Yes, but.....2

[PamDugger]

I thought it might be easier if we started a second thread and leave that first one alone. I will repost the opening post from the first thread. So, if anyone wants to post their comments to this thread so all can see them, here is a place to do it.

"I generally had a great time at the Gathering, but there was one major flaw. Not adhering to the published daily schedule times was most unprofessional and aggravating. Many of us missed or nearly missed lectures because times were altered. If Jennifer hadn't popped into the vendor room and announced that Sara Sally was beginning her talk (15 minutes ahead of the published time....) we would have missed a significant part of the lecture! I fail to see the purpose of this spontaneous change. I know I am not alone in this gripe.
Next time, stick to the schedule and we will all be happy.
Barbara Simon"

[BarbaraSvetlick]

I won't repost my original posts but I was at the door of the vendor area when someone came in telling everyone that Sara Sally had begun early. I have read all the posts and especially those by the Board as well as have gone through the General Meetings for the last several Gatherings in the Members Section under Board Minutes. These include a lot of input from the members, figures on those Gatherings, etc. The issue of starting a presentation earlier then the printed schedule was brought up after Miami so it is not a new issue. There is logically no reason to begin any presentation earlier then the schedule especially knowing that many of the members are using the breaktimes to eat, go to the restroom, shop at the vendor area, return to the hotel or just take an outside break. There was no one scheduled immediately after Sara so she could have used her slot as well as run into the next slot without a problem. Starting her early had no valid reasoning and since it was the Board's decision to do that then I don't understand their responses or maybe they just don't understand that when you travel across the country and pay to attend the Gathering you want to get as much out of it as you can.

[MarcyLamberson]

I kind of wonder whether the numbers are a bit lower because of not only the economic times, but because of the location for next year's Gathering? I have heard a lot of friends are saving up for next year. And I know the numbers were a bit lower, but you know, this year I got a chance to meet more new people, which I thoroughly enjoyed-- and get to know them a bit better. Other then the started too early part, I think the pacing is pretty nice. I want time to pop back in to the vendor's area or to even drop something in my room.

And as a fundraising idea, I think it would be fun if we rented one of those photo booths, so we could have some great instant shots of our friends together.

[BarbaraSvetlick]

Marcy that is so funny because Lewis said last night that a photobooth would be a hoot [of course we use them every time we find one] so I think it would be a great idea.

[Nina"Sam"Hibler]

Love the photo booth idea!



I checked out some of the rental places
Digital Photo Booth
$1,475 - 5 Hours Included
CD copy of all photos taken- FREE
Graphic artwork on strip - FREE
Text customization on strip - FREE
Additional Hours - $100 / Hour
Deposit - $300
*Sales tax and travel fees may apply.

5 Hour Package - $1,069
The WOW factor for your event!
"FREE" Unlimited Photos
"FREE" CD With All Booth Images
Duplicate Photo Strips
On-Site Attendant
"FREE" Props & Custom Message
Additional Time
$150 each additional hour

If this was a fundraiser how much would you pay for a photo?

I'll keep researching it. Just sound like great fun. And I bet with a little work I can find one cheaper!
Sam

[Karen]

Ok. This is the ISGB website. These two threads are the only thing that anyone has to say about the Gathering? Gee, guess I didn't miss anything. (That seems unlikely, but there isn't anything on this forum that would make me want to save up for next year.)

Doesn't anyone want to talk about the great things they learned or the great things they bought or the great peeps they met at this year's Gathering? The apathy is incredible.

HAS anyone fessed up to being responsible for the timetable screwup? That sucks. Shouldn't someone have noticed before the Gathering was over?

