Pittsburgh, PA The Super **Official** Lifeday thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alright everyone, here is the long awaited official Lifeday information. Sorry for the delay as you may know we were experiencing technical difficulties, we swear we weren?t trying to stress anyone out (at least that?s what we want you to think).

Place: Café Naples
In Verona in the Giant Eagle Plaza down the street from the Grey Goose, for further directions call us.

Time: Arrive at 4 dinner will be served at 5, please be prompt if you want to eat.

Menu: there are three entrees please post your option, PM it to Greencat or call our apartment no later than Tuesday at 6pm, if you say that you are coming and do not tell us what you want to eat then we will just give you plain spaghetti. If you say you are coming and do not show up you will have to pay anyway.

Options: Chicken Marsala with Pasta, Fettuccini Alfredo, or Pasta with Marinara All options include salad, bread, and soft drinks.

Price: 15 clams, we are also going to have a tip jar this year so be prepared for that.

We?re sorry to have lost the Grey Goose this year, but after dinner and the Secret Santa we will head over to Chris (Greencat) house for dessert, games, and the meeting (unless we have time at Café Naples)

We know that we had other options for our venue, however we wanted to keep Lifeday as central as possible to all members.

Please spread the word to other members in case they are unable to get on the internet (like us)

For Directions and menu options please post, PM Greencat, or call our apartment at 724-464-0880

If there are any questions or if we forgot anything give us a call.

 

I have a couple:

-What day is this thing on?
-Could you list the address for this place so I can mapquest it?
-Why do we have to go to Chris' place to finish off the evening? Don't we have our own room for this or are we just sitting together at a restaurant?

Since I couldn't make it to last month's meeting were any other options persued? This seems kind of just throw together very sloppily. In the future can we please have things settled further in advance? I know I'm not the only one that works and has to schedule things around my job?

 

it's on January 8th, sorry about that, it's address is 148 Allegheny River Blvd. Verona Pa 15147.

It is in a Back room but we could not find any place as lenient as the Grey Goose where we could stay all day, that was a lucky find, but since they are under new ownership it isn't possible to have lifeday there.

 

Actually, though not much else was known before today, the date had been decided awhile back - and was posted in the sticky thread calendar. Last update was 12/5, so it's been up since then at least.

Thanks, Greencat for keeping it current.

See you next Saturday!

 

Alright let me put a monkey wrench into this whole thing so bare(sp?) with me for a moment. Penn Hills is no longer central to everyone. At least insofar as those who have responded to who is coming. With Terry in the Rox, me and Josh in the South Hills, Brian in the north hills Bonnie and Allie way up yonder, that pushes the location much more westerly. If anything we could have tried for the Waterfront.

Okay nuff said there.

As to the room thing, I gave a great option that yes is close to me and Josh, but also gave us the room for the whole day. The meal itself was only $12 and included everything. The place is a buffet so you can have whatever you want. After the minor fiasco with Em not getting food because other took more than what they should have last year, I suggested this buffet to aleviate not only that problem but give everyone as many options as possible for what they want to eat. They also will allow us ot have the room and have a TV there for the game.

I'm going to suggest that in the future since this is our big year-end event that everyone have a chance to participate in not only giving suggestions but voting on them as well. I have to say that I'm not to thrilled with the ideea of just eating somewhere then having to reconvene at someone's house. (regardess of who) Unfortunately Em has a minor allergy to cat's (that's why she went out to the truck during of November meeting/Animated Clone Wars Party last year. I can't subject her to that for me.

I will have to respectfully decline at this time. Please remove Em and myself from the list. Make new plans as neccessary but I'm giving as far a notice as possible. Because of which we will not be paying for this. I can see if we were to wait until the last minute but we're not so please respect us for that. Sorry if that creates a problem but because this was this thread was posted so late I could not respond earlier but did so at my earliest possible time to. Also since we will now not be in attendance I will either have to drop out of the Secret Santa or the person who was given to me will have to wait until the February meeting. Seeing as that's not fair, whomever got my name should get the name of the person who was given to me. GC please make that happen.

