In the first week since we opened RSVPs and registration for the 2012 international meetup we’ve seen almost as many RSVPs as we had in all of last year. Clearly it’s gonna be a kick-ass time, as defined by the fact that some of the coolest people in the world (GWCers, natch) will be there. As always we’ve been receiving quite a few questions about the events, the locations, and general what-have-you surrounding the event.
To that end, Juan and I will be doing a live question and answer session this Tuesday (Feb. 7) starting at 8:00 p.m. It’ll be a live podcast, which means it’ll work just like an episode of Eff This Week. Juan and I will be on the mics at 8, and you can listen in via GWC’s live page either here (click the link at the top of the page) or over on UStream. If you’re going to be out somewhere (like at work) and want to listen in on the sly, you can tune in with your smartphone via UStream’s Android and/or iOS apps.
Just like during Eff This Week, there’ll also be a live chat running, which we’ll be watching interactively. We’ll answer/address questions asked there, so if you have concerns, feel free to share them. And hell, you might want to stop by just to listen. This is Juan and me, which means you never know what we’ll end up talking about in addition to the Q&A. Maybe we’ll share some tales of meetups past. Or take requests.
Anyway, hope to see you there, and we definitely hope to see you at the meetup.
Wonder what the 2011 GWC Community Meetup was all about? Or maybe missing your friends (old and new) from the event? Check out this short video and let us know what you think.
Seriously, I’m buried in post-meetup blues. Seeing everyone in person that’s such a part of my life every week virtually makes for one major high. And there’s a low that follows. Realizing that I won’t see a lot of my meetup friends until Comic Con this summer or even the meetup next year gets me down. But watching this video helps me a bit. Hopefully it’ll help you, too.
And hopefully we’ll see you next year.
The 2011 GWC meetup is coming to a close as I write this. This very minute the weary meetup goers are headed to find some stew at the last outpost of the weekends activities while others slowly gather themselves for the long voyage home. For the third year running I feel the need to express my admiration for the group that is my extended GWC family.
This year was almost split evenly between old friends and new but that neither slowed the pace or the enjoyment. If I had a greater gift with the written word I might be able to fashion an adequate mental image of how everyone blended so gracefully into the fray of our annual social event with a speed calculable only by extreme digital equipment.
The Perfect Colorful Time for a Cleveland GWC Meet-up
The fall leaves are full of beautiful color, the highs are in the upper 50s or low 60s, and there is a hint of joyful holiday anticipation in the air. It was the perfect time for a Cleveland GWC Meet-up. GWC meet-ups are some of the most fun times a geek can have outside of a Con. Sure, the GWC Forum and Twitter are great ways to connect with other GWCers. But there is something special about in person meet-ups. For it is at a meet-up that a true understanding arises about the “Hive Mind”/friendliest people in Fantasy, SciFi, Anime, Comics, Gaming, and Geek. Plus, everyone ALWAYS has a blast.
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20 Year High School Class Reunion
The GWC crüe has perfect timing. The current high school arc was spot on for me. Like Chuck last year, this summer I had the opportunity to attend my 20th High School Reunion. It was sort of a pain since Mrs. Shooter and I had to drive so far for a very short weekend, but it was worth it. Not everyone from my class of 263 decided to attend, but it was interesting catching up with those that did. Vala Mal Doran (Stargate SG-1 seasons 9 and 10) summed up the experience perfectly in the episode Bounty by saying, “Traditionally, these events entail the bringing together of large groups of people all with a common bond in the past but nothing really in common in the present. Everybody evaluates each other’s lot in life, generally by virtue of a combination of material worth and the attractiveness of one’s date, spouse, life partner.” I set out to see just how true that was.
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As I reflect on the past three days it is immediately apparent that the GWC community is still a source of constant amazement for me. Once again our tribe gathered to reflect on the past year and revel in each others company and once again everyone rose to the occasion.
It’s a strange thing – it was as if no time and decades had past between the annual meetup spawn points. The kindred spirits of the friends we had met were as warm as ever and new faces popped up to take the places of others that could be with only with their digital presence. Yet again a simple joy found its way to our mugs.
