Holiday Party - December

[EvilMel]

Hey guys, so it was discussed that this year at Christmas we could have another party (like last year), including an ornament exchange (white elephant).

The biggest decision to make at this time is the date. Graham has said that he could do it on either one of these evenings:
Saturday December 10th or Saturday December 17th.

So we are doing a poll to see what date is best for a majority of people. Please also post any thoughts you have on this in this thread. I mean, I know that not everyone will be able to go. That's just normal for December...everyone gets busy with hoilday stuff. But this way atleast we can all post our vote! So have at it!

[imsqueak]

I voted for 17th but either is good with me. If it's the 10th we will bring Jordyn "papaw's princess".

[EvilMel]

^

[RCS]

Voted 17th, can make either.

[EvilMel]

Hah hah. Why did you vote for the 17th then?

That's really funny, Fred.

[awcurl]

Mel, There is no selection for "Can Make Either" but there is one for if you can't make either. So you have to vote for one or the other so you can get a count for people wanting to go.

[EvilMel]

Ooooh DUH! Sorry Fred, I thought you said you can't make either.

hah hah.

Thanks Art!

[RCS]

Haha, no problem. I was trying to make the best of my limited options. :D

[EvilMel]

^

[EvilMel]

So the 17th then??? Anybody haven any suggestions on time? I'm thinking earlier in the evening, like 6??

[Runner]

Can I get the directions to Grahams house sent to me? I need to update the website. I am almost done now.

[EvilMel]

I'll call Graham tonight and get him to contact you. Thanks!

[reefhound]

the 17 is great! keg of beer (shinner bock-right know)and a few diff home brew beers (stout, amber,dark and honey wheat should all be ready) and good old white chile. 6 or so is good with me just let me know.

[cee]

Good call, one of the better American beers, brewed in good ole Texas! Too bad I'll miss it.

Dave

[llpoolej]

Sounds like fun! I will have to sample your home brews. The honey wheat sounds great. But then, I like amber, dark and others :)

[reefhound]

Dave you should just come on down and enjoy! life is to short.
not sure and out a bit out of touch with everything but wish you would reconsider. hope to see you there.
P.S. free beer!!

[imsqueak]

Mel, Graham,

Besides Graham's white chicken chilli and home brews, what else are we doing for food/drink? Do we need to think of things to bring or is someone going to buy things using club money?

We talked about the white elephant gift thing but I dont remember how it goes so someone pls expand on this.

[llpoolej]

Dave, come and bring Barb, I need someone to talk horses with!! :)

[cee]

OK, I'll talk to Barb and see if we can't make it. Free beer and food is kinda hard to turn down. Do I need to bring anything?

Dave

[RCS]

Frags? :D

[EvilMel]

Hi Don, so the white elephant gift exchange will go like this: (if you want to participate, because you don't have to) bring a wrapped <$10 ornament, we put them in a pile, then draw numbers. Ther person with the lowest (I think it's lowest) number picks a gift and opens it up. THe next person, numerically speaking, decides if they want to steal the first person's ornament or if they want to open their own.

If they steal the first person's, then the first person goes and gets another one to open. The third person gets to either steal from both of the first two people or they get to pick their own. This continues til the last person, who can steal anyone's gifts or open up the last one in the pile. ok?

Don, what did we do last year about the food? I need to ask Art. I know the club bought some of the food. But I can't remember if people also brought like side dishes. Definately the club will reimburse Graham for his chili-making stuff and will buy a bunch of other food. So if you want to bring a dish, then feel free...but otherwise, I think the club will buy a majority of the food.

Fred, you are all about the frags! hah hah.

[RCS]

Dave's got nice corals...nice corals make nice frags. I like ncie frags so they can grow into nice corals. :lol:

[awcurl]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6223016#post6223016 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EvilMel I need to ask Art. I know the club bought some of the food. But I can't remember if people also brought like side dishes.


Mel the club reimbursed us for the cost. There were some nice deserts and cheese spreads brought by members too.

[EvilMel]

Great. That's what I thought.

So let's do it that way this time again. I will work on most of the food myself because I can make all kinds of stuff to go with the chili plus some appetizer and dessert type of stuff.

If you guys want, you can totally bring stuff too. Julie, you can make cornbread again if you want! hah hah. That would work out great! But if you don't want to, that's totally fine too. I'm thinking of trying to stay with the chili type of theme for the stuff I make: like chips and salsa, queso dip, some cheeses, etc. Then I'm totally not sure about the desserts but I will make that cherry and pistachio crisp. Sound good to everyone?

