Gala Dinner

[pro.dev3]

Any plans on how to spend the 90 minutes preceding the dinner? Seems an awful amount of time for someone who is attending alone and knows no one in the entire country!

Also wondering about the menu, I may get to try something which can get me imprisoned where I live.

[Worldslaziestbusker]

Any plans on how to spend the 90 minutes preceding the dinner? Seems an awful amount of time for someone who is attending alone and knows no one in the entire country!

Also wondering about the menu, I may get to try something which can get me imprisoned where I live.

Hello pro.dev3
My experience of the 2010 event suggests you won't have trouble finding someone friendly and interesting to talk to in the intervening period. The huge number of people excited about the event and pleased to be in company with people with similar concerns about religious issues made for an incredible sense of instant community.

edit: wrote the white, male, late thirties person.

[BlueDevil]

I don't know if the book stalls will still be open at that time but at the last conference there were enough books to keep you browsing for hours.

PS And with a bit of luck there may be some creationists picketting outside...could be lots of fun to be had debating them!

[Logic please]

Hi pd3, welcome to the forum. :)
Any plans on how to spend the 90 minutes preceding the dinner? Seems an awful amount of time for someone who is attending alone and knows no one in the entire country!
Pure scepulation on my part, of course, but I foresee that some may do any, or a combination, of the following:

Get back to their accom and get changed into whatever they are wearing to the dinner;
Grab a pre-dinner snack, drink or coffee at on of the many options in that area;
Stretch their legs with a walk along the riverbank, or into the CBD;
Catch up with people that they've met at the GAC up to then;
Look at the bookstalls or fringe events set up (thanks BD :));
Stay back and tease some issues out with the speaker(s) in the final session for the day...
See what I did there? ;):D
Also wondering about the menu, I may get to try something which can get me imprisoned where I live.
Your guess is as good as mine. :o

Although at an atheist convention, you'd hope to see roast baby something-or-other on the menu, methinks... ;):p:D

[BlueDevil]

Also wondering about the menu, I may get to try something which can get me imprisoned where I live.

Just curious as to where you live and what sort of foods would get you imprisoned? :confused:

[Praxis]

Hi pro.dev3 :)

Rest assured you will have no trouble filling in the 90 minutes between the last speaker of the day and the dinner. Particularly (and I hate to say this but it's true) if you are female, you will welcome that bracket time to get back to your room, shower and change into your dinner finery - I know I will!

Even if you're male I assume you'll want to be changing for the dinner so at least 30 mins of that time can be spent doing that and the other chatting with all the fabulous people around.

Would the foodstuff that gets you imprisoned be pork by any chance? Just guessing - I don't even know if it's an offence to eat it warranting a prison stay in some Muslim countries? Perhaps you can enlighten us.

Cheers.

[Loki]

There was apparently a 90 minute break before the last one as well. I don't remember it. What with talks running overtime and one thing and another the dinner just seemed to happen without break. Don't know how those who ran off to get changed managed it.

[Podblack]

There was apparently a 90 minute break before the last one as well. I don't remember it. What with talks running overtime and one thing and another the dinner just seemed to happen without break. Don't know how those who ran off to get changed managed it.

I think I had winged boots on, honestly. Time really, really zipped!

[pro.dev3]

Seems there's lots to do during the gap.


Although at an atheist convention, you'd hope to see roast baby something-or-other on the menu, methinks... ;):p:D

Lol no, not what I had in mind. I was referring to pork and alcohol.

Also, thanks for the suggestions on what to do during the free time.


Even if you're male I assume you'll want to be changing for the dinner so at least 30 mins of that time can be spent doing that and the other chatting with all the fabulous people around.

Would the foodstuff that gets you imprisoned be pork by any chance? Just guessing - I don't even know if it's an offence to eat it warranting a prison stay in some Muslim countries? Perhaps you can enlighten us.
Cheers.

Going back to change would be a great idea but it all depends on where I will be staying, no idea yet.