Sorry for any inconvenience for any of that.

Have fun folks, sorry that we cannot attend, but understand that I must respect Em as well as her allergies on this.

The party favors I had planned for this will have to wait until the February meeting.

-Sal

[EDIT] I've been asked to mention the following so nothing is read into what was posted above:
It is not the case that I would not have been satisfied unless the place I suggested was chosen. On the contrary, it is about the fact that the venue does not fill the bill as previous venues have and the idea of eating and reconvening is not a desired outcome for what is our big year end party. I would have been satisfied had the place chosen made a room available to us as previous year's like the Grey Goose. I understand that they are no longer available to us. So that's a moot point.

I think that we are creatures of habit or at least tradition. Besides keeping this at one location is more convient(sp?) I'd venture to guess for the majority. So in conclusion, I'm not upset that my suggestion was not picked. I'm not upset at what the plans have come to be. They just don't fit in with what I was expecting and because of Em's allergies make us unable to go. One final thing (yes I know I said in conclusion), this is not about me standing up to Em or "having a pair". I think you all know that I can stand up for myself and have in the past. This is about doing what's right for both myself and Em. For those who are not in committed relationships I do not expect you to understand. For those who are, I hope you do understand where I'm coming from with this.[End Edit]

Respectfully,
-Sal

 

I'm not trying to stir up trouble but Abbey also had suggested a place that would have fit well into the budget and we would not have been rushed out.

 

Okay folks, lets stay focused on the important parts and not the petty stuff. Remeber the purpose of this is a fun get together among friends. Yes, this year's party was not as well planned as last years, but hey -- poodoo happens.

Sal, I hope you reconsider and decide to come to the party. Its not like we are showing up, eating and going. The start time is an hour before dinner, we are in a private room, and they aren't going to kick us out as soon as we finish eating. Cafe Naples closes around ten (I think) unlike the Grey Goose where we stayed until midnight. That's why the 'post party' was moved to my house.

There will be plenty of time spent visiting, exchanging presents, eating, and enjoying each other's company, which is the main purpose of this get together.

Lets keep things in perspective. No, this wasn't particuliarly well planned, but that doesn't mean we can't have a nice time.

 

Maybe we would have reconsidered, but since it was on outward appearances that we would have to leave right after dinner, I talked with Em and we've made other plans with her sis and sis's fiancee for that night. Please recall that it is Em's birthday weekend and, for me, she needs to take center stage. Had this been better planned and the evenings events clearly typed out for all to understand we would probably still have gone to the dinner.

Just a side note about perspective here. Knowing how the group normally show's up to events, saying it starts at 4pm but the dinner doesn't until 5pm, I think it's safe to conclude that most will show up closer to the 5pm time. So in reality (or perspective) that hour before will not be a quality hour spent with the entirety of the attendees for the festivity. Of course I'd rather like to be proven wrong on that one, but I'm just going on the past 2 1/2 years of experience with the group knowing how otherwise.

I understand the Agony's point of view as well. So it seems that two very viable options were given that would have catered to our needs for the evening and again on outward appearances were given any thought. If I'm wrong on that so be it, but this has every indication of being a hastily planned event in light of the many inquiries and maybe even to a point my proposal to get things moving. I don't know what the Agony's suggestion entailed, but I suspect it was similar to mine in that al that would have needed to have been done was place a call.

I think the other ting that does irk me somewhat is that after the two previous years of anguishing over the lateness of the planning of the event we should have expected better planning this time. Not worse. Given light to the fact that the twins are now the co-VP's more should be expected of them in the obligation and responsibility to the group.

Yes they were able to pull it off the first two years, but not without some of the rest of the membership pitching in to help with games and such. I don't think the restaraunt decision is really all that important here, more that it (upon reading the intial post) seemed that we would be rushed out after the meal and again that's not how the Lifeday party has been.

Thanks to GC it's been explained that we would not be rushed out, but unfortunately because this was not explained in the intial post, I've had to make other plans.

