2005 Getaway Program Information

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: MMario
Date: 05 Oct 05 - 11:45 AM

If the FSGW comes up with some sort of associate membership I also would go for that. I'm another who has not signed up for membership, feeling it would just look like trying to get the cut rate on Getaway.

(I then proceeded to read the form wrong and send in an incorrect amount of money this year - but that's beside the point. I'll straighten that out when I get there)

there have been some fantastic items in the silent auction. think about bringing some $$ with that in mind.

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: kendall
Date: 05 Oct 05 - 01:33 PM

My first Getaway was way back in the mid 70's, and I have performed for the FSGW a number of times over the years, and even though I am too far from DC to participate in regular activities, I still get pleasure out of seeing the newsletter which goes with membership in FSGW. Yes, I'm one of those dual membership people with a foot in both camps. personally, I have not seen any resentment or any kind of rift between the two groups. Some of my favorite people are Mudcatters, some are not, but I still feel welcome in either group. If I'm not, I wish someone would tell me; I don't want to be a burden.LOL

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Claymore
Date: 05 Oct 05 - 04:58 PM

I concur with the above thoughts and have always attended as a non-member since the costs were higher and I felt it made up for my "intrusion", though I have been a part of the DC folk scene for years, albeit from Shepherdstown, WV where you'all come when you get any sense in you.

Last week I was in Ramblewood for "Scottish Weekend" (a weekend of music and Scottish Country Dance) and the week-end after the Getaway, I do Irish Weekend at HillTop House in Harpers Ferry. We take over an old hotel overlooking the confluence of the Potomac and the Shenandoah and play the sun up in the bar, then roll thirty or so yards down the hallway to our rooms with breakfast left somewhere close to the door.

I do a lot of this and enjoy every moment. I have no problems with paying extra whether it is non-Member or Associate fees.

Just Roll-On Big Muddy!

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 06:10 AM

Geoff and I are really looking forward to our first Getaway. We are coming to enjoy the music and hopefully make new friends. Inevitably we will want to seek out names from Mudcat especially those we have had correspondance with either on the forum or in the chat room but we will also want to meet and sing and play with others. We hope we will be able to help out with anything that needs to be done - just ask. As newcomers we may not know what is needed and wouldn't want to step on anyones toes by doing something someone else considers their area. As to the silent auction what sort of things tend to be in it?
Getting very excited. Only a week to go.
Jane and Geoff

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: karen k
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 09:22 AM

Mrs. Duck,
I'm glad you are coming. It will be nice to meet more Mudcatters. As for the auction, anything goes from clothes to jewelry to books or cd's of any kind to small children (well not really). Anything you think someone might like and you want to get rid of.

Have a safe trip.

karen

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Bill D
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 10:34 AM

well...that's 'almost' it, karen k. We don't have unlimited space, so we hope folks will not bring large items that cover the table! We like lots of things that are 'folk related',(books, CDs, etc.) but we get amazing other things also...like a 6-pack of beer from an unusual place or hand-made jewelry. If we get a LOT of stuff, we may have to get more creative in how we display it....

and by the way, we may need a couple of volunteer helpers to sorta manage the auction area (make sure bid sheets are in order and properly located and items are not misplaced..etc...and possibly help tallying and notifying winners....we are still juggling exactly how we'll do it all. (In a volunteer organization, responsibility is a shifty thing..*grin*)

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 03:56 PM

Well like I said anything you want doing ask and we'll do our best to help.

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Ferrara
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 04:28 PM

Well Nancy and I set up the grid last night. I came home, copied last year's grid, emptied it and started typing. Just about the time I thought, "Oh, this is really going quickly," MS-WORD decided not to allow any changes to one of the schedule blocks. (MicroSoft we love you too....) So today I am starting over from scratch. I want to put up the grid as soon as Nancy and Carly take another look at it. But we have already found some conflicts so we need to take one more look.

We always put up the schedule grid in a draft form and let everyone who's interested take a look and make suggestions. So don't put too much faith in the way it looks when we first get it up -- people always have really good suggestions. (Such as "Don't schedule George Ward against himself on Saturday morning!")

