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Ricochet Meet Up: Minneapolis (TODAY!)
Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States.
Published in General
I took a bunch of the bumper stickers to Phoenix last month, and gave away a few at our excellent meet up.
Phoenix Meetup was a Grand Success
I’ll be with you in spirit…
It didn’t work.
I went there, Brian was very cheerful and gregarious, John Hinderaker was gracious as he tried to make the rounds and say hello, but there was no place to stand or sit, the pub was packed with regular Saturday evening customers, and it was loud. There was no separate room or anything of the sort. Unless you were big into the liquid libations and a very extroverted person, it didn’t fit.
After 15 minutes it was obvious that it would get only worse, not better, there would be no way to ever make rounds and talk to any of the people (there were two tables roughly for four near the corners), so we gave up and left. I don’t see how you could possibly record a podcast in that ambient din.
Next time there is an idea to try something like this, we need a much larger venue, or a separate room and name tags.
I’m glad I didn’t even attempt to go. Popular bars are terrible for group meetings. Absolutely terrible. You made it 15 minutes, I probably would have been gone in 15 seconds.
I went there, Brian was very cheerful and gregarious, John Hinderaker was gracious as he tried to make the rounds and say hello, but there was no place to stand or sit, the pub was packed with regular Saturday evening customers, and it was loud. There was no separate room or anything of the sort. Unless you were big into the liquid libations and a very extroverted person, it didn’t fit.
Next time there is an idea to try something like this, we need a much larger venue, or a separate room and name tags. ·1 hour ago
Hey, Frozen and I really wanted to meet you and your wife! I was asking around trying to find you but I think you left too quickly.
It was sort of a challenging setting, and a lot of Powerline people. And name tags would be good. I ended up introducing myself to a lot of random people and then having to explain what Ricochet was.
Perhaps in the summer I should host a Twin Cities Ricochet garden party in my back yard and then we can have a quieter setting in which we can talk.
On second thought, maybe it all went exactly according to plan. I ended up explaining to a lot of people why Ricochet was “the most civil conversation on the web”.
It was a great party, and fun to meet the many Ricocheti. Duane, wish you would have stuck around, I would have been happy to provide the extra extroversion necessary to get you into the groove. Rachel’s garden party sounds like a delightful variation come the summer as well. keep us posted!
Is there going to be podcast?
It was loud, and crowded, and I missed quite a few things that people were saying because of that. It was difficult to mingle. I got a seat at a table early on and ended up talking with the same half dozen people most of the night.
You know what? It was still a really great time. Even expecting the noise and the crowd I’d do it over again. Rachel, I’ll come to your garden party, but don’t expect me to do much gardening.
Mrs Frozen and I had a great time at the meet-up. It was fun to meet James Lileks and the Powerline guys. Great to see Rachel again (I believe we are the only two people to have attended both Twin Cities Ricochet meet-ups) and we made some new friends.
I was disappointed not to meet you, Duane, as I always enjoy your Ricochet posts. I can’t argue with your comments about the venue but one has to make the best of it, I suppose. Love, the garden party idea, Rachel.
I went to a buddy of mine’s wedding in Minneapolis one time and was very fond of what I saw. Beautiful city.
I’ll do the gardening. Y’all can just eat and drink. The only question is whether it’s better to do springtime (when there are more flowers) or later summer (when I’m usually awash in way more tomatoes and summer squash than my family can eat). The yard itself is prettier early, but it’s always nice to feed people in August or late July, so that I can put the vegetables to good use.
Coming soon.
Today, this one day, makes me wish I lived in Minneapolis.
It’s creepy the way his eyes follow my cursor. It’s almost like he’s spying on me, noting what I type…and not in an approving way, as unthinkable as that may sound.
More info here:
http://ricochet.com/main-feed/Ricochet-Meet-Up-Minneapolis/
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I’m afraid I agree with Duane, the venue made it a bit tough to meet people; nonetheless I’m glad I went. Lots of people around with whom I might have a better than average chance to agree on politics, and the best conversations I had didn’t involve politics at all. Which was fine. And I met a berserker; how many situations offer that opportunity?
I had a great time at the meet up. I”ll be dropping names (John, Brian, James) with my conservative friends for weeks to come. I’ll be glad to come to Rachel’s garden party. I’m sure there will be magic in the air as long as Yoko doesn’t bring a walrus.
I should add that my voice is gone every day by about 3:00 (those who take inhaled corticosteroids for asthma know what I mean), and I have bad hearing. Yelling over the noise in a sort of stage whisper and not hearing any answers is a bit of a problem.
It’s unlikely that my house has the bigger yard (it’s smallish), but we can accommodate a reasonable number of people if we open both the house and the yard. I’d also be quite happy to gather at the Oyens if that’s more comfortable (and to help plan and organize if that’s wanted). Whatever works best is fine with me!
The Lus can at least offer a reasonably central location. We live in the Mac-Groveland neighborhood, about three blocks from the river, between St. Thomas and St. Kate’s. But Duane and I can chat and figure something out. Once the weather gets warm, obviously.
I had a terrific time. As Hank pointed out, it really wasn’t the kind of layout that would make it convenient to go around and talk to a lot of people but I really enjoyed visiting with the people at our table. It was too loud and too small, but I’m so glad I went. I got my picture with Brian Ward, too!
Next time there is an idea to try something like this, we need a much larger venue, or a separate room and name tags. ·1 hour ago
……………………..
It was sort of a challenging setting, and a lot of Powerline people. And name tags would be good. …….
Perhaps in the summer I should host a Twin Cities Ricochet garden party in my back yard and then we can have a quieter setting in which we can talk. ·15 hours ago
Hey, everyone can come to our house, or Rachel’s! Who has a bigger yard?
We aren’t antisocial, it was just that there was absolutely no way to move around, as Hank pointed out, and unless you are the type to buttonhole people cold- which I am not- it was hard. It was also very clear very early that it would only get more difficult, not less, and the recorded portion would be impossible to hear.
Brian was great- he caught and greeted everyone on the way in to that corner, and, as I said, John tried to circulate as well. The venue simply didn’t work for more than a dozen people.
The Lus can at least offer a reasonably central location. We live in the Mac-Groveland neighborhood, about three blocks from the river, between St. Thomas and St. Kate’s. But Duane and I can chat and figure something out. Once the weather gets warm, obviously. ·52 minutes ago
We’re on a cul-de-sac in Maple Grove near Fish Lake, and actually have a fair amount of room. We can put up awnings in back to shelter from rain! If, that is, we ever get above 65 in our global warming world…..
First off thanks (to Brian?) for putting this event together.
I too found myself explaining what Ricochet was to most of the “Powerliners” there. Even though the venue was small I found that conversation was easy to find and the croud thinned out after a couple of hours.
I took a friend of mine with who had never paid much attention to my Ricochet talk and he left the pub having had a great time and with the idea that there are like minded people out there in the wild. He might just be a new member of the Ricocheti!