What Are Your Suggestions for Having a Safe, Secure CC Meetup? And Would You Be Interested In Attending?

Hey Everyone,

A long time ago, in a forum setting far, far away... (This thread is going to be long -- my apologies in advance.)

There was a time when this site had talked about having a site-wide CC meetup. There was a rough outline of hiring a worship band for a 3-day event (but if I'm remembering this wrong, I hope the old timers here will correct me.) Eventually the idea was scrapped, and now after attending a few small group meetups myself, I can certainly see why.

In my 15 years on CC, I've met about 20 people in person, but never more than 5 at one time. It was hard enough to coordinate work schedules and a location with just that number of people -- I can't imagine trying to do something across the entire site. The very first meetup I went to started out as the brainchild of about 20 people in Singles live chat room (back when it existed,) who also posted daily on the forums (so we knew each other well.) But in the end, as could be forseen, only 6 were able to go due to distance, time, and cost.

I've been meeting people through writing (paper letters, long before you could look up anything about them online) and sometimes in person since I was 15, so for me, it's just a normal social behavior. But it does take a very long time and tons of work to form such friendships and plans -- I've been friends with the people I meetup with now for 5-10+ years, which is only by the grace of God. I know this would not work for most people, especially across long distances.

I also haven't met anyone else in person from CC since the live chats ended, because I find it crucial to get to know how someone reacts in real time and around other people (if challenged, do they fly off the handle? Do they treat men and women differently? Are their statements consistent? Etc., etc.)

I travel about once a year and will get in touch with people from the area I know and trust, asking if they want to/are able to meetup. We have talked for YEARS about how to expand this to other CC members who might be interested -- but there are a slew of issues, such as:

1. Safety and privacy are always top priority.

I've known too many stories of people who have been stalked over the internet -- both male and female -- to the point where it was necessary to get lawyers, police, and a restraining order involved.

For example -- What if a meetup is announced, and Sam has a huge crush on Missy? Missy doesn't even realize how much. She attends the meetup, not to meet Sam, but other friends she's excited to see. Sam latches on to Missy -- and since the meetup is only 2 towns away, he now has a good idea of where she lives. With a little sweet talk, he's able to finagle her personal information from another unknowingy attendee -- and is refusing to take no for an answer.

2. How can people find trustworthy roommates to split expenses with?

Even the most devout Christian may have problems with theft, drinking, or substances they feel are fine (smoking certain plants,) but would not be acceptable to someone else.

3. How do we prevent anyone who organizes such an event from becoming a bagholder?

Our group has long decided that everyone is responsible for making their own arrangements. This way, no one gets stuck paying an entire deposit or hotel bill by themselves when someone else doesn't show or has an emergency.

I had a family member wind up in the emergency room and is still recovering, so I understand that emergencies happen and plans can change in a literaly heartbeat. But no one else should be obligated to for someone else because of it.

4. How could we find a place to hang out comfortably and still be fair to the places we wind up at?

The last time I met up with people, we thought of making an announcement on CC such as, "Some of us are going to be at Crazy Harry's Roadkill Cafe on August 3 at 1 PM -- y'all come join us if you can!"

But if 20 people show up and take over the restaurant, it's not fair to them because the conversations might go on for some time (which we want!) -- and the poor waitstaff would be dying for us to leave so they could bring in more paying customers.

5. How far in advance do people need to know?

I like to have at least a year to plan and save up. The last meetup I went to took 2 relentless years of constantly trying to coordinate schedules, travel plans, and finances -- and that was only with 6 people. So we are fairly familiar with how hard it is to make these kinds of plans.

6. What happens if people have to back out? Wil the entire thing have to be canceled?

If certain key people/organizers have to back out at the last minute, what will happen? If enough people have actually paid to rent a place but several have to cancel, what happens to the remainder of those who still want to go?


I have been thinking of what my travel plans might be next year... I would love to somehow plan and arrange for some kind of meetup that could extend to any interested members in the area(s) I might be in.


* Would anyone be interested in attending some kind of meetup event, and what are your ideas of how to do so safely?

I think "Hebes" and Winston would understand each other very well.

How does Hebes feel about sharing snacks?

that's interesting. i also posted the idea, i think it was last year or this spring time. i thought that it would be too far reaching for everyone. it seems a lot of members are in Canada. my thought was to meet in Saratoga N.Y. i wish you blessings on your idea & hope it becomes a reality.

Having said all that....

I hear the Mall of America is pretty nice. Also Branson Missouri and pigeon forge Tennessee.

It may be nice. I've been there a few times, but Minnesota doesn't have good safety practices. There are shootings every so often, and I've heard there's child predators there as well.

1. safety 1st: secure sidearms from @shittim and @hornetguy, and martial arts training from @HealthAndHappiness and commandeer @Susanna as head of security detail
2. Funding: I gathered an impression that @Cameron143 is cash heavy. I'm counting on taking him up on his offer of a plot of land on his vast estate.
3. Secured deposit: see fig.2
4. Consideration of venue: are tailgate accommodations available? can we rent a tour bus?
5. Time Efficiency: select rendezvous according to the proximity of participants' time zones. I.e., if there's no one coming from Pacific, the location would be adjusted as central between Mountain and Eastern time zones. That is, if the tour bus idea is scrapped, otherwise, tour bus would make its pickup and drop off rounds.
and
6. Fear not: I participated in a 'meeting at the flagpole' of a local sports forum which more than several chatters showed up to. When I was introduced as my username, there were several incredulous reactions that made me think of the verse, "is this the one who shook earth and made kingdoms tremble?"

It may be nice. I've been there a few times, but Minnesota doesn't have good safety practices.

Minnesota is actually quite safe. Not in the Minneapolis but the rest of Minnesota is rural and safe.
It beautiful and is often referred to as state of 1000 lakes. It home of Mennonites, Amish, and Quakers.

Oofta.

Margreta,

You're from Midwest too?

No... southern Ontario originally, which is very much like Minnesota in the winter...

But Minnesota makes me think of Fargo... .

So a woodchipper comes to mind.

yep it does get cold in the winter. -40 in some places.

Is that Fahrenheit? When I speak Fahrenheit my daughter always tells me she has no idea what I am talking about LOL. Any who, I do not recall it getting quite that cold during Ontario winters... but I am thinking in Celsius, which, in the mid to late seventies, around minus 20-22 would not be unusual. I have been on the west coast since 1977, and the temps are much more moderate here. Although my closest sister lives in Calgary and minus forty is not unusual for her. It's even been known to snow in the summer time there. Ha.

Yep, Fahrenheit with wind chills. I lived in pullman wa for a couple of years the weather over there is nice. though i hear western washington/vancouver bc/ some of Oregon is wet most of the time.

Its funny that only three countries use imperial metric. I agree with you daughter I've had friends that said they would have never learned imperial metric accept that they lived in the USA.

Actually we have been seeing signs that we might get an in-house chat client back. We might have that live chat sooner than you think.

we might try an RSVP

Is that Fahrenheit? When I speak Fahrenheit my daughter always tells me she has no idea what I am talking about LOL. Any who, I do not recall it getting quite that cold during Ontario winters... but I am thinking in Celsius, which, in the mid to late seventies, around minus 20-22 would not be unusual. I have been on the west coast since 1977, and the temps are much more moderate here. Although my closest sister lives in Calgary and minus forty is not unusual for her. It's even been known to snow in the summer time there. Ha.

initiating nerd mode, does anyone actually know what RSVP means?
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