About two years ago, I met with fellow Acaeum members Aneoth and KingofPain for the first of it's kind North Texas Acaeum meeting.  It was great, and led to regular meetings for all of us.  One key element was we were always buying, selling and trading from each other in these meetings (which eventually led to me buying Aneoth's complete collection).  This kind of swap meet is always a bunch of fun, whether it be trading modules, magazines, photocopied rares, whatever.  When King and I meet now we typically get a lunch, hit a few Half Price bookstores and raid the used games section, and maybe take it over to Generation X and their huge selection of new and used games and comics.
   Well, I think I speak for both John and I, the more the merrier.  It would be fun to add a few more Acaeum members to our fun and games, and maybe turn it into something a little bigger.
    I live a block off the intersection of Hwy 183/157 in Euless, TX, a very central location if you live in either Dallas, Fort Worth, Irving, or somewhere south (say Waxahachie) or north (say Allen) of the main metroplex...it's about five minutes west of DFW airport.  There is a very nice La Quinta inn on the corner by the highway, which has a small (20 person) meeting room available for reservation.  
   I propose a get together on an upcoming Saturday afternoon for the purpose of a good old-fashioned bull session and "Swap Meet". Just bring yourself, or if you have excess RPG goodies, a box or two of swag to sell or trade, and we can hang out and get to know each other, and when that gets boring, all head for a cup of java, a bite to eat, or a RPG games venue. Right next to the La Quinta (walking distance) is a Starbucks and Dennys,  while about a half mile north is Generation X.  Gen X is pretty much the best stocked games and comics store in the entire D/FW area (If you've been to a stinking Lone Star Comics franchise, this place  has ten times the RPG merchandise).  If anyone wants to get a bit more ambitious, we can arrange a Half Price Books excursion (the Bedford, North Arlington and Irving HPBs are all within a 10-15 minute drive), and there is a pool hall/sports bar/drinking venue, Pockets, right across the street.  If you really want to get ambitious the rooms at La Quinta are under $70 a night for a room that sleeps two (ok, technically four, but I'm not bunking with anyone dude...)
  What I picture (or hope for) would be for at least ten of us to plan a Saturday meeting, everyone could chip in a few bucks for the meeting room (if it's too expensive we could just rent a room and hang out there instead, I'll check on prices).  I could bring along a few boxes of stuff to sell or trade, along with some rares for everyone to check out, hopefully everyone else could bring a cool item or two to share with everyone.  The agenda would go along with what everyone wanted, we could catch a lunch at Denny's, go over to Generation X and see what new (or used) items they have, set up a visit to one or more of the Half Prices in the area, or just hang out and talk and play games (If we pull this off I can be persuaded to pull out my copies of the original Dungeon!, Talisman, Arkham Horror, hell even a TSR minigame who knows what I have tucked away, if anyone wants to game).  
     If this even sounds remotely interesting, send me a PM, and we can try to make it happen.  I can't tell you how much fun King, Aneoth and I had when we first started getting together, just think you will be surrounded by people who UNDERSTAND what you mean when you throw out stuff like "OCE", "4th minus set",  "Lizard Logo",  "Woodgrain", "JonB", "Non-Cthulhu version" and "orange cover B3".  The first time we got together, we ended up talking for about three hours or so, it was great.
  If only a few people could or wanted to get together, then we could scale it down.  The agenda can be as wide open if we wish; if everyone just wants to hand out at Starbucks sipping Lattes or gaming in the back of Generation X the entire time, that can be arranged.  What I would like to do first though is gauge interest and see how many (or if anyone, King and I may be the only two Acaeum members in TX that care to meet, who knows) From the initial interest I can set up a mailing/email list and we can go forward from there.

Mike B.

Kingofpain89 wrote:We dont need a meeting room at the LaQuinta Mike....your den is big enough.  

You know me.  Any weekend is good except the weekend of November 4th and the weekend before and after as my pending nuptials are that weekend and I will be in Florida the weekend after that.

I'll bring the beer.  

I thought we'd just drink Bud....I know your appreciation for thin, watery, tasteless American beer!

Mike B.

grodog wrote:I don't live in TX or OK, but if the meeting wasn't too far away, I'd consider driving for it

         Allan, you could always make a weekend out of it and spend the night either Friday or Saturday...the rooms at the LaQuinta are about $65 a night, and I live about a block away.  It would be a straight shot down 35 for you to the DFW area, but probably about a 4-5 hour drive I'd expect.  If there was another Acaeum member in Oklahoma City that wanted to come he could hitch a ride, otherwise it would be a long lonely drive.  Gus Landt lives in north Denton.   But you are welcome of course.  If you want to come down, let me know some weekends you are available, since I know your schedule often takes you out of town. Hell with the skins on the wall you have (all the work you have done in the hobby) you would be the guest of honor!!!!!

