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After the wonderful fun I had at the BookCrossing Convention last year in Charleston, I came home with a desire to re-energize the local BookCrossing scene. There used to be a number of local groups that met regularly, but most had stopped meeting, and none had ever truly encompassed the entire Washington DC area. So when I started seeing members in this area starting to post threads about getting together, I jumped right in. Since last summer, a core group of local BookCrossers has developed, and we are now meeting more-or-less monthly. But we're not just getting together to talk and have a coffee. We are actively looking for fun ways, as a group, to promote BookCrossing around the area. Some of us traveled north to Carroll County, MD in November to help MaryZee promote BookCrossing at the Book Fair at the Carroll County Community College. A number of our members met at the National Book Festival on the National Mall in September to release books. Later this month, we will have a booth at the Kensington, MD, Day of the Book street festival, where we will be giving away books and promoting BookCrossing. Its been a lot of fun to get together with these other BookCrossers, and I look forward to each event.
However, I now think that we, as a group, may have collectively taken leave of all our good sense. We just completed and submitted a proposal to this year's convention in London, suggesting Washington, DC, as a possible venue for the 2010 Convention. I remember well the stress that I observed the organizers in Charleston deal with, and I fully appreciate how much time and effort it is going to take to organize a convention. I for one don't think I'm going to be able to devote nearly enough time to the effort, and I can only hope that my fellow BookCrossers here will step up to the plate should we be chosen as the host. From what I hear, the competition includes a couple of other cities that would make equally excellent venues, so any way the voting goes, the 2010 Convention is already looking like another terrific event in the works.
However, I now think that we, as a group, may have collectively taken leave of all our good sense. We just completed and submitted a proposal to this year's convention in London, suggesting Washington, DC, as a possible venue for the 2010 Convention. I remember well the stress that I observed the organizers in Charleston deal with, and I fully appreciate how much time and effort it is going to take to organize a convention. I for one don't think I'm going to be able to devote nearly enough time to the effort, and I can only hope that my fellow BookCrossers here will step up to the plate should we be chosen as the host. From what I hear, the competition includes a couple of other cities that would make equally excellent venues, so any way the voting goes, the 2010 Convention is already looking like another terrific event in the works.
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(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-08 01:44 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-08 02:33 pm (UTC)On a different topic (or not), I received your pm and answered it just now. As the pm systems seems rather unreliable at present, I just wanted to let you know I received yours and am very happy about its content! :-)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-08 02:40 pm (UTC)It looks like the vote is not going to be limited just to the attendees in London. Heaven knows whether that helps us or not, but it certainly will make things interesting! :o)
And, yes, your PM got through to me okay.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-08 03:09 pm (UTC)I was so happy to keep it in Europe for another time.
Ha! Elham just wants all-London conventions all the time!
Date: 2008-04-08 04:19 pm (UTC)(Besides, YOU should be planning to come visit here!)
Re: Ha! Elham just wants all-London conventions all the time!
Date: 2008-04-08 06:43 pm (UTC)Seems silly to move it around if it can be forever held in London. Really. ;-))
Yes, of course I understand the moving part, but you see, for 6 years it was always attendees-only vote and now, the one time it has moved out it's an all embracing event. Can't it continue to be a attendees-only voting this once and then change the rules for 2009 in Christhurch. Seems rather too sudden a decision for my taste. ;-)
Also, 2010 in the Netherlands sounds too tempting!
(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-08 08:13 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-08 08:50 pm (UTC)You know, I've been thinking about something. Each year, the convention tries to outdo the year before, and that's good in many ways. But, it's going to overcome itself soon.
I'm not sure a simpler one wouldn't be just as fun. We've mostly reached the point where we go for the social aspects anyway. I think if you planned a simple, easy-going kind of convention, people would have just as much fun.
But, I've been wrong before. ;-)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-08 11:11 pm (UTC)