Also, near the end there's a splendid picture of Nicole's gorgeous eyes.

Oh! That blue eyes pic is the Nicole everyone's raving about? The raves were not without merit.

I could recaption the pic, if people want, just so we know who to attribute ownership of them to. In fact, I will go do that.

I know that we've been doing much talking and planning for the Nilly visits and that is a wonderful thing. We also need to talk about F2F 2005.

F2F 2005 Information

So far we've gotten some information on hotels and a bit of cost info for New Orleans and for Minneapolis. I've done some very quick looking for Kansas City and it appears that we can get hotel rooms easily in the $75/night range, possibly even cheaper, and these are at good hotels that are on the Plaza. So far there is no information on Toronto.

Right now we're supposed to be choosing our city in a week. Do we have input from folks? I don't want to push back our decision date so I'd like to see some discussion on these cities and hopefully some more information.

Also, I can do some of the work on Kansas City, but I'd like to know if someone else can help with calling hotels and such. I can send a list of good hotels to call, I'm just not near a phone. It doesn't need to be someone who knows KC or is in KC, just someone who can call and as about hospitality suite info and room rates for a group and things like that.

ND, thank you so much for keeping on top of the F2F thing. I know from experience that no matter how much time you think you have before you have to plan a large event, it's never quite as much as you think.

ION, less than a week until Nilly is in DC!!!

Correct. Planning these things early is really the good way to go. A few of the other conferences I work with have their locations chosen as far as three years in advance. It can really help with negotiating a good rate on hotels and other venues. I'd like to be signing a contract with our chosen hotel by mid October at the latest. Right now we are 8.5 months away from F2F 2005. If we sign in October that means a 7 month lead. It also means that we can expend our energy on planning all of the fun activities and it will give folks an opportunity to plan vacation time and travel around the event. I'm planning on taking at least a week of time around the F2F.

JZ, not embarrassed at all. Just pleased at the memory of that Saturday morning walk, and how terrific and fluid the groupings and conversations were as we walked, and later at the tres chic, cheerful and idiosyncratic Chez Zmayhem. There wasn't a person I didn't enjoy spending time and talking with, and that includes Sail's friend Larry, who fitted into what can be a tough room with grace and ease.

But my roomie was just the best. I told Deb and some others that I have crossed many "meeting _____ Buffista" off my Life List after DC and SF, although quite a few remain. The one not-person, thing, I crossed off, was "talking Firefly with Nilly." But really, talking over anything with her was a joy. My roomie was awesome in her simplicity, her down-to-earth-ness, her openness, and her quickness to accept and offer affection and admiration. She's a remarkable woman.

ND, perhaps it could wait until a week or so after Nilly flies back, even though advance planning is definitely of the good. That would allow time for picture-posting, post-visit posting and LJ-linking, and I think Juliana will be back 'round about then, too. '05 planning is getting lost in here right now, and perhaps 05 and Halloween planning might more naturally flow after Nilly tour debriefing happens?

Agree with you about taking vacation time off around a F2F. I'm so glad I did in DC.

Nilly! In case you have time for museums in DC, at the Nat'l Gallery of Art? No glass between you and the raw paintings* - they have guards everywhere instead. It's wonderful! *except the only DaVinci in America

Is Nilly jewcy?

Okay, ew.

Is Nilly jewcy?

Bwahahahah!

Somehow, I don't think her parents would find that as amusing as we would. As it is, I want to thank the people who made kosher vegan ham for giving Nilly the opportunity to tell her family she went to America and ate ham. And liked it.