baccarat_king

When you leave off certain facts and details that makes a statement inaccurate.

Once again, JT, I don't think this should be a public keyboard warrior battle. You have a WhatsApp thread you stopped responding to. Call me, WhatsApp me. Let's talk it out. I promise I will listen, and I tend to have a rather kind and gentle offline phone demeanor. At this point, it should be about moving on, compromise, and coordination between the two events. Believe it or not, things do not have to be filled with hate and venom. You and your team are in control of that. Yes, I know about all the "back-end" shenanigans. But, I don't care. It's over. Let's all move on like adults.

The ball is in your court. But, trying to prove your point "in public," I will not engage in that.

FlyerJT

Indeed I have dozens of WhatsApp messages from you. However, most of them boil down to you attacking me about what others have done that I have no control over. I have responded to everything of substance. I welcome a call with you if that would help you resolve your issues with me.

But I won't allow you to make unfounded public attacks on my truthfulness when you know that I have been honest and factually accurate about the situation throughout.

dr88

From Chicagoseminars.org:

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Admiral Ackbar

This situation is so 2023 with people that have no idea how to communicate and relate to one another but we don't want feelings hurt. Jokes almost write themselves at this point.

baccarat_king

What? That is not true. You know how we ended things. Those are my exact words. (image below, but removed, since I stand by my word) Who is attacking? Nobody is attacking. Do you want me to share how humble and friendly I was to you? I said that you need to move on. Why do you always feel attacked? And if you always feel attacked, maybe you should stop creating these conversations; then there is nothing to respond to. You keep bringing this topic up on numerous venues defending yourself. Why do you feel such a need to defend yourself?

If this is an attack, you must develop a much thicker skin. Since I'm totally perplexed, actually, I'm somewhat insulted that you would even elude to the fact I attacked you. Sure, heated conversation, strong opinions. But, sheesh, if anytime someone disagrees with you or questions how your team operates is considered an attack; perhaps, it's best not to get involved in team efforts and for sure involve yourself in something where you have no commercial agreements, no agreements, no memorialization. Just a bunch of "he said, she said."

Were these words an attack? To be clear, this was ME SAYING GIVE ME A CALL! LET'S WORK THIS OUT! You declined, and I did not hear a word since. If you were me? Why would I call you, I assume you want me to go away. And I did go away, and if you never shared these narratives, I would NOT have said a word. So maybe, as I keep saying - focus on your event. Focus on making it the best event. Focus on your friends and supporters going to the event. Focus on the positive. Don't focus on the other event or Stefan.

Mind you, it's fine if you hate, dislike, and want me to go away. That's fine. But, please please please do not categorize me as someone who is just out to attack you.

If I said some things that were DIRECT or BLUNT, I apologize. I'm sorry. I wish I could always choose my words perfectly. But it was never my intent to attack anyone.

I am truly sorry you feel I attacked you.

I intended to get all of the peeps (both parties) to agree to ONE EVENT (one Chicago Seminars) and figure out a way to work together this year. And I said you need to develop a different plan for next year. Just get through this year as one team, one event. I also wanted Stefan to have all financial responsibility for the one event. That was my goal. I failed.

JT: I'm not mad at you. I accept you disagree with me. Accept we do not align. I accept you believe you had to do what you had to do individually or as a team. But, please, I'm not an attack person. Say you disagree with me. Say you don't want to argue with me anymore. Say, I'm ugly. Say anything you like, but please, don't characterize me as someone who just engaged in attacking you. It's just not true.

SkiAdcock

Stop it. Both of you. Simply, stop it! Take it to PM.

I'm APPALLED that whatever chism came between the organizers of the various events that it has come to this & we all are being exposed to the he said/he said situation.

It's truly unfortunate that those who would like to attend an event of this type are being asked to choose & also to have the organizers issues (both sides) laid out in public. Shame on all the organizers - and that includes the 3rd party/other event who's also adding to this.

