BRING YOUR LAPTOP! This will be interactive.
After the overwhelming response I would have felt guilty by not trying to include more people. I have decided to offer the exact same seminar the next day SUNDAY 8/8. I'm sure some may have all sorts of suggestions to make day 1 for newbies and day 2 for those more advanced. That will not be the case. Remember I am volunteering my time and efforts to put this on and it won't be everything to everyone. Please hold your opinions and simply get on board with my idea of having back to back identical seminars. This is absolutely free and I'm not and won't ask for a nickel, so please come and learn some things while socializing with some other FTer's.
In addition I'm going to allow 10 additional seats per day, and think this will preserve the personal feel I envision to facilitate an atmosphere where all questions can be answered.
We are going to allow 80 people per day in the presentation. The first 80 are reserved for Saturday 8/7, the next 80 (81-160) are reserved for Sunday 8/8.
#1 if you are on either Saturday's or Sunday's list and you know you won't be able to attend please PM me asap as I can then include someone from the waitlist. Thus please think of others and give them a chance, don't simply no show.
#2 Those on the waitlist read below to find out how this will be handled.
I want to publicly thank UpgradedFirst who made the following happen. Big thumbs up to him for sure. He will be at both seminars helping in anyway he can as well. Give him a pat on the back as he stepped up big time.
We have made a special arrangement with Holiday Inn Chicago - Elk Grove which is close to ORD airport. In exchange of room nights and meals, Holiday Inn has agreed
to provide a nice classroom setup meeting room, projector screen,
microphone system, Internet for everyone and shuttle service.
Holiday Inn
http://www.holidayinn.com/hotels/us/...eg/hoteldetail
CHICAGO-ELK GROVE
1000 BUSSE ROAD
ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL 60007 UNITED STATES
Hotel Front Desk: 001-847--437-6010
Hotel Fax: 001-847--806-9369
Check-in 3:00 PM
Check-out 12:00 PM
Each attendee staying at the hotel must book using following link:
http://www.ihg.com/h/d/HI/1/en/rates...ATAno=99801505
You may also phone in quoting reference "FT MR Presentation 2010 and the
group code: FMP". All the booking must be done prior to July 23rd, 2010.
The rate is $80 plus taxes, it comes out approximately $89.60 including
taxes. Everyone staying in the hotel will get a breakfast and a lunch
voucher for each day upon check in.
If you are attending this presentation, PLEASE DO TRY TO MAKE
AN EFFORT to stay at this hotel and book under our negotiated rate.
This hotel has been great helping us out each step of the way with all
our requests and providing a lot of things for free. I do not want
Flyertalk to get a bad reputation or try to take advantage of the hotel. This rate is HONORED from August 4th to August 11th. This is a cheap hotel rate for anyone who wants to stay longer to see the town. While this is not your 5 star property, this is a highly rated nice & clean property.
For locals or those not staying at the hotel, a breakfast voucher can be purchased at $10 each and lunch voucher can be purchased from me at $15 each on site. On site meal voucher can only be paid with cash only.
HI will setup a nice buffet specially for us. Sample menu as follow:
• Breakfast: Coffee/tea/soft drink/juice Service, Scrambled Eggs,
Sausage, Hash browns, Breakfast Breads (assorted pastries / different
each day)
• Lunch Saturday: Tossed Salad, Assorted Pizzas, Beverage service
(coffee/tea/soft drink/juice) Dessert
• Lunch Sunday: Cole Slaw, Deli Meats and Cheese, Bread basket,
Beverage Service(coffee/tea/soft drink/juice) and Dessert
We also have taken the liberty to setup a discount code from
www.continental.com, a Star Alliance member. Simply book online with
discount code ZJ5B260692 entered into the offer code. You will get up
to 15% discount depending where you are departing from.
Here is the plan roughly, I will update when needed:
1. Start the seminar at 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
NO VIDEO OR TAPE RECORDING OF ANY KIND PLEASE. I'M UGLY ANYWAY.
2. Lunch will be roughly 12:30-1:30.
3. After the seminar we will go in mass for those who are interested to Harry Caray's restaurant several miles away for dinner. This will be the same on Saturday and Sunday night. This place isn't cheap but it is a very nice restaurant and unique to Chicago no doubt.
http://www.harrycarays.com/restaurants_rosemont.html
4. The hotel is providing a shuttle service for us to and from Harry Caray's as well. Great service by the hotel and eliminates a huge headache.
How you can help?
1. We will need a video projector to use. Ideally for both Saturday and Sunday both. Several have PM'd me. If you are on the confirmed list for either Saturday or Sunday can you PM me again and I can make sure we reserve at least 2 of you to bring a projector as I would like to have a backup.