[Pico66]

Things are busy and I can't vote either way. Most likely a no, we'll see.

[EvilMel]

Oh John! Come on!!!! You know free booze is right up your alley. hah hah. I think it's right up all the core reef club members' alleys.

[llpoolej]

I will bring some more cornbread. Can't get much easier than that!!!

[EvilMel]

Awesome Julie! That's really great!

[Chris_Campbell]

unless something happens, I'll be there.. first meeting hehe cool

will need assistance getting there.. I'm not familiar with Knoxville yet and its a confusing city hehe

[EvilMel]

No problem! We are going to get those directions posted ASAP. I will contact Graham about it today.

[EvilMel]

Hey guys, so we have officially set the date for the 17th of december and the time for 6pm.

The club will be buying the food, Graham is making his awesome white chili (really great), and Julie has agreed to bring cornbread. Feel free to bring something if you wish, but you totally don't have to.

We are still going to do the white elephant ornament exchange, so bring a wrapped ornament that costs under $10 if you want to join in. You don't have to participate in that if you don't want to. No big deal.

Alrighty then??

[EvilMel]

It's coming up! This saturday is the day!

[Runner]

I'll try and be there. My wife is covetous of her Saturday nights with me, though. :)

[awcurl]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6269162#post6269162 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Runner
I'll try and be there. My wife is covetous of her Saturday nights with me, though. :)
The party is a family event so why not bring her with you. She may actually enjoy herself!
:lolspin:

[EvilMel]

Yeah, there's alot of people at these things not talking about reef stuff.

[Runner]

Heh. I couldn't even get her to hang around our house when we had a regular meeting there. She doesn't like hanging out with my engineering friends and the technical talk. I reckon that extends to other technical areas like reef-keeping. She doesn't like my hobby and thus doesn't want to hear a whole room talk about it. :)

I have posted the address on the website. I don't have detailed directions, though. If Graham or somebody would send them to me, I'll add them to help out those who are MapQuest-challenged.

[EvilMel]

I am sooooo not an engineer.

[llpoolej]

Yeah, I am such an engineer too ;) Don't forget Larry, he is not really a fish geek or an engineer(though he wouldn't have been a bad one!)

Bring her with you, it is more of a party than a meeting. Larry is coming with me and he rarely comes to meetings

[Runner]

You guys aren't engineers, but "fish geeks" are as bad. :)

Honestly, I would bring her if I could do so without sustaining bodily injury.

[LeftCoast]

I'll see if I can make it. If so, I'll make cookies (if needed).

[EvilMel]

Cookies are always welcome Zack but you don't need to if you don't want to. It's totally up to you!

[EvilMel]

It's almost here!

[easttn]

I will miss you all. Please have a safe and joyous holiday season. I'll see you next year.

On a side note, Copps lives near my parents home and has invited me to his home before I head back south. If any of you need something from his FS thread work it out with him and I'll get them home.

Merry Christmas everyone,
Charles

[Runner]

@Graham:

I may have to watch my younger son (almost 5-years-old) the night of the party. Is it okay to bring him along or should I find somebody for him to visit with tomorrow?

[EvilMel]

IT'S 6PM TOMORROW!!!! WOOOO HOOOO!!!!!

I doubt that Graham will check the threads (but he might). He's been off the computer lately.

I'll PM you his phone number so you can call and make sure.

[Runner]

Directions have been added to the website.

http://www.easttnreefclub.com/meetings.html

[Chris_Campbell]

those are so much less confusing then what mapquest gave me LOL

[reefhound]

Update on directions.
you take a left on mendosa on the top of the hill

[imsqueak]

I made some Prosciutto and Provolone roll ups to bring. See ya'll there.

[Chris_Campbell]

Thanks to the directions on the website, and advice from fred on navigating Papermill exit hehe.. I shouldnt get lost! But I'm still leaving early just in case!

[llpoolej]

We can't make it tonight, can't find a sitter and one of the kids has a croupy cough.

It will be nice to be away from other kids for a couple of weeks so they can heal :)

Sorry about missing it, it is kinda depressing.

Mel, I will run by your house one day this week and get that galaxia frag.

Sorry about the missing cornbread. Chili really needs cornbread.

[RCS]

The chili was superb...I can see why everyone was raving about it from last time. LOTS of people there, very impressive.

Good thing you didn't show up though, I forgot your clam book. :lol: Gives me another month or so to get through it (unless you need it back sooner, just LMK!).