# Is an AlbanyDope possible? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 22, 2003, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187 "2003-04-22T00:21:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187/1 "2003-04-22T00:21:33Z")
Somebody tried this last year, and it died from lack of interest. So, I’m asking ahead of time so as not to repeat the mistake. Are there enough Albany-area dopers to make an AlbanyDope worthwhile? I may be wrong, but I’ve noticed a few “Albany,” “Schenectady,” “Troy,” and “Rensselaer” tags in the location field lately.\* Not to mention the ubiquitous “Upstate NY” label. That can be misleading, because New York State is kinda’ big, and nobody wants to drive from Ithaca to Albany just to meet a bunch of other 'net geeks. Plus, there are actually people in NYC who think Monticello is “upstate.” I know what you’re thinking. Albany dopers are lame because of the following:[ul] [li]I’m shy. The thought of actually meeting people in the flesh gives me the vapors.[/li][li]What I really like about the SDMB is the anonimity. If I met people in person they would be able to put a real name and a face to my posts, and I would feel inhibited.[/li][li]There’s nothing to do in Albany, so why bother?[/li][/ul] That was me five minutes ago, but I posted this, so I got over it. Right? You can too. I just want to make sure that there is a modicum of interest before I expend any effort to organize something. Are you out there? Do you want to try? \*Okay, I haven’t actually seen “Rensselaer.” There has to be somebody. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187/2 "2003-04-22T00:36:10Z")
_Of course_ it’s possible! Anything’s possible as long as you believe!!! OK, enough of that smartass hijack. I just wanted to say that if I lived anywhere near you, I’d definitely want to meet. But then, I feel a deep spiritual connection with anyone who survives and engineering curriculum. So anyway, I’ll keep my fingers crossed that you meet a buncha Dopers and have a neato-spiffy time! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187/3 "2003-04-22T00:42:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Exgineer \* > I may be wrong, but I’ve noticed a few “Albany,” “Schenectady,” “Troy,” and “Rensselaer” tags in the location field lately. _sniff_ You go ahead and have your stupid “AlbanyDope”. _sniff_ ---
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187/4 "2003-04-22T00:43:00Z")
Unfortunately, my vacations never take me anywhere near Baltimore, let alone Florida. I go north from here. I really, really, really want to attend a MAD-Dope sometime. ---
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187/5 "2003-04-22T00:51:31Z")
Whoohoo. **JeffB** showed up. I ain’t goin’ anywhere near Saratoga in August, but other than that I’m flexible. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187/6 "2003-04-22T00:56:19Z")
Troy, you say? Last I checked I lived in Troy. Man, that just hit me. I live in Troy. No offense to all the great people who did/do live in Troy (such as Uncle Sam), but I just fail to see the charm it has. As you may have guessed, I do go to RPI. I’d be up for some kind of fest. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187/7 "2003-04-22T01:07:51Z")
Ah, c’mon. We could go downtown and spend 3 hours trying to find a parking spot, 2 hours to get into a bar, and 1 hour to get a drink. Anyway, I think an AlbanyDope is doable. I think that I may have a list at work of area Dopers that I started to keep track of a while back. I had the same thought as you, and never followed through (for similar reasons you listed). That plus, what if I threw a dopefest and nobody came? I know there are some other area dopers – **racinchikki** (she hasn’t moved yet, has she?), **RealityChuck** (who I met once at a dopefest in Toronto, of all places), and, um, some others I can’t remember off hand. According to this map of [Dopers of the United States](http://www.lava.net/~alexman/map/mapusa.html), done a while ago by, er, I’ll go with **demo** , there is also **Serendipity** and **Flymaster**. (I love that map, BTW; too bad it’s not being kept up to date by someone.) ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187/8 "2003-04-22T01:27:39Z")
I had the same thought, too. I’m still here, 45 minutes away from where I-90 meets I-87, on the other side of the river. I’m only 20, though, so bars are a problem. We could go to the New York State Museum and visit the Hall of Dead Animals! ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187/9 "2003-04-22T01:29:11Z")
Oh, by the way, I’m only here for another three months. Any AlbanyDope with me in attendance would have to take place before July 15. ---
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187/10 "2003-04-22T01:41:16Z")
Dang it. We have restictions already. I must admit, however, that the museum is cool. They still have that diorama with the Indian chucking the spear at the deer. You know it, 'cause it’s been there since the building opened. Of course, there have been problems with it. The fact that it’s a static display with running water kind of makes everything look paralyzed. They also remove things for maintenance from time to time. When they took the deer out for a couple of months the poor guy just looked stupid. “Uh, I guess I’m throwing this spear at that grasshopper.” They also have a room full of fire engines. Of course, we could do something else. ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187/11 "2003-04-22T01:45:29Z")
I didn’t know they had a room full of fire engines. I’ve been to the fireman’s museum in Hudson (took **Gunslinger** there last March), and they have a huge collection of fire engines that they wouldn’t let me climb on. Jerks. Do they still have the forest fire simulator where you go in the little room the size of an elevator and it sounds like a forest fire? I forget what, exactly, the point of it was but it scared the crap out of me when I was little. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187/12 "2003-04-22T02:59:43Z")
If you have one I’ll probably show up, I’m a bit north of you. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187/13 "2003-04-22T03:17:11Z")
I also might be interested, depending on when it was; my summers are pretty full. My dad lives down in Beacon. ---
**Author:** ![Flymaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@Flymaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flymaster)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187/14 "2003-04-22T03:25:43Z")
Well, I’m in Troy. I’d think about it, but I’ll be leaving at the end of the month, so I may not be able to make it. If you come up with something good, though, I’d certainly consider it. ---
**Author:** ![Tsubaki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@Tsubaki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tsubaki)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187/15 "2003-04-22T03:30:10Z")
Heh. For a moment I thought you meant Albany, Western Australia. I was wondering if there enough Dopers there to warrant a Fest. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187/16 "2003-04-22T05:38:21Z")
I live about two hours south of Albany, but if I can go to dopefests in Houston, Toronto, Burlington, and Manhattan, I can certainly go to Albany. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187/17 "2003-04-22T13:27:38Z")
Let’s see if we can flush some other Dopers out – here are some more names: **waterj2 Nutty Bunny VarlosZ** ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187/18 "2003-04-22T17:07:30Z")
Actually, last I heard, **waterj2** has since moved back to Mass., what with getting done school and all. ---
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187/19 "2003-04-22T19:29:56Z")
This isn’t exactly taking off like a wildfire, is it? I’ll have to give this a bit more thought. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187/20 "2003-04-22T20:00:45Z")
Give it a chance – it’s only been a day. These things seem to take some time to get up a head of steam. Maybe we could do a one-day dopefest – afternoon activity/evening dinner – rather than one of those all-weekend debaucheries they have in them there big cities. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-albanydope-possible/170187.md?page=2)