DETAILS ARE IN!!:
DATE: Sunday, 26 October
TIME: Starts at about 10am but please try and get there by 12. It can run up until 6pm (it has in the past) but you can leave whenever :)
WHERE: Roma Street Parklands.
WHERE EXACTLY?: Spring Hill Corner. There is a PDF map here: https://secure.publicworks.qld.gov.au/rsp/downloads/rsp_webmap.pdf However, this could move to the amphitheatre... so if we aren't at Spring Hill Corner, go in that direction ;)
WHAT TO BRING: Hat, sunnies and sunscreen - just to be safe ;) Camera, picnic blanket if you have one OR a foldable seat. Also bring something to drink. I can't afford to pay for all that stuff to cover everyone coming ;) A pack of chips of lollies too won't go astray. Just to be fair ;)
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It is never too early to start this thread. In fact, the sooner the better.
For those who don't know - the Kick-Off party usually happens one or two weeks before NaNoWriMo offically starts. Its to get the excitement levels up, find out who else in the area is doing NaNo this year, and be able to put a face to a username.
This will be happening IN MID-LATE OCTOBER so if you have that area free in your calendar right now, please try and keep it that way for the next two weeks if you want to come along.
These are the usual happenings:
We start around 10-11am so we have enough time to bludge around and act crazy
We do this somewhere in or near the CBD so everyone is able to get to the location easily enough.
We all bring along a little something in regards to food or drink (I've never met one person able to feed a hoarde like ours by themselves ;) )
Now the usual questions appear:
Would you prefer a weekend or a week-day?
History serves to favour weekends but this is open to change if enough people prefer a weekday.
Where would you rather go? A park, a library, a coffee-house or 'other'
Roma Street Parklands has served as our meeting place for the last 3 or 4 KOPs but we've had requests for libraries and coffee houses or even the botanic gardens before.
Do you have somewhere specific in mind for a meet-up place? And do they allow 20+ loud and odd people randomly dropping in on them?
We tried dropping in on Fat Tony's in Fortitude Valley for our very first year back when we had about 15 people show up. They liked us until we stopped ordering food ;)
Gimme some suggestions, folks. This is a decision that'll be made by majority vote.
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Ellie
co-Municipal Liaison for Brisbane, Australia
Captain of the Writey Ducks aka TEAM 3!
NaNo Title: tba
Genre: Thriller/Suspense
50,045 / 50,000
Sep 27, 2008 - 04 55
I'm happy with Roma St parklands.
52,317 / 50,000
Sep 27, 2008 - 06 02
I agree ROma St Parklands
Also Sunday is the best day for me
50,586 / 50,000
Sep 27, 2008 - 15 41
It'd have to be a weekend for me -- which I guess pretty much makes it the 25th or 26th. Hey, this November has 5 weekends in it!
And yeah, the Parklands have worked well for us before, but as always, I can be flexible. :-)
12,011 / 50,000
Sep 27, 2008 - 16 18
Well I wasn't expecting the early relaunch! I'm happy with Roma St. Parklands. There's a barbeque there, so we can get hot food without paying through the nose for it :D. And I'd prefer a weekend, due to still being a student.
Hooray for early planning!
217,155 / 50,000
Sep 28, 2008 - 09 50
I agree with the weekend thing, it'd probably suit most people. Don't know where Roma St. Parklands is, but I'm sure I can work that out, guessing on Roma St, haha. *runs to google maps*
12,011 / 50,000
Sep 28, 2008 - 17 36
Roma St. Parklands are really easy to get to, at least from Roma St. Station. You go up some stairs, cross a road, walk along a bit, go up some more stairs, and from there follow the shouts of "ARE YOU A WRITER!?" :) Super easy.
5,002 / 50,000
Sep 28, 2008 - 20 13
Where in Roma St Parklands? It's HUGE!
50,247 / 50,000
Sep 28, 2008 - 22 28
I would prefer a weekend seeing as I am also a student and our holidays will long have ended by then.
I'm happy with the Roma Street Parklands also. If you happen to be wondering where to go from the station, follow the teenaged girls racing up the stairs and escalator because they can. Or the signs. The signs work too... The place we were at last year was quite close to the entrance near the station yes?
12,011 / 50,000
Sep 29, 2008 - 00 55
Yup, it was really easy to find. I still stand by my advice of following the shouts of "ARE YOU A WRITER!?" We're a loud bunch of people, it'll be no problem to find us :) And I do seem to remember that Ellie was standing on the path and guiding new Nanoers at least one of the years I've been.
68,078 / 50,000
Sep 29, 2008 - 01 23
I work full-time, so the weekend is best for me!
Parklands sound good, the Botanical Gardens are also pretty. Just point me in the right direction and I'll be there!
Sadly, I have family visiting from all over this half of the world over the weekend of the 18th/19th October, so any weekend other than that one is best for me. I shall cross my fingers and hope that's convenient. :)
~Mel
11,253 / 50,000
Sep 29, 2008 - 03 40
Roma Street Parklands! So easy to access!
