Volunteering @ TAM2?

[Pirate_Lad]

Hal,

I know some time ago you mentioned a need for volunteers at TAM2.

Ponying up 500 bucks would be a bit difficult for me, but I could swing it.

The more preferable option (if it remains an option, that is) would be to volunteer at TAM. I'm a strapping young lad of 23 years, and I can move/carry things for you guys, help register people as they show up, etc. Essentially, I'm willing to be the JREF's personal slave.

I'd much rather earn the money that way than have it paid for by someone.

Let me know what you think.

-- Dave

[hal bidlack]

While we will need, and are ready to exploit, offers of slave labor, it's tough to waive the registration fee. This is because our costs are fixed about many items. For example, the audiovisual support is very costly as is the food. If we 'comp' too many folks (meaning really, anyone other than an invited speaker) we have to push up the costs of registration for everyone else.

We spent quite a while discussion the registration fee. While higher than last years, we have also added a full day to the event, and have added a meal, as well as more speakers. And you are going to get more "Penn" (and maybe more Teller) than you can shake a stick at.

It was a tough call: go bigger and better but charge more, or stay small. We are learning as we go through this, and hope that this is a good way to go for this year. I'm going to talk to Linda about alternative paying ideas, but I think we'll still need to get the registration fee from even our kindest and nicest volunteers. Wish I had a better answer for you.

[Pirate_Lad]

Fair enough, then. I'll begin the hoarding of beer bottles now. Heh.

But since I'm such a fantastic guy, the offer of helping out still stands. I'd enjoy an opportunity to help give something back to the JREF, instead of just mooching it's bandwidth.

If you guys need any help, just let me know.

-- Dave

[hal bidlack]

you bet. As we get closer, we'll have a more formal volunteer call. If last year is a guide, there will be much heavy lifting and carrying. :)

[UnrepentantSinner]

Originally posted by hal bidlack
you bet. As we get closer, we'll have a more formal volunteer call. If last year is a guide, there will be much heavy lifting and carrying. :)

And that's just Hal's ego.

<rimshot><highhat>

[kittynh]

ANd some computer person who can figure out the bugs in Power Point!

[Pirate_Lad]

It's been a long, long time since I've done powerpoint, but I'd be glad to try and help with that, too.

[Zep]

*SIGH* (MS official line) THERE ARE NO BUGS IN POWERPOINT, JUST FEATURES!

Yes, I can do Powerpoint, although don't expect miracles from low-grade material, Hal.

[PeterB]

ANd some computer person who can figure out the bugs in Power Point!

If it's anything like the last skeptic event I went to (the Australian Skeptics 2003 National Convention), Skeptobabe and I will sit in the back row and refuse to help on the basis that it is our day off. We may indulge in a bit of techie heckling, however, in the style of "Up a bit, up a bit, move the cursor to the left, click now, no, you had to move the mouse first, point to the little picture of a projection screen, click now, no, that was the wrong thing to click on, ... "

Anyone who has ever done tech support over the phone knows how it goes. :rub:

(And, yes, my PP shows went ahead without a single reboot, but I am a bit of a show-off. My schadenfreude was enhanced by the way that the misfortune of others made my jokes about Microsoft work even better.)