Forum Welcome Table help needed

SkepticScott · Jun 14, 2015

Hi,
Kochanski will be a GenCon and KittyNH will be arriving late this year. She needs help running the table this year. Please contact KittyNH ASAP if you can help run the Forum Welcome Table.

Wowbagger · Jun 15, 2015

I am ALSO going to GenCon! But, I am also going to TAM. I am, in fact, going to BOTH. But.... only because I am insane. :cs:

If I wasn't insane I would choose one or the other.

So, if you're willing to accept someone THAT crazy as forum table runner, I would be glad to help out whenever I can!

Paul C. Anagnostopoulos · Jun 15, 2015

I'll be happy to hang out at the forum table when I have some free time. However, I do attend almost all of the talks, so that will reduce my availability.

~~ Paul

Kil · Jun 16, 2015

I can help out too.

SkepticScott · Jun 17, 2015

Would one of you be willing to be in charge? KittyNH and Kochanski can answer any questions you might have.

Wowbagger · Jun 19, 2015

What does "being in charge" entail? And would we have to miss a lot of the actual conference?

arthwollipot · Jun 19, 2015

So we're still having a table despite not being affiliated in any way with the JREF? That's cool. Are they giving it to us for free?

Wowbagger · Jun 19, 2015

One thing I was just reminded of: We need someone to print forum avatars! I suppose I could do it, if no one else wants to. I will start a separate thread for that.

But, if I am to be "in charge" of the table, theoretically speaking, I would like to know more about what it would entail.

Kochanski · Jun 22, 2015

Wowbagger said:
One thing I was just reminded of: We need someone to print forum avatars! I suppose I could do it, if no one else wants to. I will start a separate thread for that.

But, if I am to be "in charge" of the table, theoretically speaking, I would like to know more about what it would entail.

Being in charge means you make sure the table has someone at it during prime TAM conference times. It is fine if there is no one there during key presentations when people are not likely to be wandering the tables. I have done that plenty of times, I just try to make sure I am back there before breaks happen. You could do a formal roster, but I have found that is not necessary, people stop by all the time and ask if help is needed and they are often willing to sit at the table.

You need to make sure table is tidy and looks presentable and clear it up before you leave the table in the evening and tidy it up in the morning again.

You need to hand out buttons and avatars and information (most of the time the information is to tell the to go to registration) when needed.

You need to smile and say hi to people when they come by.

You need to keep track of info that people give you. If people have social events planned you can keep a list of those at the table for people if there is no white board (not sure there will be).

You can tell them about the forum and give them the link to it if they are interested (most are not that interested).

I have always enjoyed sitting at the table because I get to speak to and see a lot more people than I do when I sit in the conference room.

The one drawback of sitting there is you will have people ask you if you have seen particular individuals and it is not always easy to remember who you have seen, when and where they were going. The only certainty is that Scrut will be at the bar most of the time

Wowbagger · Jun 22, 2015

Most of this I can handle, except the first thing:

Kochanski said:
Being in charge means you make sure the table has someone at it during prime TAM conference times. It is fine if there is no one there during key presentations when people are not likely to be wandering the tables. I have done that plenty of times, I just try to make sure I am back there before breaks happen.

I don't like missing any presentations, "key" or otherwise.

I can try to be back at the table right before breaks, but I'm afraid I'll end up getting delayed a couple of times, too.

I can make sure there are no valuables at the table, when no one is guarding it, at least.

You could do a formal roster, but I have found that is not necessary, people stop by all the time and ask if help is needed and they are often willing to sit at the table.

That would be nice.

You need to make sure table is tidy and looks presentable and clear it up before you leave the table in the evening and tidy it up in the morning again.

I have no problem doing this.

You need to hand out buttons and avatars and information (most of the time the information is to tell the to go to registration) when needed.

I can do this too.

You need to smile and say hi to people when they come by.

Sounds like a lot of hard work. I'm sure I can manage it, somehow.

You need to keep track of info that people give you. If people have social events planned you can keep a list of those at the table for people if there is no white board (not sure there will be).

I can do that. I can supply something to list social events on, if there is no white board, or if the white board becomes too insane for most mortals to parse!

