This thread’s for maryb…
About The Author
BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
68 Comments
I’m honored.
We’re sooo worthy! We’re sooo worthy! lol
Hey Mary, did anything somewhat “solid-ish” get established about a late summer/early fall meet up? I think if I had enough notice, I could definitely swing Chicago (can get a cheap enough fare here with advance notice), and would love to do it if it works out with the rest of us. I’ve got lots of Marriott points and a few for the Westin (love the one on Michigan Ave.) Let’s try to make this happen… and let me know if there’s anything I can do to help move it along somehow. Don’t know about you, but I’m really envious of the folks who have organized other meet ups around the country! I would have loved to have gone to the one in Baltimore recently, if for nothing else, to have met CG and Boran2. Besides, tacky as it is, I love Baltimore!
But then, St. Louis ain’t so shabby either… Anyway, let me know what you think. See you in the lounge sometime soon… and I’m still saving you some of that good stuff hehe.
http://www2.boomantribune.com/?op=displaystory;sid=2006/6/7/165117/0443
I’ll be speaking Saturday after all, up 1st after lunch.
I’ve begun collecting the 2,000 signatures required to appear on the Primary ballot. Anyone in Wisconsin who’d like to help, download Form EB 168, Nomination Paper for Partisan Office (pdf) and fill in the appropriate fields. Name and Address as in my sig, “Jurisdiction” is State of Wisconsin, “Office sought” is United States Senator.
Then circulate, and mail to me prior to the July 11 deadline.
Ben:
I hear your name whispered here and there, but can’t seem to find out what your’re about. I have a dollar! and am willing to spend it. What is your website? How can I get rid of “I love Big Business ’cause it’s my family ” Kohl? in Wisconsin?
Thanks!
Anna Sukrana
There will be a Midwest Meetup in Chicago on October 7 – mark your calendars now.
Let us know that you’re interested by leaving a message here OR over at the Froggy Bottom Café.
Any BooTribber is an honorary Midwesterner and invited to the Meetup if (s)he has ever set foot in the Midwest or ever passed through the Midwest (that includes flyovers). Special exceptions are available for those who don’t fall into those categories. So no excuses!
Details will be coming soon.
hey, I think O’s weakening! We’ve got to keep up the pressure.
Thanks for your hard work on this, Mary. I’m pretty definite at this point, unless the world blows up in my face between now and then. I’m putting it on my calendar in ink then … Now, we need NDD, dada and Olivia to commit or be committed.
Should we have t-shirts designed that say “Not Just the Fly over Tribe?” I bet we could charm Refinish into putting something together for us … just a thought.
I’m in Chicago, FYI. What are the plans?
At last – someone IN Chicago!
The plans are – well they’re in the planning stage right now. Hey, we have a couple of months to finalize them so we don’t want to rush! If you have ideas, please chime in.
First we needed to pick a location. We chose Chicago because it’s easy to get cheap flights into it and a lot of people can drive.
Next we tried to pick a date that at least 5-6 people would commit to. That turned out to be October 7. Now we’re seeing how many people are interested (which probably will influence what we do).
Basically, though, since some people could come in for the day only, we are looking at planning one main meetup event on Saturday afternoon. Probably beginning with lunch. Any ideas?
BUT — a number of us will be there all weekend. So, besides the main event, we’ll be open to many ideas. And everyone will have many opportunities to do things together.
Post ideas here – or tell me or AndiF when we’re in the café.
So — you’re coming right?
Sounds like fun. I don’t really comment here much, so I guess I don’t feel like I know you all very well. But a Booman meetup in Chicago sounds like fun.
Oct is a long way off by my standards, but keep me in the loop about it. Ideas? Well, that really depends on what everyone wants to do and how many people there are and what’s going on. Chicago’s pretty big and it’s more a matter of narrowing your choices than trying to come up with things to do. 🙂
I’ll be mcing the Great Midwest Marijuana Harvest Festival in Madison.
Read all about Jolie Justus’ campaign here.
Another update for MO-10 State Senate candidate Jolie Justus.
I’m putting a “shout-out” to any Tribbers who live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.
Scribe (who also lives in St. Paul) and I would like to plan a get-together for anyone who’s in the area and interested in getting together.
Just let us know who you are by commenting here or sending me an email at the address below. We’ll see if we can plan something that fits everyone’s schedule.
Could be fun!!
I’m jealous that you have more than bootribber in your metro area.
Do you two think you can make it down to Chicago in October? I’d love to meet both of you.
Actually, Scribe and I were just talking about whether we could come to Chicago in October when we thought that we would start by seeing who we could get together here. We’re talking about it…I’ll let you know.
