IMPORTANT: Need feedback quickly from Minneapolis folks

[sabrinamari]

My dears, I have put my hands on a $100 off flight coupon that I can use to book a round trip flight to Minneapolis in the Spring. Jen Hamilton will be coming with me, and we would like to have the opportunity to:

1.) ...work on our Drawing Down skills---ingridsummers and gwisteria and willowoak and several others kindly extended a standing offer to help us at the last Family gathering, and we would like to accept! Gladly, and with great excitement, in fact.

2.) ...meet with those folks who have spoken to one of us about working together on specific projects and in specific contexts, and have a chance to do some face-to-face work.

3.)...have a chance to see Blue Star friends and colleagues in Minneapolis outside of the context of a Family gathering, so that more small groups and one on one meetings are possible.

I would like to stay for a full week, and Jen can stay for a long weekend, at least.

The problem: I MUST use my $100 coupon today! We already know that these dates are bad dates for travel for us:

Jan 12-15
Mar 18-20

Please tell us:

What dates should we avoid?

What dates are good?

We are looking for dates that:

1.) are not gathering weekends; do not have big activities planned

2.) are weekends when folks whose specialties include drawing down will be home and available

I must buy our tickets by this evening. Sorry for this speed requirement?

Thanks so much, my dears!

Comments

[diekonigin.livejournal.com]

I'm not from MN, but January is an AWFUL time to be there!

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Rats---the tailend of January was the only time that would work for everyone.

at least I know it will be really, really cold before I get there.

[onyxtwilight.livejournal.com]

I have a chorus event on March 25th, but that only affects me, and other than that, I think any time you show up will be good. For DD work, better near the full than the new moon, I suppose. I don't even have a calendar for next year yet. :-)

If you come at the end of January, you'd even have the opportunity of a concert (Jan 27, 28, 29, we're doing the Frostiana :-), which knocks me out for two evenings and an afternoon, but there's lots of other people to see, too, and if you're staying for a week I'll get my time in. And, if timed correctly, you could be here for Imbolc! :-) Of course, that's the wrong end of the moon phase, but you can make decisions about how the moon affects your DD work better than we can. Considering the goddesses you'd likely be choosing from, it might not matter much.

The full moons in question are Jan 14, Feb 13, and Mar 14. When considering weather, remember that March is often the *worst*, in terms of storms and big snows. January, while colder, is tame by comparison. :-)

(And one other thing, check your email. :-)

[sligoe.livejournal.com]

Ah, another singer! Hooray! I am director of a local community chorus here in Maryland, and belong to a GLBTS chorus as a member---our concert is also the same weekend in January! Good luck with the concerts! :)

Oh, and BTW---I am B*---Starfire, near DC and close with Balefire and Clover Covens. I'm hoping to get to move a little farther north so that I can be closer to everyone there.

Blessings!

[onyxtwilight.livejournal.com]

I sing first tenor with One Voice Mixed Chorus.

The next FG or IG out east, I want to pick your brain and collaborate on a workshop. :-)

[sligoe.livejournal.com]

I sing first soprano with New Wave Singers http://newwavesingers.org/

Sorry---I'm not as smart as some about LJ, so it might not be a link per se.

I'd LOVE to collaborate on a workshop---music is my first and always love! :)

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Looks like I'll be there for a concert and part of the actual day of Imbolc. Cool! : )

[roy-batty.livejournal.com]

In early February my family will likely be gone to CA to perform a Wedding, and I anticipate many local B* folks will attempt to go if they can. I'll ask amber_phoenix about final date uptades, and let you know ASAP.

[onyxtwilight.livejournal.com]

Oops. Forgot about that. My bad. :-)

[amber-phoenix.livejournal.com]

yep. speaking totally selfishly, please avoid going presidents' day weekend (feb 18th and 19th). i don't want folks to have to choose between seeing you and coming out to california for the hand-fasting.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

thanks for the heads up!

Either date

[andronikos.livejournal.com]

Both of those are far enough in advance that I do could not tell you what my plans are. However, given the length of your visit I am sure that I have time to make sure that I am able to see you and work with you.

Anyway, Onyxtwilight pointed out the differences in weather for both month. The January cold can be brutal, and I would suggest avoiding it.

Anyway, I am interested in seeing you when you are here and helping with anywork that you feel I would be helpful with DD or otherwise.

