Coordinating an atheist dinner in Melbourne

I think I'm the main course. Anyway, Bride of Shrek is trying to organize the seating for the dinner in Melbourne on the 13th of March, and the plan is for the Pharyngula horde to sit together (I think it is so our uprising and assault will be more effective), and in order to do that, the she needs you to send her your conference booking confirmation number, which should be on your ticket or receipt. Then she'll get that information to the conference organizers, and they'll put you at the same table with me. I think.

Send the magic number to Bride of Shrek soon.

If you aren't going to the conference but are going to be in Melbourne on Friday afternoon, she's also organizing something for you, too.

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Isn't bacon the main course??

Have fun walking upside down, clinging to the tablecloth by your elbows, and swallowing uphill. I'll be working...

Well, hell. I'm going to Melbourne in July. Any chance of leftovers?

By Romeo Vitelli (not verified) on 16 Feb 2010 #permalink

I demand that photos be posted afterward. On account of I'll be , y'know, on the other side of the world while you dine w/ BoS et al.

By Sven DiMilo (not verified) on 16 Feb 2010 #permalink

It's only a few weeks off - I'm getting very excited. It should be good, crazy, godless fun!

By WowbaggerOM (not verified) on 16 Feb 2010 #permalink

Hoping I can get to Melbourne in time for the Friday afternoon event then.

That goes for me too (admittedly I live in the burbs, so it should be pretty easy)!

Philip (aka Pope Maledict DCLXVI)

*groupie alert*

I'm concerned that I'm turning into an atheist groupie...

Trying to get at the dinner table with PZ...

Going to get autographs from Dawkins at the Writer's Week festival...

By lisainthesky (not verified) on 16 Feb 2010 #permalink

Y'z gunna need a table wiv more than 10 seats...

:-)

Jeff

..um by numbers so far we'll need a table with about fifty seats!

Apologies to those who get a second email from me asking for this magic confirmation number. I have most of the intial horde who contacted me in my email contacts but , well lets face it- hotmail is crap, and it ate some of them. I'm sending out an email tonight basically asking for you to send me the same thing so if you get reminded twice apologies, and if you email twice I'll delete as necesary.
PZ was kind enough to to put this message on as I didn't to miss anyone and I figure between this post, and the email I send out tonight. I should have covered it all.

By Bride of Shrek OM (not verified) on 16 Feb 2010 #permalink

Is there ever going to be something like this in England?

I know we are considered a pretty atheist Nation but I put the name of my town + atheism into Google and got one mans dating profile (he was gay or I would have been in there).

Just because Richard Dawkins lives here doesn't mean that we don't need some atheist love ins.

BoSOM, email sent to both addys.Hadn't seen this post until now.

By Rorschach (not verified) on 16 Feb 2010 #permalink

I would love to be on the Pharyngula table... if I was coming to the dinner. But, alas, a poor student am I, and I didn't have the money for both the dinner and a ticket to the convention itself.

But I'll be telepathically patting you on the back throughout the night, PZ, don't you worry. :p

By Naon Tiotami (not verified) on 16 Feb 2010 #permalink

Given that organizing atheists is "like herding cats" I hope this isn't at an oriental-cuisine restaurant O.o

(Kidding)

I have a terrible habit of turning into a babbling fanboy whenever I've had a few drinks and am around impressive people; I'd like someone to volunteer to tell me to sit down and shut up if I'm being too obviously deranged...

By WowbaggerOM (not verified) on 16 Feb 2010 #permalink

I'd like someone to volunteer to tell me to sit down and shut up if I'm being too obviously deranged...

I think I'm not devulging too much when I say that I already had to promise that to another attendee of said convention...:-)

By Rorschach (not verified) on 16 Feb 2010 #permalink

I'm up for the Friday arvo gig.

By sosman.myopenid.com (not verified) on 16 Feb 2010 #permalink

Rorschach

You DOBBER!!!

Actually given the amount of logistical nightmare this dinner organisation has been I had intended you all to have to buy me a drink. Given however that a) there's about 50 of you and I'd get lethal alcohol poisoning and b) the drinks are included in the dinner ticket anyway and I'll get pissed on my own accord. I have decided that your thanks shall be shown as such:

a) No-one shall let me attempt to kiss, hug, gain autograph from, or otherwise act like a nasty fangirl type towards Professor Dawkins.

b)No-one shall let me adorn any part of the table centrepiece as any form of headgear.

c)Female Pharyngulite may, and will be called upon, to accompany me to the toilet. An addition to this is, during this toilet break, you shall have to listen to sexist comments from self about the manly attributes of various male Pharyngulites.

d)If there's post dinner dancing of any form, you will dance, upon demand, with moi so I don't look like a total loser getting all jiggy with myself out on the dancefloor.

