Huh. Now I'm questioning my survey design. Maybe I should have added a "can't make XX" and a "can make all" category.

Given the responses here, I think the poll seems fine. Even if some people can make all, they still might want to express a preference. So I don't think another button is needed. And we already had one opportunity to narrow down the dates to those three.

Unfortunately, the reality is that not everybody can make all dates. That's why we vote. If half of the people pick June, so be it. I wouldn't assume that the second choice of July people is the other July date (it's not in my case).

I probably should have abstained, too. If I can make it at all, any day would be okay to some degree. Some are better than others, but none are not doable.

The same goes for me. It won't be the date that determines whether or not I can attend any of the three proposed ones.

Sigh. I hear you, mw, and agree for the most part. I'm just wishing I'd not added the third date. A straight vote, June vs. July, would be a more straightforward and trustworthy result. I think the fact that NYC gets cut out if the two July dates split the vote is my major concern, given the number of people who have said that they could do any of the three or either of the July dates but not the June date. (I'm just trying to be fair and avoid the appearance that I fixed the vote to be the date I could come, not that anyone really thinks that, I hope.)

I will post the results this evening and we will go from there, I guess. It does seem ridiculous to keep voting, but I wanted to at least articulate my concern.

Coffee: I think in the future a good method would be to phrase the question, "I will likely be able to attend..." and allow for multiple responses. That way those who can go to all would select all, etc, and the final winner would actually be the date that the most people could attend, which is our goal.

Second cup of coffee: What I really don't want is for Buffistas I love to feel like I cheated them out of a chance to go to NYC or go at all to be muttering darkly about that damned Pix and her surveys.

Which I know is stupid. Argh. Ignore me.

Preferential voting!

I'm just trying to be fair and avoid the appearance that I fixed the vote to be the date I could come, not that anyone really thinks that, I hope.

What I really don't want is for Buffistas I love to feel like I cheated them out of a chance to go to NYC or go at all to be muttering darkly about that damned Pix and her surveys.

Moooom! Kristin's found a way to rule the world Buffistas!!

IMO it is near impossible to "fix" a vote on this board. The mix of intelligence, stubborness and humor encompassed here does more than just provide vast entertainment. Anyone that would dare to believe otherwise is likely not using their voice enough to create change.

Personally I don't see anyone else volunteering to herd cats the way you have. I sure as hell wouldn't step up to that plate. And if anyone else wants to step up, they are more than welcome to step on up and be heard.

Do you have a preference for when and where, sure, as does anyone, to some degree. You're human. Are you Super Manipulation Girl capable of pulling the wool over everyone's eyes and forcing the F2F to be held where and when you want? Um... well, maybe - but I have my doubts.

(However, if you've found some secret manipulation cloak or spell or somesuch, I'll be wanting to borrow it for my mid-year review in a few months. M'kay?)

Kristin, I think you've done due dilligence in pointing out on the survey that some dates aren't workable for all cities so everyone could keep that in mind as they vote. Dates may be the determining factor for some people, location for others, and specific details of each city's pimping for others still.

Thanks. I know I'm worrying about this way too much. So we will just go with the winner, whatever it may be, and hopefully remember this lesson for next year.

Personally I don't see anyone else volunteering to herd cats the way you have. I sure as hell wouldn't step up to that plate. And if anyone else wants to step up, they are more than welcome to step on up and be heard

And thanks for recognizing this. It does get frustrating to step up and do the work and then have people complain about the results (although at the moment I appear to be the one complaining about my own results, which just makes me point and laugh at myself). I don't particularly want to herd cats, but I do it for a living, so I don't mind too much. :-)

Yes, the emoticon felt necessary at this moment in time.