Crap… I missed that one. Thanks for pointing it out.
No problem. I just didn’t see the point in two people bringing nametags. If memory serves, it was Antares who brought the nametags to Gettysdope I. So by now, it’s kind of tradition. 
Rodgers01 – definitely swing by and check it out, esp. if you’re in the area. As everyone is saying, it’s just a big freakin’ picnic, with people hanging out – the only odd thing is that the place you know them from is online. (You’re guaranteed at least one moment of meeting someone, recognizing their username, and thinking – if not saying – “whoa, I thought you were much taller/younger/thinner/hipper/geekier/whatever.”) Plus, there’s gonna be a slew of people whose usernames you don’t recognize at all, and that’s also cool.
And usually the smalltalk starts with “hey, didja see that Pit thread…” but then proceeds in any of a dozen different directions – some of which you can predict (jayjay and I are good for some gardening chat at some point, if I can distract him from his knitting long enough), and some of which you can’t.
And you definitely won’t be the only person feeling shy and wondering “what the hell am I doing here?” But we’re all friendly, and, just like on the Boards, you can kind of lurk around for a while and then split if it’s freaking you out.
And on a completely separate topic:
Are we doing the book exchange this year? I’ve got a couple of books put aside to bring, but I won’t if I’m th only person planning to do it.
And – is someone on the list for zip-lock bags and plastic wrap for dealing with leftovers? If not, I’ll volunteer.
Looks as if several folks are bringing beverages, so I think I’ll bring enough lemonade concentrate (and fizzy water, if I can figure out where to buy it in quantity) to mix 3 batches in dances’s dispensing cooler (that’s 15 gallons, total, right?), plus a few gallons of gatorade-or-equivalent, for the sake of rehydration.
Someone oughta bring super soakers, or something like.
OK… you can bring baggies and plastic wrap. You’ve just been volun-told. 
I’m sure I can find some books and such that I’d be willing to part with in exchange for some fun, shiny new ones.
Robin
Books? We exchange books? I’ve got several hundred I’d love to unload (but prolly not to shlep in a Gettysburg-bound bus). Maybe I’ll select a few titles? Or maybe list here ones that are cluttering up my home, office, car, backpack, pockets, refrigerator, etc., and you can tell me if you want certain ones? Or is this more of a mystery kind of thing?
Well, we did last year, and I wasn’t clear whether the popular demand was to do it again or not.
The idea is that you bring a few (maybe 4 to 6) books that you can easily imagine some other Doper enjoying – and we all put them on the Book Exchange Table, from which you can grab anything that looks like fun. Last year we had a nice mix of genre fiction, lit-ra-chure, quirky nonfiction, and a couple of nice fat hardbacks with big words. (I grabbed RTFirefly’s contribution of Prairyerth by William Least Heat Moon, which I’d think about throwing back into the pool, but I’ve got a friend who’s a grass geek – no, seriously, he’s obsessed with grass – who I’m going to give it to when I see him on vacation in a few weeks.)
In the meantime, however, feel free to email your full list to me … I still have a few square inches in my house that doesn’t have books stacked in it.
I’ll arm wrestle with Jayjay and we will bring some titles along too.
You won’t have to arm-wrestle me, dear. I can manage to bring myself to give books away when I know there are a bunch of other books to choose from… 
I was planning on bringing a few books to exchange as well as some video games.
How about movie exchanges? I buy doubles of all sorts of VHS films by mistake sometimes (yesterday for example I bought a double of ALL ABOUT EVE, for those of you engaged in that thread). And videotapes are lighter than books.
Sure – books, movies, games, CDs – all media welcome.
Someone is going to have to box up the extras and find an unsuspecting used bookstore to donate them too, so don’t overdo it…
Pseudotron Ruber Ruber I’m in favor of a general stuff exchange. I brought a box of toys, books, videogames, anbd other things to Dope The Halls and received a bolt of polka dot flannel which I made into clown pants.
drat.
I was sort of looking foreward to the arm wrestling.
Any other people planning on an entertainment? Jugglers have been traditional.
Tris
Video Games! Woot! (I finally care, because now I have a Gamecube) I was going to go to EB Games today anyway, but I may just make a list of what cheap games (as in $5-10) are there, in case there are any requests.
Also, how cool is this: I got the Gamecube console, RGB cable, power cord, and one controller for $55 with S&H (although later I had to get an RF cable [with plugs for Gamecube, PS2, and Xbox] for $10). Yesterday, I got Super Smash Brothers Melee for $20 – again, with S&H. Total store cost: $60-90 for console (at best), $15 for power cord, $8-20 for controller (depending on stock), $27 for SSBM, $10 for universal game switch, $6-10 for RGB cable=$116-172 Total cost for me:$80. Ebay rocks!
Okay, thanks all for the advice and encouragement. I have to work for a couple hours that morning, but if I get off early enough, I’ll come by (I live less than an hour away). How do you all recognize one another anyways? Do you have a sign saying SDMB?
Traditionally (as if anything that’s only been done for two years so far can be traditional) the pavilion is reserved to “Cecil Adams”, and there should be a paper with that printed on it somewhere on the pavilion. But you’ll see the crazy people before you get close enough to see the sign, anyway…
A mere 15 minutes east of Gettysburg on route 30 is the humble hamlet of New Oxford, and on the northeast quad of the circle, between the post office and the hotel/bar is a used bookstore with an outdoor donations table. Howzat for convenient?
A guy in a motley terrycloth tophat and tail coat making balloon animals isn’t entertainment?
The inevitable burn I’ll give myself while attempting a flashpaper stunt isn’t entertainment?
I think someone else brought the nametags for the first one (although I can’t recall who) but I did bring them last year, so I’m happy to do so again this year. They are indeed helpful.