I stand corrected. There are no laws regarding eating pork here, which confuses me at the same time. Eating pork is considered much worse than drinking alcohol. Perhaps because it is not available here and no one has ever had some.

[Darwinsbulldog]

Galah dinner? :) I think an OZ dinner should be a Galah event.

[davo]

Think you will find plenty of people hanging around at the convention for the dinner pro.dev3 ;) I'm sure you will find heaps of people to chat too, just walk on up and introduce yourself, the community feeling at the last convention was impressive and I am sure you will enjoy meeting many diverse people.

As to food there is a limited menu still being worked on, and we have to cover a huge amount of people that are vego or allergies etc, an expansive menu would raise the costs of the dinner massively. Saying that, plenty of booze provided and top quality food! Don't forget the whole function is catered as well, so this really helps with being able to hang around and eat lunches and breaks meeting people and checking out books and signings and stands in the huge foyer.

[Podblack]

Since (I think?) all of the speakers are going to the dinner, perhaps you'll find AC Grayling standing around twiddling his toes in the foyer? He's SERIOUSLY approachable. Last year he had his brother with him and they were trotting around chatting to everyone. Eugenie Scott is also one of the most wonderful people on the planet and very open to chatting.

PZ also has an entourage; see what the buzz is about prior-dinner and catch up with people there? And there's bound to be others like Dennett and Harris popping about, and local get-togethers.

[gruber]

I shall be on the hunt with a pen and shirt trying to track the famous people

[davo]

I shall be on the hunt with a pen and shirt trying to track the famous people

Do you think this is a fair thing to do at the dinner, when folk are trying to eat, when there is signing opportunities speakers are doing at breaks and lunches?

[gruber]

not during the dinner, before


and by before i mean when everyones wandering and mingling

[Lord Blackadder]

If I get to chat to a few brilliant minds, I will be a happy little Vegemite. Fame not a pre-requisite.

[tash3]

im gonna be spending a week in melbourne. will see the museum and of course the convention while im there but does anyone have any suggestions on how to spend the remaining days. i also plan on hitting a few clubs so any suggestions regarding the best night spots?

[AUSloth]

im gonna be spending a week in melbourne. will see the museum and of course the convention while im there but does anyone have any suggestions on how to spend the remaining days. i also plan on hitting a few clubs so any suggestions regarding the best night spots?

Check out the Melbourne Comedy Festival web site (http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/) (sorry no link,I will put it in when I get to a PC) its on for most of April from memory.

[AUSloth]

Cheers Mr Black for putting in the link to the MCF, if it was a website Elvis I would have thanked Croc:)
Also never new there was a 30 minute time limit on editing your own posts.

[Bolero]

If there isn't time to go back to a hotel room to get changed, is there some place at the venue to change? Surely a toilet would do?

[tash3]

i have heard a few people say they were able to get dressed at the convention hall so i assume there is a toilet/coatroom or area allocated for that purpose

[Podblack]

"The Cloak Room is located on the ground floor of the Melbourne Convention Centre, to the right of the Customer Service Desk. Cloak Room service will be offered free of charge during standard business hours (0700 – 1800) but will incur a fee should this service be required outside of these times."

[Jin-oh Choi]

Was going to get a dinner ticket tonight. Then I locked myself out of my house and needed to call a locksmith. :(

[tash3]

judging by my previous experience with locksmiths i would guess the locksmith most likely cost u twice as much as the tickets would have lol

[riddlemethis]

Ms Praxis, Annie & I will ensure there is time to get back to the hotel & frock up. Because its important!

[davo]

judging by my previous experience with locksmiths i would guess the locksmith most likely cost u twice as much as the tickets would have lol

Or a pane of glass ;)

[Jin-oh Choi]

I have to wait again for about 3 wks hope tickets are left.

[gruber]

its probably been mentioned before but i cant seem to find it but is it suit and tie type of dinner or casual?

