fiction files redux discussion

. . . who's in? we gotta make this happen . . . summer was not the same last year . . . i was thinking western montana would be really cool . . .

anywhere west of here! you know I'm in. desperately need the escape.

Yes! Thanks for starting the conversation, JE! I was kind of idly surfing rental places a couple of weeks ago, and it sort of looks like we might be able to find something nice in Idaho. I didn't look at western Montana, there might be some stuff there! I'm in, whereever!

Brian Doucet told me he's 90% sure he'll be able to come this year, too.

. . . idaho is great, too!

Ever since seeing River Phoenix collapse into a narcoleptic state on a deserted road in Idaho, I've wanted to go there (got Seattle and Portland done, Gus!), and Montana, well, it's a stunning place (certainly in my mind). I'm sold on locations, fo sho.

And 90% Brian!!!

Our internet has been down for a few days, but it's back up now. I started looking in earnest this morning. Looks like a lot of the larger places are already booked, but I'm wondering how many we'll have this year. Johnny, do you want to try to see if you can get a head count? I don't want to limit my search to places that sleep 20~ish if we are only going to have 10~ish.

Also, I'm looking only at the last two weeks of July, because that has seemed best for everyone in the past. Is that still our target? Or should I also be looking at the first couple of weeks in August?

head count, dorks! . . .me and my family are in . . .

. . . i just sent out a few Fb messages to get people to respond . . .

I think Katie and I can make it happen. Especially if it's at the end of July I think her school starts early-mid august.

Do babies fly for free? That would probably be the only way we could afford it.

Count me in, of course.

I think babies do fly for free if they can sit in your lap

We just noticed that Boise is only a 10 hour drive for us. So we'd prefer Idaho and then we could probably road trip it. That'd be much easier with all the baby accoutrements like car seat, pack n play, stroller, etc. I can't give a firm commitment but oh we would so love to pull it off!

By the way, I miss all of you!

oh man! I've missed your faces. If we can find something early enough, I might be able to fly out there.

i should be able to do it! i still feel bad about missing last year.

Jennie, that would be amazing! What do you mean by "early enough" ? Dou you mean early in july? Or do you just mean finding setting dates soon?

Also, yay ben!

I've got family in Couer d'Alene. Idaho, particularly the panhandle, should be easy-ish for me. The one potential issue is that this is one of the years I'll be heading to New York/New Jersey to spend time with Chris' family. Scheduling isn't a problem, but those NY trips usually eat a bigger chunk of my recreation budget than I intend.

sorry about that. meant to say the earlier we find the dates and place the more likely I would be able to buy cheaper tickets :)

I was wondering if you all would be willing to try joining A.S.L. socials in your area. Jennie mentioned having a deaf son and it would go far for me if most or some of you are open mind to learning sign language? I can look about Starbucks in the Montana area and maybe we can do an expedition. My attitude about my deafness changed a lot since I got fired from my old job and joined a new job as a disability advocate.
Sorry for not speaking up about that before but I was really a timid person before.

I'm up for learning sign language - my landlord is deaf and I always feel like an idiot not being able to understand and be understood.

Cool, as soon as we get the location fixed, I'll look up on Meet Ups AOL to look for a sign language group. If you want, you can look up on Meet Ups for ASL groups near your area. It is a good gateway to the Deaf community at large.

helloooooo? anyone ho-ooooome? there was a great flurry of excitement at a 2015 dorka and then---nothing. are we doing this or not? i dreamt of some of you last night and thought i'd come and do some cheerleading! it's almost mid-feb; if we're going to do this we should pull our proverbials out.

Hi guys!

I contacted a few places, but they were all no-goes. Based on limited enthusiasm/commitment from the group, I think we should seriously consider not having a dorkapalooza this year.

Man, the fact that there is no response to that makes me sad. Maybe you're right, Patty.

I would love to say I'd be in-- I miss my beloved dorks. But between finances and time, it's not in the realm of possibility.
Will be spending the majority of the spring, summer and fall building (quite literally) a house.

I'm sorry guys. With a new baby, it's hard to know where we will be financially and how the logistics of traveling with said baby would actually work in regards to Dorkapalooza attendance. We obviously would love to do it and Idaho sounded like it might be road trip accessible for us, but we can't commit and know that makes it hard for planning.

Here. Maybe this will cheer you up. Phoebe Jane, being her cute self!

Sorry I've been quiet. Would love to be able to commit with complete certainty but right now I could only be high maybe. Do everything I can to make it happen. When I talked to JE the other day he was pretty excited about this year...

. . . i'm totally open (would love, in fact) to host a small cost-free dork at the cabin in sequim for three or four days . . . got room to sleep 12 comfortably . . . great party accommodations, nearby town, 10k acres of woods in the back yard . . . might even have a hot tub by summer . . .

JP and I would be totally down for that, JE.

Katie and I would be down for that as well.

okay, let's do it . . . what dates?

It's your house, JE, maybe you should pick the dates? Anytime in July is fine with us, except 4th of July.

Last week of july?

sounds good.

Johnny, would you have room for a couple with a baby? Manny and I are contemplating it....

Although the logistics of flying with a six month old and transporting her car seat, stroller, pack n play, etc. is daunting...

. . . kerry, been there . . . if it helps, we've got strollers, and i'm pretty sure a pack n play still (?), so you wouldn't need those . . . you guys could take the room with the king size downstairs . . . best room for a family . . . and the best room for you and manny to have sex in (oh, wait that was tow years ago) . . . for the rest of us, here's an accounting: got the other guest room with two single beds, the upstairs loft with a queen (Jp and patty? dan and katy?) . . . other loft with single, and also comfortable makeshift bed opportunities . . . my clan can stay in a tent with comfy air mattress . . . another tent available with exact same set-up . . . and i can buy more tents and air mattresses for that matter) also, three in the moho . . . so, maybe not the same level of privacy (think ft. Flagler) but cheaper and no doubt a good time . . . lots of day trip options, including the beach at the dungeness spit (10 mins), port angeles (15 min), port townsend (35 min), lake crescent (amazing) 45 min . . .hurricane ridge (amazing) 40 min, two bathrooms, and i could hook up the moho bathroom, too . . . maybe four days, instead of a week?

. . . yo, i addressed the previous comment to kerry, but everybody should look at it, and we'll know exactly what we've got . . .

That should work for us! Once the dates are set we can start looking for flights.

Works for us, too. And we can also probably borrow my brother's big tent, if needed.

I know I'm new round these parts – but this EvisonPalooza sounds like it's gonna be epic!

This is such a lovely idea, Johnny. Are there perhaps hotels or cottages nearby for those of us too old and cranky to sleep on the ground? Love you all.

Totally...just a few miles to sequim....there is a b and b right down the road, too...ward farms? Something like that...

Man. We would really love to pull this off. Let us know when you finalize dates.

Sequim I can do for sure regardless of what my bank account or motor vehicle is doing. I might even get my anti-social significant other to join me. I have a tent or three of my own stashed away somewhere.

Well . . . Chris is already out, but I'm definitely still in.

Johnny, tell me you invited Bobby Canavalle.