We were trying to figure out who lived in the area. I know Anomalous does and I’m wondering about north country. But neither of them have email addresses listed. So if either of them – or others – see this, let me know. Maybe if we get a big enough group – we can bring a caravan down to Chicago.
And just so you know – it was because of the pond that I got the chance to meet Scribe. That one blessing in my life will make me forever grateful to Booman and all you tribbers!! She’s even more of a gem in real life than she is in her writing – if you can believe that.
Maybe if we get a big enough group – we can bring a caravan down to Chicago
A caravan of bootribbers! I hope you find enough to do that! (Although I’ll be really, really jealous!)
I’ve enjoyed meeting every single person I’ve been fortunate enough to meet. I just wish any of them lived closer to me. kansas is the closest, but she’s still over 5 hours away.
keep working on it — I really hope you make it!
I can’t commit this far ahead, but I live over near Ann Arbor, Mi. and would strongly consider an informal meet up in the windy city. Please e-mail me with more specifics as time draws nearer. (Of course there is the remote possibility that early October may have my beloved Detroit Tigers engaged in post-season activities for the first time since 1987, so I have to edge my bets)
Hah! AndiF, JimF and I are all in the same little rural county! Take that, metro area;-)
Sadly, Mrs. dem and I will be campaigning hard in Oct., as we both have opponents in Nov. Maybe next time.
Oh my – I would have responded to your invite much sooner, but I needed to regroup a bit and wait for my heart to settle down. (Well that, plus I needed to cook dinner for my in-laws. ;^) As timing would have it, I recently stopped by this thread for the sole purpose of seeing if you and Scribe were planning any breakfasts in the near future. Needless to say, this was quite the welcome surprise – in contrast to the less than stellar week I just had. Bless you.
Count me in for whatever your plans might be… assuming it stays local. (As much as I’d love to meet all the wonderful folks in Chicago….. and I certainly would….I’m just not a “caravan” type of gal. Not to mention, finances/family issues are such that any type of travel is out of the question. But darn, all that joy pouring out from the CA meet-up sure made me wish that I could have been there among all those delightful people. And now….you and your dear buddy Scribe have done it – provided an opportunity to meet some amazing BT folks right here in the Cities. What a blessing …. I’m sitting here feeling all warm and fuzzy… for the first time in….well…..I truly can’t remember the last time….
As luck would have it, I recently set up a gmail account…. so you can reach me at “trials by fire at g mail dot com”. (Someone else on gmail has the moniker “trial by fire”, so please notice the pluralized first word) In turn, should you receive an e-mail from “Johanna Visions”, that would be me.
hmmm…..as far as other local BT members … Slacker Inc. comes to mind, but I don’t recall having seen him in ….like….forever…. 🙁
Thanks again, NL – your timing was superb in brightening my day, week, month…. :^)
Check your email.
We’ll get this party rolling!!!
back atcha. e-mail just sent to you and Scribe. Thanks again, you’ve made my day!
g’night!
Hey, Fargo ain’t that far from Twin Cities. And I got friends and family there too. Be fun to have an excuse to visit there again.
So please add me to the Twin Cities meetup email list.
(My Chicago plans are still pending.)
Too cool! NL started my day with a ray of sunshine, and now you sir, have ended it with the same. Thank you.
g’night!
Fabulous NDD!! I’d love to meet you!
So, who else do all of you know that’s close? Lets give this a little more time and see who else might show up. Then maybe we can settle on a date and post a diary to see if there’s anyone we missed.
In as much as I’m in the stars. . .I’m near everywhere. Please put me on your email list too. . .<big grins>
shirlstars at yahoo.com
You just never know when I might drop in, so keep me posted.
Hugs
Shirl
Tooo Cooool – will do Shirl!
Gasp!!! Heart be still!!! (My exclamation points could go on forever, but I’ll leave the total at three….or six, actually…if you were to combine my two remarks :^)
Shirl, it would be absolutely amazing to meet you, so I hope this isn’t some type of cruel joke on the Twin Cities folks! ;^) So…ya think you could convince your dear buddy Diane to come with you? You do know that you have that type of power don’t you? Along with your incredible power of goodness and love that you so freely share with all who are blessed by your presence. And it would be truly fabulous to meet Diane!!! :^) (Have yourself a few more exclamation points, in honor of your dear buddy :^)
Thanks so much for kicking off my week with such delightful thoughts, Shirl! You’re a unique and precious gem, Lady.
Well….as we’ve mentioned offline, there’s YaRight and Slacker….neither of whom have e-mail addresses posted. So…if anyone knows of there whereabouts – please give them a shout.
Have you considered posting an open invitation at Village Blue…or Manny’s site….or Katiebird’s (or any other BT spinoff blogs that aren’t coming to mind at the moment)…….just a thought.