[Jeri]

Hi Karen - I had a great time at this Gathering, even though I wasn't thrilled about returning to Louisville, my reluctance was mistaken. Louisville was great, restaurants, galleries, the Hyatt, it all was very easy to manage and very cool. The new food mall across from the hotel was very handy.
I took a class with Robert Dancik, I was excited about it, since I have his book and know his work. He was an excellent teacher. Taught the syllabus plus anything else we asked of him. I met great people in the class, some of whom I knew about but had never met. Of course I bought tools from Robert, and am now excited about combining his jewelry influence into my work.
My DH Neil, took a class with Kobuki. Not only did he manage his first three boro marbles EVER, he came home with marble molds, and was very pleased with the class.
At the membership meeting, Lewis Wilson raised the issue of whether there should be non-beadmakers as the featured presenters (among others of course). I, for one, love the cross pollination with other related disciplines. We had a great presentation from Don Friedlich (glass but perhaps not strictly beads) and also from Robert Dancik (faux bone, copper, and much other stuff) and I thought both were relevant not merely enjoyable. I thought virtually all the presentations were excellent and polished and I thought the Board put together a great line up.
I ate a lot, drank a fair amount, missed one of the gallery exhibits (sigh) and won two great beads at the auction on Saturday night and swapped for more on Sunday night. Plus, I was involved in putting together an auction lot that raised $2300 for the ISGB - NO apathy there!
It was a lovely Gathering, I'm sorry you missed it, and I think next year will be a home run for sure. WHEW, Jeri
ps - I too was grouchy about the time issue, but fixing it is no big deal. As for responsibility, I think everyone I asked about it knew it was happening, and it was kind of uncontrollable this time around. I'm sure all of the constructive suggestions we include in our surveys will deal with it. I have about 5 things in my notes, I can't wait to share with the Board, for smoothing bumps next year.

[AngieRamey]

Ok. This is the ISGB website. These two threads are the only thing that anyone has to say about the Gathering? Gee, guess I didn't miss anything. (That seems unlikely, but there isn't anything on this forum that would make me want to save up for next year.)

Doesn't anyone want to talk about the great things they learned or the great things they bought or the great peeps they met at this year's Gathering? The apathy is incredible.

HAS anyone fessed up to being responsible for the timetable screwup? That sucks. Shouldn't someone have noticed before the Gathering was over?

Karen, I apologize for the lack of reporting on the Gathering here at the forum. Honestly....I posted about my trip on my blog instead of here simply because it gets more views! LOL! Not sure I'm allowed to post a link to it here, but if you want to read more about my experiences there, just pm me.

[Nina"Sam"Hibler]

Jeri I really enjoyed the wonderful exhibit you put together at Glassworks. It was so beautiful and so great to see the creative and innovative ways people used the tutorials in your book using the techniques to create beads of the their own.
The stand Neil made where wonderful.
And Jeri worked her "patootti" off getting the magazines signed and the beads donated for the silent auction. Thank you for 2 of the things I enjoyed this year.

Karen

There are many more. I loved Louisville and really got to see more this time I would go back there for a vacation. Monday after the Gathering we walked around downtown and enjoyed the art on the street. We went back to the Kentucky Museum so my friend from St. Louis could see the Convergence III exhibit.

Gallery Jonjobe was wonderful (now I did have some pendent's there) but even if my work was not there my opinion would be: what a beautiful and interesting gallery and the owners went all out for ISGB they even made bourbon balls- can you say yum

Surface - the exhibition at Flame run was awesome. It made me so proud to be an ISGB member. To see the beads beautifully displayed( Neil's stand right?) To see our members producing such excellent work stepping up and saying look at what we do. To me this really shows beads in the light I want the world to see them as little works of art.

Now some people didn't find the cozy bar but there was plenty of bead looking and trading and fun had there every night.
Lets see I could go on all night.
I was so happy to see Shruti I must have hugged her 100 times and we even stole a few minutes to sit down and talk.
The Arkansas crew that drove together and had a great time I loved seeing them!

