meetup before the convention

[bennyrose]

Hey all,

I was just wondering who would be interested in having a bit of a session(or a few quiet drinks) before this all kicked off. Obviously some people are landing on the day to come along, but if anyone is interested, personally I would bee keen to meet up with a few people on Thursday night that post on here. If not only to give casual waves across to people at the convention. Would be great for people to get to know each other I think. Let me know and I'll get the ball rolling.

[Chrys Stevenson]

Hey all,

I was just wondering who would be interested in having a bit of a session(or a few quiet drinks) before this all kicked off. Obviously some people are landing on the day to come along, but if anyone is interested, personally I would bee keen to meet up with a few people on Thursday night that post on here. If not only to give casual waves across to people at the convention. Would be great for people to get to know each other I think. Let me know and I'll get the ball rolling.

I'll be in town on Thursday night. Might go to the Russell Blackford book launch at Readings first, though.

Would be happy to have drinkies before, or dinner after, though.

[bennyrose]

I think it's a great idea... a pub filled with (some of) the most intelligent people around telling it like it is openly with each other...

[Praxis]

Bah. Some of us have to work on the Thursday ;)

I've already decided I'll take the Friday off though and am seriously considering booking another night (so far I'm only booked to stay on the Sat night).

Never mind. I'll have to do most of my meet'n'greets on the Friday - maybe in the afternoon if there's any sort of meet-up happening.

What time does it kick off on Friday again?

[bennyrose]

It kicks off after work (Melbourne styles) on Friday but I'm going to take Thursday off too I believe... this is my "religious" holiday for the year and I intend to enjoy it. I may also take Monday off....

[eccles]

I plan to fly there on the Wednesday. I am staying with a friend in Broadford. He is planning to go to the Convention. He might be interested in that meetup, If so I will be able to go as he is my transport.

"Invite Denis Hart" :D

[TheAtheist]

I would love to meet up with anyone.

Give me a call 0438 xxx xxx closer to D Day

[gj83]

I'm up for it. I won't have a mobile in Oz since I'm from the US, but I'll be at the Hilton South Wharf and if anyone needs me i'll PM you my name so the front desk can connect you.

[bennyrose]

If everyone likes (and has facebook) i'll make an event of facebook, with a date time and venue for everyone to view and invite their friends along that are not on here? Sound good?

[Jin-oh Choi]

If everyone likes (and has facebook) i'll make an event of facebook, with a date time and venue for everyone to view and invite their friends along that are not on here? Sound good?

Sounds like a good idea. When do you plan for this, I'm like most others. I fly in on Friday. :)

[Podblack]

If everyone likes (and has facebook) i'll make an event of facebook, with a date time and venue for everyone to view and invite their friends along that are not on here? Sound good?

Hi! Suggestion:

Is there anyone here who is a member of a Melbourne Atheists meetup group of some sort? Could they publish the details of a suggested get-together and we can RSVP via there? Could we contact a few of the boards on Meetup.com and that way contact a few atheist groups in Melb who have already got established venues, that can suggest a good place?

http://www.meetup.com/Melbourne-Atheists/
http://www.meetup.com/MelbourneHumanists/

I've popped in a question at the Melbourne Atheists group, here: http://www.meetup.com/Melbourne-Atheists/messages/boards/thread/8310772/#32838543

[bennyrose]

Yes I'm on there also, will definitely pass on the details once sorted. Talking to a few of the guys from there currently getting a few ideas together :-)

[Keith_W]

Hi Benny, just joined today, bought my tickets, etc. I see you are in Camberwell. I am a couple of suburbs up from you, in Mont Albert. Planning to catch a train in. MCEC is right next to the Crown Entertainment Complex, surely there is a pub we could go to there for some drinks?

[Dan]

Atheists in Perth are planning/hoping to meet before heading to Melbourne.

http://perthatheists.org

[bennyrose]

Russell Blackford 03 January at 11:06 Reply
Chrys beat me to it!