I think the other thing I would have to take issue with is that Em and I would not be able to share in the WHOLE of the evenings plans. I don't want to jujst pay for dinner and have maybe 2 hours then go home. This should have been the whole evening. Yes GC I've read your PM, but if I'm going to slap down $30, now plus tips I should think we would have a full evenings worth of entertainment or comeraderie (sp?).

I'll ask this for the sake of it. Does the $15 include a door prize as I suggested to Stacie when I suggested the restaraunt I had? We discussed that in the case of my suggestion that since the meal was $12 we could bump it up to $15 and have tickets for door prizes for everyone who attended. There's been no mention of this thusfar. If there are not doorprizes then the price of $15 does seem a bit steep to me. Especially considering there is a limited selection and when you're done eating, you're done. Like I mentioned previously, I'm not mad that my suggestions was not picked, but I am disapponted, more so because of the plans that were made in lieu of the one I suggested.

Okay, I've said enough. I'm not shallow enough to think that this thing hinges on my attendance, so please everyone who does attend have a great time and I'll just see you all in February.

BTW, it's now become possible that I may be able to hold a meeting at my place. We made alot of room in the apartment so it can hold a small group (such as ourselves). On that note the reason for this is because Em and I were broken into earlier this month. No not our apartment thank goodness, but our storage area in the basement of our apartment, this forced us to accelerate o

 

Of course you must do what you feel is right.

As for me, life is short and uncertain. I'm tired of petty squabbles and obsessions with minor details and flaws. (As the saying goes, "The fights are so vicious because the stakes are so small.") A few days ago thousands lost their lives in a massive disaster, thousands more have lost everything, including family and friends. In some African nations, a third of the population has died from the AIDs epidemic, creating even more orphans and major social upheavel. Thousands of Americans are far from home fighting in a war that is rapidily become this generations Vietnam. In the USA itself, richest and most powerful country in the world, thousands of children are abused and neglected, thousands of people are alone and homeless.

So our party wasn't that well planned. So it wasn't exactly what you had hoped it would be. That's life. Seldom do things turn out EXACTLY as we hope they will. We make the best of what we are given and are grateful for what we have.

I am so tired of all these squabble over such petty stuff. This group is supposed to be nothing more than a fun gathering of friends with similar interests. Get over yourselves! Get some perspective! Its a party not a Peace Conference!

 

Thank you. My thoughts exactly.

 

It may be just a party to you. That's your perspective. It is not only that but it represents the culmination of our entire year, to me. This was as I look at it our biggest venture every year (barring CIII and the premiere). Is it too much to ask that this event which IS bigger than the typical meeting be planned better. i don't think so. That may just be my opinion, but shouldn't just be readily discounted or considered petty. That tells me that my opinions are not respected and tossed aside as "par for the course with Sal".

Lifeday could have been much more but was chosen not to be. Cie la vie.

Sorry, but my perspective is skewed towards the better/bigger/whatever you want to call it, when it comes to a groups year-end party.

I think if you asked a normal everyday person what they would think of for a year end bash for a group, a majority I would guess would say something big.

For me I just want it to be SPECIAL. We can eat dinner at a restaraunt anytime as a group. we can have meetings at a person's house at anytime. But how many times do we spend the entire day playing games, eating, receiving gifts from one another, dressing up in costume or just dressing up nice, all in one shot? Only Lifeday do we do all of that. Having this type of get together is what sets it apart from the normal meetings/events. It's that we HAVE to make an effort to dress-up, we buy gifts for one another and so on that makes this more important and special.

This is one event I greatly look forward to each year. I've said in the past for anyone thinking about joining the group, or for those who are yet not fully active in the group, that Lifeday and the picnic are the events to come to. These are the big annual events for us.

Sorry if it seemed like I was squabbling. I'm disappointed and needed to let my opinion be known. I honestly wish that those going have a good time. I'm sure the restaraunt is a good choice and you will have fun regardless.

My sincerest wishes for a fun time,
-Sal

 

Look on the bright side, at least there is no Steeler game on that date. There will be other playoff games, however.

