Re: KFest 2006 report

["Kirk Mitchell" <kirkmitchell@gmail.com>]

Mitchell Spector wrote:

>     I'd like to add my thanks too. I enjoy reading a day by day account
> of each day, it almost gives you a sense of what it's like being there.
> Besides how fun it sounds, it'd be pretty surreal to meet not one, but
> a few dozen people who are all Apple II fanatics--as much or more
> so than me. :)
>

Hi Mitch...

Uh... I'm having an interesting moment here.  B-{)

Used to be my nickname for a few years.  B-{)

My first few years attending were surreal... I was supposed to room
with Michael Hackett, but I smoked and he didn't.  Got the room for
myself.  Met lots of other fine folk though.  Steve Godzilla for one.

The next year, I roomed with Joe Kohn.  Wow!  He snores.  Not that it
mattered all that much when I wasn't bothering to sleep much.  B-{)

Ryan Suenaga has been my roomie for the last bunch of years.  Isn't a
nicer guy on the planet.  You just don't know who'll become a friend at
KFest.  Heck, we already have common ground with the Apple II.

Tony Diaz has darned near parked his plane in my yard.  Would have too,
if the road had been a little smoother.  Instead, we thrilled my
neighbors by having to park it in front of their house.  I've flown
with him to KFest.   It'd have been quicker to drive.  Tony likes to
make the most of his adventure and knows that it's the trip that's
important, not the destination.

Sheppy intimidates... He's a big guy.  But he tells fascinating
stories, and in the end, you realize that you share so much common
ground that you could be brothers.

Carl, Dain, Ken, Howard, Margaret, Mike, Jim, Paul, Ed, Matt, Bruce,
Jeri,  Ewen, Richard, Andrew, Cindy, Steve..  Woz!!!! and so many
others...

This is KFest.  It's one little piece of common ground that draws
fascinating folks together for nearly a week every year.

I live in Moscow, Kansas.  There is a shortage of fascinating folk
around here.  I have to spend some bucks to find them.  B-{)

>     It's not so much the conference cost (which can be as much as $380
> to $450 if you register after May 31st) but once you add in the travelling
> expense of a round trip plane ticket. I've really no idea what the total
> cost would be (any guesses?) but I'm very tempted to take the plunge.
> Yes, I know, I know, I've been talking about it some 12 years now... ;)

Ah.. Canadian dollars suck.  B-{)

Mark Percival came from Montreal.  He's active here.  Perhaps he'll be
able to give you some advice...

I certainly hope you come, Mitchell...  I've been on csa, and csa2
since 1986, and consider you one of the guru's of the Apple II
community.  I'm more of a lurk.  But of I can help here, I'm happy to
contribute to csa2.

In Sheppy's Keynote address, he focused on our common ground... the
Apple II community.  We're losing ground.  Which is natural for
interests which have slipped into the "retro" era.  We can't afford
stupid "sects" in the Apple II world.

He'd be happy to make a2central.com and it's forums, libraries and
chats free for all if we can come up with a way to at least pay for
their maintanance. (sp).  Any ideas?  He's not willing to be bled dry
to support this.

>     Incidentally, anyone have pictures of KFest 2006 ready to view yet?

A few have been observed catching us at embarrassing moments.  At least
two are active here.  I won't steal their thunder.  Give them a break!
They've been having fun and aren't likely to get to these pics until
they've recovered.  B-{)

I guess a final comment is warranted here...  I didn't crash and burn
like I thought.  What wonders a couple of glasses of wine can produce.
B-{)

Even if you can't or won't come to KFest, I hope you enjoy what tales
come from this institution.  I'll be happy to write my experiences
until the curtain falls.  If it falls, csa2 will be it.  I think it
will survive even syndicomm.com.  Longevity is on csa2's side.
Whatever animosity has been "flamed" on csa2 had better be extinquished
if this group is going to serve as the nucleus of the Apple II
community though.

OK, it's been more than a couple of glasses of wine.  *Preacher mode
off.*

I had a hellava lot of fun last week.  Can't wait until next year.

Hope to see you there.  B-{)

Kirk