I'm going to start putting up some blurbs about some of these workshops. They look great!

Rita

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Ferrara
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 04:37 PM

Yes, we would like two volunteers to help with the Silent Auction. Please! And Thank You.

There are two jobs: First, set up the space on Friday and set out the auction sign-up sheets. The space is on one side of the Craft MarketPlace (between the dining room and the TV room.) Charlie or Bill D or I can tell you where to set it up. We will be there early.

There is a sheet for each item being auctioned. The person donating tells what it is, who donated it, and the minimum bid.

There is a minimum bid increment of $1.00. That is to keep sly people from winning a bid by a jump of a penny or two (a lesson we learned the first year we did this.)

Judy O can provide sample sign-up sheets (by e-mail if necessary) if someone will print them, bring them, and set them up and set up the Silent Auction tables early Friday (by 6 or 7 pm at the latest I guess, preferably by 5pm.)

Then, we need someone who is already an FSGW member to make the announcement to close the auction (I think it closes at the start of the dinner hour on Sunday), collect the money, record the money and give people whatever they bought. The money needs to go to Charlie Baum. We'll try to get a sheet laid out where it can be recorded and totaled before you give it to him.

Any volunteers?

And, do you know what a joy it is to just throw this problem up on Mudcat and not have to get it done ourselves? It is wonderful.

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Janie
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 04:40 PM

Rita--I'll set up the table, etc. We are usually there by about 6:00 or 6:30. I'll pm my e-mail address to you to forward to Judy so she can send me the sheet to copy.

Janie

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Janie
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 04:47 PM

Oh! If Judy is momnopp I can pm her directly.

Also, Dani and I usually drive up together. She can't leave before Friday morning, but if you really need another pair of hands there earlier on Friday, I can drive up separately. I'd leave Thursday night, spend the night in a motel along about Richmond, and could then be at Ramblewood much earlier on Friday.

Let me know.

Janie

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Ferrara
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 04:55 PM

Now for a little feedback on the workshops.

Don Meixner asked for a "Performance Hints" workshop. Darn it, Don, it was a great idea and now you will not get to see it. well that's life isn't it?

We've set it up with Judy and Dennis Cook, Chance "Fortunato" Shiver and Kendall Morse as leaders, plus of course other performers can add their 2 cents worth during the workshop. I don't know what they will cover but Don asked for all kinds of hints ranging from how to stand, how to pick a set list, when to tell jokes and what kind. (Actually if you ask Chance, he'll probably tell you that sometimes you should sing a song between jokes.) Dennis has years of experience doing sound, etc. This looks great to me.

George P asked for Harmonies. We have two workshops lined up. Penny Anderson will do a half hour session on "Gospel Harmonies" right before the "Gospel to Raise the Roof" session on Saturday. Then on Sunday, Charlie Baum and Mia Boynton will cover many different kinds of harmonies and teach at least one or two songs. Mia said that for one thing, she'd like to teach a simple Croatian song, with emphasis on how to get the kind of resonance that Croatian women use in their singing.

We have two song writers' sessions. On Saturday Susan Hills will lead "Song Writing Themes." This is intended to evoke lots of discussion and sharing. Susan wrote me that she "will bring and pass out a list of types of songs - for example, songs about a person, songs about a place, songs about politics, love songs, nostalgic songs. Any participant can choose a type of song and sing a good song he or she has written that illustrates that type. Then we'll have a brief discussion of the challenges faced in writing that type of song. Once a theme has been covered - usually, we'll have only one song per theme and always only one song per person - we'll move on to the next. Of course, as many people will be heard from as possible."

Then on Sunday, Micca and Andrew MacKay will lead a "Songwriters' Showcase." This will give us a chance to hear songs written by some of the talented songwriters who are coming this year. It looks like a great year for songwriters, which is why there are two sessions.

We are currently planning an hour and a half of shanties, led by Charley Ipcar and Ken Schatz. Also, an hour of "The Sea and Other Waters," led by George Ward. George knows lots of canal and other American water songs. This is also the place for forebitters, and other sea songs.

