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First TAM Questions...

Overman

Master Poster
Overman
Joined
Feb 2, 2006
Messages
2,629
Do I book the hotels thru Randi? The lectures? Do I Just show up and be like "Hey I am here!"?

I am begining my planning and booking (I am making a whole west coast thing out of the whole deal) and am curious. Could someone please walk me thru some of the steps to get orgainized for TAM5 and also to tell me some tips...

Thanks!
 
Hi Overman,
There will be a registration form available here that you'll use to register for TAM5 with JREF. There will be optional events, like a workshop before the main event, a fund-raising dinner, etc. Keep looking here for info. The dates are set in stone (as far as I know), so you can make your travel plans and hotel reservations.

You book the hotel yourself, but people often use the forum if they're looking for a roommate. You'll also find people planning extra-curricular activities before or after TAM, so keep checking the forum. Las Vegas is a fun place, so you may want give yourself at least a day before or after TAM to play tourist.

You'll also want to find the best chocolate in your area so you can participate in the Chocolate Challenge. ;)
 
SkepticScott said:
Las Vegas is a fun place, so you may want give yourself at least a day before or after TAM to play tourist.
Click to expand...
I learned from the last TAM that I should do my sightseeing before TAM - I was too exhausted by the end of TAM to do anything. I missed the Hoover Dam tour because I was so tired!
 
And some of us were exhausted when the conference began on Thursday. Being part of the crew is maybe the best aspect of TAM.

When Sunday is over, I'm always ready for early retirement.....

TAM is not a conference where you are relaxed afterwards. It's dang hard work, even if you are "just" a "normal" attendee. :)
 
Claus,
The only reason you were tired is because you insist on always working. I tried to get you away from the merchandise table, I tried to to get you to take a break, but you refused. Do I have to bring a crowbar to TAM5 to pry you away from work?

Supercorgi is right, sightseeing before the convention is the best bet. You will get in some sightseeing during the convention, as people go out for dinner or other things each night, but you won't be able to go to Hoover Dam after the day's events.
 
SkepticScott said:
Claus,
The only reason you were tired is because you insist on always working. I tried to get you away from the merchandise table, I tried to to get you to take a break, but you refused. Do I have to bring a crowbar to TAM5 to pry you away from work?
Click to expand...

It's not work, mate. It's fun! :)
 
I am more worried about some SkepticShots after the convention then Hoover Damn...but they are filming Transformers there....
 
Overman, there may well be a reduced rate for the hotel for TAM attendees, so it's worth waiting til the official announcement before booking anything, unless you want to stay at the Wynn or something :D

I would recommend staying at the TAM hotel for the days of the conference, most of us socialised in the hotel bars etc, it really does become your whole world for those few days. No idea what the new venue is like, but presumably the same sort of thing will happen there.
 
SkepticScott said:
Claus,
The only reason you were tired is because you insist on always working. I tried to get you away from the merchandise table, I tried to to get you to take a break, but you refused. Do I have to bring a crowbar to TAM5 to pry you away from work?
Click to expand...
Maybe plastic explosives would work?
 
Thanks!

tkingdoll said:
Overman, there may well be a reduced rate for the hotel for TAM attendees, so it's worth waiting til the official announcement before booking anything, unless you want to stay at the Wynn or something :D

I would recommend staying at the TAM hotel for the days of the conference, most of us socialised in the hotel bars etc, it really does become your whole world for those few days. No idea what the new venue is like, but presumably the same sort of thing will happen there.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the info Teek!

I am going to book the airfare now but will wait on the hotels until further notice....I also have a couple of nonattendee buddies who like vegas and get rooms compted so I may drag them along...
 
Overman - I really suggest staying at the Riv. It is a jam-packed weekend - I never had time to hit Fremont Street or any of my other Vegas haunts at TAMIV. In fact, only on one evening did a few of us forumites pry ourselves out of the Stardust / Peppermill vicinity to troll down to Casino Royale for craps, Frontier for cheesy country/western bar atmosphere etc...

