Pittsburgh, PA Looking to the future...

...I want to set a standard for our monthly meetings, like we used to. The way things worked before we met on the last sunday of the month, which worked great because it didn't conflict with too many holidays, etc. The July meeting will be held at Border's in Monroeville since we had it at the North Hills one last time. It will be held on Sunday, July 28th @ 1 P.M. Agai in a easier to read version:

July Meeting:
Where: Border's Books in Monroeville
When: Sunday, July 28th
Time: 1 P.M.

The meeting for August will take place at the Border's Books in the North Hills, on McKnight Rd. Continuing the rotation between area's. It's located on the lower right hand corner of Northway Mall.

August Meeting:
Where: Border's Books in the North Hills
When: Sunday, August 25th
Time: 1 P.M.


Also at the last meeting we discussed other ways to get more people involved. Some prospective events for the future would be:

-A group nite at the Pirate game
-All night bowling
-A cookout, whether it be at someone's house or a state park
-A kennywood picnic day
-monthly bookclub

All of these are great ideas, I especially like the all night bowling. For all night bowling cosmic is the way to go. Harmarville has a great cosmic bowling night, plus there is mini golf and games at that one.

Hopefully tomorrow sometime I can call about group rates for the Pirate game. What I'm gonna need each of us to do is get a definate number of tickets needed per person. So I can try and get soe kind of price quote. Please email me vattimo@vlattimo.com with pirate tickets info in the subject line.

Also I'll be starting to get member badges ready for the next meeting, so if you want one I need to know. Email me or PM me if you don't feel comfortable posting your real name. They're really cool, here's what they look like.

[image=http://www.vlattimo.com/BADGE.jpg]

The size is about the same as the C2 badge for those that went.

That's all I can think of at the moment. Feel free to add anything that need's discussed.

 

You know I want a badge, Rox. I'll give you all my info when we hook up Wednesday to play cards.

As for the other stuff, I told you, I'm more than willing to help with the setup, just let me know what I can do.

 

That planned Kennywood day might have to wait until everything is fixed. I know they said they were planning to reopen today, but there are still some rides that need to be repaired.

 

If anyone's up for, My house is still open for use,although I know it will be a distance for most.

 

Now that I have the date & stuff, I'm going to request off right away so I'm sure I can go. I want to meet everyone in person! ^_^

 

Don't forget the possibility of a gaming session. Would anyone else besides Rox be interested, because it would be pretty boring if it were just us two dueling each other in Jedi Outcast.

 

How about meeting at the Borders at the Waterfront sometime. That's closer to my "neck of the woods" maybe we could add this to the rotation. Since I network in the south hills alot this is where I would be able to get members and having a meeting at the Borders/Waterfront might help to draw them in.
I do want to suggest that we have a little more organization when meeting. We should have a "secretary" who will take down the minutes. this will keep us on track as well as when the next meeting occurs we can go over the minutes and then continue from there. I felt there was too much interrupting and too many people trying to talk or make their point at once. someone may have had a good idea but got cut off. We really need to structure the club more. this is the one way we'll be able to REALLY grow. if we leave it as is, it may grow but at a slower pace and you do have to consider this is a movie year so you should expect some growth. In the next three years though til EPIII we really need to work hard at getting our name out there and doing things. the things discussed about at the june meeting were good but I hope that they get acted upon and not just talked about. I am in this for the long haul and will contribute alot of time but I do need to see and feel that others are doing the same. When organizing the club we should most definitely keep it as a SW theme. You (ROX) and greecat as well as any other long time members could form the "jedi council" I of course would like to be a part of that but understand if your not comfortable with that yet, as I am a new member to your group. Responsibilities need to be delegated to trustworthy and action oriented individuals.

well unfortunately I'm at work and a bit busy now so I have to go. please get back with me and let me know your thoughts on what i have said here.