More later. Back to typing the *##@** grid.

Rita

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Ferrara
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 05:14 PM

Janie, it's a deal! See my PM. Do you want to handle collecting the money, etc as well as setting things up?

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Tinker
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 06:07 PM

Rita, I can help on the collection end of things. I'd love to have a second set of hands and eyes to help me with this. Any volunteers ??

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Jeri
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 06:15 PM

Rita, you can probably just un-protect the offending block. If you want me to try, I can PM you my e-mai. (It ain't the same old @usedto.be.)

Workshop feedback: If you schedule ANY of those at the same time, I'm going to be somewhat disappointed. I'd eagerly go to all of them.

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Jeri
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 06:29 PM

In MSWord, it's "Tools" on the menu and 'Unprotect', or protect and then tell it to allow everything.

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Bill D
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 07:02 PM

about the auction area & tables... I try to be there early to get the 'basic' setup done. There are a lot of camp tables (in various degrees of repair) stacked about, and we need to define the spaces before folks come in and strew things about. It looks like we'll have more folks and more crafts and more auction this year, so we 'may' have to be more stringent about what is done in that area between the dining room and the TV room where workshops happen....partly to allow all the needed displays, and partly to keep the noise level down so workshops are not disturbed... I wish there were a door on the TV room...but...

In any case, The silent auction space 'might' end up being over in that area where all those pedestal tables are stacked on top of each other, so we can have better access and to reduce crowding near registration and crafts. I have no idea how the booths on one side will figure into it all...I guess we'll work it out as Friday night progresses.... I'll bring my usual "keep the noise down during workshops" sign.

It all works out...if we WORK it out....

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Ferrara
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 09:22 PM

Jeri, thank you. I already re-typed the blasted thing but I kept the one that's the problem and will give your solution a try.

Tinker, great, not sure how it would work to have two people handling the final disposition of auction items & finances, how do you keep track of who's done what? I leave it up to you to work it out.

Can you make up a sheet to record the final auction results? (You'll need at least 2 pages -- I hope!) Just columns with heading, Item, Donated by, Final Price, Purchaser, Paid (Cash or Check #) I think would do it. Maybe Judy O already has such a form but I don't think so. That, and the envelope with all the payments, needs to go to Charlie Baum after all the items are handled.

We always have another problem: What to do with unsold items. Try to get them back to the donors! "If you bring it, and nobody bids for it, you take it home with you...." Carly and Dean, Bill and I, and Charlie and Lisa already have massive collections of "Lost & Found" from various events; I think Bill still has the potato that Mick brought to the Getaway for Catspaw in 2000, although I am not really sure about that.

For the record, Janie and Tinker are both members of FSGW. Now, one more to help Tinker & we'll have the Silent Auction all set.

Mudcatters have always contributed a lot to the functioning of the Getaway. I have particularly noted how generous they are with time & energy during the final cabin check-outs and Monday camp clean-up, and   I especially have to mention Joe Offer and Big Mick's here (that is, when Mick isn't busy rescuing Jeri's car from tree stumps).

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: CET
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 09:23 PM

I'm not sure when we will get there from WYSIWYG's place in Pennsylvania, but it should be reasonably early. I will be glad to help out with anything that needs doing.

Edmund

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Ferrara
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 10:04 PM

Thanks Edmund. As Bill said, we may need help moving tables to set up the "Craft Marketplace" and Silent Auction.

Everybody, don't forget to bring your CD's to sell! And of course Dick and Susan bring the CAMSCO music store with them. Gosh I wish Don could bring his silver. Next year, huh?

Have typed the draft grid and sent it to Nancy and Carly for another scrub. Will put it up tomorrow, if they okay it.

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: jacqui.c
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 12:06 AM

I'm happy to give Tinker a hand with the auction collection.

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Janie
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 08:19 AM

I'm a member of FSGW?

(then I better get a membership application and dues sent in;>)

Tinker and Jacqui--see my pm.