The Riviera will also be sort of isolated in its location by next January - the Stardust will be a smoking hole, the Frontier is already a hole, and the only other properties are at least one LONG Vegas block away (Hilton, WYNN, Flamingo/Harrah's/Imperial Palace etc...) Long story short - you will have stress trying to maximize your TAM time if you aren't at the Riv - and you risk missing a lot of fun spontaneous events as well.

Their rates are pretty reasonable at all times - and there will be a special convention rate closer to the time.

-AH.
 
Overman, a few things to help out. Arrive on Wednesday if you can; you can start meeting other attendees by simply hanging out. It's scary how easy we are to recognise... you may want to book through till Monday morning if you can spare the time. a lot of folks will still be around, and it's not quite so chaotic trying to check out and not miss the last few hours of the conference.
As others have pointed out, your best bet is to book into the Riviera, or look for a roommate on the forum if you want to save money. Also, keep an eye out for the various events, such as the chocolate challenge, the poker tourniment, or various side trips before during and after the TAM. All I can say is you'll love the experience.

(and a note to all; seems like I've finally worked out the technical kink that's kept me from logging on, so now you're stuck hearing from me more often)
 
In agreement. Stay at the Riv!

Last year would have been way more fun not having to travel back and forth for the conference - and we stayed with family while we were there!!

So..if we go this year, I think I'd prefer booking space at the Riv. (fingers crossed it'll happen)
 
Antiquehunter said:
In fact, only on one evening did a few of us forumites pry ourselves out of the Stardust / Peppermill vicinity to troll down to Casino Royale for craps, Frontier for cheesy country/western bar atmosphere etc...
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That one cowboy, on the bull, in the green shirt...

That totally made my trip. As an aside, do you think that they ever washed the bikinis that you could borrow for bullriding? And housekeeping stole my fabulous drink pipecleaner dealies. A lot of love went into those.
 
I think an excursion to that bar at the TI could be re-arranged... Those cocktails were... potent, and the waitstaff... attentive.

However - for raw, knock you on your butt alcoholic content, the ultimate cheesy Vegas cocktail HAS to be the $12 daiquiri at 'La Bayou' downtown. One of those and you are soaring for hours. Although I recommend leaving all credit cards, ATM cards and extra cash in the room, locked in the safe - because the cocktails have some weird 'force you to gamble' added-in concoction.

Definitely NOT homeopathic hooch.
 
Since I'm only a 3AMer and some of those who have offered advice are 4AMers you may take my advice as someone who has, say, an MA vs. that of PhDs but...

- Post your photo here so people know what you look like. I recognized 30-50 people at my 3 TAMs on site, even if many of them didn't recognize me.
- Stay at the hotel where the conference is held not only for the discount but for the social opportunities
- Wear something distinctive the first day and let people know what you'll be wearing. Order a JREF t-shirt or wear something skeptic related.
- Don't plan on sleeping much. You can sleep on the plane home.
- Paul A. is surprisingly handsome, beware his charms.
- Don't expect unlimited access to the skepticelebs who are attending, expect ad hoc access to skepticelebs to be friendly and welcome.
- Some of our non-native English speakers apart from Claus seem, to me, to be a bit self-concious about conversing in English, but to a person they are more fluent drunk than I am sober. Cozy up to them and enjoy their company and presence. At TAM1 I felt privilaged to have two of them sitting next to me helping with slang and idiom.

My final advice? Set your expectations high and get ready to have them exceeded.
 
Jas said:
That one cowboy, on the bull, in the green shirt...

That totally made my trip. As an aside, do you think that they ever washed the bikinis that you could borrow for bullriding? And housekeeping stole my fabulous drink pipecleaner dealies. A lot of love went into those.
Click to expand...
Can you see housekeeping for emotional distress? That was some kick ass pipecleaner art. Heck, I wasn't going to see them again and I still feel the trauma.

Walt
 
Antiquehunter said:
I think an excursion to that bar at the TI could be re-arranged... Those cocktails were... potent, and the waitstaff... attentive.

However - for raw, knock you on your butt alcoholic content, the ultimate cheesy Vegas cocktail HAS to be the $12 daiquiri at 'La Bayou' downtown. One of those and you are soaring for hours.
Click to expand...
Don't forget about Strip Liquor. This time it will be on the same side of the street (along with the Walgreens).
 
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