From: Diva Las Vegas organizers (dlvorg@geekbabe.com)
Date: Tue Sep 15 2009 - 08:04:29 CDT
In this mailing:
Org List
Hostess program
Hotel hostesses
Hostess program
Administrivia
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Org List:
This is the DLV 2010 Organizational Mailing List (dlvorg@geekbabe.com)
Replies to this message will be forwarded to the DLVORG list and not
the DLV-Announce or DLV-Discuss list.
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Hostess program:
Holly has presented a very frank overview of the hostess
program below.
We appear to be in agreement that we need to emphasize
hospitality and inclusion this coming year. "Nobody gets
left out!" I think the Hotel Hostess program is one good
means to this end.
There also has been the concern, expressed by several in
different terms, of the load this will place on our
volunteer force. I admit that I share this concern.
The only way we're going to find out if this plan is
workable or not is to try it. The motion, as writeen,
does "sunset" after this coming year, so it's not an
ongoing commitment and does not have to explicitly be
un-done if it does not work out.
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Hotel hostesses:
Holly writes (first person, no quoting):
As the maker of the motion, I would like to try and
clarify the intent and purpose behind the motion and
what the vision is.
The position as conceived in my mind is designed to
provide a minimal impact on the Hostess/Host and not
in any way interfere with their ability to enjoy DLV
to the fullest measure.
>From the very beginning there was never an intent for
the person accepting this position to be overburdened
or put into a position to not be able to utilize,
socialize, and participate in DLV to the max. It has
never been the intent that the Hostess/Host dedicate
even one full day hosting. All that was ever intended
was to facilitate a means for attendees housed in the
same hotel to be able to make contact with one another.
It doesn't happen now because most register in their
legal name and calling the hotel operator and asking
to be connected to Holly's room is just not going to
work. Meeting others even in the same hotel has been
pretty much left to chance. This is particularly
difficult for new attendee's.
As to my vision as to exactly how it might work, my
recommendation would be a daily morning get together
approximately 1 hour before daily scheduled activities
are to begin. My recommendation would be that they be
held in public areas of the hotel such as a lounge, by
the pool, a public seating area adjacent to a hotel food
court, or other areas where socializing can take place.
It was never the vision that this take place in a
sequestered or private area and certainly not in a
dedicated "hospitality suite." I recommend mornings
as opposed to evenings because activity within the
facilities is typically less than in the late afternoons
or evenings, however this is up to the individual
hostess/host to determine.
Total time needed daily for these meet and greets? That
would vary depending and the number of guests staying
at the hotel, but 15-60 minutes seems a fair range to
estimate. Even those may vary from day to day at each
facility as guests will come and go either because of
their scheduled time at Diva's or they are becoming more
comfortable within the social setting of DLV and choose
not to avail themselves of the support. If no one shows
up for a scheduled greet, then after 15 minutes, the
hostess/host would be free to go about her/his day.
To further aid the hostess/host, I have begun preparation
of a handbook. In it would be the daily schedules, the
coordinators of the activities, addresses of the venues,
and maps, Also included will be a suggested agenda of
things to cover, confidential contact numbers, an
organized means by which people can voluntarily share
their room and/or cell numbers to facilitate social
networking and carpooling/ridesharing, a copy of the BDR,
recommended vendors (as found on the DLV website), and
any other relevant documents that could be helpful to
the hostess/host.
I would be particularly interested in hearing from others,
in particular, those stepping forward to be a hostess/host,
of what other information they would deem helpful.
Let me reiterate one thing here. It is not desired nor
expected that the hostess/host solve everyone's problems.
That would be onerous. Instead, s/he would facilitate
getting the attendee in touch with the person that can
help them, i.e..e., if someone has a question about the
limo tour, get them in touch with the event coordinator
of the limo tour. There is no intent for the hostess/host
to accept payment for any activity. And, as structured,
there is no requirement that a hostess/host register
attendees for DLV. Maybe it would help to think of this
person as a concierge of DLV.
I hope that this clears up some of the misunderstandings
of what this motion is all about (and what it isn't :o)).
I really hope we get the opportunity to try this. I
think it's important to try any reasonable avenue to
encourage socialization and inclusion within the DLV
family. What we are doing is taking something good and
making it better! Thanks for your respectful
consideration of this motion.
Holly
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Thanks, Holly. Well said.
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Hostess program:
Kumiko writes:
>I'm having a few questions understanding this hostess
>concept, and I see the question from some about how much
>time will this take or how much vacation time to do this?
>To be sure I'm on the same track in understanding this
>motion ... is that this motion is to give attendees
>better social interaction at their hotel that they
>are staying at, by providing at least (1) one daily
>meet and greet on the hotel location.
