[TheForge] ABANA is NOT dead...

[dann at wctatel.net]

Phlip,

Puttin' my $ where my mouth  is, yop.  I'd send in $150 advance ticket fee
for seed money. That for a member class " abana light " conference.

Dann


> On 2/22/07, dann at wctatel.net <dann at wctatel.net> wrote:
>>
>> Phlip,
>>
>> I think Dave Mudge is a stand up guy for being willing to take on the
>> sometimes caustic banter from this list.
>
> I agree. And, I know on a GOOD day, my comments can blister paint ;-)
>
>> That said, this thread with the all or nothing costly vision of "World
>> Class" ABANA Conference, pretty much fried me.  The recent ABANA
>> Conferences ahve scaled up to become  budget busting for both ABANA and
>> the bulk of the membership.
>>
>> I know that I am not "world class blacksmith".  I joined to learn, and
>> maybe to share a bit of what I have learned with newer "wannabe smiths".
>
> Yep. I'm in the same spot.
>
>> I don't expect to drive a new BMW. I drive a 10 yearold toyota, because
>> it
>> runs good and I can afford it.   My blacksmithing tools are similary
>> aged.
>> I got to thinking that maybe the ABANA board by pricing me out of the
>> conventions  has set its sights on "World Class" membership.
>>
>> Emotions run high, and mine did too.  I pretty much decided to drop my
>> ABANA membership when the "WORLD CLASS" $600 New York convention got
>> revealed.
>>
>>
>> Dann
>
> Believe me, I can understand your thinking. Only reason I could afford
> to go to Seattle is I made it part of my work contract ;-)
>
> But, while they may have made a serious mistake by going in the
> direction they've been going, it seems to me they're realizing that,
> and trying to fix it.
>
> I mean, you remember the old song,
>
> "You can't ride in my little red wagon,
> Front seat's broken and the axle's dragging..."
>
> Well, we've been singing the song long enough. It's now time to fix
> the bloody thing ;-)
>
> I think the ABANA board has made some serious mistakes in the
> direction they've been trying to lead us. But, I also feel they're
> recognizing it, and are at least open to fixing it.
>
> What you choose to do, is, of course, entirely your choice, and I'll
> respect that. However, from my point of view, we really do need
> something like ABANA, and it seems to me that it's going to be an
> awful lot more sensible to try to fix it, than to scrap it, and down
> the road find out that we need to reinvent the wheel.
>
> I'm going to try to help, at least as long as I feel they're trying to
> help themselves. If, however, Clare's letter turns out to be nothing
> more than pretty words, well, I'll be out of here myself.
>
> But I'm going to give them a chance. Wanna help?
>
> Meantime, I've been crunching some numbers, and getting some
> estimates, and I'm betting, if they let me, I could put on a
> conference for no more than $150 per attendee, and likely less. It
> would include free camping, although if you want a motel room, you'd
> be on your own, and would likely include a community cook out. I'm
> sure I could reserve blocks of rooms at motels nearby for a discount
> for ABANA members- we (the SCA) have done this sort of thing before.
> But, I think I could get all the basics set up and included, and have
> luxuries readily available. More numbers I've been gewtting, the
> better it looks.
>
> Hey, all I can do is try...
>
> --
> Saint Phlip
>
> Heat it up
> Hit it hard
> Repent as necessary.
>
> Priorities:
>
> It's the smith who makes the tools, not the tools which make the smith.
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