On the Cancellation of RogueNight...

I've just called Easter. RogueNight is officially cancelled (of course) along with (almost definitely) SoB/BSL for tomorrow. I hope our alumni read this, if they were planning on attending tomorrow...In any case, the roads are bad and frozen precipitation continues to fall. We might even have another snow day tomorrow.

The chaos of trying to reschedule has begun. We'll plan on SoBbing(/BSLing?) next week to discuss a new date for RogueNight later on in the winter. We're probably getting into January and February now, since we have xmas break to contend with.

Get the word out, if you talk to any of our poets or anyone you know was planning to come. Make sure they know that we're not cancelling altogether and that they should plan on attending when next we announce it...I'm cancelling Facebook and Myspace events right now.

Our next hurdle, which we should probably discuss, is that we have run out of reserved dates to meet at the library. We can either renew for another series of 12 meetings, or take recommendations for a new place to meet. SoB is probably still out of the question, in case you were wondering.

Discuss!
<312 Jessie

So many things to say...

My first thought when I behan planning this post in my head was that it was destined to be a rant. Seriously. I'm uber-disappointed in our preparedness for RogueNight--but you know what? I don't honestly have time or energy to spend in an emotional rant, so I'll spare you for now...for now.

Topics:
1. Table decor: You need to get fabric of some kind (sheet(s), blanket(s), tableclothes, whatever) to cover a 5-foot diameter table in the snackbar. There are 11ish tables we plan to use--and fewer than 11 of you, so if some of you will team up and do one table on your own and SHARE a table with someone else that'd be great. In addition to the fabric, you need to outfit your table in some kind of fun theme. In the past we have had generally crazy tables with little-or-no theme, and a couple of those is OK, but the rest need to "look" a certain way. Be creative; use what you have...but don't expect your stuff back in mint condition. Coffee cups spill; people pick at things. Get used to it.
2. T-shirts: Some of us are meeting tonight to go to the thrift store and buy t-shirts that we can paint. We will paint on Wednesday. You must all have a rogue shirt to wear on Thursday night. The shirts we're getting at the thrift store will be sold for profit on RogueNight.
3. Signs: You all need to continue to make RogueNight signs. They need to mention the date 11/30, time 7:00p, location snack bar, and free admission/coffee. Some signs met with their doom today in the hallways. We have to have a steady supply of back-ups. Bring at least 10 each.
4. Mornings/Afternoons: I need you here before and after school every day this week through Thursday. I will help you work out transportation if needed. Come as early as you can; stay as late as you can. There's SO much still to do...
5. Further advertisement: Use you SAFE online forums SAFELY and consider posting about RogueNight. Jessie & Wade were talking about this. Just be careful. I wholesale don't like those sites and don't want you putting youself at risk or encouraging a bunh of weirdos to come to our venue.

I told Jessie today that I'm teetering on the fulcrum of Passive & Aggressive, relative to how I want to handle you guys...I'm leaning toward aggressive at this moment. If you don't commit, don't show, don't do the work that needs done, well, then, I don't need you. I can't carry dead weight--no, make that I won't carry dead weight. If this statement makes you feel guilty, transform that into initiative and embrace our cause.

After RogueNight we will probably get some essays from potential new rogues. I will have replacements if I need them.

Heart 12,

Easter

Got our publishing on...

We're published. Again. *whew*

It was a good event--not without its stresses--but a good event overall.

Now the focus goes on the following:
(1) Communicating with poets to inquire whether they'll read and
(2) Table decor.

The work's not done yet, but we are getting closer.

I truly appreciate the effort you put out today.

KC, Jessie, Deena--wow. It's been quite a ride. I was glad you were all around today to enjoy your senior production.

KT, Suzanna, Wade, Margaret--the torch is being passed, dearies. Rogue will either live on through you or die because of you. You've got to start really stepping up. I have a lot of faith, a lot of confidence, and a healthy amount of trepidation...but that's the nature of my sponsoring role.

Get your rest this weekend; we need to meet Monday a.m. to figure out notes to send to our poets. Tuesday we need to get 'em out.

Then you get a break for Thanksgiving before having to re-plaster the walls to get people fired up to come to RogueNight. That being said, start thinking about RogueNight posters and--again, your table decor.

Oh! And Wissen's art kids want to sell mugs at RogueNight. I told them they could if they helped make signs to advertise RogueNight.

'nuf for now,

Easter

This week's plan...

OK. Here's the plan for this week...

First, I think we gave our poets until this Wednesday to get their poems back to us on the proper slips of paper. We need to start highlighting the names of those who have followed through with that activity--and we need to possibly send out a reminder or make a personal contact with those who've not.