Janie

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Ferrara
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 12:52 PM

Whoops, Janie, and Tinker, I read it wrong. Nope, you aren't FSGW members. Jacqui is though, I believe. Jacqui, is that right? In the past I've been told that to handle money, etc, we have to have an FSGW member. It's probably an insurance thing or other legal requirement. (I wouldn't think that would apply to setting up the Silent Auction on Friday!)

I will try to get more info.

Rita

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Janie
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 01:10 PM

Rita,

Not to worry. I'll join when I get there if need be.

Janie

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: jacqui.c
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 01:11 PM

Yes, I am an FSGW member so Sunday night won't be a problem.

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Janie
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 01:17 PM

Rats Jacqui---and I thought I had found a way to reimburse some of my travel expenses...can't do that with some one else counting up the til!

Janie

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Tinker
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 01:26 PM

Rita I'll join on Friday night (it's a payday) and then it won't bve an issue for either of us.

tink

Janie.... I'm LOL at the idea of you and Dani playing at being some sort of Thelma and Louise....

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Ferrara
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 01:44 PM

Okay, THE SCHEDULE (draft) IS ON LINE.

Saturday Grid

Sunday Grid

Workshop leaders, we want you to tell us if you are scheduled opposite a must-see workshop. We'll try to "fix it."

Everybody, tell us where your worst conficts are. We'll try to fix it if enough people holler ouch. (It's one of those things where sometimes the cure can be worse than the disease, so we're careful about making changes.)

Last year a few people suggested that the Getaway would be less hectic (and frustrating) if we had a bit fewer workshops and let them go on longer so more people could participate. We are trying that this year.

Workshop leaders are listed pretty much in the order in which they were signed up to lead the workshop. (Sometimes that's just a matter of who was home to answer the phone when we first called.)

Let us know what you think. (Oh, yes, this is the Mudcat.... Of course you will!)

Rita

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Janie
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 01:54 PM

The Cloning workshop--will it be late Friday night or during breakfast on Saturday morning?

Janie

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Bill D
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 02:12 PM

Janie...our resident biologist is lamarca....I tried to get her to arrange that cloning stuff YEARS ago, but she mumbled some silly excuse (like "HA!") and suggested I might have to wait a few years.

Mini-disks, tape recorders and photos help...but....

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: SINSULL
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 04:07 PM

Main conflicts - yes.

Now do something about it!

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Janie
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 04:10 PM

Bill, I have one thing to say about that.       HA!.

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Janie
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 04:14 PM

Ha!

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Charley Noble
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 05:46 PM

Rita-

Schedule looks interesting. When I print it, however, the beginning time gets partially clipped. The workshops also don't line up consistently as I scan across, probably some weird formating problem. Maybe it's because I'm working with a MAC.

I'm assuming that the Shanties Workshop begins at 3 and ends at 3:30 pm. What kind of space is the Gym? How large is it? Does it got ropes to climb up?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble
Shanties Workshop Co-coordinator

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Bill D
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 06:17 PM

Charlie...the gym is a BIG place...full basketball court size.

smaller workshops need to cuddle..*grin*...but it has never been a serious problem. And look close..the shanties workshop is from 3 to 4:30

(printed copies of schedule will be at registration...all lined up)

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Ken Schatz
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 09:59 PM

(Thanks Charlie - just sent you a note.)

I'm particularly excited about the "Lunch Learned in the Oral Tradition" workshop. Not only did I learn songs from Nancy King, I guess I learned lunch from her too.

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Ferrara
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 10:49 PM

Ken I'm going to ignore that, no doubt MS-WORD or your browser has done something to the lines between workshops on the grid.

I am missing an Open sing tonight. Somehow I was so worn out today (no, not because of the Getaway, or any other reason I know of) that I slept all afternoon and most of the evening. Sigh.... Anyway now that I'm awake thought I'd take a look in on the thread.

There is another way that Mudcatters can of help this year. Actually Carly reminded me of it. She's planning to bring an extra large potluck contribution. A lot of people may find it difficult to bring potluck because of airport schedules, etc. Maybe some of you can bring a larger potluck offering than usual, especially main dishes. We don't want people traveling all the way from Wherever only to get to Ramblewood and find there is not enough to eat and they are going to go hungry until Saturday morning!

