FROM ADMIN: ANNUAL NAMM DINNER AT RISK! READ!!

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James Steele
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FROM ADMIN: ANNUAL NAMM DINNER AT RISK! READ!!

Post by James Steele »

Okay... I've been slammed busy with stuff, but I'm finally getting around to this. We had a BIG PROBLEM at this year's annual MOTU-MAC/MOTUnation.com NAMM Dinner. To review, the rules are really simple... show up, have fun, enjoy good Mexican food and Margaritas and at the end of the night, chip in toward the bill making sure you contribute adequately for what YOU ordered... and however many Margaritas you had... AND enough to chip in to help cover the tab of the MOTU guys. Their money is NO GOOD at that dinner.

This was the 19th year of this dinner. We had a great turnout and many new faces. Here's the problem. Many of those people apparently grossly underestimated what they owed or left without chipping in at all. I'll assume it was an accident to be charitable, but as I said, there were some new faces there and I'm not entirely convinced.

At the end of the night the tab came to roughly $1700... and Jim collected only $1100 from the people who attended. Some of those people unfortunately decided to skip out on their tab. So Jim had to cover the $600 out of his own pocket! That's just not right. This is the worst shortfall ever (and yes, all the other years had shortfalls), and it really is going to make us re-think how we do this dinner going forward. If we can't solve this problem, either through limiting the menu, charging to GET IN, or some other means, we're going to have to end this event.

NOW... I'm not posting this for suggestions about how to run the dinner. Not interested in that right now. What I am interested in is seeing if some of us here will help Jim out with a few bucks. Also, if you attended the dinner and might have forgotten to pay, or think you might have underpaid, here's your chance to make it right.

I set up a GoFundMe page to help Jim recoup some or hopefully ALL of his own money he had to pay the restaurant to cover the people who underpaid or didn't pay at all. I hope some here will take the time to kick in a small contribution so Jim doesn't take it in the shorts this year and THEN we'll figure out what we are going to have to do moving forward so this doesn't happen again. Here's the link:

https://www.gofundme.com/kd9956mc
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Re: FROM ADMIN: ANNUAL NAMM DINNER AT RISK! READ!!

Post by MIDI Life Crisis »

Not good. Not good at all. I've never been able to attend but I'll kick in a few bucks for the brotherhood.
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Re: FROM ADMIN: ANNUAL NAMM DINNER AT RISK! READ!!

Post by thracks »

This sucks. I've been going for many years and always have a great time. I always kick in more than I owe and Jim being who he is always tries to tell me I'm paying too much, but I always insist. I'm heading over to chip in more now. I hope this gets settled quickly. Jim's a great guy.
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Re: FROM ADMIN: ANNUAL NAMM DINNER AT RISK! READ!!

Post by James Steele »

Yeah... you know, every year Jim and I share a room up in Anaheim on Friday night and I pay for the room to cover the cost of my dinner and then some and because Jim does such a great job organizing it each year and even bringing cool unicorn-themed swag to give away.

The night we got back to the room from the dinner, I could tell something was wrong and he had piles of bills spread out on his bed counting it and double-checking and that's when he told we were $600 short. Of course he'd put it all on his credit card. It was apparent some people had grossly under-contributed. Jim is a good guy, but even that was too much for him and he was going to post something about it to the list and the board here, but I asked him to let me make a post on his behalf.

It's important to note: Jim had NO IDEA I was going to start the GoFundMe page. He probably would feel very awkward about it, but that was MY idea. I don't think it's fair for him to get stuck and when I get another check in the mail soon, I'm going to pony up some more.

Next year, however, we're going to have to figure out a better plan. We might have to have a limited number menu items or some sort of buffet situation where every one gets a plate and helps themselves for a flat price or something. We've relied on the honor system at these events in the past with usually only minor degrees of failure. This year was a big one. It's not like we can stand over everyone and watch what they ordered and then watch how many times they fill their margarita glasses from the pitchers on the tables. I don't want to treat people like we don't trust them, but we're either going to have to come up with a more "cheat-proof" system or make it a smaller event and not-so-public by invitation event of people whose integrity is known to us.

It's a shame we need to do that. We have done this for 19 years now. This was the first time Jim (who settles the tab on his card at the end of the night) got so badly burned.

Thanks to all who have kicked in. I know he'll appreciate it. He would have remained quiet and not said anything, but I just couldn't let that be and I knew some of you would help out... even if it's just $5 or whatever. Thanks.
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FROM ADMIN: ANNUAL NAMM DINNER AT RISK! READ!!

Post by kgdrum »

This really sucks,I'm sorry to hear this,I'm totally broke at the moment as I'm just getting through months of financial hell........
:shock: :( :shock:
But I'll donate something to help,that's just not right.........
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Re: FROM ADMIN: ANNUAL NAMM DINNER AT RISK! READ!!

Post by thracks »

James, you and Jim do a great job on this event every year. I fully support the idea of a set menu with a flat rate for everyone. And maybe just ONE round of Margarita pitchers would be a good idea? Anything else can go on someones personal tab. I know it's a long way to the next NAMM gathering (20th!) but it's something to think about. It's a shame you'd have to do that but I don't think it would make the event any less cool. Thanks for all you do on the email list and here at MOTUNATION! :headbang:
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Re: FROM ADMIN: ANNUAL NAMM DINNER AT RISK! READ!!

Post by James Steele »

THANK YOU ALL!!

In just 12 hours, 19 people contributed $620! I've closed down the GoFundMe so it is no longer accepting donations and will lock this topic.

What a GREAT community of users. Jim is very happy this morning. He was totally surprised!

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