[tash3]

i was told u can pretty much dress in whatever u like. some people r going in jeans and others r getting all dolled up. im going with cocktail dress

[Logic please]

FWIW, I think it's an occasion worth making a bit of an effort for. :)

YMMV, naturally. :)

[Worldslaziestbusker]

its probably been mentioned before but i cant seem to find it but is it suit and tie type of dinner or casual?

I can only paraphrase the man, as his books are all in boxes, but John Birmingham once wrote that every young man should buy a second hand tuxedo and wear it mercillessly, thereby making every other man at every event appear under dressed. Go as swave and deboner as you can, Gruber. Or make a cool robot costume out of cardboard, which is my response to pretty much everything.

[gruber]

clone trooper it is then :thumbsup:

[Voltairine]

Gruber, just come as you are... a space cadet! ;)

[gruber]

Gruber, just come as you are... a space cadet!



god thing you added that last bit or i'ld be wondering how to dress half crazy

[Bolero]

FWIW I'm getting dolled up. Bought a new dress and everything... well, not new, but for $15 at Vinnies, it's pretty fucking nice.

[Jin-oh Choi]

Guess who's coming to dinner?

[Voltairine]

Guess who's coming to dinner?

Now you'll have to figure out, like (most of) the rest of us, what to wear? :D

[davo]

Guess who's coming to dinner?

oh around a thousand people .. nothing fancy.

[jjcrazi]

what food would get you imprisoned??? pork? shellfish?? wafer?

[pro.dev3]

what food would get you imprisoned??? pork? shellfish?? wafer?

Although pork is frowned upon a hundred times more than alcohol, there are no laws right now about it being illegal. The only thing present at the table which will ensure your night at the prison is alcohol I guess.

But eating pork will also mean you have become an apostate, that will result in execution not imprisonment.

[Darwinsbulldog]

@pro.dev3: I seem to remember from my years in Canberra, a number of the visiting university students from $MuslimCountry being fond of what they insisted was "that nice Pink Chicken".

Of course, the bird in question had four legs and a snout.
The local supermarket in Dubai had a whole shit load of bacon, pork etc, and apparently local women, in obviously Muslim clothes, were buying. Of course, that doesn't prove they were eating it but.........

[djarm67]

what food would get you imprisoned??? pork? shellfish?? wafer?

http://costumepop.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/baby-taco-costume.jpg

[Jin-oh Choi]

http://costumepop.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/baby-taco-costume.jpg

NOM, NOM, NOM, NOM, NOM. lol :)

[Jin-oh Choi]

I haz the Gala Dinner Ticket in my hand. :)

[Mark Sean]

I haz the Gala Dinner Ticket in my hand. :)
Good stuff Jin-oh - Seems we are on the same table, I look forward to meeting you :). I noticed you're pretty handy at getting snapped with the talent too, you'll be able to introduce me this year, maaate!:p.

[Praxis]

Good stuff Jin-oh - Seems we are on the same table, I look forward to meeting you :). I noticed you're pretty handy at getting snapped with the talent too, you'll be able to introduce me this year, maaate!:p.
Best thing about the dinner is that the talent are all there too! Not sure they will all be there this time but certainly last time they were all so lovely and accommodating with pictures etc. :thumbsup:

[Worldslaziestbusker]

I noticed you're pretty handy at getting snapped with the talent too, you'll be able to introduce me this year, maaate!:p.

That was me. I do impressions.

[Praxis]

That was me. I do impressions.
Awww - have just had a warm fuzzy memory of the first time I met you, which was at the Galah Dinnah :)

[Worldslaziestbusker]

Awww - have just had a warm fuzzy memory of the first time I met you, which was at the Galah Dinnah :)

That was someone else doing an impression of me while I posed as a lectern.

[luuuke]

Dinner tickets are now sold out! Looks I missed the boat on this one, if any come up for sale can you guys let me know?!?

[Voltairine]

luuke, bookmark this thread:

http://www.atheistfoundation.org.au/forums/showthread.php?t=12704

[luuuke]

Thanks voltairine!