It'll be a belated Australian launching for 50 Voices of Disbelief: Why We Are Atheists at 6.30 pm, put on by Readings, probably at Cinema Nova in Carlton.

Anthony Grayling and I will be on stage "in conversation", followed by some kind of book-signing or whatever. It'll be a while before the exact arrangments, such as how long it will go, bed down, but I'm hoping that a lot of people might keep the earlier part of that night free and come along. Cinema Nova seats 250 people so we need an audience, even if you've already bought the book.

Currently trying to work around this, as I'm sure many people on the day will also be keen on going to it. If anyone has any suggestions of places close-by (Carlton) I'm all ears, as I don't know the area that well. Somewhere quiet for a few drinks and a bite to eat if people are hungry. After finding a few places it seems Thursday night would be "uni night" and I dare say that any sort of conversation would be near impossible.

[David Miller]

On Thursday 11th March 2010 at 6.30pm., A.C. Grayling and Russell Blackford will be launching, "50 Voices of Disbelief: Why We Are Atheists", at Readings Books, 309 Lygon street, (near Elgin Street), Carlton. Maybe it will take place across the road in the Nova Theatre in Lygon Court.
Following the launch, we could gather in the food court at the far end (Drummond Street) of Lygon Court, adjacent to the Borders Books coffee bar. Usually, there is plenty of room there, and it's not noisy.
Together with me, I hope to have Steve and Pauline Maxwell of the Rationalist Association of NSW.
Regards,
David Miller, Atheist Society.

[Praxis]

Hi David and welcome :)

I can't tell you how incredibly tempting that is! I just might have to force myself to attend that.

cheers.

[bennyrose]

On Thursday 11th March 2010 at 6.30pm., A.C. Grayling and Russell Blackford will be launching, "50 Voices of Disbelief: Why We Are Atheists", at Readings Books, 309 Lygon street, (near Elgin Street), Carlton. Maybe it will take place across the road in the Nova Theatre in Lygon Court.
Following the launch, we could gather in the food court at the far end (Drummond Street) of Lygon Court, adjacent to the Borders Books coffee bar. Usually, there is plenty of room there, and it's not noisy.
Together with me, I hope to have Steve and Pauline Maxwell of the Rationalist Association of NSW.
Regards,
David Miller, Atheist Society.

This sounds like a go to me, kick on wherever the night takes us :-). I'll get crackin' on making a page tonight.

[bennyrose]

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=254139632812&index=1

Well there it is, jump on and start inviting everyone you know who is going.

[Lapin]

I'm planning to ride my Suzuki down from Brisbane. I think I'll take a week either side and stop of to visit my mum in Canberra on the way. I'll plan to get there by Thursday for the launch. Look for a tired, dusty Queenslander in black leathers. :cool:

[Chrys Stevenson]

On Thursday 11th March 2010 at 6.30pm., A.C. Grayling and Russell Blackford will be launching, "50 Voices of Disbelief: Why We Are Atheists", at Readings Books, 309 Lygon street, (near Elgin Street), Carlton. Maybe it will take place across the road in the Nova Theatre in Lygon Court.
Following the launch, we could gather in the food court at the far end (Drummond Street) of Lygon Court, adjacent to the Borders Books coffee bar. Usually, there is plenty of room there, and it's not noisy.
Together with me, I hope to have Steve and Pauline Maxwell of the Rationalist Association of NSW.
Regards,
David Miller, Atheist Society.

I expect this is just a matter of terminology, but is this a 'food court' of restaurants, or one of those tacky supermarket food courts? It's costing me a heap to go to Melbourne, and I have a limited time there, so while I'm happy to go to a pub, I'm not keen on spending my time eating at a food court take-away.

[Praxis]

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=254139632812&index=1

Well there it is, jump on and start inviting everyone you know who is going.
Not me, sorry. I don't (and have never, since their inception) do FaceSpaceMyTwitBook. Nexus is as close to *gag* "social networking" as I will go.