Of course I can just remain sober and none of this will happen anyhow but, you know, I like to keep options opne.

By Bride of Shrek OM (not verified) on 16 Feb 2010 #permalink

BoS: this is your best comment EVER. You should get another OM just for it.

By portbeard68 (not verified) on 16 Feb 2010 #permalink

I wish I could come, but am on a different continent. :-(

BoS:
As we are obviously going to have multiple tables, I don't mind if I don't end up on the same table as PZ, so long as I am on a table with other Pharynulites, because I don't have any RL friends who are going that I can sit with.

I am an atheist conference virgin, so be gentle with me.

By neon-elf.myope… (not verified) on 16 Feb 2010 #permalink

neon-elf wrote:

I am an atheist conference virgin, so be gentle with me.

I think you'll find we all are - atheist conference virgins, I mean; there haven't been all that many as far as I know. Then again, I haven't been paying too much attention to such things until a year and a half (or so) ago so I might be wrong.

Worst case scenario: you won't be the only one.

By WowbaggerOM (not verified) on 16 Feb 2010 #permalink

Sorry that I can't participate - being around the world and all - but hopefully something similar will be possible when you visit Copenhagen in June (I'd be happy to be the coordinator when we get to that stage).

By Kristjan Wager (not verified) on 17 Feb 2010 #permalink

BoS, I sent you my number(s), but I didn't get an email from you before.

By Cath the Canbe… (not verified) on 17 Feb 2010 #permalink

CtCC wrote:

BoS, I sent you my number(s), but I didn't get an email from you before.

Ditto.

By WowbaggerOM (not verified) on 17 Feb 2010 #permalink

PZ, shouldn't you disguise the e-mail address a little? Every single ScienceBlogs spambot now knows BoSOM's address...

I wish I could come, but am on a different continent. :-(

Same for me.

By David Marjanović (not verified) on 17 Feb 2010 #permalink

"b) the drinks are included in the dinner ticket anyway"

That...that is the best news I've gotten all day. I did not know this! I totally budgetted twice the price of the dinner ticket in drinks for myself and others.

I feel for whoever has the first event on sunday morning.

I won't be making it to the Saturday dinner (ouch, that kinda hurt just typing that...) but I'm hella keen for beer-o'clock drinks in the city on Friday, and anything else that may be on.

BoS(OM) - did you get my email or was it et? I'll resend just in case...

By Charlie Foxtrot (not verified) on 17 Feb 2010 #permalink

Young and Jackson's has been suggested as a Friday drinks place. That's great. But if the weather is our friend (hey, it might just be a lovely balmy evening, what with global warming and all) we could move on to a beer garden or some outside place. Must get the thinking cap on. I suspect the Belgian Beer joint down St Kilda Road might just be a little too far.

Hi All

I'll send final emails tomorrow but please be assured if you have either sent an email previously, or sent an email responding to this post you are definately on the list to in the Pharyngilte tables. I'm still working on the name/number spreadsheet for the organisers but as it's nearly midnight here I'm calling it quits for the evening and wil finish it early in the a.m. I've had upwards of 70 or so emails to respond too ( and each one I have to manually log name and confirmation numbers from)so please forgive me if I've been a bit slow.

In the best Aussie tradition I'm chucking a sicky tomorrow to get it finished but I'm pretty sure that my godbot boss won't be reading this so I'm good to publically admit that.

Cath the CC, Wowbagger & Charlie- you are all definately on the list so you'll get the confirmation tomorrow.

David- it's all good, I asked PZ to publish the address as it was going to be the quickest way to get this all done. I'd previously put it out on a thread anyhow and the spambots have so far ignored it

.. having said that I's really love a personal email from Ken Ham.. that'd make my day.

By Bride of Shrek OM (not verified) on 17 Feb 2010 #permalink

BoS

I just emailed a request to be included on the list for the non-conference attendees' get-together.

