# Mass Dope? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 19, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870 "2005-06-19T02:51:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c77e96/32.png) [@ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870/1 "2005-06-19T02:51:14Z")
Do we ever have a New England gathering of Dopers? I’m just curious. Perhaps there was one last weekend and I missed it. If so, maybe we could have another. Some centrally located New England place. Anyone have any ideas? Is this already something we do and I just don’t know it? If so, could someone fill me in on the secret? ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870/2 "2005-06-19T03:02:43Z")
There was one last summer in Haverhill. ---
**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:** [June 19, 2005, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870/3 "2005-06-19T05:51:59Z")
We had one a couple of years back in Burlington, Vermont. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870/4 "2005-06-19T11:02:10Z")
The only secret, I think, is that it’s ridculously difficult to plan these things, given how many Boston/Mass/New England Dopers there are. 2 summers ago, we had a gathering at Boston Billiards, which was loads of fun. Of course, it’s the only one I’ve ever gone to, so my opinion is a little skewed. As **EddyTeddyFreddy** mentioned, there was a fest-a-que in Haverhill last year, but I wasn’t there, so how much fun could it have been? 😃 Seriously, though, we should plan! Are you a good planner? There’s a [yahoo group](http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bostondopers/) that has really dwindled in participation, but maybe we could start there? ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870/5 "2005-06-21T09:25:37Z")
Did I really kill this thread just by the very mention that I’d show up if there was a Massachusetts DopeFest? A girl could get a complex… ---
**Author:** ![Salem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Salem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Salem)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870/6 "2005-06-21T11:00:26Z")
Well, I’d be glad to meet up with folks as long as that **lorene** \* doesn’t show up. 😃 Last summer we did _try_ for a few things. We were definitely _thinking_ about getting together again. And it’s the thought that counts, right? Part of the problem is coordinating, then there’s the schedule thing, and then there’s deciding where… I’m going to be on vacation the week of July 11. Down the Cape for a few days and then probably to Brattlboro Vermont for a few days. Brattleboro might make a good Dopefest location. We had talked about meeting up in Salem at one point. (Hmmm, maybe I should rephrase that. And clarify that I don’t live there.) \*How the heck are ya? How’s the new baby? ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870/7 "2005-06-21T11:57:44Z")
You know, I should really get my butt to a local dopefest before I move to St. Louis and have a whole different group of local dopers. Unfortunately, most weekends this summer are bad for me, what with moving and wedding planning. However, if it’s local enough that I can make it, I’ll try to show up and drink all y’all under the table. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870/8 "2005-06-21T12:49:50Z")
We had two other get-togethers, not mentioned above, that I went to. One at the Hilltop in Saugus, and one out by Newton. ---
**Author:** ![Salem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Salem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Salem)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870/9 "2005-06-21T13:12:43Z")
When were those **Cal**? I’ve been around awhile and don’t remember reading about them. (Not to say that means a damned thing, just curious!) I haven’t been to the Hilltop in years. Used to go sometimes when I lived closer to the city (Waltham). ---
**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:** [June 21, 2005, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870/10 "2005-06-21T14:24:05Z")
I’d be up for something if I was actually going to be around this summer, but yes, there should be something; I think we NE folk seem to under-represent for local fests. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870/11 "2005-06-21T14:29:43Z")
> [@](#): > > When were those Cal? I’ve been around awhile and don’t remember reading about them. (Not to say that means a damned thing, just curious!) I haven’t been to the Hilltop in years. Used to go sometimes when I lived closer to the city (Waltham). I don’t recall when, but they were both since 2000. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870/12 "2005-06-21T14:47:50Z")
Anyone wanna put one together, I’m there. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870/13 "2005-06-22T16:55:47Z")
I’d be up for it. It’s usually just a matter of one person taking upon himself to be autocratic and dictatorial enough to pick a time and place, and whoever can show up, does. I did it once; but when I do it I’m confident and decisive. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870/14 "2005-06-22T21:36:30Z")
Maybe it should be a particularity of New England dopers that they’re _never_ able to get together, for a series of increasingly implausible reasons. It could be like that Buñuel movie. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870/15 "2005-06-22T21:47:25Z")
I think we should have a Mass Dope this year. I think it should be this summer. But, I think someone else should plan it 😃 . Oh, and if it’s not on July 12 at exactly 3:47 PM, I can’t be there. In all seriousness though, I’d love to attend a Mass Dope. I actually would plan one but I don’t think I can. My current home has a pretty large yard, and a function room for rent but I don’t know if I’ll be living here all summer. Anyway, I seem to be much farther west than the rest of you and I’d rather me travel to you than have all of you travelling to me. Maybe we could just congregate on the same place at the same time. We wouldn’t actually have to plan anything that way (other than the time and place). I like the idea of going to Salem or some other historical place. If we pick the right place, we probably wouldn’t even have to reserve it. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870/16 "2005-06-23T16:40:41Z")
> [@Robot Arm](#): > > I did it once; but when I do it I’m confident and decisive. And a bringer of pies, right? I seem to recall that there was cherry pie involved at one, which I unfortunately didn’t get to. I did enjoy the pool-fest at Boston Billiards. If folks wanted more daytime than nightlife, we could always do a culture-fest at something like the Decordova Museum, which has a big outdoor park area where we wouldn’t have to reserve anything. Of course, I’m just mentioning places I am familiar with… > [@Salem](#): > > \*How the heck are ya? How’s the new baby? Eh, I’m okay. The baby is not so new anymore. Crawls around a lot, and manages to find things invisible to the naked eye to cram into his mouth. He’s a big, chubby cutiepie, though, and his sister has even moved beyond wanting him to go live with grandma to giving him kisses and playing with him. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870/17 "2005-06-23T16:47:45Z")
I’m totally up for a MassFest, but since I don’t own a car, I couldn’t attend unless it was along public transit routes or some nice doper agreed to give me a ride. That said, I have a three-story duplex, no yard but a park two houses away, so I _might_ be able to host. How many people are we talking about? Oh, and I live in Arlington, just off Mass Ave. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870/18 "2005-06-23T20:54:01Z")
> [@lorene](#): > > And a bringer of pies, right? I seem to recall that there was cherry pie involved at one, which I unfortunately didn’t get to. What a very good memory you have. When went back, brought pie. It was my first attempt at a cherry pie (my favorite, but pie cherries are hard to find around here); not quite so tart next time. I’m trying to think of what would be a good activity for a 'fest. Of course, by the time we get it organized, we’ll probably be skating at the Frog Pond on the Common. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870/19 "2005-12-09T15:05:40Z")
So, who’s up for skating then? I’m thinking the 17th, about 1:00; but if everyone’s too busy we can push it back until after Christmas. Who’s in? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870/20 "2005-12-09T15:13:55Z")
I’m in, and I might be able to do the 17th, but sometime in January would be a lot better. I assume we’re talking skating at the Frog Pond in Boston Common? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-dope/308870.md?page=2)