[TheForge] Abana conference

Thu Mar 1 11:52:06 EST 2007

I would like to make any alternate proposal to having a 2008 ABANA 
conference.

Since the last few ABANA conferences have been extremely expensive, and 
under attended by the it's members,  I would suggest ABANA use some of the 
funds it intended to use for the next conference, to instead purchase 
high-quality video making equipment.
 It would be used to make DVDs of the regional conferences put on by 
affiliate groups throughout the country. It might also be possible to send 
several people to international blacksmith and conferences to record them .
I have been extremely impressed with the  wonderful job that Roger Degner of 
the Upper Midwest Blacksmith's Association has done in recording the 
conferences that he has attended and produced DVDs of, that have  valuable 
instructional material in them.  They are available to individuals for a 
very nominal cost.
Granted the videos aren't the same as being there, but they are orders of 
magnitude better than missing the Demos, when you can't attend in person.
I would strongly suggest that ABANA contact Rodger for advice on how he does 
it.
Chuck

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dave Mudge" <dave at magichammer.net>
To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2007 2:26 AM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] NJ Fairgrounds - Attn: Phlip

> On 2/28/07, Saint Phlip <phlip at 99main.com> wrote:
>> On 2/28/07, Peter Fels And Phoebe Palmer <artgawk at thegrid.net> wrote:
>> > Hey Dan;
>> > Respectfully. the board got boxed. If they could have solved all
>> > the problems as in the past, there would be no discussion.
>> > These are smart, sincere, well meaning folks  who have given us
>> > years off their lives. Cut them some slack please.
>> > They honestly asked for our help. We asked for more info.
>> > Dave offered a taste, indicating that it isn't as simple as we
>> > have presumed.
>>
>> I realize that, too. Thing is, if Dave's negative attitude is typical
>> of the Board, then that's a prime reason why we aren't having a
>> conference in 2008. "No way we can do it, so no way it can be done".
>
> ..........'scuse me? how many board members have you actually talked
> to? All of their contact info is on the web site. How many have given
> you any feed back? enough said.
> The "prime reason " as you put it that we are not having a conference
> is that we made no money from the last conference. period.
>
>> Well, despite this, I am going forward, and seeing if I, knowing
>> little of the specific details they seem to be bogged down in, can
>> find a way to do it.
>
> ..........We are not bogged down in any small details. The ingredients
> for a conference are money, time and local support. We ran out of all
> of those.
>
>>Yes, I'm quite well aware of Tom Clark's efforts-
>> I'd like to meet that man, because he's got the sort of "can do"
>> attitude this effort needs.
>
> .......... Rather than re-inventing the wheel (as the board is so
> often accused of) You would probably do better to offer your support
> to Tom Clark and Bill Calloway. They both have first hand knowledge of
> what it really takes to put on a conference. They want to do it in
> Missouri. I think that is a good idea.
>>
>> Thing is, though, Dave's "taste" is only coming when he can use it to
>> tell me it's impossible- and several of his "impossibilities" I've
>> addressed in previous posts. OTOH, getting the information I need to
>> start figuring this out is like pulling teeth. But, as long as he's
>> giving me information when he's giving the negatives, I'm going to
>> take his lemons, and forget the lemonade, I'm going to make lemon
>> frappe ;-)
>
> ........... Wait a minute, you are the woman who said that you could
> put on an ABANA conference for way under $100k. I have given you a lot
> more information than you ever thought of and now you are saying that
> I am only giving you a "taste". You said that you already knew how to
> do it.
>>
>> > Stop overlaying psychic/emotional flack on the problem.
>> > Gather all the info possible, shed the emotive obfuscations, and
>> > we will all poke at it till damn well it cooperates.....pf
>>
>> Unfortunately, there IS emotion involved, but I'm reminded of one of
>> those annoying sales slogans I got bombarded with back when I was in
>> sales:
>>
>> "Direct your thoughts,
>> Control your emotions,
>> Ordain your destiny."
>>
>> I seriously believe we're at a fork in the road, folks. If we quit on
>> trying to get a conference set up, than we've taken a big step down
>> the road towards letting ABANA die.
>
> Both Clare and I have told you why there is not going to be a 2008
> conference in New York.
>
>>Granted, that's no real disaster
>> in the Grand Scheme of Things, but it will be a serious inconvenience
>> later, when we rediscover that a National Organization has its
>> definite uses.
>
> .......... OK, "no real disaster" OK that is the straw that broke the
> camel's back..
>
>>I realize ABANA isn't perfect, but I'm hoping its flaws
>> are fizable. I'm wlling to try to help save it, but if the negatives
>> I'm getting are typical of the attitude of the entire Board, I'm
>> wondering if it's worth doing.
>>They asked for help-
>
> .........Although Clare did ask for input, she did not direct anyone
> to put together a conference proposal.
>
>>I'm trying to give
>> it- starting with a suggestion they poll the membership, and find out
>> what WE want in a conference. Yet, I see them taking no steps towards
>> doing that, or anything else except saying it can't be done, as
>> expressed by Dave.
>
> ..........In each conference registration pack, there is a feed back
> questionnaire. Each attendee can fill out the questionnaire and let us
> know what they liked and didn't like and offer suggestions for
> improvement. You would know that if you had ever been to an ABANA
> conference. That constitutes a pole of the people that actually attend
> the conference.
>>
>> I'm telling you right now, that it CAN be done- but if the ABANA Board
>> isn't interested in taking positive steps towards saving itself,
>> perhaps it shouldn't be done.
>
> .......... Don't equate the board with a (1) (single) conference. It
> isn't the same.
> And please stop equating ABANA with the SCA.
> Two different things with way different goals.
> Thanks for your input.
> dave m
>
>>The only reason I'm still trying is
>> because Clare said she's interested in at least looking at other ways
>> to do things. I'll take her on her word, but I need to see a few words
>> of encouragement, too.
>>
>> --
>> 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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