While I may not have the purrfect answer, I'm going to try (and go ahead and move to the appropriate catagory
A Flyertalk gathering is when at least two and probalby no more than a dozen flyertalkers get together anywhere, from an airline club to a restaurant.
Example: Catman is flying through LA, and he calls his buddies PremEx and Newself and Mr. Limo for beers at the president's Club. Koko happens to see Catman and joins in the fun and razzes geo1004 over the cell phone for not showing up.
A DO is one step up from a gathering. it's where more than a dozen people get together centered around some event or city or restaurant. It has at least one big dinner with IF TIME PERMITS -- Thank you MASHAV for the clarification a number of smaller events which could be everything from brunches and tours to even bar crawling
DOS are harder to organize than gatherings because there's money to be colelcted, restaurants to review, handing several dozen people.
For example: the ORD event in May, 2002 is definitely a DO becuase it's centereed around something: going to Chicago. It has at least 12 people going. Let's say ORD can be considered a "MEGA" DO (when 50 or more peopel show for the event.)
The PIPS can be called DOS. Missy's SEA party is a do. So is Portland and YYZ in July, 2002.
The word "DO" I believe was coined in 1999 when I put together the very first gathering of friends in NYC. I called it "The catman DO " Two more followed, and the Catman Do 3, March 2001 holds the record for MOST FLYERTALKERS IN ONE SETTING -- 82 AT DINNER AND several others meeting up during that weekend.
SO in sum:
Gathering: 2-12 flyertalkers for a small event like dinner or drinks.
DO: 12 or more people meeting at one central place like a restaurant, with other events during the period of the DO.
FYI: OMNI is to title a post that can be considered totally off topic for a particular thread.
(Copyrighted: 2002, CMS, INC)
This message has been readjusted after my friend MASHAV made some good points about what a DO IS. Thanks!
[This message has been edited by Catman (edited 05-23-2002).]
[This message has been edited by Catman (edited 06-19-2002).]
Location: Commuting around the mid-atlantic and rust-belt on any number of RJs
Programs: TSA Random Selectee Platinum, * Gold, SPG/HH/MR mid-tier, and a tiny bag of pretzels.
Posts: 8,136
Allow me to concur and elaborate.
An FT DO is somewhere where >7 FTers are around, and Freddie Jr. is handed off.
An FT DO is somewhere where >7 FTers are around and a debate about which airline/hotel/car program is superior.
Either of the aforementioned combined with the drinking of, and debate about, one's favorite alcoholic beverage choice (be it liquor, wine, or especially beer).
An FT DO is somewhere where >7 FTers are around and a digital camera is used to memorialize the event.
An FT DO is somewhere where >7 people are in the same room at the same time who know the significance of "freaky" inflatable sheep or the word Nogales.
Have I missed anything?
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Saving the world, one clue at a time.
And I also like cellphone calls from Do's and Gatherings I can not attend.
But I am unsure about this FT scenario from IAD:
What if koko and chexfan are headed to MSY and decide to meet at the RCC. They call geo1004 (a local) to come meet them for a beer. OK. Then they find out that Punki and Hunki will be at the same IAD RCC on a connection from SEA on their way to DUS for business. Suddenly, there's a phone call to Beckles in CLT. He's able to get a last minute award ticket to meet chexfan and koko in MSY. Punki and Hunki say a quick hello to Beckles as they depart to catch their flight to DUS. THEN, koko convinces geo1004 that even though his car is parked in the hourly lot it would be prudent to get on the same MSY flight and go for the evening. Then Punki and Hunki come back to the RCC because their flight was delayed. Punki knocks over her wine glass with the laptop cord connecting us to FT Chat and chexfan is practicing dance moves for his upcoming role in West Side Story.
What the heck do you call this kind of FT event????
Geo, under my definition... that's a Gathering, hastily thrown together.
Now if you had you, me, wanderlust, ess, newself and six other people gathering at that pub we went to in NYC (whose name escapes me) and Koko crashes the "gathering" that makes a dozen people and THAT mostly like would be considered a DO. (one more distinction of a DO... it's somewhat planned ahead of time.)
Beacuse it's centered around one location and probably for an event/good reason (like to celebrate everything from Your birthday to my NJ Nets beating a certain Long Beach ambassador's team from that other coast in the NBA finals -- if that matchup comes to pass. )
FYI Larry U: Love that praise! Let's add it to The Flyertalk Dictionary.
[This message has been edited by Catman (edited 05-24-2002).]
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by geo1004: Punki knocks over her wine glass with the laptop cord connecting us to FT Chat and chexfan is practicing dance moves for his upcoming role in West Side Story.</font>
The wine glass was knocked over three times!
<snap> <snap> <snap>... chexfan: the musical continues!
Programs: AA EXP/2.7MM, UA 3P, Hyatt DIA, SPG PLT, HH Gold, and happily just a FT general member.
Posts: 9,461
My levels of FT "do's" as explained to my non-FT friends (with real "examples")...
- Running off to have lunch with a "friend".
- Running out to have drinks at the AC/RCC with a "friend".
- Some of my "friends" are coming in for "dinner".
- Some of my "friends" are coming in for the weekend.
- I'm flying off to (SEA/CDG/NYC/SFO/PDX/LAS/etc.) for "dinner".
- I'm headed off to (ORD/PHL/MSY/LAS/AVL/WAS/PDX/SEA/LGB/etc.) to meet "friends" for the weekend.
- I'm flying off to (SIN/NRT/HKG/TPE/CDG/etc.) with "friends" for the weekend.
No need for "labels"... the DO-tinguishment would just further confuse my poor homebound friends who already think I'm weird, although I did have lots of queries from my long-time friends who thought they already KNEW everyone I knew.
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I'm just in it for the F&F!
[This message has been edited by techgirl (edited 06-20-2002).]
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Catman: I restored this thread because I wanted to fix up my definition of a do.
Hopefully that means some smaller events which may be one night affairs could fall in. </font>
I, for one, think that most "smaller events which may be one night affairs" should not be discussed here in Community.
[This message has been edited by mashav (edited 06-20-2002).]
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by techgirl:
[b]My levels of FT "do's" as explained to my non-FT friends (with real "examples")...
[b]</font>
You must have very open minded friends!
I have to hide such activities from mine. They just think it's too weird. I told them the ORD event was my "travel club" getting together. They seemed to accept that. I have learned to not talk about mileage runs.
