Convivial 2

All convention events are located on the Concierge (13th) floor. The Consuite & Overflow Consuite are across the hall from each other, the programming and gaming rooms are in rooms located between the consuite and the elevators. There will be signs on the doors as well as a sign directing you in the right direction from the elevators.

Consuite = Presidential Suite (1321)
Overflow Consuite (a.k.a. Music Room) = Concierge Suite (1332)
Programming Room = 1340
Gaming Room = 1318

You should be able to access the Concierge (13th) Floor without needing a key between Noon on Friday and 7pm on Sunday.

The gaming room will be open throughout the convention; we’ll provide tables and chairs and some games. Feel free to bring your favorite board, card, or other game.

When events are not scheduled in the programming room, it is available for impromptu (or not-so-impromptu) discussions or the showing of videos.

If you come up with an idea during the convention for an event that you’d like to share with the rest of us, let Laurel know and she’ll add it to the schedule. We’re open to adding excursions (even if they’re just down to the pool) or program items.

Friday

Noon ’til 4 p.m. - Set-up of consuite on 13th floor. If you show up during this time, you may be put to work. But it should be fun work, just setting out food and drink, putting up decorations, etc.

4 p.m. - Consuite opens, registration opens. Let the fun begin! Gaming will also open at this time, if it hasn’t already.

5 p.m. - Let there be chocolate! Kevin puts the 10lb hunk o’ dark chocolate on the table. That should last a while. [Consuite]

7 p.m. - Opening Ceremonies. Introductions, information, and so on. [Programming Room]

7:30 p.m. or so (whenever Opening Ceremonies end) - We’ll put together a group order for pizza. You’ve gotta pay your share, of course. We’ll have menus on hand. [Overflow Consuite]

9 p.m. - Twitter, social networking, Second Life, and the like. Laurel answers questions about this stuff and other geeky things. [Programming room]

Saturday

Morning - breakfast - Bagels & muffins, juice & milk in the consuite, possibly cartoons in the programming room.

9 a.m. - Anyone for a bigger breakfast? Meet in the Overflow consuite if you want to go have brunch in the hotel restaurant shortly after 9 a.m. (the buffet is open from 6 a.m. ’til 10am). They’ve got a decent breakfast buffet, nothing fancy, that’ll set you back about $10.

2 p.m. - Nature Walk at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Preserve (which is just a short walk or drive from the hotel). Meet at 2 p.m. in the Overflow consuite. You may want to bring a camera, hat, sunglasses, whatever is suitable for a short or long walk. Plan is for spending an hour there, though of course people can spend more time if they want. If the weather isn’t suitable for this, some may opt to observe the wildlife at the Mall of America instead.

4 p.m. - TV critic Laurel Krahn leads a discussion about the new Fall TV season, also may preview the midseason shows. May screen a thing or two after the discussion if there’s interest. [Programming Room]

6 p.m. - Another group order of food from someplace (yet to be determined). If you prefer to go out, also a good time and place to meet up with people to coordinate plans. [Overflow consuite]

8 p.m. - Blog. The drink, that is. There’ll be some in the consuite starting at 9pm until we run out. If people want to blog about the blog, that’s cool. [Consuite]

9 p.m. - Sleep neep. Laurel shows off her sleep gear and discusses the latest in technology for those with sleep apnea. Will cover battery powered CPAPs, latest in sleep masks, software that lets you track your own progress with a CPAP machine, etc. [Programming room]

Sunday

Morning - bagels & muffins in the consuite, possibly cartoons in the video/prog room.

11 a.m. - Move out of overflow consuite. We need to have our stuff out of the overflow consuite by Noon, so this is a good time to stop in and see if we need help there. [Overflow consuite]

2 p.m. - Closing Ceremonies. So long, farewell, etc. [Programming Room]

After closing ceremonies: We need to be moved out of the gaming room and programming room by 4pm. So we’ll be moving things into the main consuite or elsewhere as appropriate. Your help is appreciated. If you left games in the gaming room, be sure to remove them by 4 p.m. (anything left there at that time that doesn’t belong to the hotel will be relocated to the consuite).

4 p.m. ’til Monday morning: Dead Dog Party. We still have the main Consuite (Presidential Suite) ’til Noon on Monday. Help us consume the remaining supplies. Hang out, have fun.

6 p.m. or so - Dinner expedition to Khan’s Mongolian BBQ. Sign up in the consuite by 2 p.m. Sunday if you’re interested so we can make a reservation. We’ll meet in the consuite by 6 p.m. and carpool as necessary.

Note: The consuite will be closed while we’re at dinner, unless someone volunteers to stay behind and keep an eye on it.

Additional note: the elevator may begin requiring a key to access the 13th floor as of 7 p.m. Sunday; if you need to get up to the 13th floor and lack a key, call the consuite (1321) or see if someone at the front desk will help you.