there to RMMC?

1. Unlimited parking that we don't have to fight for. I've gotten late to
Ryan's and had to park in less than convenient distances from the entrance.
2. A ***much*** quieter venue with less distractions for our meetings.
3. Oh my gosh....PRIVACY....especially for things like votes and polls and
*we* don't have to worry about getting too noisy or raucous for *other*
(paying) customers
4. The ability to stay as late as we need to. That being said, I sincerely
doubt that we will need 3 hours to meet every month. Since we don't have the
distraction of eating *plus* some people *will* want the meeting to end
sooner so they *can* go to supper, I am thinking that we start at 7 pm or
7:30 pm and end most of the time by 9 pm at the latest.
5. The ability to sit like we do in court with freedom of movement to be
able to get up and move around without tripping over tables and chairs or
worrying about dumping a plate of food on someone as you try to squeeze by
to reach your seat.
6. The ability of our Baron and Baroness to actually HOLD a court if need be
in a venue that truly supports the same.
7. Not so scary for newcomers (or old-timers for that matter). Churches have
a better "aura" for most folk who are going somewhere for the first time.
8. More room to do more things! Wouldn't it be wonderful to have enough room
for someone to do a mini-demo of their art or of a new dance step or to hold
a mini-bardic.

This has gotten much longer than I intended so I will close with one last
thought.

I sincerely hope that the Barony does *not* continue to meet at that nasty
restaurant for I have despised it since the first time I drove into its
parking lot.