I’m about an hour out. My schedule’s truly crazy at the moment, but if it’s possible for me to make it in, I will. My email’s my first name: Kelly. At, my full name: kellymccullough. Dot Com.
Amazing!! Please do come – we can work around your schedule I’ll bet!!
Hey Kelly! I read your e-mail from this morning and sent you a response. Turns out that I live less than 5 minutes away from your August book signings. (And allow me to extend my heartfelt congratulations and my best wishes for great success with your new book!)
I’m so delighted that Nancy and Scribe got the ball rolling for these get-togethers! Never thought I’d have the good fortune of meeting any Tribbers, so this has just been way too cool for words!
I’ll look forward to meting you in person. I’m not absolutely sure I’ll be in the Twin Cities for the 12/13. There’s an SF con there I should go to that weekend, but I might have crashed from a killer schedule at that point. For the 5th, when things get a little closer to the actual date we’ll have to see who else might be up for lunch or brunch out that way and work out details.
Scribe and Nancy have both been quite accommodating with breakfast/lunch scheduling, so something tells me there’s a great chance that they’d make themselves available for a visit with you while you’re in town. (On the other hand, I probably shouldn’t be making promises on behalf of others ;^)
Good day!
Well, I’m in SoDak…when and where are you thinking? It’s about 4 hours from here to Ikea LOL…
ConglomerNation – I sent you an email last night and it was returned. Can you email me and the address by my sig line? So glad to hear you’re interested! We haven’t settled anything yet about date/place – just starting to talk.
I just emailed you 🙂
I’m at work now (shhhh, dont tell anyone) so I’ll get back to you when I get home later today.
BTW, 4 hours to Ikea – now that’s priorities!! LOL
IKEA, yes. Our new kitchen says it all:
Especially when you look at the before:
Mr. Conglomernation did all but thewindow. He rocks.
Okay, sorry to hijack the thread…
hijack or not :^) – thanks for sharing the photos. Kitchen looks great! (Although, truth be told, I also really like the 1950s retro look of the original design)
I justdiscovered this thread! And I’m just today beginning to think I might be able to make it to Chicago. Faint hints of hope! Those of your staying all weekend–are you going to be staying at the same hotel?
Great idea Kansas. . .I’m thinking hard on it too!
Hope it can all come together for many of us.
Big Hugs,
Shirl
Wow, Shirl, I didn’t even know you were considering it. That would be great!
This is pretty hard to take in!
After years of reading about people getting to go to meetups here, meetups there, here’s a meetup, there’s a meetup, everywhere a meetup…old MyDonald had a ..oops..see? The mere thought of having one right here that I could actually GET to..makes me downright giddy!
Then!! Add to THAT..even the whiff of a possibility…that this crew, or parts there of..including me?! ..just might..possibly .make it all the way to “Chi-cago, Chi-cago, that toddlin towm!!!” …(geeze there I go again,) and actually get to meet MORE croakers…like Kansas,Maryb and and Shirl….ooh..I’d be “stanin’..on TOP ogf..the World!”
Oh shut me UP!
🙂 scribe
hee! Shall we just keep typing things – heck, about nothing in particular even – just to keep the Midwest thread growing by leaps and bounds? ;^)
I’m truly looking forward to meeting you and Nancy this weekend – what a wonderful turn of events with two of my favorite Tribbers!
(P.S. check your e-mail for menu/brunch time information)
Actually Anomalous, we better quiet down in here or Booman will notice how full this thread is and start a new one. Then all of these wonderful connections will get lost in cyberspace.
(..okay…mum’s the word ;^)
good night!
And BooMan – if you’re out there, please keep this thread up….and don’t be archiving it while we’re still on a roll – Thank you! :^)
Oh, boy!!!
Hey Kelly, I saw that you did a “shout out” to north country in k/o’s diary. Thanks.
And if north country sees this, email me. We’re planning a get-together and would love you to join us.
I sent you an email about this tonight. Thanks!
I just heard there may be a BT meeting in Chicago in October? I’d love to come and my little dog too. . . no, wrong story, up too early.
I would love to come, and (not even owning a dog of any sort – rather being a multi-cat household), bringing spouse, too, a long-time lurker here.
Can you tell me more, or sent me more info by e-mail?
Hey Kidspeak! How many Michiganders are there here? I hope to make Chicago, but we’ll have to see how our finances are going.
I’m not sure. A few months ago, when the map thing was around, there seemed to be a half dozen or so of us. However, you and I and StreetKid and BostonJoe are the only people I know of for certain. BJ likely knows of a few others through his petals for peace work.