Thanks,
Rita

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Nancy King
Date: 08 Oct 05 - 12:17 AM

Well, I'm not going to ignore it -- it cracked me up!

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 08 Oct 05 - 06:01 AM

Well I prefer my lunch in the oral tradition as sticking it in my ear ruins the hair :0)

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Oct 05 - 07:20 AM

You heard wrong Jane it's aural!
G.

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: jacqui.c
Date: 08 Oct 05 - 07:35 AM

Will there be facilities to heat food on Friday night? If so I'll bring a big pot of chilli as well as a cheesecake.

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Bill D
Date: 08 Oct 05 - 09:57 AM

we dont have access to the kitchen at Ramblewood....people sometimes bring plug-in pans or pots, but plugs are limited, too. (And remember...there are not full facilities for washing pots in the dining room-only a tiny sink, I think.)

Let's see if Charley Baum can get info from the camp in the next several days about what the limits are. We MUST be able to clean up what we bring so the camp staff is not faced with a mess on Sat morning.

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Oct 05 - 11:57 AM

Bill-

Thanks for the clarification on the duration of the Shanties/Chanteys/Chanties Workshop. 90 minutes should be ample for a rousing good session.

Ken-

Thanks for the detailed notes. Maybe we could work them up as a shanty:

Oooh wake her! Oh, shake her!
Let's hear next from that gal with the blue dress on,
Johnny come down to Hilo,
Poor old man!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Ferrara
Date: 08 Oct 05 - 12:31 PM

On the other thread, people have advised us against having "anything" opposite the Helen Schneyer workshop. I tend to feel the same way, but I know there will be people coming to the Getaway who never knew Helen. Any suggestions for what we could put opposite "Remembering Helen Schneyer"? I can see we need changes there.

Edmund has given us some good suggestions for the schedule grid. The biggest problem with programs like this is conflicts that leave people feeling disappointed at having to miss a favorite workshop. Every year we work overtime trying to get rid of the worst conflicts. In general there are groups of people who will gravitate to different kinds of music and we try to have something for each of those groups in hopes they will all find something they like, but not too many things they like, at each time slot.

Bill mentioned feeling that Sunday afternoon is full of conflicts for him. How many others have the same problem?

We really welcome comments, folks -- we need more feedback before we consider any changes to the schedule.

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Ferrara
Date: 08 Oct 05 - 12:36 PM

Here's another question for the group. We didn't put much in the early mornings this year because people tend to be sleepy and not quite make it to the earliest workshops.

BUT. We could ease some of the conflicts by making more use of those early morning time slots.

How many of you expect to be up and ready to make music by 10 in the morning on Sunday? Saturday?

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: voyager
Date: 08 Oct 05 - 12:44 PM

Will the Get-Away accept walk-on registration for a Saturday program?
I've printed out the forms to send to Judy C. but won't know if I'm
good to go until the end of next week.

voyager
FSGW Ghetto
Silver Spring, MD.

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Pauline L
Date: 08 Oct 05 - 01:07 PM

Skarpi said we might hear

some Hardangursfiddlestunes and song with that great Instrument

That would be wonderful. I have tried playing a Hardangur fiddle and I'd love to learn and hear more. I'm also looking forward to hearing some Icelandic songs, too.

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Janie
Date: 08 Oct 05 - 01:13 PM

Rita, I think 10:00 is a reasonable time to start--most of us make it out to breakfast.

For myself, I just accept that I am going to have to make some hard choices, and also that I will have to split up some workshops--catching the first half of one and the 2nd half of another.

Janie

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Oct 05 - 01:18 PM

I hope I will get other chances to hear Bobert during the weekend, as we clash on Sunday.
Giok

Subject: RE: 2005 Getaway Program Information
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Oct 05 - 02:36 PM

Rita-

The draft schedule looks much nicer now that my wife copied it and repasted it into MS Word, with the cell separations.

10 AM is fine with me. I don't plan to do any sleeping anyway...

Cheerily,
Charley Noble