Also, I need to email you in a bit. I have a student out East who I want to talk to you about. She is trying to find options for B* sabbats that might be open for her to attend... anyway, I will email you later when I wake up more.

Re: Either date

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

I wish I could have avoided January all together! But as it turned out, I was pretty much stuck with the end of the month. At least I get to go see you!

Email me whenever you can to talk about your student. let me know where she is located.

Thanks for the feedback!

i don't care when

[gwisteria.livejournal.com]

i would like to go to the wedding in CA in february but other then that come when you can we will work around things.

Re: i don't care when

[amber-phoenix.livejournal.com]

i would like to go to the wedding in CA in february

*GRIN*

Re: i don't care when

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Hope the dates work out well!

[boy-pastiche.livejournal.com]

Hi Sabrina,

You don't know me but I'm Laine, I'm a student. I read onlist that you'll be coming into town. If you need a place to stay, I have a couch and or trundle bed for a night. When do you need it?

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Laine. I appreciate your kind offer! I will coordinate my stay with you and the rest of the Minneapolis crew as the date approaches. I plan to stay at the homes of several people while I am there, in order to facilitate my ability to talk with a number of people in smaller groupings, and also to lighten the burden of hosting on any one household.

In look forward to meeting you!

[boy-pastiche.livejournal.com]

Great! Lemme know ASAP! We can also have a small gathering here at Chez kinetichead-Ina (thas mee!) so that you can see more ppl!

PS does this mean we should be friending each other? *curious*

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

You are welcome to friend me. I will friend you, too.

[boy-pastiche.livejournal.com]

whee! done!

[krkhst.livejournal.com]

All dates are good for me, and HEY, now that I'm an Initiate I'm guessing I could work on my drawing down technique.... I sincerely hope when you get here that I get to spend a little time with you. Maybe I could take you see the trepedacious Fiona....

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

That would be a great idea...I am really looking forward to seeing you, actually.

[willowoak.livejournal.com]

I'll be here during both periods, and would work on being as available as possible during your visit. :) I'm free almost every afternoon!

Yay! Sabrina and Jen! YAY!

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

I can't wait to see you, bunny!

We will have lots of fun, and maybe I can learn from you, too. And we will have fun....(devilish grin)

[roy-batty.livejournal.com]

The aforementioned wedding in CA will be President's Day Weekend - 2/18-19. I'm figuring my family will make a bigger trip of it, which might make either or both of the weeks/weekends before or after dicey. Let us know what the final word ends up being!

[faedaughter.livejournal.com]

It sounds like others have covered the most important event! The other weekend we will have plans that may take us out of town is the first weekend in Feb. Its our youngest's birthday and we are discussing plans to travel then... hey caputaerus by "discuss" I mean within the last 5 minutes so we can talk about this when you get home or tomorrow or something OK?

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

I am sorry to overlap with your youngest's birthday. Perhaps we can work around your weekend's travels?

[faedaughter.livejournal.com]

So do you have an official date then? *waiting with anticipation* I look forward seeing you in person.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Yes---

Continental Airlines
Departure to Minneapolis:

Fri 27JAN06 CO* 2353 U NEWARK EWR 9:05AM MPLS/ST PAUL 11:15AM ERJ-145

*Operated by EXPRESSJET AIRLINES INC doing business as CONTINENTAL EXPRESS

Return to New Jersey:

Thu 02FEB06 CO 171 U MPLS/ST PAUL 11:10AM NEWARK EWR 2:50PM 737-500 SNACK

[jeneralist.livejournal.com]

Many thanks for all your good wishes and volunteered couches! I'll be tagging along with sabrinamari. Looking forward to finding out how Mary Tyler Moore seemed so chipper, even in mid-winter -- and why the heck was she throwing her hat into the air, anyway? Wouldn't you need that?

Stocking up on polypropylene underwear....

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

I'm not throwing away *anything* that can provide me with warmth, and will be bringing my soft purple blankie with me. : )

[veshengri.livejournal.com]

Damn, I just saw this! What happened? Are you coming???

[veshengri.livejournal.com]

OK... for some reason I didn't see any of the comments until I posted my own. Now I feel like a big dork. First time *that*'s ever happened. ;)

I'm so excited. I hope Rob doesn't know yet; I wanna see the happy face. Seeing you twice in one year?!? How amazing! You are of course welcome to crash here, but I'm sure there's gonna be a huge list of people scrambling to put you up.