An unsuspecting Big Apple played host to a Galactic Watercooler Fall Meet-up on Thursday, October twenty-ninth, and while Snake Plissken was a no-show, the I and the other attending NYC Crüemembers had no trouble making our way across Manhattan’s fashionable West Side. And as usual… making our own fun, too.
Friday night a number of GWCers joined us at our home for a full-on GWC Meetup! From left to right (approximately): Tim, Lady D, the hub, ConnorAZ, DawnAZ, Darthweef, BrettAZ, Default Prophet, and me, b! French Toast and Bacon & Eggs joined us later. Read on for more meetup pix!
Clockwise from left: the Hub, Lady D, Topgun, Apollymy, bkitty
I’ve got so much to say about this past weekend- so for now I’ll post a few things and come back later when I’ve slept and am more coherent… 
These last few days I have been surrounded by the funniest, kindest, smartest, warmest group of people in the world. People who’d never met in person were sharing jokes, finishing each other’s sentences, breaking into song, and saying things all at once, like right before we watched the finale- Chuck made an announcement to everyone and said the word “crap” and about fifty people all jumped in with “craaaaaaaap.” Then, laughter as everyone realized how much we were all on the same wavelength and how fun this was going to be.
I hate my smile. It always looks to me like I should be onstage with my brothers Simon and Theodore – singing at double speed. So I normally scowl, it accomplishes several things, people leave you alone and no chipmunk-cheeks. How I feel about my appearance didn’t stop me from grinning like an idiot the entire weekend of the meetup though. Why? Because for the first time in as long as I can remember I was in crowded rooms I felt completely comfortable in.
I didn’t notice it at first but about three quarters of the way through the final BSG episode my wife Shannon (Mrs. Sean) leans over to me and says, “You’re so relaxed considering the crowd you’re in. I figured you’d be a wreck by now.” It was then I knew that for the very first time I was in a room packed completely full of good friends and family. Sounds sappy I know but it’s totally true. I stood up and went to the side of the room where I was sitting and took a picture right at the moment so I could remember it. The whole rest of the weekend I kept looking around trying to burn the scene and faces permanently into my brain.
We watch the BSG finale with GWCers from around the country and world this week, then podcast live from the first GWC National Meetup in Frisco, TX. Highlights: Well, as far as I’m concerned this cast’s highlight is the audience. Together we make sense of BSG’s wrap-up episode, diving into deep issues like who is Starbuck, whether technology controls the nature of man, why freedom is worth the risk, and what might happen next. Thank you so much to all of you who attended the taping and all of you who listened live. (And we’ll see you back next week for the leadup to new Trek!)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Do you remember what you were doing on September 20th, 2006? I do. I was fighting with a crappy old laptop trying to put out the first episode of Galactica Watercooler. Now almost a year and a half — and 144 hours 22 minutes and 25 seconds sitting in front of a mic — later, we’re preparing to complete our 100th podcast.
Then we’re going to celebrate by popping down to our favorite local pub, drowning some fish ‘n chips with a few pints, making drunken speeches, and generally having a good time.
You are, of course, welcome to join us.
The party starts at 7:30 p.m. CT Saturday, May 17th, 2008 (Tomorrow) at:
The Irish Rover Pub (Google Map)
8250 Gaylord Pkwy
Frisco, TX 75034
(214) 618-6222
Here’s the GWC Forum thread as well.
If you can’t be there, well, that sucks. If you’re in Germany, Australia, England, Hong Kong, or Thailand (yes, you know who you are), we understand. As soon as someone backs up to GWC with a dump-truck full of cash to buy ads to sell all of you DVDs or some other (acceptable to us) cool stuff, we’ll schedule a meetup at your place. Really.
Those of you in the great northeast should know that American Airlines has last-minute fares to DFW (their central hub) available — including airline/hotel packages for around $350. Start here, but you’ll have to dig to find ‘em. No, you can’t crash at our place. But if you come down for the event, I’ll personally buy your first drink. If you’re Solai or part of the Philly Crue, I’ll buy you two. And I fully expect to make it up your way sometime this year.
If you’re in the DFW area — or any other Texas metropolitan area — head out now. There are three hotels within a stone’s throw of the pub, and some cheaper ones just up the tollway. You don’t want to miss this. It’s gonna be great.
See you there.
GWCers on Flickr
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