2. I need someone to run the Cubs game function on 8/8 and possibly 8/7. I totally need someone to take this over as I won't be able to attend since I will be doing a repeat seminar on Sunday. Thus please PM me if you would like to totally take this on for 8/8 or 8/7. That will mean arranging a bus, buying tickets to the game after securing #'s for those interested. I will have nothing to do with it, thus someone needs to see this through from start to finish. Saturday attendees can go on 8/8 and those Sunday attendees can go on 8/7. Neither of these will happen if no one volunteers to organize it.
4. Although I can't play golf anymore on Sunday morning I would still love to play Medinah in case anyone is a member? )
5. I plan to offer some fun prizes/gifts and if you have anything you can donate please PM me, this will be a nice touch. Anything travel related or really anything you think will be cool.
My focus on booking everything this way was to make it easy for those outside Chicago to fly in, learn something, not pay a lot of $ for a room, maybe enjoy Chicago a bit with what I have planned, make some new friends and leave with a memorable experience and a smile on their face.
Here is the list of 80 attendees for Saturday
(If you have to pull out at any time please PM me ASAP):
1 huntk
2 awc4
3 aviationkiwi
4 miffSC
5 awerdna2002
6 aktchi
7 colevalleytim
8 Beans Morroco
9 ksuckow
10 Westsox
11 carsonheim
12 opsprof
13 236Dakota
14 mrjoshua
15 unORDinary
16 oldtimer
17 revrobertwalsh
18 Blue Skye
19 BOOMER339
20 Flyer IAH - beltway dropped
21 lili
22 dfwflyguy
23 pigx5
24 busygirl-koroleon dropped
25 baliktad
26 tomj888
27 UMIG
28 bk3day
29 Brituchenite
30 busygirl MR.-Bonk dropped
31 fozz
32 SweetWillie
33 arollins
34 chichow
35 mnmag
36 Angust
37 to and fro
38 scubaflyer
39 Pat89339
40 XLR26
41 LGA
42 xenonym
43 fly1346
44 twospirits
45 kawika_mani
46 anishub
47 lincolnp
48 FLYINBELLS
49 dante60093
50 janicerobertson-siricepick dropped
51 cchuang1980
52 AdamAuxier
53 Fly Upstairs
54 ArizonaGuy
55 BondAir007
56 boxo
57 Mrp Alert
58 mechteach
59 LornaV
60 Gantless
61 1k650
62 jean9nine
63 jhflyer
64 langleyoaker
65 LHR*G - travelingmore dropped
66 mommafrica
67 INdo79
68 KMA26
69 JFKSFOLAX_friend
70 Minnesota Bruin
71 pjthum
72 JenGal
73 DBoy
74 Bonesaz
75 footin-FlightNurse dropped
76 UpgradedFirst
77 youreadyfreddie
78 edsh
79 jeffg
80 bwiadca
Here is the list of 80 for Sunday
(If at any time you have to pull out PM me ASAP):
81 Shedbasher
82 asnovici
83 gump
84 samlani
85 puppysara-kingalien dropped
86 jayhawk17
87 Motorskills - tlvancouver dropped
88 eeee
89 specialeffects
90 gpscuba2000
91 reddirt14
92 JonathanIT
93 mtnwing
94 jlr4travel-AndrewT84 dropped
95 synd
96 blueslip
97 rustyr
98 jpmmracing
99 stanj1548
100 HJsimpson
101 Chgo Sales Gal
102 JCDennis
103 dkflyer-mr27 dropped
104 dccvii
105 beamMeUp38
106 TooMuchTravel73
107 lightangel - BenSw dropped
108 Plainsman
109 Njviking - cjares dropped
110 eightblack
111 GoldPremier
112 BonnieSEA - imm2b dropped
113 MarkSBA
114 Montreal
115 Tonecold
116 DAsis
117 ddrewboy
118 MKE 1K
119 bucktown5-avsfan273 dropped
120 JWymer
121 daiseee
122 dreamfool
123 to and fro
124 KitesurferNY-semicharmed dropped
125 afcaravelle
126 somuchtosee
127 UnitedMark
128 hihik
129 noirpepper
130 millsdale
131 Nicksterguy
132 mcc1380
133 mcc1380 guest
134 Emolly
135 buschoi
136 Exbauer - Bryant777 dropped
137 vivpa
138 HCA
139 msvacation
140 SiriusRon
141 OskiWowWow
142 jdivenere
143 arfgoblue
144 smitty06-KarlJ dropped
145 Curious_George
146 r6vo
147 pancakepops
148 SEAUAKID
149 sharkey
150 radonc1
151 Jimster
152 dutch_122
153 Bonnerbl
154 frekwentflier
155 1kwannabe
156 psmlc15
157 JFKSFOLAX_friend-buck3y3nut dropped
158 tarheeljim
159 buzz4fly
160 k2o - wilp888 dropped
Everyone from here and beyond will be on the waitlist for a spot that may open up either Saturday or Sunday. Here is how the waitlist will work to make it easy. If anyone cannot make their reserved Sat/Sun seat will PM me. I will then PM the next person on the waitlist to offer that spot (could be Sat or Sun). That person will have 3 days to PM me back accepting that spot for the specific day or I will PM the next person on the list and give them 3 days to respond and keep repeating until all seats are full.
