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We have talked about scheduling real-life group meetups for this forum. As far as I know none of them ever got past the "this would be a good idea" stage.
Some people from here have met other people from here in their travels, but I can't remember any group meetings. If this one happens though, I'll try to attend.
Some people from here have met other people from here in their travels, but I can't remember any group meetings. If this one happens though, I'll try to attend.
I have had lunch with Willie-T and his wife a few times and married JesusLives. There are others that live close to me that I would eventually like to meet. For me, these are real people on this site and just not part of a virtual reality game.
Some are definitely worth knowing and actually meeting. I pray for a lot of members but my wife is the real prayer warrior of the family
Some are definitely worth knowing and actually meeting. I pray for a lot of members but my wife is the real prayer warrior of the family
I've seen it asked several times on the site as to why there is never a meetup... Years ago, there was an incredible CC user who actually did take their own time to try to organize something like a 3-day site-wide meetup here in the USA, complete with entertainment and worship events.
If I remember correctly (and anyone from back in the day who remembers a little better than I do, please correct me), the reason it all fell through is because everyone who said they were interested backed out at the last minute.
Even small meetups are complicated. A few years ago a group of us who met regularly in chat talked about setting up a meetup, and out of about 21 people who said they'd be interesting in going, only about 6 eventually were able to go.
Here are some of the challenges I've observed:
* Some people will always say things like, "Oh, you're meeting there? Why can't you meet here? It's a lot closer to ME..." There's always going to be hard feelings over why this was chosen and not that, and everyone will expect that all the choices will be made with their own convenience and best interests in mind, which is impossible to achieve.
* There may be safety issues to consider. What if someone is stalking a user here and either finds out the object of their obsession is attending, or just shows up, hoping they'll be there? If you know about such a situation (or don't trust certain people), do you make it an open invite, or try to only invite certain people?
* Someone, or a team, has to take the time to organize everything, and that can be a full-time job, even for a small group. Who's going to do to it?
* There are always going to be people who back out at the last minute, say they'll pay their share but never do, and/or show up but only stay and pay for part of the time they had originally committed to ("I can only stay one night, so here's my money for that, even though I said I'd pay for two.")
This ultimately means that whoever paid the original bills and/or deposits that were required is going to get stuck paying a lot more than their fair share--it's pretty much guaranteed to happen in any group. So... Who are the lucky volunteers who want to shell out their own money for all the people who don't follow through?
I've been fortunate enough to meet about 10 people from CC (hopefully there will be many more), and it's all worked out well.
But I've always said that if I ever organized a meetup, the first thing I'd do is charge anyone who says they're coming a small non-refundable deposit, even if it's only $10 (depending on the costs involved), just to make sure people who say they're going to come are serious about it, and if not, at least there will be a cushion to try to compensate for anyone who doesn't, or isn't able, to follow through.
Even if everyone did show up and pay their fair share, I personally think the organizers (whether myself or others) should get some kind of compensation for all the time they would have to put into setting it up.
If I remember correctly (and anyone from back in the day who remembers a little better than I do, please correct me), the reason it all fell through is because everyone who said they were interested backed out at the last minute.
Even small meetups are complicated. A few years ago a group of us who met regularly in chat talked about setting up a meetup, and out of about 21 people who said they'd be interesting in going, only about 6 eventually were able to go.
Here are some of the challenges I've observed:
* Some people will always say things like, "Oh, you're meeting there? Why can't you meet here? It's a lot closer to ME..." There's always going to be hard feelings over why this was chosen and not that, and everyone will expect that all the choices will be made with their own convenience and best interests in mind, which is impossible to achieve.
* There may be safety issues to consider. What if someone is stalking a user here and either finds out the object of their obsession is attending, or just shows up, hoping they'll be there? If you know about such a situation (or don't trust certain people), do you make it an open invite, or try to only invite certain people?
* Someone, or a team, has to take the time to organize everything, and that can be a full-time job, even for a small group. Who's going to do to it?
* There are always going to be people who back out at the last minute, say they'll pay their share but never do, and/or show up but only stay and pay for part of the time they had originally committed to ("I can only stay one night, so here's my money for that, even though I said I'd pay for two.")
This ultimately means that whoever paid the original bills and/or deposits that were required is going to get stuck paying a lot more than their fair share--it's pretty much guaranteed to happen in any group. So... Who are the lucky volunteers who want to shell out their own money for all the people who don't follow through?
I've been fortunate enough to meet about 10 people from CC (hopefully there will be many more), and it's all worked out well.
But I've always said that if I ever organized a meetup, the first thing I'd do is charge anyone who says they're coming a small non-refundable deposit, even if it's only $10 (depending on the costs involved), just to make sure people who say they're going to come are serious about it, and if not, at least there will be a cushion to try to compensate for anyone who doesn't, or isn't able, to follow through.
Even if everyone did show up and pay their fair share, I personally think the organizers (whether myself or others) should get some kind of compensation for all the time they would have to put into setting it up.
You would have the undying love and gratitude of all who came and had the time of their lives 
Maybe I'm just too cynical, but I've seen what people express, and it sure ain't undying love and gratitude.
Over the years here, I've been in several circles that have talked about meetups but you always here things like:
* (As I mentioned before...) "Oh, you guys are meeting in City X? That's sssooooo far away from ME... Why can't you meet at City Z instead? That would be a lot closer to ME and much more convenient for ME..."
* "You guys would want to (plan activity A)? Oh no!! I hate activity A!! Why can't we do activity B instead??? I'D like that a lot better!"
* "Wait, you guys are planning to eat what??? OH NO!! That wouldn't work out for ME at all!!! I hate (whatever it is you're planning to have; wherever it is you're planning to go)! Let's do what I want instead!! (But yet I'm not willing to step up and organize or help with anything--I just want you guys to plan and do everything I'M interested in!")
* "Wait, you guys invited so-and-so??? Oh no, that person insulted me in their post 7 years ago, and I'll never forget it!!! I'm not going if you invite this person, but not that person!! And why isn't such-and-such invited? That person is one of my best friends on CC!!! I'm not going if such-and-such isn't invited too!!!"
And the list (of complaints) go on and on...
I'd be more than happy to pay extra compensation to anyone who organizes a meetup... just for having to listen to comments like these, which I know they would, and more.
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