Update on the X Marks booth at the Pleasanton games

[Alan H]

OK I've now e-mailed the Caledonia club three times. I've heard back twice, but they've got it in their heads that we're a "vendor"...as in we're selling something. NOT. It's been a while, so I pinged 'em again today. Here's todays e-mail that I sent out:


I don't remember if I sent you my address, but here it is, just in case I forgot:

AXXn HXXXert
4X0 Xth. Avenue
MeXXo PXXXXk, CA 94XX5

I urge you to look at our website:
http://www.xmarksthescot.com

There are vendors that advertise on that website, but we are NOT SELLING ANYTHING. X Marks the Scot is a loose internet-based group of people who advocate the wearing of kilts any time, not just to Highland games and other Scottish events. We'll probably have a sewing machine going at the games with me or another one of the guys making a kilt on the spot as a demonstration.

No beer...well, besides what's in the cooler for members! We'll have nothing for sale. We'll have some kilt displays, a few books on the history of the garment and how to make one and so on. We are much more like some of the associated groups like the South Bay Scottish Society than we are like a vendor that has something for sale.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Alan

I haven't heard back from them in some time. Whatever the case, having a "sponsorship" by the Devils Canyon Brewery is *out*. We can NOT sell or give away beer at the Games. On the other hand, if Devils Canyon BOTTLES beer, then I've got a cooler and ice, you know?

I've found out that I, personally can't be at the games on Saturday, but can be there on Sunday. So there are some logistics to take care of here.

I have:

A) two tablecloths (red, unfortunately)
B.) the X Marks poster
C.) a straight-stitch indestructible singer sewing machine and a small 110 volt converter that will power it.
D. ) a deep cycle battery that will allow that machine to run for several hours...and a battery charger. Wish I had a solar panel!

We have the promise of a 10 x 10 sunshade tent...but I would buy one myself if that didn't materialize, as the cheapies are only $30. So that's covered.

One of our local guys is working on a big vinyl X Marks sign.

We'd need a few chairs, some reference material to put on the tables (I'll bring my copy of Barbs book) like Matt Newsomes guide to district tartans, and what would be REALLY cool.....a dress model or torso dummy to hang an X Marks kilt on. I'll have Mine done by then but will probably be wearing my MacNaughton that weekend.

So that's where we are. If I ever hear from the Caledonia Club, I'll update the board.

[macwilkin]

Alan,

I hate to say "I told you so", but I did warn you all about this kind of reaction from games committees.

Some friendly advice: I wouldn't have even mentioned the beer in the cooler. Does this go on at games: yes, all the time, including at my tent. But it is something better left unmentioned, especially to the folks running the games. Why? Insurance and liability, not to mention local ordinances regarding the public comsumption of alcohol in parks, etc. (Also, Bass Ale is one of their sponsors, so they probably have some sort of agreement with them to sell beer.) Nothing will shut down games quicker. Without insurance, games simply can't survive; hence the committee's "paranoia".

Have you phoned anybody on the committee? That might be a better approach than e-mail.

My advice, for what it is worth, would be to "borrow" some space at a Clan tent for Xmarkers to gather. This might be a good way to "introduce" yourselves to the games organisers in a way that might not appear "threatening" to them. Remember that many of these folks may not understand what Xmarks is, or the premise, and that may be the source of their comments about being a "vendor" or their lack of response. Attending society functions and even volunteering to help with the games might be another good way to introduce yourselves.

Again, not trying to offend anyone, or make anyone mad, just offering some friendly advice from almost a decade's worth of experience with games and games committees...

Regards,

Todd

[Alan H]

Alan,

I hate to say "I told you so", but I did warn you all about this kind of reaction from games committees.

Again, not trying to offend anyone, or make anyone mad, just offering some friendly advice from almost a decade's worth of experience with games and games committees...

Regards,

Todd

Todd, I'm not breaking my back to make this happen. I mean, I can't even be there on Saturday. It's worth a few e-mails, it' s not worth going overboard for.