Second, yes it's time you all pick your poems for submission. In the past, this has NOT gone together as one might think...it is often the Rogues themselves who are last-minute getting their things in and requiring, as a result, much prodding. I would ask you to prepare THREE. I know that in the past you've just done 2, but I'm thinking (to bulk our #s in case not as many come back as we'd hoped) of putting yours at the front, MIDDLE, and back. If you hate this idea, well, I don't care. Deal with it. Select your poems, or bring your ones for consideration to this Friday's meeting, and we can help each other.

Third, t-shirts--someone other than me needs to go through our stash to see what we've got as far as supplies. We MAY have paint. I dunno. Everyone definitely needs to procure a shirt they'd like to imprint with our rogue emblem. Let's set the t-shirt deadline for Tuesday, 11/21. There's too much going on this week for that to be a priority.

Fourth, printing will happen this Saturday. I've got a note to myself at school to remind me to email Jessie's dad tomorrow to confirm this. We'll probably try for something like 11:00a - 2:00p. It always takes longer than we plan, so you should block your day off more like 11:00a - 5:00p.

Fifth, um--can anyone say COVER ART?!?!?!? I need ideas submitted on paper by YOU all to the rogue box. Don't give them to me. I'm too busy. Grades are due this week. Put your ideas in the rogue box. We can visit about them on Wed or Thur so we have a decision before the weekend and time to finalize the design.

Sixth, start thinking about RogueNight decor &, as someone mentioned, sending out notes of inquiry to our poets to see if they'll read. Those notes should go out...next Monday, I guess--but it's a way short week because of Thanksgiving...

Seventh, there are umpteen etc. things that probably still need done (like typing or handwriting accepted anonymous submissions onto our slips), so I still need people in the morning. I don't need everyone, and, honestly, when you're ALL there it seems like you do more visiting than working--it's a dynamics thing, I think. If you come early, please just be willing to work...and TRY to figure out on your own what might need to be done. Think ahead and try to troubleshoot for us.

OK. That's enough for now.

Heart 12,

Easter

Now what?

Alright. We successfully round-tabled all of the entries to our '06 Rogue publication. We've got something like 80, so with YOUR material we'll have more like 100. I like that--a lot.

But now what? Here's what: We have to compile a list of all of the names of our poets, look up their schedules, and mark where they are. We then have to get their submission BACK to them for proper RESUBMISSION on one of the 1/3 page "forms". We need to do that this week...in the a.m. If you're thick w/ Wallace, you're going to be gold because I think she has everyone's schedule cards--so she would likely let us browse them to get the info we need. If Wallace does not have the cards, we'll either camp out in the counselors' office or in the library and draw out the info we need. This has to be done (1) soon and (2) accurately. We need to make a 'congrats' letter (or find the old on on my school PC) and have it ready to fill out/in when we get our poets' info.

When that's all done, we can breathe for about a week.

Once the submissions come back to us in the proper format, we will mock up our magazine and have a printing/collating party at Jessie's dad's office. We need a date for this ASAP.

In sum: You need to come in the a.m. ready to do some kind of work for Rogue this week. Please post your availability so I can try to make a kind of schedule or chores list so we can expedite our morning work more efficiently.

You're doing great. I could even say that you're shinin' like a bulb light.

Heart 12,

Easter

Screeeeeech! Change of plans...

Greetings, all.

OK. The a.m. round-tabling hasn't been going too well. Or, it has been going fine--it's just we're not accomplishing nearly enough. Soooooo, I'm canning that idea. No more a.m. round-tabling. There WILL be work that will HAVE to be accomplished in the a.m. soon, but that will be less creative and therefore probably more efficiently done through sleepy eyes.

To expedite our handing out letters to accepted poets I propose a Friday round-tabling meeting--of the "until it's friggin' done" variety. At the library. I'm thinking maybe something like...2:30p - ? I can see if the library is "down" with that or not. I think the quiet environment of the library will help our discussion and facilitate our working through whatever we've got (which is a mega file).

Everything RogueNight/Rogue publication-related is a new experience for all new rogues (5 of you!). It is important, therefore, that everyone be present and willing to work. We can ensure everyone has a ride to/from. I want this to be a bonding activity. We need that. I sense too much bickering or ennui or something from some of the staff. Bonding will alleviate that.

All of that said, the meeting will be mandatory. I expect everyone to be there for SOME of the meeting. If you can't be there for all of it (because of work), that's understandable and acceptable (basically, I'm talking to Casey & Margaret here). Successful round-tabling hinges on quorem. Please, please be there.

Round-tabling is an ancient tradition, as Rogue goes, it dates back to the very first publication of our magazine. It's stressful, yes, because of the volume of material we have to sort, but it's really awesome: Having handfulls of student work is a powerful feeling. To know THAT MANY PEOPLE have something to say and WE'RE THE VOICE--magic.

Tune in. Suit up. It's time.

Easter