Mike B.

grodog wrote:
LOL, I think the rumors of my accomplishments have been greatly exaggerated to be a GoH, but thanks for the (misguided) sentiment, at least

In terms of dates, we're in NJ from Labor Day week through Sept 11th, so it would have to be later vs. sooner for me to attend, probably not until October/November/December (we're not travelling for Thanksgiving or Christmas this year, so they're definitely possibilities).  

We could even plan a game session, right?  It would be fun to play/run something, too, like Kuntz's Chambers of Antiquities, Dark Druids, or somesuch!

Hell, don't sell yourself short, Gro.  You've hobnobbed with enough Biggies to keep the rest of us enertained the entire weekend with just the second hand gossip and stories you know.....

    Forgot that everyone doesn't have the same aversion to flying I do....If this comes about you might check Southwest airlines, my wife flew to Kansas City a month or so ago for $100 round trip.....that might be less than gas costs you.  DFW airport is five minutes away; Love Field is about 15-20 minutes.  Anyone wanting to fly in, I could very easily pick up, or you could take a shuttle.  Cheap airfaires might make it possible for those in the outlying areas like Houston, San Antonio, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Lubbock, etc to attend.  Keep that in mind if this thing gets off the ground and you are interested....
     It would be fun to run Cairn if we had enough gamers there...
     Late Sept/Oct would be good.  I'm also at home for the month of Nov and Thanksgiving, but for most people that's a travel weekend, still it might be worth exploring. It will be fun if it all comes together.

Mike B.

Dallas is about a 5 hour drive for me also (Little Rock). My collection consists of about 5 easy to find hardbacks, so I am not in the big leagues yet (I'm barely in Little League truth be told), but I think it would be fun. Anyone else interested in Arkansas (or points east) could PM me. Not saying I would for sure show, but depending on the weekend, it may be do-able.

Kim

well as i couldnt get to the gencon - am curretly trying to persuade g/f that it would be a cool idea to go to Dallas for the weekend sometime in the autumn

she pulled a face at first time of asking, so will work on it

Al

Badmike wrote:Just think of all the money you'll save...there's NOTHING to do here!!!

And overseas shipping costs will be reduced by whatever you can pack in your suitcases.  

I just sorted through my work (Juniper) travel schedule for the near future on Monday; I'll be in CA the last weekof September, again the last week of October, and then in DC the 2nd week of November.  I'm definitely interested, even after reading KoP's description of the state fair cuisine

Xaxaxe wrote:I actually have a weekend in October where I'm supposed to be in Dallas, falling asleep at some work thing. I think leaving to attend a "very important seminar"* over at The Acaeum gathering would be perfectly acceptable.

+++++

* especially a seminar on beer!

    I'm looking at a weekend in October.  I'm free all month, I was shooting for 6-8th because it's far enough from any holidays except Columbus Day (Monday 9th), which could make a nice 3-day weekend for some of you guys. Plenty of time to recover from the Margaritas and jello shots. So if we decide to do this we have October 6-8th, 13-15th, or 20-22nd to choose from.  Once we get a few more interested, we can vote on the best one.
   I am waiting to hear from more DFW based guys...I know you are out there!  Even Austin and Houston Acaeum members should be able to make a short drive and spare a weekend.  For those of you in Fort Worth or Dallas, no excuse at all, you just need to make the trip out Saturday, if we have this thing and you aren't in attendence,  you'll regret it forever.....  
   As regards to the State Fair, I doubt we'd have time.  There is plenty to do to keep us busy I figure just in the area. I've made up a little itinerary (so sue me, I have time on my hands) of what we could expect to do. I think most of the activities could keep us busy, if nothing else the meeting room at the La Quinta can be filled with board games, RPGs, videos and refreshments so we can easily kill an entire afternoon.  A trip to Generation X will kill another hour. If anyone wants to visit a local Half Price Books, there is another hour or two.  Lots of places to eat, and a pool hall across the street serving alcoholic beverages.  A Starbucks within walking distance.  King can show us his D&D cartoon bootleg videos.  I'm stymied to come up entertainment more solid than that!!!
   I think the main focus will be on just hanging out, but when/if we know more about who might come, we can fill out the itinerary a little better. If we can get Grodog to come, we could always impose on him to run a OSRIC scenario.  
  Unless King wants a Strip Club Preview or something, we could give him one of those....
  If I have to resort to the purely crass bribe to get more people signed on, I will.  Maybe a giveaway of something cool....namely something that has been sitting in my store for months that hasn't sold.  I do have plenty of stuff sitting around that would work nicely as door prizes.
  If this does happen, I'd like to have something solid by the end of the month so we can start making firmer plans...so if any of the weekends above work for you, let me know.

Mike B.