Clan MacNaughton hosted X Marks at the Campbell Games. Clan MacNaughton will host X Marks again at the Ben Lomond Games, because I'm running the Clan Tent! Michael Steinrock has told us that his regional chief with Clan Cian would be happy to host us. We have options.

I just thought it would be fun to have our very own tent, wooo-hoooo and it wouldn't be a big deal. If it turns into a big deal, then we won't... simple as that.

[TimC]

Alan,

Thanks for even trying to make this happen. If it does come into being, I will take a day off work on Saturday to help cover the booth. Let me know.

-Tim

[CameronTaylor]

On the other hand, if Devils Canyon BOTTLES beer, then I've got a cooler and ice, you know?

$27.06 for a case of 22oz. bottles. Woo Hoo !!!


CT - that's almost enough for me ...

[Alan H]

OK, now I"ve written twice to the guy that handles the Clan Booths at the Pleasanton Games and he hasn't written back. CONCLUSION: forget it! How can these people make a go of it, if they won't answer their correspondance, and can't tell the difference between a vendor and a non-vendor?

OK Plan #2, and I'm giving credit to way2fractious for this....

We just *Arrive* and set up a tent somewhere and settle in. Instead of making it a big, formal thing, we go low-key. OK, so who is planning on attending the Pleasanton Games? Chime in here, if you're planning on being there. They are Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend.

http://www.caledonian.org/

I will be there on Sunday, but not Saturday.

OK, gear...

1.) I have a framed X-Marks poster that can sit on a table. Most of you guys have seen it.

2.) I will have an X-Kilt in Navy blue for display

3.) I will make 20 printed copies of my instructions on how to make an X-Kilt available for sale at the cost of printing. (no profit)

4.) I now have, courtesy of a big sale at Orchard Supply Hardware (it cost $20 instead of $100), a freestanding 10 x 10 sunshade/tent. I wish it were blue, but it's green and white. Ah well, the price was right.

5.) I have two cheapo aluminum and webbing lawn chairs

6.) I have a 2 foot x 7 foot folding table, and a tablecloth, unfortunately in red.

With the addition of a couple more chairs, and a banner proclaiming who we are, this is plenty to have a full-on tent. I'm entirely happy to pass this stuff on to someone who has a van or a truck and can bring it to the games and set it up on Saturday, if you will get it to me on Sunday. You can leave most of it set up overnight, actually, like most of the clan tents. We're really just talking about the X-Kilt and any unsold instructions. I will sit the X-Marks tent for 2-3 hours on Sunday, just so's I have a chance to hang with me MacNaughtons for an hour or two, say hi to the MacFarlanes (since it turns out that I have a connection) and browse the vendors a bit.


OK, so here's what's left...

1.) does anybody have a couple of lawn chairs to toss inside the tent, to supplement my two chairs?

2.) How about a banner? Will someone foot the bill for a banner (WalkerK has suggested that he will do it. There are online sources for banners where a 2 x 6 foot banner costs about $40.)

3.) Who can haul all my junk to the Games on Saturday morning, set it up and hang out for a while during the day? You won't need to tear it down at night, thought it'd be good to take the kilt down, and the instruction booklets, so that they don't disappear. This'll need to be someone from down here, in the Bay Area so I can get the stuff to you beforehand.

3.) Who can bring some beer??!!

OK, sign in, if you can do this and are interested...or even will just BE there!

[macwilkin]

Alan,

Have you called the clan liason? Hard to believe, but some people these days do not check their e-mails on a regular basis. There is a phone number listed on the site. I really think you need to try to contact them directly, and not rely on e-mail. Did you see this disclaimer on their web site?

Participants are reminded that his event is Scottish and is strictly invitational. The Caledonian Club of San Francisco is constituted as a private social club and reserves the right to refuse entry to any person or organization as it sees fit.