None of us knew of the issues - and none of us needed to. And for gawd's sake, even the bloggers are piling in on both sides & going out to their presumed gazillion followers, thus blowing it up even further. Shame on them too.

I chaired the CSE charify raffle for a decade and had great experiences (and we raised 100K to charities during that timeframe). It literally breaks my heart to see this happening.

I will not be attending either event or helping w/ the raffle for either event this year - but that has nothing to do w/ the events & more to do with my own personal circumstances.

As someone else noted, given the situation it looks like both Chicago events will be smaller this year (and can't be canceled due to contracts), but hopefully both sets of organizers can get their act together for next year & resolve their issues & next year will be a larger, single event. And hopefully both events will be wonderful this year as well.

This was a wonderful volunteer event (which this year still seems to be the case on both sides) contributing to those that attended, both in terms of knowledge & friendships. I would like to see that continue.

So again, I say enough is enough. Both sets of organizers (or all 3 if it comes to that), focus on your own events and put on the best ones that you can for the sake of your attendees.

Because it does not violate FT TOS to quote ones self, I am going to post this post in the other 2 threads as well & asks Oliver's indulgence to let those posts remain.

FlyerJT

I really, really appreciate our conversation tonight (my time). I'm glad that we were able to put past conversations behind us and take some productive steps together. I'm not sure we will ever see eye-to-eye about this situation. But I'm very appreciative that you were able to bring all of the organizers to the table to try to get a compromise. I know we are both frustrated with how it turned out.

As I emphasized in our discussion, I don't want to make any enemies -- especially in this community -- and I really hate the drama that's surrounding what I'd love to be a cooperative event. Looking forward to swinging by your place sometime in the future for a couple of drinks together the next time I'm in town.

jphripjah

This is wild. I hope it gets resolved.

Middle_Seat

[QUOTE=SkiAdcock;35389375]Stop it. Both of you. Simply, stop it! Take it to PM.

Hear hear! SkiAdcock is right, we don't need a he said / he said that will harden positions and make it more difficult to reconcile for 2024.

SkiPremier

Does anyone from downtown Chicago attend this? If so do you typically trainsuber to and from or stay there? Debating stopping in and meeting some folks.

GVA

I really don't understand why this is being made public. Clearly people have a lot of ego problems here and should grow up, learn how to communicate and behave like adults.

I've never attended either of the 3 events and have no intention to ever do so based on what I've read here.

As an outsider who has no game here, based on what I've read here from the organizers/speakers, I truly hope most people will boycott the 2023 version of these events. It is the only way progress will be made.

Adam1222

It's public because someone decided to book a second hotel and make an event there on the same dates with the same name. Once that decision was made, none of this could stay private.

I'm not sure which is worse, the bickering or the scolding that people need to make "progress" because they think that for some reason business relationships going awry need to/can be "fixed."

The good news is "most people" will not attend either event. I think I may schedule a colonoscopy or a root canal instead.

marzoumanian

I live in downtown Chicago and when attending Chicago Seminars have NEVER stayed at the Holiday Inn Elk Grove. I take the BLUE line to O'Hare and then hop onto the free Holiday Inn Elk Grove shuttle. BUT it is a haul to get there as the shuttle only comes every 30 minutes or so AND you do have to call once you get to O'Hare. Then it is ANOTHER 30 minutes to get to the hotel. This year I am going to the event at the Delta Marriott, which has no shuttle. I am hoping that Stephan will be able to arrange some kind of shuttle service. OTHERWISE it will be the ORANGE line to Midway and then a taxi, which is sure to be another LONG haul. Peace.

dr88

If you're at or near the Loop, just take Metra to Willowbrook. Some lines are weekdays only, and others have weekend service like the BNSF line.

PiratePharmD

Take it from me, if you decide to get both procedures on the same day, verify which doctor is doing which procedure first. I'm not going to go into personal details, but suffice to say I had to get a new dentist.