As far as gaming goes (flukegroundrunner) have you or anyone else here on the boards gon LARPing. LARPing is Live Action Role Playing. I'd love to see a bunch of us "grown-ups" as well as some of the younger members dress in costume as have a gaming night. LARP is basically played like RPG's but in real life, faster time and you get to act out what your character is doing.

I'll have more details later if anyone is interested.

 

I'd also like to cast a vote for Waterfront Meetings.

And speaking of the Waterfront, I'd like to see if anyone was interested in a TCG sessin at the Waterfront Barnes & Noble. (they have one there, right? or is it a Borders) I'm looking for something on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

 

...or maybe a Friday night.

 

my mistake, I think it is a Barnes and Nobles and not a Borders.

Still it would be nice to have a meeting there. There's a lot to do at the waterfront. D&B's (Dave and Busters) has a few really cool sit-down SW video games. besides all the other attractions.

 

We have used the Barnes and Noble before but the cafe is really small and wouldn't work for us. WE all would have to site at separate tables. But if you know of another place that has a plae to site for all of us in the Waterfront area post it. What about South Side is there any place we can meet there. I've been wanting to go to D&B's for a meeting. I haven't been there in a while the place is alot of fun.

 

OK. Since this is my neck of the woods, I can lay out some facts: It's a B&N down there at the waterfront- you're right, we'd have to sit @ separate tables. The David & Buster's there is great, but in order to enter, one must be 25 or older, or with an adult 25 or older. (I have quite a few years on that one.. hee hee)
The plus on this is that when I have been in there, I know they have rooms they use for meetings such as the local rotary (my hs is the local hs supported by them so I went to a meeting- accompanied by an adult) Their one room can sit up to 20 comfortably, and they have others for larger groups.
Just thought the info would help.

 

Do they charge for the use of the room or is it free??

As for the Waterfront Barnes and Nobels, I thought it worked okay. We just pull tables and chairs together . . .

I do like that we change the location of our meetings every once in a while, that way no one has to always drive a huge distance (we are a bit spread out)

A secretary recording (and then posting) minutes of the meeting is a good idea. I would volunteer, but I won't be at the July meeting . . . I'm willing to split the duty with someone, if anyone is interested.

 

I have no idea about the fee, but I can sure find out. I'll be down there sometime in the next few days. When I find out, I'll post it first thing.
If there's anywhere else down there you're considering, I can get info about that too.

 

Sturcture is a must ,if we are to achieve the plan and goals we set for our group,With Master Sal,I must agree.In my former hobby,monthly meetings were held in this fashion.An idea could be....having our council work as the Jedi council "does/did",something along the lines of one permenent member and two or so "term" members,BUT ALL HAVE EQUAL SAY & VOICE.One or two could sit as head(s) of council,to run the meeting,-i.e. old bussiness,new bussiness,upcoming events,etc... These/this position could change on what ever lenght of time WE chose. Secratary,very cool and very needed,I think. treasurer,hope we don't need one,we are free from expendatures except what WE chose to get together on,which works fine for us ,I think.To structure ourselves and our meetings would do nothing but help us get more out of our meetings and our planned and planning events,even if all they are is Greencat & I getting together to figure out how to get her saber innards into a prop hilt,or our Pirate game idea, or our picnic idea,or even just sitting in a cafe shooting the breeze about the jedi purge.
Yea's , Nay's ???

 

Yes, I think we are getting large enough that we need a bit more structure. So, how do we want to approach the structure issue? Very structured, with us coming up with by laws, a schedule for elections for council memembers, etc OR 'casual' structure -- a informal agreement on who the 'council' members are and when we feel that a change is needed we propose it?

My two cents: for now, establish a 'council' made up of those that are willing to volunteer for the responsibilty. If anyone objects to the people that are on the council, we can have an election via a survey on the boards. In say, one year, next July or so, we can vote to set up a new 'council' either entirely or parts.

Have a brief agenda for our monthly meetings -- with a thread on the boards a week or so before the meeting for people to post what they want discussed at the meeting. Also on the agenda could be the generic "Old business" "new business" categories, so if some one wants to discuss something but didn't get it up on the agenda thread, they still could. AFter the formal meeting, we could then just sit around and BS about anything that comes up.

