Reasons for Attending Baitcon

[mytheria.livejournal.com]

After a discussion recently, I am wondering if my reasons for going are universal.
So far these are some likely goals I could think of:

Strengthen/ renew current social connections

Create new social connections

Have new experiences

Have experiences similar to previously enjoyed experiences

Help create an environment for the above (kitchen duty, make ice creams, make art, tend fire, etc.)

Get time in the woods

What are the others you feel I've missed?

Thanks and apologies

[tikva.livejournal.com]

Hi, folks.

I just want to apologize to everyone in Cabin B for the disturbances on Friday night. Brodie barked every time someone walked by our cabin, and since we were in the front cabin, that was a lot. :( I was absolutely mortified, and would gladly have taken the dog and slept in the car for the night, but the car was parked in such a way that I wouldn't have been able to get in. (If it's any consolation, we also woke up every time she barked, so we didn't get much sleep either). bester and I agreed that it would be unfair to expect folks to go through that two nights in a row, so we headed home on Saturday afternoon. But thank you all so much for your patience and for not coming after us with pitchforks.

In future years, I will either request a back cabin, request a hut, or leave the Brodester at home and try to cane it for the weekend. Please do not hold Brodie's behavior against other guide dogs who might attend Baitcon in the future, as many of them are a lot quieter than our Ms. Muppet.

Upon arrival home, her behavior for the rest of the weekend was, of course, near-perfect. *sigh* I guess she's a city girl at heart.

Apologies also to JB - I don't mean to be an agent of chaos; it just kinda happens!

Anyway, thanks again for your patience, and it was good to see folks. Brodie would apologize too, except, well, she's Brodie.

My very first Baitcon

[wren13.livejournal.com]

was absolutely marvelous.  I had a wonderful time just hanging out for the weekend.  As someone who helps organize a similar event elsewhere, I was tremendously impressed with the amenities of the campsite and the organizational abilities of the folks running this lovely event.  Many kudos to everyone who made this weekend work, it was a very good thing for me to relax with many kind folk that I never seem to get caught up with in real life.

  And I think I've convinced sebastian_tombs to join us next year as well.  Just need to find a better dogsitting situation.

Thanks JB and Kimberly for letting me into this wonderful event!!!  Many joyous wishes upon your house! 

Baitcon XIX: pictures

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

I have to collect my thoughts in order to describe what an amazing and fabulous experience this was, but that's for later.  This is the photo post.

All photos are at http://flickr.com/photos/qwrrty/sets/72157605899064721/. Highlights below:

( pix! )

Pictures!

[wotw]

Almost entirely unpruned; almost entirely unretouched:

http://www.wotw.biz/baitcon.08

Links to higher-res versions (by clicking on the existing 640x480s) don't
currently work but should by tomorrow.

So, you hated the Mango Beer Sorbet

[halleyscomet.livejournal.com]

I was quite surprised to see the Mango Beer not only make it to the "Better than ceviche" list but apparently get the second highest number of votes. I was initially perplexed. The beer from which it was made went over well and I've gotten a number of compliments on it. I'd started with a homebrew wheat beer kit and added some brewer's mango flavoring. The decision to make it into sorbet came from the Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Cookbook, where they mentioned that beer has just the right sugar and alcohol quantities to be dumped into an ice cream maker without further adulteration.

Fortunately for me, I encountered a man who was actively discussing the sorbet when I walked past. He used the phrase "Tasted Rotten" and then talked about the hops probably being at fault. He not only disliked it, but had a good idea as to WHY he hated it. I'd just decided I needed to pick his brain, when one of the people to whom he was speaking pointed at me and said "He made the sorbet." This was about as good an introduction as I could have hoped for.

What followed was an enlightening conversation about where I had gone wrong and where I might go in the future. Before I post some of the ideas that came from that conversation, I'd like to get some feedback from all y'all.

Why did you dislike the Mango Beer Sorbet?

What did you hear about the Mango Beer Sorbet?

What would you do differently?

As you can guess from this post, I intend to revisit the flavor, believing it has potential. No doubt, everyone who tastes the revised flavor next year will be glad of any feedback I get now. :)

taiko classes

[forgotten-aria.livejournal.com]

Normally I wouldn't use this community for advertising, but the drums we used this weekend were very gracously on loan from Odaiko New England, so I think this post is a small price to pay.

If you liked the taiko and are interested in trying it, Odaiko New England is having a free introductory class in Woburn tomorrow, July 1st. If you are interested please contact:

Mark H. Rooney, Director
Email: class@onetaiko.org
Telephone: 857-225-2095

More information on the classes is here: http://onetaiko.org/classes.html

And let them know that Cat and the others who performed this weekend sent you. This will let them know that lending us drums is a good thing and help ensure they'll do so again next year.

Also let me know if you want to be on the Odaiko New england mailing lists for news about shows by the ensemble members (the people who are really good at it.) You can email info@onetaiko.org to be added.

Again, sorry to advertise, but it was really nice for them to let us take their very expensive drums up to a predicted to be rainy mountain for a whole weekend.

And thank you for letting me share taiko with you all.

Photos

[donnad.livejournal.com]

My Baitcon photos are here.
Please do not link to them.

Page 1

Page 2

photos up at Flickr

[hammercock.livejournal.com]

My Baitcon photos are here. If you see yourself in any of them and would really prefer it not be public, let me know and I can make them private or friends-only.

pictures!

[forgotten-aria.livejournal.com]

Here are my pictures. Not too many of them. A big thanks to JB for taking pictures of the taiko with my camera for me.

http://web.mit.edu/cat/images/baitcon200806/

More pictures!

[penk.livejournal.com]

Continuing the roll call of pictures...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/planet-geek/sets/72157605903759531/

Feel free to update / comment / make fun of / laude :)

help needed - unloading the Baitcon van

[kimberlogic.livejournal.com]

If you can help unload the Baitcon van tonight in either Littleton or Somerville, please call 617 NICE ZEN to find out what time the van should arrive at each location.

Thanks!

Baitcon photos

[theloriest.livejournal.com]

Pictures are sorted and posted.

HERE