Folks arriving in Boston on 12/09, please check in here.

[Island Blue]

First of all !

I know of at least four definites for arriving in Boston on Saturday - me, blm, Beachmom and Fedup. I've been talking to all of you guys about rooms, etc. and just wanted to get the room situation squared away. I thought a thread might be easier than PMing everyone individually because I'm starting to forget who I told what to.

In a few minutes I'm going to book a Junior Suite which features 400 sq. feet, either a king or queen bed (not our choice), and a pull-out sofa bed. If we need to, we can also rent a roll-away bed for just a little extra $$. I think it will be best to have three people in the room.

Are Europegirl and her daughter a definite for Saturday night? If so, maybe the ticket would be to book two of these rooms. (They are HUGH!!!111!!!!!11! btw.)

Fedup and I are coming in on the same flight on Saturday morning. We can stash our luggage at the hotel until our room(s) is ready. Also, anyone who comes in early on Sunday can stash their luggage in our room(s) if they need to.

So anyway, here's a spot to figure everything out.

[blm]

1. I'm good with you all on Saturday afternoon.

Should get to hotel by midafternoon.

[beachmom]

2. I'm in, and very interested in sharing a room

I greatly appreciate you looking into rooms. I don't mind who I room with, just that it's for 3 nights. I fly in in the afternoon Sat. and out in the afternoon on Tues. Other than that, our schedules jive.

[fedupinBushcountry]

3. Just came on and saw your PM

This is a good way to get things in place.

Keep this kicked.

[Island Blue]

4. I've booked a Junior Suite.

I put down that three people would be in the room, but in all honesty, I think we could fit four in there if we get a roll-away bed (and if two people don't mind sharing the King bed - I was able to chose that option, after all).

It's up to us how we want to work it. As long as there are at least two other people, I'm okay.

Do we know Europegirl's plans yet?

Blm is already in the room with me. Like I said, if it's okay with everyone else, I'm groovy with four of us in the room unless either Fedup or Beachmom wants to book a seperate room to share with Europegirl and her daughter.

[beachmom]

5. I'm up for 4 in a room -- that'll greatly reduce our expenses

and will be fun. What does everyone else think?

[blm]

8. Fine by me - I grew up with 7 sisters.

4 brothers, too.

heheh....the poor version of the Kennedys.

[fedupinBushcountry]

9. Wow

My mother had 6 sisters and 3 brothers, and I ended up the only girl with 3 brothers.

[karynnj]

21. I only had 6 sisters and 2 brothers

[blm]

37. heh...that's hardly "only" in this day and age.

.

[fedupinBushcountry]

7. 4 in a room is fine with me

Wasn't there others also coming in on Sat.?

[Island Blue]

11. I'm not sure - If so, I hope they'll check in here.

Why don't we go with it like this - we can plan four to the room I booked, and then later on if someone needs a another roommate (say like EG) someone can switch to Plan B.

Tonight when I have more time, I'll PM each of y'all with the total room cost.

[europegirl4jfk]

10. Maybe you should plan without me for the moment

I think it's better that I wait until I know for sure if I come alone or with my daughter. And if there are other people coming on Saturday we could share with them. Or I book a room myself. Let's wait and see.

[europegirl4jfk]

6. I'm a definite but not my daughter

And it will take at least 10 more days to see if we can get her out of school because she is on fall vacation right now and can only get the dates for her exams after going back to school on November 7th.

[StoryTeller]

12. I GET TO COME TO BOSTON!!!!

I got a new editing client today, and I have enough money to come!!!!!

I'm flying in on Saturday the 9th, but won't get in until 7:45. I don't care who I room with--I'll sleep on the floor or a cot if necessary. I camp, so I'm used to it.

I'm so SO excited! I want to meet all of you, and.... I'm just bouncing!

[beachmom]

13. That's just fantastic! Looking forward to meeting you.

I'll be very interested in how you manage to homeschool, blog, AND write books all on top of caring for your kids anyway.

Not sure how that alters the room situation. Let's wait, and see if others check in.

[StoryTeller]

15. Looking forward to meeting you, too!

Though I'm afraid you may be disappointed as I'm not sure I really have a definitive answer as to how I "manage" it all. Oh, I also freelance edit, and am part of our church's worship team, and lately I've been trying to reach out to some of the prostitutes that frequent our neighborhood. And my oldest daughter has a part in a local production of the Nutcracker Ballet.

I'm feeling overwhelmed just thinking about all of it!

So see, I NEED to come to Boston, just to have a few days off!!!

[karynnj]

14. Yay!

I can't wait to meet you - this will be cool. (We're coming on Sunday - because we're going to a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday.)

[StoryTeller]

16. I can't wait to meet you, too!

I decided to come in on Saturday because it was significantly cheaper to do so. I don't know why, but Sunday would have jumped me up by a hundred dollars or more!

[globalvillage]

17. That's great news!

Can't wait to see you again. This is going to be awesome!

[StoryTeller]

22. Yeah, I want to see you again, too!

Hey, GV, you'll be so proud of me--I finally got a chance to go down to the Jim Esch campaign office today and spent a couple hours volunteering. All I did was look up disconnected phone numbers in the phone book to see if we could get a valid number for some people. I came ready to go out door to door with whoever wanted to take me, but I found out that they don't call or walk neighborhoods during any Nebraska football games! Makes sense to me--college football is practically a religion around here.

