PattayaMale Posted July 26, 2010 Posted July 26, 2010 I see I am in the minority here. I agree it is very simple for a group to get together and meet up, pay your own drink, etc. I accept that. But I like a bit of a party sometimes. Now, understand I am not trying to argue or disagree. Just put forward another view for moderators to consider as a group. I realize it is pretentious, possibly even rude to suggest that POSSIBLY this Message Board may want to offer some type of refreshments. Each pay for our own drinks, but the Board owner may be able to throw in some chips and dip. Just to make our Forum Get Together a bit more special. More like a party! GayThailand has been very generous in the past. He has invited those that posted a certain number of posts to a hosted breakfast AND had a raffle for round trip airfare to Bangkok and their home country. Very generous. I realize it is like me saying, lets have a party and have GayThailand pay for something. Probably not my place. But I feel that it may be something he MIGHT want to do. If I am out of line for making the suggestion, I apologize to him. Since it would be a GayThailand Forum Get Together, I would suggest that only active posters or those taking part of the 2 contests, be invited. Depending on the number that would be.... Ok, have at me now! Quote
Guest Posted July 26, 2010 Posted July 26, 2010 Ok, have at me now! Ok then..... Hosting this forum is sufficiently generous of GT IMHO. Trying to blag a free lunch out of it is pushing things too far. Quote
Guest RichLB Posted July 27, 2010 Posted July 27, 2010 Ok, have at me now! How about a compromise, PM? Rather than designate someone to foot the bill, we could have a barrel (or bowl) available for any of us who want to make a contribution slip in a few baht and when there's enough money there to buy some refreshments pay for them with that? And, I have no idea how to solve this problem, but my concern is that what might happen at the Meet and Greet is that those of us who know each other will cluster together and those who are relative strangers will be left with the dilemma of how to break into what might appear as a closed group. I, for one, am not a good mixer so I hope we'll all work to overcome that problem. Quote
Gaybutton Posted July 27, 2010 Posted July 27, 2010 my concern is that what might happen at the Meet and Greet is that those of us who know each other will cluster together and those who are relative strangers will be left with the dilemma of how to break into what might appear as a closed group. That's very simple. That's why I used to do these things on the terrace of The Ambiance. We would all sit round-table style, which gave everyone the same status and there was never any problems for people who others did not know. If a meet-and-greet takes place at a bar, if "newbies" are too shy or socially inept to be able to introduce themselves, that's their problem. I don't see it as breaking into a closed group. The whole point of a meet-and-greet is for openness. I don't understand what you mean by having some sort of container in which to put in a few baht to buy refreshments. Like what? Who decides what refreshments to buy? You better not make it me because if I'm sent out to bring back refreshments, then everyone is going to be chowing down on a few bags of fried grasshoppers and moth larvae. I don't understand why people keep wanting to make this complicated. If someone is interested in doing a meet-and greet, all anyone needs to do is write a post saying let's have a meet-and-greet and say where to meet, what day, and what time. If people want to come, they come. If they don't or can't, then they don't. There's always the next one. Everybody pays his own bill. No donation boxes that make people feel obligated to contribute. If you want to drink, you pay your own bill. If you want to eat, order your own food and pay for it yourself. It seems so simple to me. Am I missing something? Quote
kokopelli Posted July 27, 2010 Posted July 27, 2010 If a meet-and-greet takes place at a bar, if "newbies" are too shy or socially inept to be able to introduce themselves, that's their problem. It seems so simple to me. Am I missing something? Putting down some newbies as shy and socially inept will no doubt deter them from any type of meet and greet especially if they have to deal with the brash and socially charming. The mark of a good host/hostess is to accomodate all guests and make them as comfortable as possible. What may seem simple takes planning and consideration. Quote
