A modest poll (Punkadyne Labs (Punkwalrus))

I forgot why I wrote this e-mail, like over 6 years ago, but I should mention that the "Humping Giraffes" joke was inspired from Prune Bran, c. 1989-1993, from the skit "National Perversion Test" (I think). It is probably the fault of dptwisted or badmagic. I found it in an old e-mail folder, and decided to post it. Posted in: anime , conventions anime , humping giraffes , lostcause , prune bran

LOSTCAUSE 2010: Really? Seriously? (Punkadyne Labs (Punkwalrus))

Seriously, you want me to run a con? Don't make me do it. I am just crazy enough to attempt it, you know. I need a poll here:




In the comments section, please post the following:

• Ideas and stuff "I have always wanted to see at a con" within reason
  
• "I really hate it when a relaxacon does..." [fill in the blank]
  
• Sean and I are thinking about inviting Al Gore as a guest under the title "Voice actor of Futurama and sketch actor as seen on Saturday Night Live," and nothing else. How does that make you feel?
  
• Share with me one of the WORST security moments you ever had at a con
  
• Share with me the FUNNIEST thing you have ever seen at a con
  
• Talk me out of this
  

334 Posted in: cons , conventions , lostcause

Lostcause 2010: On the cheap (Punkadyne Labs (Punkwalrus))

If I ever ran this thing, it would start real small. One of the things I have noticed, and my info is a wee bit old so this may be even harder, is that cons don't "break even" until the third one or even later. The cost involved may be more than I can handle, and I don't feel right charging my pals something obnoxious and insulting like $250 for admission (plus hotel and travel). Nor do I want to put friends, some of whom have already had this horror happen to them, invest in a convention that will never pay them back.

I would also like to state that it would start out a lot like TCEP (see, I am stealing ideas from FanTek and TCEP... I have no shame). They only have a few function rooms. I would probably start with 3. A lounge area, a gaming area, and an area for events that would interfere with the other two rooms. Maybe this would save money. I am not sure how many functions rooms one can get free with X amount of rooms sold, or if they even do that anymore. Obviously, if I had any merchants, they'd be stuck with gamers. I might stick an art show in the lounge.

I'd borrow a lot of my equipment. It would be relatively ghetto. Not only because I can't afford to buy or even rent a nice HD TV for videos, but the storage costs would also be difficult off-season. I suppose certain things I could use for personal use, like an HD TV, but I think that would be suspect if I wanted go 503(c).

Food worries me. Hotels shove fistfuls of revenue down their gullet with catering. Back in the day (for me, 1980s), con suites were a staple for any con. Staff suites provided staff with free meals for their hard work. Then the real estate market tanked in 1987 due to a significant tax law, and suddenly, you couldn't roll revenue loss into property, so hotels had to be profitable. Nowadays, hotels have all sorts of rules about food in their favor. You have to have massive leverage and a little palm greasing just to have a staff suite. Some cons still manage to hold onto a con suite, but many have to pay an exorbitant cost. Hotel want you to eat at their restaurant or have you pay $2.50 for a mini soda and $3.00 for a bag of chips. Many won't even allow pizza delivery past their front door. I'll have to ask TCEP what they do since their food is a private room you just have to know about somehow. Even past the hotel's greed, even if I had a Bag of Holding, I don't know if I could afford to put enough food in there to feed a staff. But a lot of this worry is based on ignorance.

All moneys made and spent would be listed publicly. This way, people can't claim I am financing some ulterior purpose. Man, if I had a nickel for every rumor I heard about Bruce's millions, or Katsucon paying 6 digit wages... oh, wait:

$1.25 = Nickels earned from rumors about FanTek and Katsucon's revenue 
-------------
$1.25 TOTAL REVENUE (projected)

Another issue about money is the 503(c) option and make the con non-profit. My goals would be simple: any money left over (after reinvestment) would be donated to science education for elementary school students. I would even attempt a scholarship program for those who want to pursue science as a major. The convention would even be tax deductible. Of course, getting a 503(c) is not like filling out a postcard and sending it to Mickey Dolenz for a photo, no. I think it requires donating limbs to a pit of alligators while tap ancing and writing sonnets in assembly code. Posted in: con , conventions , lostcause

LostCause: So I posted a question yesterday (Punkadyne Labs (Punkwalrus))

It's a little heartwarming that so many of you would support me. You all are crazy, and attempting to follow a fool off a cliff. It's adorable. Here's the deal behind the question:

Many years ago, I had a strange premonition that it was my destiny to host at least one convention. I laughed and dismissed it. But every year there is no Evecon, it gets a little louder. And people have been pushing me in this direction. This also happened with my first book, and that turned out to be a great success. This year was really strong, with several people close to me suggesting I should do this. And I have some good ideas how to run this damn thing. But I have said, many times, I would not run a convention. What may make me change?

(4:08:18 PM) PunkWalrus: What a terrible idea, why am I even considering this?
(4:08:30 PM) StodgyCat: several reasons:
(4:08:35 PM) StodgyCat: 1. you miss evecon
(4:08:43 PM) StodgyCat: 2. you are SMOF at heart
(4:08:59 PM) StodgyCat: 3. you are frustrated at the state of Sci-fi cons

All these items are sadly true. But I am missing some key elements. Here's what blocks the road to making this happen.

- Focus. What the hell would this relaxacon be centered on? I think, "Ooh, things I like!" but that's too unfocused since I like many things. I'd have to have a point to determine what I'll have. Am I a sci fi con? I hate cons that "just are" unless they already have a long established base. TCEP is gaming, for instance. Balticon is SciFi. Katsucon is Anime. And so on. What hasn't been done that I want to do?
- Cost. I have no real idea how much this would cost, and how memberships would offset some of the costs. I guess I can figure this out by actually, you know, doing research. I'd make it close to home, like the DC area.
- Hotels. Contracts scare me. I have more horror stories than feel-good tales about hotel management.
- I won't have fun at my own con. I have seen convention runners the day after. They are not having fun. They are having Maalox moments.

Based on this, I think the name might be:

League of Speculative Technology, Creativity, and Usable Science Edutainment

or

Welcome to L.O.S.T.C.A.U.S.E 2010

Again, I have no real plans to do this yet. It's in the "are you going to do it or aren't you? stage. Some philosophies behind the convention:

- This has a high probability of never making it past the planning stage. Please don't get your hopes up. If it does happen, there's an even greater chance it won't happen again. It has an almost 99% chance to disappoint and annoy everyone no matter what happens.
- Based on my experience, it will be a one leader sort of thing; at least at the beginning. This will reduce politics compared to a committee. I will run this, and be totally responsible for the inevitable downfall and footnote that will make Disclave's flood look merely damp.
- I want to severely reduce politics, even if I know well they cannot be eliminated. People should hate me, not one another. I want to keep my staff small and trim, with clear cut duties that are easy to carry out.
- If we grow past a few hundred, I may hand it off to someone more qualified, and try and finagle a position like Zaphod Beeblebrox and be a foppish and irresponsible figurehead alone. I want my own pimp cup, you know.
- It will be run similar to Fantek cons when they have only been a few hundred. If it ever reaches over 1000, it will be like a horde of monkeys taking over a TV station, and I will flee to a country with weak reciprocity laws at the absolute worst time to do so. Posted in: cons , conventions , lostcause