N Just to clarify on the hotel price. My original quote was $89 for the current hotel. Then I asked about wifi, saying that was a dealbreaker issue. Normally that is an added $12/day. Instead of that we were offered a rate of $95/day. So we could lower the room rate and and add ons.

Nicole, sounds like we have a bs concensus for the 25th. Would you email Inge?

I was all geared up to come to this years F2F and then our shitweasel of a governor passed his budget repair bill. The new deductions that will be coming out of my paycheck starting this month amount to 10% of my net take-home pay. The good thing is I get 3% back at the end of June when our current contract expires. That still means paring something around $130 a month out of my budget. I haven't figured out my taxes yet, so there is a very slim outside chance I may be able to attend if I get a large enough return, but at this point I'm pretty much resigned to not coming not just this year, but through 2013. (The budget is bienniel.)

I haven't been taking part in the discussion because that's far beyond my event planning horizon, and this year I probably wouldn't know for sure if I could go until I was there, possibly later. It's not for lack of interest, though. FWTW.

Yeah, I'm interested -- it's just that I have no idea what I've doing this summer, so I can't say yet when I will or will not be free.

Ok -- here's the good news: I did my taxes!

Here's the bad news: the amount we owe? Too much. No way to pay it, summer travel and camp for M, and come to the F2F. So I am womaning up, and being resposible AND IT FUCKING BITES.

FUCKITY.

Suz, if you see this, I got your vm and called back but you haven't set up vm yet on your phone so I couldn't leave a msg.

JZ, Sail, Erin, would staying with me or Suzi change anything? I can't do much about the flights but if bunking somewhere other than the hotel helps enough, just let one of us know.

Also, wondering if people like beer enough for me to stock the hospitality suite with what I can get free from work. Employee Sales gives us 3 free cases a month of whatever they have in stock each week. If it's part of the MillerCoors portfolio (Miller, Coors, Keystone, Killians, Blue Moon, Pabst, etc.) I can probably get it sometime between now and the F2F. It's not hard alcohol but it is free.

Nicole, that is awfully gracious of you, but I'm looking at about $1000 for taxes, $600 for flights for M and about $500 for just a couple of weeks of 1/2 day camps (part of parenting agreement.)

I just can't. And I hate it.

Ouch! And damn I hate it, too.

If one of us wins the lottery, first order of business is a plane ticket to Denver for Erin.

Nah, I have been the beneficiary of Buffistas largesse before; it's someone else's turn!

Unless it's an obscenely LARGE lottery prize, and then you can send me anywhere. (Also, I would like a fancy bathtub and a Kindle. Kthx!)

We've only made it to a few F2F gatherings. It has been Matt's work schedule. or family obligations - not even at t hat time, but ones that took money. I haven't really looked for this year yet. but my work schdule could be the culprit this time.