Update on the X Marks booth at the Pleasanton games

[macwilkin]

Alan,

From what I can gather, like most Scottish games/festivals, etc., this is an all-volunteer organization. I've seen events like these that are ran like a ship at sea, and others that have no organization at all. Most of these folks have a life outside of the games, though, so you might cut them a little slack. They can only do so much.

If you can't get the response you want from the clan liason, then contact the President of the Caledonian Society. Or someone else.

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.

Believe me, I've seen quite a bit of it at games here in the Midwest as well. I'm not that naive!

BUT, my point is, that technically, most games prohibit it. Yes, they do turn a blind-eye -- but what if you've "gate-crashed" and attracted attention to yourself? Now they have a valid reason to escort you out. And as I pointed out before, Bass Ale is one of their sponsors -- a sponsor that probably donates a hefty sum to the games. Naturally, the organizers want to encourage attendees to drink their sponsor's beer and make more money.

As far as what they can do, well, I've seen people escorted and removed from games before by the local constabulary. Not very often, but it does happen. See their disclaimer that I posted.

Again, I'm not trying to be a wise-acre here, or trying to take the mickey out of you. Listen to Panache, and as Mike said, "play the game".

Regards,

Todd

[Alan H]

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



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.

I read it. Please understand that this has draggted on for WEEKS, OK? It's nto like I haven't tried and tried and tried again to contact them and register legitimately. I'm very cognizant of the fact that if a tent goes up, we represent X Marks to the entire community that attends the Games, even if it's just a casual thing. I'm annoyed, but I read it.

I will call their Clan organizing guy one more time. If I get no response...phone calls not returned, then I will wash my hands of the entire thing, and hang the X Marks tent idea. I think it's too bad, but so be it..

[Alan H]

Gee, I wonder why I didn't get a call-back last time..... I called the contact number from their web site for Clan Registration. This is the telephone number on their registration form.....and it's the wrong number. I confirmed with the person that answered the phone that I had dialed the correct number, and I had. Ooops... wrong number. Sorry. Not only that, but the snail-mail address is wrong, according to the person who answered the phone. That means that all the clans that are mailing in their addresses are sending their registration forms to the wrong place.

*sigh*

So I e-mailed the guy who's listed as the Clan Coordinator at his Kerr Clan mailing address. This is opposed to the regular Games information e-mail address, which is what I've used in the past. If I don't get an answer, then this has become way too much hassle for the fun it was supposed to be, and I'll forget it.

[Mike1]

Alan, I fully understand, as you've already gone into painful detail with us on the topic.

I am of the mind that you simply need to get your ducks in a row and make up some sort of reasonable plan for what you actually intend to accomplish by your presence.

You're soured because you keep getting vendor applications, that you claim you don't need. You are forgetting your own words, posted barely 12 hours ago. Look at THIS POST.

I think I'll have 20-30 printed copies made up for the Pleasanton games and sell them for what it costs me to print them.

Do you see what I'm saying about your level of preparation? You're saying you don't need a vendor's application, yet you're considering sales of your brochure.

Relax, there's always next year.

[Alan H]

Alan, I fully understand, as you've already gone into painful detail with us on the topic.

I am of the mind that you simply need to get your ducks in a row and make up some sort of reasonable plan for what you actually intend to accomplish by your presence.

You're soured because you keep getting vendor applications, that you claim you don't need. You are forgetting your own words, posted barely 12 hours ago. Look at THIS POST.


Do you see what I'm saying about your level of preparation? You're saying you don't need a vendor's application, yet you're considering sales of your brochure.

Relax, there's always next year.

I had actually figured I'd put a jar out with "Suggested Donation" of the cost of printing the booklets. No profit, voluntary donation.

[way2fractious]

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/

Alan, since you give me credit for the idea, then I have to come to your aid when the debits pile up...

My original thread on the subject of a kiltmaking day (here: http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=18059) took on a life of its own when it was thought possible to use the games as the vehicle. Kiltmaking is simple but time-consuming; doing it at a games appears to be complex, costly, and time-consuming.

My one experience with a "personal" tent at games was to observe and cheer on an athlete in the heavy events. I did not sew a kilt while there, but I suppose that would have been OK. We invited a few coworkers to stop by, sit a spell, and enjoy a refreshment. No problem. Had we hung up a sign that said, "GO, MARK!" (which we didn't), I doubt any rules would have been broken.

It's in the matter of representation that lines are crossed and formal registration required. I'm still for the idea of a tent, chairs, small table, small portable DIY projects brought by individuals, and some word-of-mouth info (or forum posts) about where one might drop in for a rest in the shade, a dip into an ice chest, or take a few pictures. OK, no banners or signs or handouts (this is the representation part.) If a few drop-ins happen to be wearing familiar kilt pins, cap badges, T-shirts, or proprietary tartan kilts, who's to say not?

