But don't forget, Catman, that your original thread on the definition of a DO still proudly remains as the gold standard against which all others are measured.

I tend to agree with lili - I wouldn't publicly out. At my last do, I came up short, despite the fact I had an actuary assisting me with the calculations. So I put in extra to cover, didn't tell the group.

The next morning I realised I'd been the one who was short, since I was paying for a number of people :o :o :o Since I'd paid, it had worked out in the end :)

Accidents can and do happen, so I wouldn't take the public route. But there are also a number of repeat offenders out there, who go beyond accidents. But even though some of them have not been to my dos, I'm fully aware of their reputation and if they did sign up, would take steps to manage it. Do organisers do talk privately to each other as well you know ;)

In the US, restaurants generally impose an 18% tip on a group of 8 or larger. It's often on the menu, and I will be told this when I book a large group for one of our San Diego dinners.

I agree.

Plus the shortchange artists usually know who they are anyway.

Speaking of San Diego dinners, I attending a large FT one back in, I believe, April or May.

And we had Spiff the Enforcer :eek: for our collection agent. And even he came up short and had to make a second pass among our group.

I'm not sure what caused the shortage or if it was just a miscalculation on Spiff's part but AFAIK everyone ultimately paid their fair share.

I think what I did with CMD3 was had a 15 percent tip worked in each meal (can't remember) and if people wnated to tip more they could on their own.

Maybe that's another suggestion... have the restaurant work in the tip as part of each person's total.

Going OMNI... THinking back on CMD3 makes me sad for the demise of the restaurant that hosted the big show: the legendary Cite Restaurant and its Wine Dinner (which I think was $75 and included three courses of food and all the wine you can carry. :)

I find we have now a very bad situation, that we have now 3 DOs on the same weekend at September 2008. :mad:

I published the dates for the SZG Mozart DO on the 20th Dec 07 after the BTS DO was cancelled and the weekend was free.

KiwiFlyer announce on the 22nd Feb 08 the Kiwi Mainland Do Two.

And now we have also a Korea Do III on the same weekend, wich was announced on the 17th April 08 from Sweet Willie.

I am not really happy with this situation. Of course, the DOs are on different continents and everybody can choose, which DO to attend. But 3 DOs on the same dates doesn´t help any DO organizer.

Could you all please take more care about choosing a date for a DO in the future ? Thanks in advance !!

But in fairness, there are only 52 weekends in the year... and at least those 3 dos are all on different continents. I've quite deliberately run a London Do on the Sin Run weekend, since the people attending the London Do tend to be a different group from those that attend the Sin Run. I think it is unreasonable to say we can't have overlapping dos - quite clearly we need to because there are only 52 weekends in a year :(

I have no problem with overlapping DOs. But in September 2008 we have a "free" weekend (6/7th Sept) without a DO and why are all concentrated on the same date ?

Of course, DOs on the same continent on the same weekend could really be a big problem.

nice to have the time to sit and read this thread.. sean and i enjoyed hosting two weekend events when we lived in Asia, notably the Shanghai weekend, which as it required a certain amount of advance planning to attend, meant that the attendees were seriously keen.

however, once we moved to the middle east, the do hosting ceased, but we've had lots of lunches and dinners with FTers passing by, which has been good.

now we are mving to spain.. let's see, might see a return to do hosting, or maybe sean will some common sense to the matter, and we'll just participate in others' events.. ;)

Don't look at me!

I've attended amazing Dos hosted by each of these guys. With this powerhouse duo now both resident in Spain, I'm hoping sparks will fly, inspiration will strike, invitations will be given, and new cities will be on offer.

well, if you're free next weekend you can! (but something tells me you'll be in PHX rather than eating Foie or RPT [Rich Peoples Twinkies]) :)

... and didn't this all start with this? ^

ROFLMAO ^^^...hadn't heard that RPT analogy in a LONG time..excellent!!

I agree with SanDiego1K's not-so-suttle "you all need to plan a do" hint :). The Do's I've attended with those guys have been an absolute blast, and hope they'll grace more do-planning soon.

This will become more and more of a problem as time goes. I think that all we can ask is that Do organizers look at the "calendar" and make a conscious decision when planning a Do and to actually put their event on the "calendar" once announced. There are many Dos that become annual events and as time goes the annual "calendar" is filling up.

A good strategy would be an offer to smuggle a few pounds of ribs from you-know-where. ;)

Yes Rudi... the idea of a DO it all began with the PIP in HNL. WOW is it almost nine years already? That has brought back a lot of great memories.

Maybe the trick to DO organizing is if you don't have to have it on a holiday weekend is to throw out a few dates. The one with the most responses gets it. I think I did that with Catman Do 3 in 2001. I've seen others do it too.

The HOliday weekend timed Dos (London over Pres weekend/Cow Do over Labor Day etc) I guess can't be changed. Sad thing is I can't do ANY Holiday weekend FT events... the only Do's I"m attending have guests who have four paws and say "MEOW" and are in various locations in two states and five cities! :)

I can't change Soup Do because it's the "appetizer" to the Brooklyn reality Tour (although as I said I would host other Soup related events as a "let's salute" an FT-er... like the San Diego 1K's.)

(IMO.. Every FT-er should have something in their honor at least once in their lives.)

It seems that there's two to three FT events a week and several DOS a month (calling an event a DO using the Four Paws Up definition from skye1 ;) and the earlier one from that Cat haired covered veteran FT-er... what's his name again? ;) )

At this rate we may have a DO a day! YIKES!

Please be more specific -- I'm thinking Oklahoma Joe's but am willing to smuggle from anywhere for a Barcelona Do.

~Pat, leaving now to call Carol so SHE can bully you

Pat, this is Alan's secret addiction:

Phil's BBQ near Sports Arena.

Alan, we went a week or so ago, thinking of you and Francisco, and intending to buy some food for us. It was only about 4:30pm, the lot was jammed, and the line was out the door. Needless to say, we didn't stop.

thanks for the compliments SD1K.. Sean has just read this thread and delivered a clear verdict.. we're retired.

:( :( :( :(

(But then I'm semi-retired now, so can quite understand. Island dos and Mega dos only for me for the foreseeable future :))

+1.

I don't see a problem with multiple FT events, whatever their supposed "classification" may be. As Jenbel points out, different people will be drawn to different events. While some may feel a need to choose between two (or more) events on a given weekend, most likely won't see it as a choice to be made but rather they'll attend the event (likely based on location, schedule of events, group of attendees, etc) that interests them. Another argument could be (and has been used in the past when a fuss has been raised over more than one event happening on a given weekend) "Why should we be limited in a choice of public FT gatherings if I can't (or don't want to) attend a specific event?" I think it's nice to see the FT community has grown to the size and interest level that there are some weekends which have multiple events being held, even moreso when it doesn't fall on a "holiday" weekend.

There's even been multiple Do's not that geographically far from each other (Dublin & London in the same weekend) and I think none were too terribly offended.

I agree with cawhite that it's cool that FT is at a point where people can have options.

And, it's certainly not the apocalyptic end of life on the planet if there's a weekend with no Do's scheduled (gosh, a weekend where one doesn't get on a plane--what a concept!, stay at home, cut the grass, do the laundry, say hi to the wife & kids, catch up w/ local friends, etc.)