Anyway, I brought home some of the phone sheets, and some phone sheets to actually make some calls, too.

It was fun! And if I do this now, I can go to the Victory Party and feel like I actually belong there because I did something useful to help out.

[globalvillage]

23. Don't I know it.

Folks live for the Huskers in NE. I have some friends who traveled from Omaha to Pittsburgh for the game!
Great that you're hard at work. You're making a difference!
See you soon.

[TayTay]

18. OMG, this is great (Awesome, fantastic, incredible and joyous!!!)

Ahm, me too!



You will have fun, cuz we always have fun when we get together.

Oh, I am so excited StoryTeller, this is just awesome. Congratulations on the everything working out (ah, if I may, somebody up there likes you kiddo, they aligned the stars on this for you!)

[StoryTeller]

24. Thanks TayTay!

I will be in GREAT need of fun by the time I get to go. That's just about the only free weekend in December that we had, so it worked out just barely that way, too.

I do feel a tiny bit guilty, because there's so many other more urgent or practical things we need to be spending our money on. But I just felt like I couldn't pass this up. And getting to spend time with friends and make new friends is as important as anything else in life, and maybe more so. So I'm going to squeeze every drop of enjoyment out of it as I can.

[TayTay]

19. So, good people, what awaits you in boston anyway?

(I am not starting a new thread on this for a reason. I want this to be low-key for awhile. Cuz it is low-key right now. I don't want a separate thread yet for what is going on in Boston.)

This year's B-Day Party will not be like last years. I don't think there will be a formal event in a hotel. That is actually fine by me.

However, you still might want to pack something nice to wear. I cannot tell you why this is, I am asking you to trust me. I will know more in mid November. Ahm, can I give you a hint, not really, but you might want to review those threads about what happened in NH at the dinner that some of us attended on 10/13. All the hints you need are in there.

Right now we need to concentrate on getting our logistics together, which is exactly what this thread is doing. Once we have the hotel rooms and arrival times together, we can go on from there.

Trust me. Bring a camera. We will have fun. And then some.

[Island Blue]

20. Sounds like this could get very interesting.

As if I wasn't already excited enough.

[StoryTeller]

25. Um, "something nice"--more specifics?

How nice is "nice"? I tend to over-dress for things because I just LOVE dressing up, but it really isn't very comfortable to be wearing an evening gown in a room full of skirts and blouses. Know what I mean?

[TayTay]

27. When I go out with my husband to Christmas parties

I generally try to dress warmly. Hmmmm, you're mileage may vary.

When I go out to office Christmas parties, I dress warmly, but a little more formally.

When I got to weddings I get all dolled up (to the extent I am able to.)

This falls somewhere between. In as far as I know. Not jeans, per se, not a wedding.

Serious discussion of what to wear is premature. Cuz I do not know. It has not yet been fixed in stone, or discussed in detail or, pretty much at all yet. Can I leave you with one more trust me and a promise, iron-clad of course, to pick this very subject up again in mid November?

[StoryTeller]

28. Of COURSE we trust you!

But do try to give at least clothing-related details as soon as you can. Sale racks wait for no one, you know. *grin*

And besides, we need to have something to obsess about!

[TayTay]

31. I wanted to bring this up because there is no e-mail announcing

a party. The folks in this group are pretty smart cookies and would notice that no emails went out saying, come party with us. So, the next logical question to ask the Boston contingent here is: Why no emails announcing a party? Cuz it's not like last year. Don't worry, be happy.

However, come to Boston. Bring a camera. Bring a nice outfit. We will have some fun. Promise.

[StoryTeller]

32. Sounds fabulous! (nt)

[rox63]

26. Intriguing...

You know Tay, not knowing will absolutely kill me until you are able to reveal more. But suprises are usually fun, so we'll just have to be patient and wait to find out more.

[beachmom]

35. I'm with Rox -- surprises are indeed fun!

They're normally reserved for children, so I'm just enjoying all of this promise of fun to be had by all!

Maybe, Rox, you can be a motivator to the rest of us on losing weight, cuz, I think I need to lose weight for this event!!

[rox63]

36. I'm down by 40 lbs since late July

I've got approx 75 lbs more to go until I reach my goal weight. So I have no idea what size I'll be in early December. I'm gonna wait until a week or two before the par-tay before going out and buying a special outfit for it. Pardon my bouncing, but I'm told it's good exercise.

[Island Blue]

38. That's fantastic Rox!

I'm so happy for you. You deserve a special outfit, that's for sure!

[karynnj]

30. Will those of us arriving Sunday be early enough?

[TayTay]

33. Abso-frickin-lutely.

And, when I have something concrete to report I will tell you.

But I did not want people to fret about their being no hotel party and no email announcing same. Again, don't worry, be happy. It's all good. No worries, no problems.

[rox63]

34. A likely thread to check out

I went digging, and this thread looks ripe for review - all the hints you need indeed...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[ProSense]

29. Wow, this is a

bouncy, enthusiastic thread!

Still haven't made arrangements, but I'll be there, and on Saturday!

I'll get it together by the end of this week!

The excitement is building!