;)

@Kristy - it's Lygon Street my dear, one restaurant after another! No problems whatsoever about where to eat, trust me :)

[bennyrose]

I expect this is just a matter of terminology, but is this a 'food court' of restaurants, or one of those tacky supermarket food courts? It's costing me a heap to go to Melbourne, and I have a limited time there, so while I'm happy to go to a pub, I'm not keen on spending my time eating at a food court take-away.

Also further to that, the food court is just a starting point (meeting place if you will) to branch out.

[Lapin]

C'mon Praxis. My FaceSpaceMyTwitBook is great fun. :D Seriously, I do pick up lots of useful stuff from the atheists on Twitter in particular. Don't knock it. It's the only social life some of us have. :(

[Chrys Stevenson]

Also further to that, the food court is just a starting point (meeting place if you will) to branch out.

That's OK then. Just wasn't happy to be in the city with some of the best restaurants in the world and end up in a supermarket eating luke-warm noodles off a plastic plate with a plastic fork.

[David Miller]

In their February 'Readings Monthly' magazine, Readings Books have listed the event as follows: - "World-renowned philosopher A.C. Grayling will be in conversation with Russell Blackford on Thursday 11 March, 6.30pm, Cinema Nova. Free, but please book on (03) 9347 6633."
Also listed in Readings Monthly is the following announcement: "Listen to Richard Dawkins, author of 'The God Delusion' (Black Swan, PB $27.95). Friday 5 March, 6.30pm, Melbourne Town Hall."
When I went along to Readings to book in, I was informed that the event was booked out already. Each participant will get a signed copy of the book. And they thought that the Lower Town Hall could seat about 500 people.
My intention is to station myself that night at the entrance to the Town Hall (weather-permitting) and hand out Atheist Society programs.

[bennyrose]

David, when you said you went to Readings to book in, were you referring to A.C. Grayling or the Dawkins event?

[David Miller]

Sorry if I have caused confusion.
1. I was already booked in via the telephone for the Grayling/Blackford event (11 March).
2. I went along to Readings Books because they had not listed booking details in their February Magazine for the Town Hall event (5 March). Actually, this event is being organised by the Melbourne Writers Festival: www.mwf.com.au (http://www.mwf.com.au)

[OzAtheist]

I will be lobbing in to Melbourne on Thursday and would be interested in meeting up with AFA forum members. Please keep us posted on the current plans.

[OzAtheist]

as a slight aside, please excuse me if I meet up with any of you on Thursday night (which I'm hoping to) and don't seem to be paying attention. It's just that I'll probably still be slightly deaf from the night before - going to see Prodigy. :D

[David Miller]

For those who will be in Melbourne a few days before the Convention, the following may be of interest:

Atheist Society - 8pm Tuesday 9th March 2010
Free public lecture followed by questions, discussion and refreshments:
"A Critical Look at the 2012 Phenomenon."
Speaker - Dr. Joseph Gelfer (School of Social Inquiry, Monash University).
Coffee, tea, biscuits (and conversation) available from 7pm.

Venue - Unitarian Hall, 110 Grey Street, East Melbourne. Melways Map 2G, D2
Beware of Permit Only parking areas in some surrounding streets.
Additional car parking spaces at rear of Hall, via laneway on left of building.
Future Atheist Society lectures and past transcripts, etc:- http://www.vic.TheAtheist.net (http://www.vic.TheAtheist.net)http://img1.meetupstatic.com/img/clear.gif
Enquiries - David Miller, Secretary - atheist_agnostic@lycos.com

[owheelj]

Booked for AC Grayling. Will attend meet up afterwards. I am a poor uni student, so luke-warm noodles with a plastic fork is acceptable with me, but I guess we can probably do our own thing with food. Excited and looking forward to meeting everybody :D

Apparently there is some kind of zoo trip with PZ Myers on Friday during the day, but limited spots and biology students are given priority to attend, which is good for me, since I am one :D I don't know any of the details though. Jason Ball does :P

[Justin]

I'll be coming over Wednesday night and hope to meetup with ppl by Thursday night (at the latest!). I'll be in the Travel Lodge on South Bank if all goes well but will be working during the days before the weekend.

