::perks up::
I’ll be in Hyde Park come October… fellow dopers don’t mind having a dorky 18 year old kid around during a fest, do you?
::sigh:: Note to self: hit “disable smilies” next time…
Silent Bob is goin’? 
Well, that oughta make things interesting…
Is he going to bring placards with all the smilies on them in order to communicate? And the Dopers will have to translate for him, or how will he order drinks?
bump
I’m there. Pity I missed the last one, but c’est la vie. I’ll just have to work twice as hard at this one to make up for it. And I will. Oh, so help me I will. And it shall be (hopefully) on a Saturday so I don’t have to worry about work the next day. I know that Valerie, Chris, Boli and Gaudere all had their hearts broken when I had to leave early from ChiDope Volume One.
Everyone bring lots of singles.
HA!
I think that’s UncleBeer’s cue.
Alas, my financial situation was better last spring than it is now (just bought a house, and my child is now in pre-k/day-care that I have to pay for), so I shan’t be able to make another long-distance Dopefest for a while.
Sigh. I shall think of you all wistfully, and hoist a glass in your direction on the Eve of the next ChiDope! And for anyone who wishes to attend, we are in the planning stages of another FlintDope, hopefully in September!
You don’t expect us to slip them into your jockstrap, do you?
Good idea about leaving daughter at home. Now I can blame YOU when I tell her to stay home! I wouldn’t worry too much about shocking her, but that “getting to know you” part is a valid point.
As for “I don’t know how to have fun,” I should correct that to “I haven’t replaced my old ways of having fun.” But I do prefer quieter places just so I can hear what’s going on.
And if anybody needs a ride, mention it.
…I can also provide a ride to anyone who needs one as long as you can get your butt into the city (i.e. take a Metra train to downtown Chicago and I can get you and take you to the meeting place). The only limit I would place on this is the capacity of my car which will take 4 people in addition to myself…three if the passengers expect to be comfortable.
Dropzone…the bars I’ve mentioned (and many others besides) will allow a minor in the bar if a guardian is with them. HOWEVER! This is only the case in the afternoon. After 5-6 p.m. you would be asked to leave (or at least to get your child out). Also…they’re even less keen on the idea if your ‘child’ might conceivably pass as an adult. When business gets busy they don’t want to be concerned about a minor buying or getting drinks and possibly losing their liquor license over it. Of course, this doesn’t even take into account the ass kickings that would ensue when you saw drunk slobs hitting on your daughter. I seriously doubt any of us want to go there.
Personally, I have no problems if your daughter comes along but she is likely to be exposed to a bunch of drunk Dopers which she might find disconcerting. Your call but I have to admit I would have grooved to that at age 16 too (of course I would have wheedled beers or Rum and Cokes out of someone and been messed up myself but that’s just me). Even so it could be decidedly problematical as well.
I’d think long and hard on bringing your daughter. If she’s got a jones to meet everyone maybe you could arrange to have her picked-up an hour or two after things get going. She could have fun feeling cool hanging in a bar with dad and his weird acquaintances and then get rescued before things really get weird.
Last point and I’m a hypocrite for saying this…DON’T DRIVE DRUNK! It’s not necessary. Either I’ll put whoever up at my place or I’ll get a hotel room for you if it comes to that. Don’t take me for a chump (I’d expect to be paid back if I bought a hotel room for you) but I’d like everyone to be able to let loose without concern for surviving a ride home.
I’m officially going on record as a maybe. Depends on how things are going at my new job, and whether I can get a cheap flight out there.
But miss hanging with Valerie, Flyp, and Omni?? NEVER! (And besides, then UncBeer would have attended more Dopefests than me, and I can’t let that happen.)
Let’s assume my daughter is staying at home…
… A quick bump for the Monday morning crowd …
::bump::
BTW, to “camp on” (God, I hate that phrase!) what Jeff had to say about driving drunk, I’m on permanent Designated Driver Duty, so keep that in mind. Like I said, I USED TO know how to have fun. But I don’t mind being around people who are drinking. In fact, I get a contact high so don’t be surprised if I ply you with liquor. And steal your cigarettes.
I’m so jealous, another dopefest I live too far away from to attend.
Oh, well, have a wonderful time and we want to see pictures! Lots and lots of pictures.
And drop, honey, make sure that you are in some of those pics, okay? Inquiring minds want to know if you are as cute as your personality, or cuter!
I’m not cute, I’m married. I stopped being cute twenty-four years ago. Which makes me old enough to be your what? Father? Significantly older brother?
But you’re sweet to say it anyway! Wish you could make it to the fest!
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by dropzone *
**
Well, now, I guess this qualifies as fighting ignorance, 'cuz I didn’t know that being married precluded being cute.
And I certainly hope you weren’t planning on putting any money on the age thing. It is quite possible that I am older than you.
Signing off and looking for my cane so I can hobble off into the sunset-
Scotti
As far as drunk driving, the way we’ve avoided having to worry about it at Spiffled & the May ChiDope was by having everyone get rooms at the same hotel, and after spending some time at a bar, we continued the drinking and carrying on back at the hotel. That’s actually why we did the last ChiDope out near O’Hare - we got a group rate at the hotel and their shuttle driver took us all over to the bar and picked us up.
Also, it was easier to find a bar out there that wasn’t jam-packed on a weekend night. The bars that Jeff42 has mentioned would most likely make it impossible for a group the size of the last few gatherings to hang out and be able to talk.
We did the original ChiDope (last November) on a Sunday night, so we found a place in Lincoln Park that wasn’t crowded at all. That solution probably won’t work for most people though, as few people are able to stay up late on a Sunday.
I’ll go ahead and volunteer to organize the thing, since I did the November and May ones - that is, if Dropzone doesn’t want to do it, since it’s his idea. I can put together an email list of those interested and sort out everyone’s votes on where, when, etc., and make phone calls and reservations. It’d most likely be easiest for me to do it since I’ve done it before and now know what NOT to tear my hair out over. If that’s cool, let me know.
Hell YEAH I’m in. I missed the one in May, so I’m very ready to party with this group again.
A tip to any new additions: start drinking NOW to build up your tolerance. You’ll thank me later.