More later, there is more

Sam

[LewisWilson]

Yes, Jeri. I stood up on the floor and put forth a motion, citing the COR as why I have the right to present that motion to be voted on then, and then if passed, to be voted on by all members.
I was asked if I really wanted to do this and how I was going to present it. This coming right after I had actually presented the motion. I SAID that I was invoking my rights as a member in good standing to present a motion during the general meeting. You should also know that in the weeks prior to the gathering I had 8-10 phone calls and e-mails with Kendra. Many were about me presenting this motion. I was told that it would be on the agenda. It was not. And if anyone knows me, I am not meek or quiet in phone calls or e-mails when told that my motion would be on the agenda. It just seemed that some how “people’ somewhere did not want to hear this.
So I made my motion “ That the majority of all future master presenters be glassworkers” . This was immediately, within seconds , changed to become “that all master presenters and/ or presenters be glassworkers”. I yelled back immediately to be corrected. Dozens of people around me thought that I was crazy for trying to get attention so loudly about my words being changed. But it just took seconds for them to hear the wrong words repeated again. What was going on?
So, now,, at least those that read this thread will know what the true motion was.
So . imagine how happy I was this evening, two weeks after it was passed on the floor vote , to get an e-mail asking about how I should word my “question” so that it could be included in the gathering survey.
My “question” was a motion that was passed ,and should now be making it’s way to being voted on by the ENTIRE membership. The fact that I am now being asked to submit it as a question in a survey is repulsive. I hope that this is just incompetence. I would not like to think it is being done on purpose. It is not like I am going to remain quiet.
So Jeri, you had a great gathering. I did not. I did have fun seeing a few old friends and meeting new ones. But where were the many old friends?The ones that just stopped coming. Many old friends that might have returned to see excellent lectures. I have been to all the gatherings, except Chicago and Rochester. And this one was lacking. Five demos that were all glass. Two or three were advanced. A couple were beginner to medium level. A glass conference should have glass demos, and lots of them. This was just not good enough. Where were the very advanced presenters that we have had over the years? I am not slighting John Kobuki or any others. But where were the great ones?
The problem with having Sara Sally start early was because Sara Sally was told to start. Sara knows who told her, I and many more know who told her. Could that person just fess up and say , ‘yes, I had Sara Sally start early” . At this late date we are not really expecting a reason.
Because of the early start: Sara Sally might have wondered why there were not many at her lecture; people –following the true schedule-could have gone to their hotel rooms, bathroom, vendor room; more bidding on silent auction. This was just not professional.
On Saturday the public is allowed to pay to come into the bead bazaar and also the vendor area. These two areas were in the same room, but were separated by pipe and drape on Friday and Sunday. Why was the vendor who opened the curtains between yelled at for letting the paying customers see that we also has a vendors area that they had also paid to visit, but might not have know because of the curtains. There was not great signage directing buyers coming into the bead bazaar towards the vendor area.
I sat here for over two weeks thinking about how to phrase my thoughts.
Tonights e-mail told me to stand up and dust off my shirt.
I have been approached by many asking if I was maybe going to run for office or stand up and give a speech or put on a show like Micky Roonie and Judy Garland. Well. This is not a fairy tale . It is real life and Santa just got shot by the Easter Bunny. There are very serious people doing very serious things to try to make ISGB be fun again and worthy of saving . Too many good friends have turned away. It is sad.
Yesterday I e-mailed ISGB asking to listen in on the board meeting of August 15. I was e-mailed back a phone number and access code. As members, we all are allowed to listen in on all board meetings. It is a simple way of being connected and seeing how things are done. As many as possible should listen in on the board meetings. By our COR we are entitled.
Before I posted this I went back and reread every one of the posts on the first “Yes, but…” thread. It is incredible that within all the 91 posts ( NINETY ONE!!!) there were zero mentions of demos that people liked. Not one demo was sited or mentioned in 91 posts about this gathering. Even by those defending it. NOT ONE.
This is just a small vent. I am not happy. I do expect soon for my motion to be moved along to the members for a vote. All I asked was that we have glass presenters at out glass conference. Or at least the majority.
Lewis C Wilson