>For one stated reason, if left to the attendees in that
>hotel, it would not be done.
>This daily meet and greet is to be outside of any scheduled
>DLV event, at the convenience of the hostess. The meeting
>can involve DLV registration check-in (ie name tags),
>answering questions, and arranging rides.
The motion does not mention DLV check in. It does not
prohibit it, and this is one item that will have to be
worked out if it is to happen. Right now this has to be
a neutral factor, since the bridge to be crossed is still
a long way down the road.
As to how much time it will take, I don't think there's a
consistent answer. Some groups may want longer get-togethers
while others may just meet, say hi, and split up. We may
also have some cases where get-togethers don't consummate
due to no/low attendance.
A hostess can also appoint assistants. These could be
from the non-ORG ranks, or even, within reason first year
attendees. At a larger hotel with many attendees and many
who volunteer to assist, it could be as little as one
get-together per hostess/assistant over the week.
The host(ess) at the larger hotels could even be somewhat
assertive and proactive. "Ok, who wants to hostess this
thing tomorrow?" :)
>Bottom line is that there will be time spent, waiting
>greeting and meeting, coordinating rides, and may
>involve having to contact other attendees about rides,
>and possible updates of happenings during DLV as
>attendee(s) arrive at the hotel.
>This is everyday of DLV for the 1 minimum meeting per
>day, in addition to any other events the hostess may be
>actively involved with organizing or attending.
>In theory I can say its a good idea!
>Then I looked at what will be required and the cost
>in time sacrificed.
>If this motion passes:
>I hope that no hostess will be sitting at the meeting
>alone for the whole scheduled time, while everyone else
>in that hotel is already having fun or doing other
>important things on their vacation elsewhere. We are
>talking about only a handful (or 2) of attendees in
>one particular hotel.
>Or losing vacation time coordinating things for others,
>further sacrificing their own vacation time and plans.
As stated, the "timeout" at which a daily meeting is to be
declared dead by default is an item that will be considered,
and will allow the hostess to go on about her business.
>The question is when would it be a good time to meet?
>DLV activities can happen at all hours of the day and
>night. Some attendees at that scheduled meet and greet
>time in the hotel may be busy doing other things (ie
>like getting ready for a DLV event happening soon after
>or during the meeting as in getting a make-over at GB
>or getting dressed), asleep from a late night/early
>morning activity the night before, or find no need to
>attend the meet and greet, or other pressing needs or
>reasons, where the result is the hostess may end up
>waiting alone at the scheduled meeting time unsure of
>who of the hand full of attendees will show up at any
>time, and if no one does, which can become a waste of
>time for the hostess.
>I hope that doesn't happen.
>Cumulative time overall? could as short as minutes to
>several hours of one's vacation looking from the whole
>DLV week?
>This will also be a serious real use of vacation time
>sacrificed by the Hostess outside of DLV events
>meeting, answering questions, and arranging rides
>for other attendees.
The host/hostess will need to set his/her own limits on
how much time is to be devoted to the job at hand.
>I think this may be the concern that is being presented.
My concern is the dilution of the volunteer pool. I think
we need to make it understood by all that if a volunteer's
limits are approaching, and it's a question of either
coordinating a main-line on-schedule DLV activity or doing
the hotel hostess thing, the on-schedule DLV activity must
take priority.
The "red flag" for this will be if we have enthusiastic
host(ess) volunteers who do not sign up to coordinate the
regular activities.
>This is like a organizer organizing a event for DLV. The
>time sacrificed by organizers to plan, prep, and execute
>a DLV event during DLV.
>But as presented this is also kinda not part of DLV, for
>it has to happen outside of any scheduled event, and
>separate from other DLV event planning and organizing
>for this meet and greet to occur. One other difference is
>potential waste of time when no one shows up.
>No one is obligated or has to give reasons why they don't
>go to those meetings, nor have to show up.
There are many details not covered in the motion. It will
be up to us, collectively, to set some guidelines for this
program, and it will be up to the host(ess) volunteers to
work out the details as they see fit.
Now as for timing ... Keeping with the "Nobody gets left
out" principle, one thing I intend to bring up when we
start the actual schedule is some strategic planning WRT
each daily sequence of activities. Things such as doing
what we can to eliminate "crunch points" at which the
activities going forward are at risk for fall-out.
Holly has suggested a morning guideline for the hotel
get-togethers. IMAO, a good choice might be immediately
before Lunch With Ginger. However, I don't think we should
have one-size-fits-all guidelines, as there may be various
needs and wants of the hostesses and attendees.
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Administrivia:
This is the Diva Las Vegas 2010 organizational list.
One address for all items regarding this list, additions, removals,
changes, submissions, questions, etc.:
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Diva Las Vegas 2010
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