Gaybutton Posted July 27, 2010 Posted July 27, 2010 What may seem simple takes planning and consideration. I'm not putting down anybody. How hard is it to say "Hello, I'm here for the meet-and-greet."? If somebody is too shy to do that, then he'll either have to get over it or miss the meet-and-greet. What takes planning? If I were to say I'd like to have a meet-and-greet Thursday at Two Guys at 3:00pm, you either come or you don't. What beyond that needs planning? What do you need, balloons, engraved invitations, and a caterer? Like I said, maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see any problem about someone who wants a meet-and-greet to just go ahead and do it. People will either show up or they won't. What's the hard part? Quote
kokopelli Posted July 27, 2010 Posted July 27, 2010 One suggestion is the use of name tags. I belong to a large group of gays who meet once a month at various locations in the USA. Always easy to forget names since different members at different times, so each is given a tag to put his name (real or assumed). Helps to break the ice, or if in Thailand, the heat. Quote
PattayaMale Posted July 27, 2010 Posted July 27, 2010 Ok then..... Hosting this forum is sufficiently generous of GT IMHO. Trying to blag a free lunch out of it is pushing things too far. You are absolutely correct. I should not have made that post. It was not my place to do so. To show my sincerity, if there is one, I pledge not to attend unless I pay my share. Thank you for pointing this out to me. Quote
Gaybutton Posted July 27, 2010 Posted July 27, 2010 One suggestion is the use of name tags. Very good idea. You get to supply the name tags . . . Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted July 27, 2010 Posted July 27, 2010 Why not find a bar that is willing to discount the drinks/food? Quote
Guest Posted July 27, 2010 Posted July 27, 2010 You are absolutely correct. I should not have made that post. It was not my place to do so. To show my sincerity, if there is one, I pledge not to attend unless I pay my share. Thank you for pointing this out to me. PattayaMale, if you felt really bad, you would offer to go dutch with me. jk I took no offense from your post whatsoever. I have no problem in hosting an event. I have no problem even buying the food. I do have a problem buying drinks for people that don't post on the board. That happened at Rainwalker's event and he didn't seem to mind. I do and I have not figured a way around that yet. George had a great idea with tickets. But, that even got flack. Dammed if you do and dammed if you don't? Quote
Gaybutton Posted July 27, 2010 Posted July 27, 2010 Why not find a bar that is willing to discount the drinks/food? Nothing is wrong with it if you are planning something more formal such as GT suggests in his post above and you're willing to do the legwork. What I've been talking about was for something entirely informal. What I've been talking about is something like, "I'm going to be at Ganymede Saturday at 10:00pm. All board members are welcome to come for a pay-for-your-own meet-and-greet." By the way, to avoid confusion, That's just an example. Saturday I doubt I'll even be in town. What GT has in mind is something at which he intends to foot the bill for drinks and have food served. Yes, obviously something like that requires advance planning. Invitation-only is the only way I know of to avoid freeloaders crashing the party. That means doing it somewhere other than at a bar, such as someone's home, apartment, a meeting room, or restaurant unless he wishes to rent out an entire bar for the evening. Quite frankly, I don't know why everyone seems to think a meet-and-greet has to be at a bar at all. Quote
Guest Posted July 27, 2010 Posted July 27, 2010 Quite frankly, I don't know why everyone seems to think a meet-and-greet has to be at a bar at all. You want someone to voluntarily spend time with you and I and not have booze handy. Are you nuts? Quote
Guest ryanasia Posted July 27, 2010 Posted July 27, 2010 Hi I am a brand new user to this forum. Sorry if I should have introduced myself elsewhere. It seems to me the perfect solution for those wanting a more party type of event is to have everybody bring something. I am thinking have it at the beach or anywhere that a nice free space could be found. Have people maybe post what they would bring so people don't bring the same stuff. One poster mentioned that a party that is hosted would seem more special. Maybe doing it potluck style could add a personal touch? If it is done this way it isn't a burden on one person and gays certainly know how to throw a fab party. Sounds funner to me than just showing up and buying drinks at a bar. I realise I am a new poster maybe my suggestion isn't worth all that much. I also in all likelihood won't be able to attend but thought maybe this could be a helpful idea. Quote
Gaybutton Posted July 27, 2010 Posted July 27, 2010 Are you nuts? There are those who think so. Who says the only place to have booze is at a bar? Besides, if people think I'm going to show up, probably nobody will come. My own mother once threw a birthday party for me. She wanted everyone to have a good time. For that reason I wasn't invited . . . Quote