If it really is an Herculean Task to arrange a meeting spot at a Highland games venue, perhaps another tack could be taken. (How's that for mixing metaphors? )

Maybe Devil's Canyon Brewery would like to become a sponsor the next year... Maybe a meeting room could be arranged in Las Vegas next April... Maybe someone with a big back yard... (Maybe tents on Hamish's struggling lawns?... )
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Aside from all the above, I'm going to the Pleasanton Games on Saturday, September 2nd. I really should start running now to prepare my legs and lungs for the kilted mile, wearing MacLaren colors. (...unless forum members wish to sanction my entry wearing XMarks tartan )

[macwilkin]

My one experience with a "personal" tent at games was to observe and cheer on an athlete in the heavy events. I did not sew a kilt while there, but I suppose that would have been OK. We invited a few coworkers to stop by, sit a spell, and enjoy a refreshment. No problem. Had we hung up a sign that said, "GO, MARK!" (which we didn't), I doubt any rules would have been broken.

It's in the matter of representation that lines are crossed and formal registration required. I'm still for the idea of a tent, chairs, small table, small portable DIY projects brought by individuals, and some word-of-mouth info (or forum posts) about where one might drop in for a rest in the shade, a dip into an ice chest, or take a few pictures. OK, no banners or signs or handouts (this is the representation part.) If a few drop-ins happen to be wearing familiar kilt pins, cap badges, T-shirts, or proprietary tartan kilts, who's to say not?

(...unless forum members wish to sanction my entry wearing XMarks tartan )

I've never been to a games before where there are "personal tents"; I've been to games where there are campgrounds, but I can't say I've ever seen anyone just put a "pop-up" tent up along the athletic field, clan row, etc. Most games "sell" tent spaces as a way to raise revenues -- the insurance alone for games is "sky-high". The organizers are going to see a tent, and most likely ask for registration fees -- hence, why contact needs to be made, as well as introductions. Has anyone else ever seen this?

And btw, I am not posting this advice to be mean towards Alan -- as I have explained before, I have actually help plan and organize games in SW Missouri since the late 1990's. I'm just offering "food for thought" and trying to help Alan so that way the games will not be ruined for anyone. Most spectators at games simply do not realize all of the blood, sweat and tears that go into them. I'm sorry, w2f, if you think otherwise, but that was not my intention.

Personally, if Alan and the rest of the CA Xmarkers want to have a place to hang out, I would talk to Alan's friends at the Clan Macfarlane or Macnaughton tents and see if you could make it a "basecamp" of sorts for this year, and as Panache suggested, introduce the games staff to Xmarks.

TJW

[Panache]

Alan,

We appreciate all you do for we Northern California X Markers!

You are a dynamic guy and when you want to do something, you just want to make it happen. We are lucky to have you.

Sadly, when large groups are involved things can be ...well...less focused and dynamic.

We will will have an X Marks tent, it will just take a little time.

Cheers

[Alan H]

I took a suggestion from Cajunscot and went straight to the top. The Chief of the Caledonian Club has all his contact information, right up top on the downloadable pdf of their newsletter. It's right there for the whole world to see it.

OK, so I called him and left a message with his wife this afternoon. Then I e-mailed him at work. I asked her if it was OK to e-mail him, and she said "yes". Everything was polite, no ranting! I just made a simple request as to "where can I register my group?" We'll see if anyone gets back to me.

If nothing happens, then forget it.

I'm convening the MacNaughton tent at the Ben Lomond Games in October, so the Clan will host XMarks again, like it did at the Campbell games.

Cajunscot, at the Campbell Games it's commonnplace for Athletics competitors and Dance competitors to bring 10 x 10 sunshades. The Heavy Athletics field is basically ringed by competitors sunshades. I don't know if individual dancers bring tents, but certainly dance groups and "studios"..meaning a group of dancers that study with the same teacher bring 10 x 10 tents. I'm pretty sure they don't register them. There were tents much like this around the Heavy Athletics field at the Livermore Games last year, but I didn't get to the Athletics field this year, so I didn't notice if they were there, or not. I don't know how things go at the Dunsmuir and Pleasanton and Ben Lomond games, as I haven't attended them, yet. Those are the other three big "Games" here in the SF Bay Area.

I know Cajunscot isn't being mean, he's just being careful and is keenly aware of all the work that goes on to pull a Games off. No worries!

[Kilted KT]

If you still want to make the banner happen, I'll be happy help with the finances. Shoot me a PM with the details.