A weekend will be best - I'll be teaching weekdays at that point.
22,446 / 50,000
Sep 29, 2008 - 13 50
You follow the shouts. :D
22,446 / 50,000
Sep 29, 2008 - 13 52
I am a lazy uni student and part-time worker. You make a day I will be there. But something on a train line is good - like the parklands. :P
51,282 / 50,000
Sep 29, 2008 - 20 29
Yes, for anyone coming to the KOP please be prepared to yell out:
"Are you a writer?!?"
If 'no' or no answer - continue with:
"Do you want to be?"
If the answer is 'no' or the person starts walking away hurriedly... we then rely on Pete(r) to yell out 'Take your shirt off' while I smack him upside the head ^_^
22,446 / 50,000
Sep 29, 2008 - 21 12
I remember you guys yelling that to me. Freaked me out, but I felt loved... and a little less lost. :D
3,967 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2008 - 02 15
Ooh. I shall endeavour to come to the KOP. This is my first time doing NaNoWriMo, so I should do it properly :-D
Roma Street Parklands on the 25th/26th is cool with me, although a Sunday would be better than a Saturday.
51,282 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2008 - 03 09
Ok, so it looks like Roma Street Parklands again this year :D It is VERY easy to get to, folks, and if we're lucky we won't get double-booked again this year ;)
Here's a PDF Map of the area: Map of Roma Street Parklands
We are usually in 'Spring Hill Corner' (N5 on the map) so I will endeavour to get that area again!
Limited seating though so remember to bring a picnic blanket or some such if you can!
5,002 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2008 - 03 57
ok when will it be, weekend please...me and ma mate still have school for 7 more weeks....lol...but i need a date to get off work...so asap pretty please:), cause i realy wanna come:)
de
51,282 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2008 - 04 05
OK, I'm pretty sure its agreed - WEEKEND meet up :D
We have 4 votes (including mine) for the weekend of 25/26 October.
3 votes for Sunday.
If there are people that want to speak up for another date please say so soon or forever hold your peace.
AS IT STANDS:
Roma Street Parklands (booking pending...)
SUNDAY, 26 October.
Vote 'yes' or 'no' (with alternate date, please) so I can get numbers :)
5,002 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2008 - 04 13
either day that weekend is good for me, sunday is better but sat is good to so i say yes for either.....i say go for sunday though:) de
0 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2008 - 08 42
I cast my vote for Saturday, but Sunday's okay as well. I'm going to a party Saturday night, so I might be a bit..."tired" on Sunday.
12,011 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2008 - 17 36
I vote Saturday with Sunday being A-OK as well.
22,446 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2008 - 18 09
I'm going with Saturday as well. I have an assignment due on Monday and don't want to be freaking out about it while I'm hanging out with you guys (I would be if it were Sunday).
0 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2008 - 19 39
I cast my vote for Sunday the 26th at Roma Street Parklands, as I try and earn my monies on Saturdays.
I smile fondly at the memories of "ARE YOU A WRITER?" "DO YOU WANT TO BE?" "TAKE YOUR SHIRT OFF!", and the spontanious musical chairs that happened every time someone left their seat unguarded.
11,345 / 50,000
Oct 4, 2008 - 01 12
Anything after the 22nd of October is good for me. My thesis is due on the 22nd of October. 26th sounds good
56,061 / 50,000
Oct 4, 2008 - 01 27
I didn't get to go last year (given that I was 16, and didn't actually do it, because, you know, grade 11 sucks!!) but... I'm so excited at the prospect of this year that I'm happy with anything!!! :D Or... are there rules against under 18s? Because then my opinion doesn't count anyway :P
51,282 / 50,000
Oct 4, 2008 - 02 09
Everyone is welcome :) If your parents are worried though just let them know its a public place and we are a family-friendly environment :)
I remember one couple brought their young (under 5 years old) child with them :) We really had to watch our language that year ;)
0 / 50,000
Oct 4, 2008 - 02 15
I would really like to go to this and get to know everyone else in Brisbane doing NaNo, but I'd like to know about how old most of the people here are, because I'm quite young and my mother refuses to let me "hang around the Roma St Parklands with a bunch of thirty-year-olds intent on shirtlessness".
As far as the location/time goes, I'm fine with the 26th of October at Roma St Parklands. I'll try to keep that date free. :)
(Right before I posted my first question was answered, so I'm getting rid of it now.)
51,282 / 50,000
Oct 4, 2008 - 02 19
"30-years old intent on shirtlessness" LMAO!!
Ok, well we had a fair group of teens come last year (15-18 I'd say), a group of 20-somethings, a dash of 30-40 somethings and a few 50-ish-ers :)
And no ACTUAL shirtlessness takes place. We just like to yell that at random passers by ;)
50,586 / 50,000
Oct 4, 2008 - 02 31
But I'll have you know that I was shirtless under my, um, shirt.
However, now that I have graduated from 30-something to 40-something, I shall curtail my wild behaviour... :-)