The Council -- possiblly made up of the Leader of the council, #2 guy, Secretary, and Gaming Guy (co-ordinates and organizes gaming events).

I'd suggest Rox as our head (Steel City version of Yoda, hee hee) and Big Daddy as his #2 guy (ie Mace) Perhaps Jedi 1966 and I could share Secretary duties? Fluke might be interested in being Gaming Guy?

I hope no one is offended by these suggestions, I'm just throwing out ideas people. Pleae add in your two cents. After all, democracy is a good thing ( to all you Imperialists! )

 

I think that since we are growing some kind of Leadership Council needs to be setup. I don't have enough time to go over my suggestion right(I'll post it when I get home). But I am in agreement that things are going to need changing.

 

I believe that we need a system were one, all powerful leader has total control of the situation and people should be made to listen to that person! Of course, that person should be Terry

I believe that we are headed into dark times

 

Ok, I'm home know and have a chance to sit down and think clearer. Here's what I propose:

Steel City Jedi Kinghts Jedi Council

The Jedi Council - EXECUTIVE OFFICERS(Founders and other dedicated individuals)
Terry Vattimo - City rep, Webmaster, and Events Coodinator & Public Relations
Chris Don't know your last name - Secretary

The Jedi Council - ADVISORY OFFICERS
Dan(BDP) - Public Relations & RPG
Dan(Fluke) - Gaming Coordinator if interested?
Tony - Costuming

These Advisory Council positions would be elected yearly or added as new areas of interest develope.

Advisory Council members are expected to be present at all staff meetings and events. If you are going to miss an event the rest of the council must be notified in advance.

This is just a start to what I have proposed. I will add more as I can think of it.

 

I would be more than happy to be the gaming coordinator, but only if we could get something with LAN Gaming going. It seems that myself and Rox are the only people interested, so if more people don't show interest and with Dan running RPG stuff, then that would leave me to watch over TCG only, which I don't even play yet. So essentially, I would be TCG coordinator, which I am sure someone else could do a better job with (Rox or Dan?).

However, once either Rox or myself no longer depend on mom and dad for our shelter, then I would really like to get some gaming sessions going at one of our places. So for now, unless someone else wants to be gaming coordinator, I will take the position just to make sure that we have someone there, (if we even need someone) and I would be more than happy to dedicate my time to making sure gaming stuff goes smoothly. Just tell me what I would need to do and I'll help out.

 

Costuming? If all feal it worthy, I humbly accept.GC ideas on yearly is very sound as well as the casual part,I think. We have no need for By-laws,let's keep it fun but, at the same time within our control.Each one of us is important to this group,without each one of us,there is no group.I've seen first hand,over a number of years,and repeatedly I might add, what By-laws can do to a group,internally......NOT A GOOD THING,me thinks.So come on the rest of you guys on here,let's have some input.There should be more than just GC,Rox,Fluke,& I to give ideas.
Rox as TOP DAWG,ABSOLUTELY! I also suggest 2 heads of council,possibly Dan Payne or Sal,but 2 doesn't have to be nessasary.
Big Daddy as PR<way cool,although each of us could help out in our respective home areas as well.
Fluke ,gamming CO very cool,too I may not be much of a gammer,but many others are,so it's a must have.

 

Once he has attended more meeting I want to add Sal to that list as well. From me personally talking to sal whether over email or from the meeting he seems very a dedicated person and someone that will bring alot to the table.

 

I'm cool with all the suggestions. If I'm gonna be on the "council", then I wish to take Saberpilot as my Padawan learner!

 

Sounds good to me, Rox. (its Anderson, by the way. )

 

GC,Carrie (my wife) has said she'd possibly be willing to help or trade off Sec't'y "duties" for lack of a better term,with you.I'm just waiting for her to say so herself,as she is an official posting member.