During the day I'll be talking with Uni ppl about a project modelling social dynamics for increased wellbeing (which might well lead to scientific insights with regards to societal values & morality). So I'll be contributing to Atheism the entire time there ;)

For dinner I'll be wanting to head somewhere with a bit of flair (no plastic forks!). It sounds like Chrys has the right idea to me...where are we headed Chrys?

I'm really looking forward to meeting the crowd!

[Praxis]

I'll be in the Travel Lodge on South Bank if all goes well
You never know who you might run into in the lift during the weekend at that place ;)

I have to work on the Thursday (I've swapped my days with a client) and will be in town from around 12'ish on Friday. I'm meeting up with some friends at 12.30 pm and after that - who knows!


I'm really looking forward to meeting the crowd!
Oooh yeah!

[Keith_W]

Guys, can I ask whether you got sent tickets? I booked online, paid, and got nothing apart from a confirmation email.

[Praxis]

Guys, can I ask whether you got sent tickets? I booked online, paid, and got nothing apart from a confirmation email.
Keith, attached to your confirmation email would have (should have) been a .pdf document. You print this off and that's your ticket. It has a bar code on it and all details.

If you didn't receive the attachment, I'd suggest contacting perhaps Lee and I'm sure she can help you with sorting it out :)

[owheelj]

So I don't get an actual ticket made of gold?

False advertising. See you in court :P

[ZombieAlan]

Did this event get sorted out? I'd like to add it to the Social Events Calendar if it's been organised.

Just link to the FB event on this thread and I'll do the rest
http://www.atheistfoundation.org.au/forums/showthread.php?t=4050

[bennyrose]

yep, this is definitely a go, drinks/dinner after A.C. Grayling on Thursday night is down... Written in pen even :D

[Chrys Stevenson]

Did this event get sorted out? I'd like to add it to the Social Events Calendar if it's been organised.

Just link to the FB event on this thread and I'll do the rest
http://www.atheistfoundation.org.au/forums/showthread.php?t=4050

Hey Alan

Here are the links:

Russell Blackford launch (http://www.readings.com.au/event/russell-blackford-in-conversation-with-a-c-grayling)

Facebook page for Dinner Meetup (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=254139632812)

[Jaar-Gilon]

Possibly a silly question. I am not attending the GAC (hopefully I will be helping the cricket team I play for win the shield grade grand final our club has been striving for for 50 odd years) but would love to meet up with people on the Thursday night prior to the convention I hope that is OK?
I promise my avatar is not actually of me!!
I look more like this :cool:
Hahahaha

[bennyrose]

Possibly a silly question. I am not attending the GAC (hopefully I will be helping the cricket team I play for win the shield grade grand final our club has been striving for for 50 odd years) but would love to meet up with people on the Thursday night prior to the convention I hope that is OK?
I promise my avatar is not actually of me!!
I look more like this :cool:
Hahahaha

Absolutely mate, the more the merrier :D

[OzAtheist]

Russell Blackford launch (http://www.readings.com.au/event/russell-blackford-in-conversation-with-a-c-grayling)

Facebook page for Dinner Meetup (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=254139632812)

Booked and Booked, see you all there.

[Praxis]

I won't be around on the Thursday. I have to work, then I have a hair appointment.

I'll be rocking into town around midday on Friday though, meeting up some people for lunch and then probably finding more people to meet up with prior to registration time :)

[OzAtheist]

I gather I can get a tram(s) from the corner of Spencer St and Flinders St (near where I'm staying) to the corner of Lygon and Elgin St (according to google maps :) ) to attend the Readings AC Grayling talk at Cinema Nova.
Does anyone know which tram(s) I need to get?

[Praxis]

I'm trying to find out!

It's funny - being a Melbourne girl, I know where you need to get the trams but couldn't tell you the number of them!

Okay, catch a tram from the top of Flinders Street (Spencer Street). Get off at Swanston Street (where Flinders St Station is on the corner). Go across to the tram stop opposite Flinders St Station (Federation Square, in all its ugly horror will be directly across the road from you).

