Bastards of the Rings - The Sequel
By all reasonable standards, I should be asleep. My flight returning to the States leaves at 10:30 a.m., meaning that in order for me to get there at the two-hour check-in time, I must be out of here and on the train by 7:15. ::dies::
I wanted to finish posting this morning, but we were in a rush to get Cris to her bus, and I didn't have time to relay my weekend properly.
The Drama Continues...
I flew over here to London last Tuesday to stay with friends, and then we proceeded to make our way to Manchester for the convention. I had never been to Europe before (as my companions will surely attest, since I gave them an opportunity to rag on me every time I did something "American"), and I had never been to a convention before. Someone over the weekend asked me why I chose this one to attend instead of the other options that existed. Simply, this one fit a) with my time and work schedule, and more importantly b) with the state of my financial situation. It was inexpensive. Still, the final cost was quite substantial.
Now I know why.
A simple error in judgement is easy and simple to apologize for and correct. But when one's solution is to run away from the problem, as expected, it only grows and festers. Had it not been for the Guests, this event would have been a complete nightmare. Their efforts and dedication to stick with the "sinking ship" were admirable and made a real statement to the fans about how much they were concerned for our well-being as well as their own. I met some outstanding people this weekend, including the Guests, and I am glad that I made the journey, but that is certainly NOT attributed to the event itself.
I feel that I, as well as the other con-goers were left feeling cheated as there were many promises that were made and not kept. It is an understood notion that "life gets in the way sometimes" but if you are a business, you must have contingencies, and you must have responsibilities for how you handle those contingencies. Otherwise, you are stained with the stigma of being poor businessmen and women.
IN MY OPINION, I feel that this organization is not prepared to handle a convention of this magnitude. While it IS a fan-based event, it is a business. Anyone who attended this con, and stayed in the hotel, would certainly agree, I BELIEVE, that we did not receive the accommodations and service that the price warranted. As several others in the last 24 hours have posted, I believe that there were MANY other things that went on over the course of the weekend that are unbelievable, and that are disrespectful to the Guests that graciously accepted this organization's invitations. I do not hold the Guests responsible for trying to salvage what little organization was left by the time that Sunday morning arrived. They did a fantastic job, and they were clever, funny, witty, and entertaining. They could have just as easily packed up shop and left, but they did not. There was a lot of faith invested with this venture, and it was unfortunately misguided, especially from an attendee's point of view.
IN MY OPINION, there is a certain event coming up in the States that should not be attended. If you did have a good time this past weekend, then good for you! I had a fabulous time when I was with the attendees and Guests. But you shouldn't have to worry about whether or not your rabies vaccinations are current when you walk into your bathroom. You shouldn't have to worry about WHY your feet are sticking to the floor of the elevator. You shouldn't have to worry about an elevator that doesn't arrive level at the floor. You shouldn't have to go downstairs and retrieve your own bedclothes and towels. You shouldn't have to go ask the event organizers when the pictures were going to be ready when they were promised almost 24 hours ago. You shouldn't have to listen to humiliating rhetoric from unseasoned and ill-prepared organizers. You shouldn't have to carry your own luggage without the offer of assistance from a porter. You shouldn't have to ask for clean silverware at a freshly sat table. You shouldn't have to sit in trash from the night before. You shouldn't have to be concerned about what is happening with your credit card information.
You shouldn't feel the need to make a post like this after your first trip to Europe.
Thanks again to all the lovely, wacked-out people that I met this weekend for the first time. I want to bring you all to Texas and drink until you pass out >___<.
And a great thanks to those 7 Guys and a Girl who made the convention worth the money. I'll certainly be at TFF next year, and I hope that they will all be there. I want everyone's signature next time...Note to self: Bring enough cash, Snewzn, you dumb ass. BLONDE + TEXAN = DRAMA.
Hope to see everyone soon. Must sleep now.
I wanted to finish posting this morning, but we were in a rush to get Cris to her bus, and I didn't have time to relay my weekend properly.
The Drama Continues...
I flew over here to London last Tuesday to stay with friends, and then we proceeded to make our way to Manchester for the convention. I had never been to Europe before (as my companions will surely attest, since I gave them an opportunity to rag on me every time I did something "American"), and I had never been to a convention before. Someone over the weekend asked me why I chose this one to attend instead of the other options that existed. Simply, this one fit a) with my time and work schedule, and more importantly b) with the state of my financial situation. It was inexpensive. Still, the final cost was quite substantial.
Now I know why.
A simple error in judgement is easy and simple to apologize for and correct. But when one's solution is to run away from the problem, as expected, it only grows and festers. Had it not been for the Guests, this event would have been a complete nightmare. Their efforts and dedication to stick with the "sinking ship" were admirable and made a real statement to the fans about how much they were concerned for our well-being as well as their own. I met some outstanding people this weekend, including the Guests, and I am glad that I made the journey, but that is certainly NOT attributed to the event itself.
I feel that I, as well as the other con-goers were left feeling cheated as there were many promises that were made and not kept. It is an understood notion that "life gets in the way sometimes" but if you are a business, you must have contingencies, and you must have responsibilities for how you handle those contingencies. Otherwise, you are stained with the stigma of being poor businessmen and women.
IN MY OPINION, I feel that this organization is not prepared to handle a convention of this magnitude. While it IS a fan-based event, it is a business. Anyone who attended this con, and stayed in the hotel, would certainly agree, I BELIEVE, that we did not receive the accommodations and service that the price warranted. As several others in the last 24 hours have posted, I believe that there were MANY other things that went on over the course of the weekend that are unbelievable, and that are disrespectful to the Guests that graciously accepted this organization's invitations. I do not hold the Guests responsible for trying to salvage what little organization was left by the time that Sunday morning arrived. They did a fantastic job, and they were clever, funny, witty, and entertaining. They could have just as easily packed up shop and left, but they did not. There was a lot of faith invested with this venture, and it was unfortunately misguided, especially from an attendee's point of view.
IN MY OPINION, there is a certain event coming up in the States that should not be attended. If you did have a good time this past weekend, then good for you! I had a fabulous time when I was with the attendees and Guests. But you shouldn't have to worry about whether or not your rabies vaccinations are current when you walk into your bathroom. You shouldn't have to worry about WHY your feet are sticking to the floor of the elevator. You shouldn't have to worry about an elevator that doesn't arrive level at the floor. You shouldn't have to go downstairs and retrieve your own bedclothes and towels. You shouldn't have to go ask the event organizers when the pictures were going to be ready when they were promised almost 24 hours ago. You shouldn't have to listen to humiliating rhetoric from unseasoned and ill-prepared organizers. You shouldn't have to carry your own luggage without the offer of assistance from a porter. You shouldn't have to ask for clean silverware at a freshly sat table. You shouldn't have to sit in trash from the night before. You shouldn't have to be concerned about what is happening with your credit card information.
You shouldn't feel the need to make a post like this after your first trip to Europe.
Thanks again to all the lovely, wacked-out people that I met this weekend for the first time. I want to bring you all to Texas and drink until you pass out >___<.
And a great thanks to those 7 Guys and a Girl who made the convention worth the money. I'll certainly be at TFF next year, and I hope that they will all be there. I want everyone's signature next time...Note to self: Bring enough cash, Snewzn, you dumb ass. BLONDE + TEXAN = DRAMA.
Hope to see everyone soon. Must sleep now.