161 LHR*G-got a seat
162 Njviking-got a seat
163 lightangel-got a seat
164 k2o-got a seat
165 Motorskills-got a seat
166 mrpickles-can't attend
167 mrpickles guest-can't attend
168 Flyer IAH-got a seat
169 Mr. Bean-unable to attend
170 footin-got a seat
171 110pgl-unable to attend
172 BonnieSEA-got a seat
173 portland67-unable to attend
174 KitesurferNY-got a seat
175 323power-unable to attend
176 ADLFO-unable to attend
177 puppysara-got a seat
178 bornreddy-no response
179 sjl-unable to attend
180 869-unable to attend
181 jason8612-unable to attend
182 Exbauer-got a seat
183 travel.flier-unable to attend
184 JBLUA320-no response
185 matthewsoft-no response
186 afcaravelle-got a seat
187 Elizabethh-no response
188 LLM-unable to attend
189 somuchtosee-got a seat
190 Dalat767-unable to attend
191 weelee-no response
192 bucktown5-got a seat
193 last2board-maybe
194 raylawson-no response
195 dcpatti-unable to attend
196 dcpatti guest-unable to attend
197 smitty06-got a seat
198 janicerobertson-got a seat
199 broms-no response
200 MrHalliday-unable to attend
201 alison11-unable to attend
202 hmac-unable to attend
203 DC Terr-no response
204 meligator-no response
205 dkflyer-got a seat
206 theoflyalot-no response
207 footin-no response
208 yunicorner-unable to attend
209 jlr4travel-got a seat
210 wieset
211 GGospel
212 etsmyers
213 itsme110
214 jrobin
215 kjvaughn
216 naps8906
217 artieb78
218 squinn1
219 atORD-no response
220 DrG
221 lskohn
222 davef139
223 toomanybooks-got a seat
224 amasiancrasian
225 joelfreak
226 darrenhe
227 CheapSk8
228 deniah
229 UALurkerORD
230 z003y
231 Explore SE Asia
232 et_phonehome
233 jmcgrath
234 jvannis
235 monnyc
236 Montreal
237 tele
238 donmarco
239 ninja138
240 glasman19
241 computerquest
242 computerquest guest
Here is the original description I posted:
OK I'll step forward.
I would like to give back to the community and looking to help others build the obsession we know as Mileage Running. As you can tell I live overseas, but I'm from Chicago.
Since getting into the game I have been giving mini seminars to friends and family about United and what I have learned to optimize my earnings and rewards.
It is in Chicago, since I'm from there and will be there this summer. What better place than the World Head Quarters of UA?
This seminar wouldn't be for everyone since it is geared to United and Star Alliance. I think we can cover quite a bit since we are focused on a specific airline and alliance. I have attended Viajero Joven' MR seminar and it was very informative. Having said that I would construct mine differently as there are a lot of ways to skin a cat.
I would concentrate on the following:
1. Benefits of MR'ing (status and build RDM balance), UA's elite benefits from A - Z.
2. Pro's and Con's of Domestic vs. International mileage running.
3. How to use the basic functions of the ITA tool as well as some tricks.
4. How to construct a MR specifically using the ITA tool.
5. How to evaluate which itineraries are good values and which aren't.
6. Using the Star Alliance partners, when and why.
7. Doing the long MR! Things you need to prepare for.
Time permitting the following:
8. Shorcuts to increase your EQM's as well as RDM's through other sources (purchases, CC, partners).
9. How to search for upgrade availability using .bomb as well as KVS tool.
10. Search for award availability using ANA tool on KVS.
For those that have been to VJ's seminars you know he concentrates on manually constructed MR's. I can appreciate that angle but will offer a more technological approach that maybe easier for some people to use. I would want people to bring their laptops I would guess, as this would incorporate a hands on portion of using ITA and other websites.
I don't know everything about everything. However I know that I can offer Newbies a great foundation as well as others a good overview of how to use the ITA tool (which I LOVE).
I would certainly term this a 101 and even 101.5 since we will be concentrating on UA and *A, thus we can cover quite a bit. I'm not trying to replace VJ (he is great and I would recommend him no doubt), I'm simply trying to offer another opportunity with UA being the focus and integrating more technology.
There you have the description.
Thanks!