StreetKid is in Lansing environs, I think, but I bet there are folks in Ann Arbor (I know there are several Kossacks there, however none of them I can think of are tribbers. Not that I know all of them, either! ) And surely there are more folks here in Detroit.
If you’re seeking Michiganders – emjw is from A2.
That’s right, good memory. Thanks.
I was just wondering if there were enough of us to throw together a get together here.
Don’t know why not. (Took me a while to respond, as we lost electricity in Monday’s storm and just got it back a few hours ago).
There should be a few places in the middle of all of us here in SE michigan where we could get together without too much difficulty. (Toni, I’m including Windsor in SEMichigan – just like too many U.S. folks, I know, sorry!)
I include Winsdor in SE Michigan, too, being originally from Detroit. I almost view Windsor as a Detroit suburb (shh, don’t tell my husband!).
I’m thinking of a MetroPark, perhaps Kensington. Should we give it a shot?
You must have had quite a storm the other night. We nary lost a tree branch here.
Oh, we like Kensington a lot! We used to go there so often we had an annual pass, and then we stopped doing that when my work changed. It would be good to go there before school starts again.
Okay, let’s make the place official. Now, all we need is a date.
After calling the Wisconsin State Elections Board, I’ve learned that no challenge was filed to my 2198 ballot access signatures by the 5:00 friday deadline, so it’s official.
Everyone knows Sen. Kohl doesn’t do debates, so I’ve challenged the Republican in the race, smalltown lawyer Bob Lorge, to a series “Lincoln/Douglas style,” lunchtime, on the steps of Wisconsin’s historic County Courthouses. No amplification, no moderator, no time limits.
Lorge is also an outsider, got the nomination by default when all the insiders passed, afraid of Kohl’s money.
congratulations Ben.
Now what? What’s the plan?
First, the web site and literature.
I’m really hoping Lorge will go with the debate tour.
Getting nibbles from the Agriculture press, and really think I’d be a good fit on the Ag Committee, not just for hemp, but the related project of Ag inputs to industry to make farming truly profitable.
I’ve much less clue as to how to break into the Milwaukee market.
I’ll be spending most weekends working large musical events. Got is with most venue owners so I won’t get tossed.
The Milwaukee market is going to be a tough nut to crack open. Here’s a couple of sugestions that might help you out.
Leaflets, hand shaking:
Put in an appearance at as many events on the summerfest grounds. Bring friends and supporters to cover all the gates and rotate between the gates doing the hand shaking thing.
Visit every alternative coffee shop on the east side at night with more of the same.
What’s your stance on the immigration issue?
Se Habla Espanlo?. Very large “organized” voter base that goes untapped by a lot of politico’s. (note: Also large voter base in Waukesha which if nothing else could shake up the political landscape in Waukesha.)
Consider the Latino vote statewide.
Query the NAACP in Milwaukee.
There are a lot of unconventional things you can do and there is a letter from Senator Kohl I received that is very interesting that could give your campaign MJS front page news coverage.
If your going to be in the Milwaukee Area at anytime in the near future and want to talk let me know by sending an email to falconme (at) execpc.com. Put “Fwd to Steve” in the subject line.
First half hour is Milwaukee Journal/Sentinal’s Washington correspondent Craig Gilbert discussing the Wiscoonsin Senate race. Then, I’m on with Ben Marens for the 2nd 1/2 hr.
Recorded 7/31.
http://clipcast.wpr.org:8080/ramgen/wpr/bme/bme060731m.rm
I think that everything is set for Sunday, at 1 at Kensington Park. We have a pasta salad, fruit salad/platter, and pie. I see that we have no beverages. We could do BYOB and I could bring some veggie burgers and buns. How does that sound?
Also, keepinon has kindly offered to save tables for us. These are his plans that he e-mailed to me:
I will try to “claim” 4-5 tables on Sunday Morning. I will start at the West Boat Launch” Picnic Area (just past the golf course, which is just past the gate at the Kensington Rd. (West) Entrance to the park; it is a right turn into the Boat launch parking/Picnic area off of park road #2 . (I-96 exit 151) (If you are on west bound 96 at the stop at the end of the ramp you will simply cross Kensington Rd and enter the park by driving straight ahead. Those coming from East bound 96 use the same exit but turn right after the stop sign and go over the freeway and right over the bridge into the park) If I cannot find suitable table space there (it is first come/ first serve on the tables), I will drive a short distance to the “Nature Center Parking” turn left into the parking lot, and cross the road I was on to the small picnic area on a point of land by the lake there. If that doesn’t work, I will continue some distance into the park on the main road and turn right into Hickory Grove Picnic area (Island road, area K). Hopefully that give enough options.
Look for some signs and balloons. If there is anything I am missing, please e-mail me.
Sounds good, Toni. See you Sunday.