I would strongly advise not just to "show up" without talking to someone in charge first. That could get you escorted off the premises PDQ, especially if you are bringing in alcohol -- have you checked on local laws concerning public consumption? Most games frown on individuals bringing in their own (and yes, I know, I've been around games for 10 years) and it is usually due to their agreements with the local government, park board, as well as insurance liabilties. Insurance costs can make or break a games, and as a result, games organizers get paranoid about losing it. Trust me on this one; I've been around enough games and even helped organize one for three years, so I'm not just trying to tell you what to do. I'm currently acting as an advisor to the local games north of Springfield and many of these same issues come up in our planning.

Regards,

Todd

[Panache]

Alan,

I think we should introduce ourselves to the representatives of the Caledonian Club on Sunday in person. We bring them some information about X Marks and set things up for next year. If we are going to represent X Marks the Scot we owe it to everyone here on this forum to do it in a polished and polite manner.

I also think we should introduce ourselves to the some of the clans. I wonder how many of these people realize there are plenty of alternatives to the handsewn 8 yard kilt. Think of what interesting contributions an influx of these people would bring to the forum.

Cheers

[Alan H]

Alan,

Have you called the clan liason? Hard to believe, but some people these days do not check their e-mails on a regular basis. There is a phone number listed on the site. I really think you need to try to contact them directly, and not rely on e-mail. Did you see this disclaimer on their web site?



I would strongly advise not just to "show up" without talking to someone in charge first. That could get you escorted off the premises PDQ, especially if you are bringing in alcohol -- have you checked on local laws concerning public consumption? Most games frown on individuals bringing in their own (and yes, I know, I've been around games for 10 years) and it is usually due to their agreements with the local government, park board, as well as insurance liabilties. Insurance costs can make or break a games, and as a result, games organizers get paranoid about losing it. Trust me on this one; I've been around enough games and even helped organize one for three years, so I'm not just trying to tell you what to do. I'm currently acting as an advisor to the local games north of Springfield and many of these same issues come up in our planning.

Regards,

Todd

I've called, I've e-mailed and I've written a paper letter. The ONLY response I've gotten is the vendor guy sending me an e-mail with the forms for registering as a vendor, even though I explained clearly and succinctly that we are NOT a vendor.

I've considered printing off the "Clan Registration Form" which is nothing but five lines saying what clan you are and a contact number, tucking $35 in it, and sending it in. But at this point I have no confidence whatsoever that they will in fact either get it, register us, or figure out ANYTHING.

I am utterly UN-impressed with the organizational ability of this outfit.

Besides, if they tell us to take down the tent, then so what? We take down the tent, dump the junk in the car, and go back and grouse about it at the Clan Cian tent. Big whoop.

About the acohol....every clan tent I've ever been in has a cooler with beer and soft drinks in it. People walk around, sharing their flask of single-malt with friends and nobody bats an eye. At the Campbell games, the Campbell girls walked around asking for donations to their scholarship fund by auctioning off a claymore. The girls were quite free with sips from their flasks. Upshot...there is alcohol ALL OVER every Highland Games I've ever been to, here in California.

The Wicked Tinkers play many of the Games I attend. They make a STAGE ROUTINE of accepting hits off of the audience flasks of whisky, while they play their "Whisky" song! If the Caledonian Club throws a fit over having alcohol at the Games, they're got a real issue on their hands, because every third attendee has some!

However, Todd, because I hear your call to "accountability" despite my extreme irritation with these people, I will call them ONE more time......

[Mike1]

Alan, I'm afraid I've got to side with Todd on this one.

If you want to go gate-crashing the event, that's really up to you, a decision you need to make for yourself. It's you, and only you, that will pay whatever consequences your actions might bring.

As a member of this forum, I'm not so sure that I care for your cavalier attitude, particularly when you are wanting to identify your tent with this site. Do me a favor, willya? Play the game the way it's meant to be played or leave the X Marks poster at home. The instant you set that poster in your tent, you are going to be perceived as a representative of this site. And to be quite frank, we (as a forum community) don't want or need the brand of negative exposure you are risking with your devil-may-care attitude.

In my not-so-humble opinion, I think you would do well to get yourself a cold glass of water, take a few deep breaths and read what Todd and Panache are saying to you.