The following is from WikiTravel - you can catch any of these trams and get to Readings. Have fun!

Carlton is well connected by tram from the City Center. Trams which serve Carlton are trams 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 16, 64, 67 and 72, all of which can be caught along Swanston Street and St Kilda Road in front of Flinders Street station. All except trams 1 and 8 end at the University of Melbourne tram stop, which is just a short walk to Lygon Street. Trams 1 and 8 continue along Lygon Street (albeit a little north of all the action) to East Coburg and Moreland respectively in the north.

[OzAtheist]

Thanks for that Praxis.

[Loki]

So, a sudden burst of spontaneity and pity for those with tickets they now can't use, I'm coming. If I can organise transport and accomodation at this late stage. Means I'm going to have to wear pants on the weekend after all.

Do I have to read this whole thread or can someone give me the summary, what events before and after can I tag onto?

[Praxis]

Bloody hell!

Okay, there's meet-ups all over the place but one major one is on the Thursday evening, at Readings (a book shop) in Carlton where AC Grayling will be speaking.

When will you be arriving? Do you need accommodation hints/tips?

And yes, pants would be good thanks.

[Loki]

As I am making it up as I go along I can arrive whenever. I was thinking down Thursday and back Mon, it's the non GAC events which finally made me pull my finger out. As for accomodation, I'd be happy at the venue, if they are booked out then any suggestions would be welcome.

[Praxis]

As I am making it up as I go along I can arrive whenever. I was thinking down Thursday and back Mon, it's the non GAC events which finally made me pull my finger out. As for accomodation, I'd be happy at the venue, if they are booked out then any suggestions would be welcome.
You can't stay at the actual venue. It's a convention centre but doesn't have accommodation. Lots are staying at the Hilton, right across from it, but I'm not sure if that's booked out or not? They had some deal going.

Quite a few are staying at the Soutbank Travelodge, others are staying at various backpackers and hostels. Depends on what you want and on your budget.

Great that you're coming. Have you actually snaffled a ticket?

[Loki]

Lee is hopefully holding one. I am waiting for she who holds the online banking passwords, then I should be good to go. I meant the Hilton, else as close as I can get, can't see the point in being far from the action. As for flights, thats tomorrows problem.

[Loki]

Will anyone be going to AC grayling thursday night and leaving from somewhere around about the convention centre-ish? Could I tag along, would save figuring out transport, I wouldn't know Carlton if it fell on me?

[Chrys Stevenson]

We'll be in the Hilton bar from around 5-ish. I'll send you my mobile number.

[Loki]

Thanks, bit of luck I'll see you there. Lee has to send the tickets first but I'm 90% there.

[Praxis]

It's very exciting that you're able to come Loki :)

Obviously flights and accommodation got booked okay.

Will we see you at the dinner on Saturday night? I can't remember if you got a dinner ticket as well.

[Loki]

I'm in for the whole deal, will hopefully see you Thursday night, on Friday night I might be the one at the desk saying "but I have got a ticket, really". Accomodation and flights all booked, I'm at the Formule 1 hotel, so I've got everything but real tickets, though I'm sure the virtual ones will work in the end. See all there, you'll soon be sick of me.

[Praxis]

You won't see me Thursday night - I'll be sitting in the hairdresser's!

I have to work tomorrow and hair appointment tomorrow night. I get into town around midday Friday and am meeting up with some folks down at the convention centre at around 1 pm, presumably we will head off somewhere for lunch and lots of "WOW! out of my screen and into real life!" sort of conversations :D

[OzAtheist]

Just got a notification from the facebook meetup group. The venue for drinks, food and good times following the Grayling/Blackford gig tonight is Beer Deluxe at Federation Square. It's expected we'll meet there at 8:30pm. See you all there tonight: http://www.beerdeluxe.com.au/contact-us.htm

Right, I'm off to catch a plane, see you all soon...

[N31]

My first event will be the dinner. Flew in from Perth last night and missed out on the opening. Here alone so hopefully meet some of you guys there!