It was unfortunate. I had to travel half-way around the world and am working 10-12 hour days to scrape together the cash for this, only to discover they sold out before I even hit the tarmac. If anyone is forced to cancel, even for individual sessions, please let me know. I would consider paying a premium but cash is still kind of tight. I am on the waiting list but not hopeful.

I will be there anyway, taunting the attendees and demanding recognition for FSM. I'm not sure if I will be in full pirate regalia or just sporting a modest cephalopod hat.

See you all there

By Peter McKellar (not verified) on 17 Feb 2010 #permalink

Any chance that those that got conference tickets but couldn't make the dinner would let me buy their slot for dinner? I'm actually chasing two tickets for the dinner, but only one for the conference.

Let me guess, the dinner is sold out also.....

By Peter McKellar (not verified) on 17 Feb 2010 #permalink

I would love to sit with Pharyngulites and come to Friday drinkies but the link to BoS didn't link to anywhere. How do I contact BoS?

Apart from seeing Richard Dawkins speak, this Pharyngulite dinner is what I'm most looking forward to. Eeeee!

BoS: I will gladly accompany you to the ladies to gossip about the male pharyngulites. And I'm always keen to cut some shapes on the dance floor.

By jams.n.tones (not verified) on 17 Feb 2010 #permalink

Wow - it looks like Pharyngulites make up a pretty substantial proportion of conference attendees. More power to our tentacle!

About the Prof Dawkins fangirl thing, count me in for a bit or breathless admiration from a distance.
I'd love to ask him to sign my copy of TGSOE, but I have a feeling about 1000 other people would like the same thing, and I don't want to be rude, or bother him ...

sorry that should be 'a bit of breathless admiration'

I'm sure there will be something for us non-dinner people to do. It's Melbourne on a Saturday night :P

Arwen wrote:

I'd love to ask him to sign my copy of TGSOE, but I have a feeling about 1000 other people would like the same thing, and I don't want to be rude, or bother him ...

I'm hoping PZ will do us the honour of dragging him, kicking and screaming inviting him over at some point to meet us. He does come here (Pharyngula) from time to time so it's not as if we're total strangers.

Then again, I was reading an RDF forum about the gathering and there seem to be a lot of people from over there going as well - so he may be more enthusiastic about spending time with 'his' people.

I'd like to spend more time there but the format of the posting makes my eyes water.

By WowbaggerOM (not verified) on 17 Feb 2010 #permalink

BoS: I will gladly accompany you to the ladies to gossip about the male pharyngulites.

Bloody hell... better get back to the gym...

By Charlie Foxtrot (not verified) on 17 Feb 2010 #permalink

Sorry guys, I'll just have to throw paper aeroplanes with cryptic messages on it from the rd.net table.

By dannystevens.m… (not verified) on 17 Feb 2010 #permalink

I most certainly want into the after gig. I attempted to get a ticket, but I sneezed and missed out. The damn conference was sold out before I even knew that tix were on sale!

Anyway, If we can get some details on the non-conference gig I'm going to be more than happy to participate.

By mrsquiddy (not verified) on 17 Feb 2010 #permalink

Hi All

By now you shoudl have all received an email from me confirming your place on the Pharyngula tables. If you haven't can you please email me ASAP with you name and confirmation number and names of any guests coming with you. I need to have final numbers and table arrangemens to the organisers shortly so time is of the essence.

Regards

Victoria

By Bride of Shrek OM (not verified) on 17 Feb 2010 #permalink

Sorry guys I forgot..

In the email there was also info regarding the Friday arvo drinks also. Basically it's at 3 pm at Young and Jacksons ( the exact bar is yet to be determined) in the city. I don't need numbers for this like the dinner so you can just turn up if you like. The more the merrier.

By Bride of Shrek OM (not verified) on 17 Feb 2010 #permalink

G'day Pharyngulites!

I post more (much more) on RD.net than here, but I may just have to drop by Y&J's and say g'day in person, and shake a few hands in recognition.

I'm sure PZ owes me a beer, too.

By Goldenmane (not verified) on 17 Feb 2010 #permalink

I've been lurking here for at least a year and a half, but never signed up to comment. Since I'm now going to be seeing a bunch of you guys at the conference and dinner I thought I'd better show my face. I'm also on RD.net, but don't post heaps there, either.

So Helloooo! *waves*

Sounds like it's all going to be a hell of a party!

I am having trouble keeping my raging jealousy under control. Serious trouble.

By One Furious Llama (not verified) on 17 Feb 2010 #permalink