Granted I don't know all the details of the planning involved (maybe someone was sick or something important got in the way), but I agree with Terry and Sal on this one. Considering that the party is only a week away, it does seem hastily thrown together. I am left to wonder why the exact location was picked as well? Does someone know people who work there? Where the other two locations even considered?

Sal is right. Lifeday should both be planed well in advanced just like the picnic.

 

The reason for the late notice on the boards was both Tina and Stacie were computerless for a while. Yes, they should have called someone and had them post. Yes, the notice on this party was short and that was extremely irratiating. But lets keep this issue in perspective.

Cafe Naples was chosen because it had a private room for our use, was in our price range, and was near the old location of the Grey Goose, which at one time was somewhat central to everyone. Yes, that central location has changed recently, but old habits die hard.

Yes, I agree that the party could have been planned better. Yes, the twins should have called someone and had them post the info way before they did. But what is done, is done. Lets also keep in mind that the Twins are young college students. Occasionally people screw up. Its traditional for friends to forgive mistakes and move on.


Is this an issue really worth getting that worked up about? Especially since the party hasn't even taken place yet. What is to say that it won't be fun? If we had the party and it sucked, then afterward all this anger and complaints would be understandable. Give it a chance, folks. I plan on going and having a good time. We have a place, we have food, we have friends to spend time with, we have silly games and prizes and favors.

 

OK, thanks. How much advance notice do we need to give in order to come?

 

I'll mention this again at Lifeday but I have found a cardshop near my house and become friends with the owner. He has offered to hold our meetings there. I think that sounds good, it will then again give us our "public" place to meet to help aleaviate concerns of parents of future ponetinl younger members.

 

Same question as Fluke? I might have to work on saturday...I won't know until the day before because I am day to day since I am laid off from work at the moment.

 

Josh -- A cardshop? Like a Hallmark store?? Are there tables for us to sit at? How long could we be there? How much room is there? (as we discovered at Borders, our group takes up alot of room and is a bit loud and rowdy) Is there a 'private' or 'semi-private' place for us, or would we be sitting in the middle of the store? Would he be okay with us brining in snacks?


Rox -- Laid off? That's awful! Sorry to hear it.

As to the notice question, if you want to pick what you get to eat, then by Tuesday evening. If you will be happy eating Spagettii, then by Friday afternoon. Don't PM me though, give me a call on my cellphone, so I can call the restaruant directly and add you in. Hope you guys can make it!

 

"Rox -- Laid off? That's awful! Sorry to hear it."

It's not bad..it's the slow time at my job. I get a decent amount from unemployement so it's not I'm losing money. I actually have caught up on my video game playing. I beat Lord of the RIng: The 3rd Age this week.

 

The card shop Josh refers to is a Gaming Card shop. Not like hallmark. The fellow sells SW miniatures and has tournaments there. Josh can explain more or correct me if I misspoke. I don't know how much room he has, but I think during a conversation between Josh and I that he said the owner would let us have meetings there even if it went past his closing time. I could be wrong on that though.

 

For the secret santa, I had to order the gift for my person from walmart.com. They said it will be here between Wednesday Jan 5 and Tuesday Jan. 11, so if it is late, I apologize, but its not like this was very well organized. If I had more notice of who I was shopping for and when the party was I might have been able to guarantee it was here in time.

 

Wal-mart is evil.

 

If your gift is "in transit," you could wrap a small box with a picture of the item or something like that.

 

What Abbey was planning to do was if it is still in transit, give her person the receipt so they know what they are getting....

 

The place is a gaming shop he has lots of room he is also a magician and runs shows from his shop. He runs Tournaments there for all kinds of games Magic, pokemon Yu-gi-oh just to name a few. He should be posting on here some time soon. There is also a Bishop's pizza right nextdoor for those of us that get hungry.

 

Sounds like it would work. HMmmmmmmmmmmmm. I think I'm going to switch this discussion to another thread, so this thread can remain discussion about Lifeday