@detroitmechworks
to remind everyone and I'll front page it and sticky it for a day or so.

#1.1 I've thrown three of these and they're always a great time, I find. Speaking of which, not meaning to hijack, but the PDX one is on the 16th of Dec. Noon at the Lucky Lab. Tell your friends, enjoy the cider. (I really like their blackberry one...)

@BORG_US_BORG Grew up in Tumwater/Oly/Lacey area back when it wasn't part of Seattle. Very familiar with the area although been awhile since I've been back. I'll look you up next time I come through, sounds like it won't be hard to find you. Just go in to town and ask where the C99er is.

#6.2 Indeed.

Oakville is smaller, but where I'm moving is up Hwy 12 from there. It was a township, that has been absorbed by Elma. It's a Census Designated Place / Unincorporated Community. It's one of the least populated places in Washington at 238 people over 8.9 square miles. There's like 12 houses in the "downtown" and it's a two block walk to the Chehalis river. It's pretty sweet.

@Benny Feb would be better than March. In March, every college student north of the Mason-Dixon--and some south of it--wants to come to FL and sit on the beach. And drink, of course.

I'm not judging--the only reason I didn't have the same feelings in college was because I not only went to college in Florida but was born and raised here, and so I learned to avoid the beach in March rather than seek it (why court the crowds when you can go to the beach most anytime?)--but being part of a drunk crowd is only fun, I find, when you too want to be drunk. Being even remotely sober in a drunk crowd is not fun at all, at all. Unless you're at a rock concert and the musicians are awesome.

So C99 would be better served to visit my lovely state sometime before March 1 or after April 8. April is, actually, a rather good time to come to FL. September used to be, but September seems to be becoming Big Storm Month. I hope that pattern doesn't hold.

#9.2 If it could be arranged a couple of months ahead (ie Feb or March) maybe some of those of us with cabin fever could also meet up down in FL.

Have fun in Cortland for those meeting up pre-Twelfth Night.

@Wink this is great stuff, Wink

you're reminding me of how to be an organizer!

I think some of those parts of me got a bit damaged in D.C.--not from disuse, but from being in a pretty horrible time and place. Last time I did anything like this was Occupy.

#9.2
the merrier. I envision monthly Local Meetups (within 20 miles /mins.) (east of Mississippi); Quarterlies (within 150 miles /2.5 hours); with the summer or fall Quarterly an Annual Meetup (within 350 miles /6 hours), so 3 Quarterly meetups and 1 Annual. Move the Quarterly and Annual Meetups around so the same people aren't driving the farthest every time. A little more difficult west of the Mississippi.
On the calendar it would look like:
Jan. Quarterly
Feb. Local
Mar. Local
Apr. Quarterly
May Local
Jun. Local
Jul. Annual
Aug. Local
Sep. Local
Oct. Quarterly
Nov. Local
Dec. Local

So, 8 Local meetups, 3 Quarterly and 1 Annual in a calendar year.
That's very busy, but if you get to even half of those that's a pretty successful year.
The point of monthly Local meetups, of course, is to bring someone with you. Mostly to show that new someone that s/he is Not alone. Many others feel the same way, and some of them are here tonight! Get that new someone to the next Local or, better yet, Quarterly, and there's a good chance s/he shows up at the next Local, becomes a regular like the rest of us.
Local: Just need a pub or restaurant willing to host your Local. Be sure to order a burger and beer to pay for the hospitality!
Quarterly: Need a small conference room (less than 100 ppl) at a Days Inn or similar hotel.
Attendees should expect to pay $20-$30 to cover cost of room, food.
Dinner in the conference room, followed by meeting.
Annual: Bigger conference room, bigger hotel. One or Two-night stay. Dinner and Meeting, After Meeting networking, morning Breakfast. $45 to cover conf. room, dinner (one night). Room, breakfast extra. Figure $200 (one night) to $400 (two nights). Way Way cheaper than N.N.!

That's the Long View, of course, a year or two down the road, but there's no reason why it can't happen, why We can't make it happen. Imagine your Local meetup w/ 20 ppl.! Even ten and you've got something going on! You've got 10 people at a Downtown event! That's Yuuuge!