I'd love to see you, Brenda. I'm going up to Nashville Thursday, but I'm planning to come back Sunday or Monday, depending on how Mom is.

All your Cass are belong to me, and we are both wearing inside pants.

Mine, mine, mine, mine. t /Nemo

Though my wireless is twitching for Lee and so I have her shackled to the router instead. But on the couch, so she's comfy.

All your Cass are belong to me,

Meanie.

and we are both wearing inside pants.

Oh! Good plan. I should do that.

You kids have fun!

I've updated the F2F page [link] with some more area information. I'm going to keep adding things to do and restaurants, and I'm working on a printable map.

We do need to make a decision about the Prom.

The ballroom costs $900 plus $175 clean up. The hospitality suite will cost about $240 if we don't have the ballroom, but as I understand it is included in the ballroom prices.

We have to have a licensed bartender, and a friend who's a bartender said she'd like to do it. The standard pay for that is $100-$150 for three hours, plus tips. I really don't know how to budget for alcohol. If someone has any information on a standard bar setup, or would like to take over the entire alcohol question, that would be great. I'm particularly inept in the wine department, but I'll make sure there's good beer.

We can get trays from a number of nearby restaurants, e.g. [link] [link] [link] and/or trays from the DeKalb Farmers Market or the nearby Publix or Whole Foods. We'll also be out some for plastic dishes and cups.

The ballroom is just an old, funky, large room. (There are pictures on the website. It's the room with the pillars.) If we wanted it decorated, we'd have to do it ourselves. On the other hand, we'd be in charge. Disco ball, baby! Also, we have the room all day Saturday until 12-1 a.m., so if we could move a television down there for DVD viewing.

I'm estimating the total cost at maybe $1,600-$1,750, although some of my calculations came out of my ass. When I did the poll a couple of weeks ago, only 20 people said they were coming. If it's only 20 people, we can have the prom at my house. I think that figure's low. If it's 30 people, we'd need $55-$60 per head. If it is only 20, we might be able to use the one room at Manuel's that can be shut off from the rest of the bar, but I think we'd still be limited in how loud we could do the music. That may seem high, but remember, at some other hotels, the cost of people's rooms paid for the prom facility.

Right now The Highland Inn is holding the ballroom for us, but they're going to call me if a wedding or something comes along, and at that point we'll have to fish or cut bait.

What do people think? Shall we just estimate the head cost at $55 and have people start sending money? Find some other way to downsize?

I won't be around a lot the next couple of days, because I'll be in Nashville. I wanted to get people thinking about this.

I'll certainly throw money at the Prom whether I can actually attend or not. I like the sound of having a big room available for a TV during the day - the hospitality suite was packed to the gills for Scooby Road last year. Using the ballroom sounds like the easiest way to go, and the cost seems comparable to previous years estimates.

What -t said. I've always chipped in for prom even if I didn't go and I'm sure many others will do the same thing this year. Plus, disco ball!

I'm willing to contribute, too. But it sounds very much like this is going to be a very small do, compared with DC, Chicago and the west coast ones. I haven't heard any of the west coasties say they're coming, with the exception that if things go well *one* of the Zmayhem may be able to come.

I think we need a head count of peeps who are planning to come, *unless* prevented by last-minute circumstances, with those who *hope* to come but haven't yet commited. A count would give us a better gauge of how large a room we're going to need for Hospitality, and for Prom.

If I'm being an unreasonable pessimist about the numbers, feel free to shoot me down.

I'm with -t and Sail. I'm planning to come but I'll gladly chip in for Prom even if I can't. And having the Prom in the ballroom where we're staying sounds like the best option.

How soon do we have to book our rooms to be sure we'll get one?

I have no idea, Bev. I'm trying another poll. We got 20 yes or probably answers the last time around, but since then it seems like more people have talked about coming.