You can tell them about the forum and give them the link to it if they are interested (most are not that interested).

That's what I assume the primary mission of the table would be.

I recall we had a video player running something at the table. Can I get a copy of whatever that was?

one drawback of sitting there is you will have people ask you if you have seen particular individuals and it is not always easy to remember who you have seen, when and where they were going. The only certainty is that Scrut will be at the bar most of the time

Eh, people do this to me, even when I wasn't sitting at the Forum table, anyway.

(Sent from my Galaxy S5, using that lousy Tapatalk app thingy, or whatever it is.)

The Central Scrutinizer · Jun 22, 2015

Kochanski said:
The only certainty is that Scrut will be at the bar most of the time

I always appreciated how you directed all the single, college girls my way. The new forum table workers will have to take over that task.

Kochanski · Jun 22, 2015

Wowbagger said:
I recall we had a video player running something at the table. Can I get a copy of whatever that was?

That was the little dvd I put together. The problem is it says JREF forum all over it, I did not update the presentation at all to adjust for change in forum ownership because I was not sure that they would even be interested in having us there and promoting the forum.

As for having the table attended to, you have some others who have volunteered to help out, just make sure someone is available to sit there when you are not there and you are good to go. The main reason to have people there will be for people to get the First TAMmer buttons, the TAMbassador buttons and forum avatars. If there are times when no one is there it is not tragic.

bumlet5 · Jun 22, 2015

I can cover during some talks here and there. I'd have to look at the schedule and see what my Do Not Misses are and let you know.

Wowbagger · Jun 23, 2015

SO, what's the best way to contact kittynh? I already sent her a PM a while back, and haven't heard back, yet.

Kil · Jun 23, 2015

Wowbagger said:
Most of this I can handle, except the first thing:

I don't like missing any presentations, "key" or otherwise.

I'll be available during Shermer's talk.

The Central Scrutinizer · Jun 23, 2015

Kil said:
I'll be available during Shermer's talk.

Normally I would be too, but he's actually given a few decent talks recently. Plus I want to attend as a show of support.

Wowbagger · Jun 24, 2015

The Central Scrutinizer said:
he's actually given a few decent talks recently.

Shermer does tend to improve his public speaking skills, slowly, over time. Though, he's still no Carol Tavris.

(Sent from my Galaxy S5, using that lousy Tapatalk app thingy, or whatever it is.)

The Central Scrutinizer · Jun 24, 2015

Wowbagger said:
Shermer does tend to improve his public speaking skills, slowly, over time. Though, he's still no Carol Tavris.

(Sent from my Galaxy S5, using that lousy Tapatalk app thingy, or whatever it is.)

She is awesome!

And her and Shermer have at least one thing in common.

Wowbagger · Jul 6, 2015

The following is a DRAFT of my schedule, regarding when I can sit at the forum table, and when I have volunteer shifts.

It's in a relatively rough-draft state. Every time is approximate, even when not labeled as such. (The ones labeled "approx." are even more approximate than the others.)

Key:
Bold means I CAN set up, take down, or sit at the table. Either the whole time or almost all of the time.
Italics means I MIGHT sit at the table for some of the time. Maybe. Or, in the case of main sessions: I can sit during breaks.
Underlines mean I have a volunteer shift at that point in time.
No formatting means no table sitting, I think.

Kil · Jul 6, 2015

Wowbagger said:
The following is a DRAFT of my schedule, regarding when I can sit at the forum table, and when I have volunteer shifts.

I can cover the table at various times. I know I can cover it during your registration shift on Thursday, because my shift comes after yours.

Forum Welcome Table help needed

TAM Volunteer Guy

The Infinitely Prolonged

Nap, interrupted.

Critical Thinker

TAM Volunteer Guy

The Infinitely Prolonged

Observer of Phenomena, Pronouns: he/him

The Infinitely Prolonged

Illuminator

The Infinitely Prolonged

Penultimate Amazing

Illuminator

Indescribable

The Infinitely Prolonged

Critical Thinker

Penultimate Amazing

The Infinitely Prolonged

Penultimate Amazing

The Infinitely Prolonged

Critical Thinker