Are you going? Do you have a roommate? Are you looking forward to it? Are you going to go out for a beer with me?

Who are you hoping to meet? (Yes, that should have been "whom," but it sounds dumb at the beginning of a question.) What do you want to do while you're there? If you're not going, why not?

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2000

Answers

I live on the east coast, about 4 or so hours away from Journalcon...

Except that my college homecoming is that weekend, so I'm headed there instead. There's another facet too - I don't know if I would go if I hadn't already had plans. I'm kind of new to the journaling community, and I don't feel comfortable yet going and "outing" myself, so to speak :)

I look forward to hearing about all the brouhaha after the event.

I'm also wondering what the community will evolve to after the event. Speculations?

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2000

Well, frankly I'm a little worried ... according to this list, as of July 15 there were only 34 people registered ... and about 7 of those were speakers. When I registered I was thinking this would be hundreds of people.

So register, already!

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2000

I'm going, although I'll most likely not have a roommate unless someone I already know says they really need one. (Is it weird that I'm still hesitant to meet people from online sometimes?)

As for beer, well, that's a silly question...

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2000

I did want to go; and I think despite jeers from my SO ("You're taking a weekend off to go to PITTSBURGH?") I would have gone--Beth, Shelley, Sara, temptations aplenty--but my good friend's wedding is that weekend, and I am going to that without a twinge of regret. I want pictures, though, lots of pictures.

(Speaking of the wedding, I got my invitation in the mail yesterday, addressed to Mrs. Lisa Houlihan and Mr. Richard Caccavale. That cracks me up. If I went to JournalCon I could at least register as Ms. Lisa Houlihan, except that I actually wouldn't use a title at all.)

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2000

Yep I'm going - and from Ireland no less.

Although it was more of a coincidence that I ended up being in the States while it was on I thought I'd take advantage of that and go...

I'm starting to worry about the whole room-mate thing though.

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2000

Darin and I decided at the last minute to go -- at the very least, I'll have a chance to meet some of these people I've read and communicated with.

Of course, I don't know how the heck we're going to coordinate that weekend with a 7-month-old.

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2000

I registered, but now I don't know if I'm going to make it or not. Probably won't know until the last minute, which apparently precludes me from going.

I emailed the organizers asking what I should do in this situation, but I haven't heard anything back.

I met a lot of journallers at the NYC meeting last year, so I'd like to meet the west coast contingent.

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2000

Lisa: I got the same jeers from Jeremy. He said he'd go next year if it's in New York or Hawaii.

I'm hoping it will be fun. If everyone is out of money after plane fare and hotel costs, we'll have a margarita party in Beth & Molly's room. I make really good rocks margaritas; all we need is a cocktail shaker and a liquor store.

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2000

Like Lisa, I have wedding duty.

If you all could see my bridesmaid's dress, you would empathize with the deep, deep regret I feel at the thought of missing JournalCon for the chance to wear something that has mini-faux pearls ... *bedazzled* on it.

I look forward to reading everyone's accounts of the event, and I will be there in spirit.

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2000

I'd _like_ to go, but I don't think I'm going to have the moola for it after spending too much at Dragon*Con a month ago.

I wanna meet folken, but now that I'm out here I can always make a weekend trip to meet you ... right Beth? *grin*

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2000

It looks like I probably won't be going. Financially, it might put us in a bind, and even though someone offered to put up the money, I would feel a little...funny. The day after Journalcom was Jamie's birthday, and I doubt if I'd be good company. Too bad. I'd LIKE to go...---Al

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2000

I'd love to drop by, but I think that's a decision I could only make spontaneously at the last minute. I don't feel strongly enough about the weekend to commit two months in advance. I'll be almost seven months pregnant by then, so I don't know how I'll be feeling, whether I'd be up for all the flying and whatnot at that time.

The program itself -- panels and such about journalling -- doesn't interest me. What does interest me is the chance to hang out with a lot of fun people and friends whom I never or too-rarely get to meet in person. If I could do that without all the fuss and cost, I'd be all over it. California contingent: we should get together again!

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2000

Y'know... until tonight, I was certain I was going. I can't afford airfare, so I was going to drive my butt up there (long drive, but doable...for NORMAL people, anyway). Then today, I drove over into Virginia to visit a friend. Should have been an easy trip, and the instructions were clear, but I got lost coming and going, and panicking bigtime. (I am 'nearly recovered' from a driving phobia that's plagued me for years)

If I can't even handle driving around a corner of the DC metro area, I just don't know how I'm going to survive getting all the way up to Pittsburgh. Can I call the hotel from the edge of the city and get someone to come out and lead me in safely?

I'm really not kidding... I've been home an hour and a half, and I'm still shaky.

Beth, I was going to write you tonight and suggest you fly into DC to save money, and drive up with me, but I see you already bought tickets.

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2000

Well, I wasn't going to go, but how the hell can I pass up margaritas with Beth?!?

Actually, I'd somehow thought that the event was earlier in my already-too-busy summer, but now that I've found out it's in October, I'm seriously considering it. I'll know by the end of the week, and I have to investigate airfares and such, but it's a definite possibility. As long as the margarita thing is happening, that is.

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

As full as October is for me, that weekend of the 6th-8th is actually not taken, so I'm thinking I probably will be. I'll be getting there by bus (probably Greyhound) as plane fares aren't in my budget.

Having met online journallers before IRL, and having had fun at that, I'm looking forward to this. Someone has to represent the Southern Hemisphere POV...

As for the beer, so long as it's decent, I'll be in that. I'm from South Australia and we're spoiled when it comes to beer choice. If there's some Coopers, that'll do me nicely.

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

Yes, yes I am going.

I am also going to be barely 19 when it happens, so if there could be activites in shady locations (ie: no bouncers or id checks) or in non-alcoholic locations (as in after we all get tanked and ride the good ol' PAT busses to another location) that would rule for me.

And if people want me to find information on bars near the airport or near the William Westin Penn, let me know. I'm living here now and can check places out fer yuns. :)

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

I'm quite obviously not going, seeing as how I'm in London and everything, but I'd have been happy to drink many beers with you, Beth, had I been able to be there.

Word of warning though - South Australian Amanda will drink you under the table - those Aussies are raised on beer instead of breast milk.

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

I am going to JournalCon. I am speaking on a panel. Since JournalCon is also reasonably close to the release date for my book, there's also a good chance I'll be doing some advance publicity for the book while I'm in Pittsburgh (which would be groovy, because if I do, the publisher will pick up the tab for my weekend).

No roommate (unless my wife decides to attend); I'm looking forward to going; I don't drink, so, no, I'm not having a beer with Beth. However, I would be pleased to have a Coke in her general vicinity.

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

I forgot to mention my own contribution to the fun and games at JournalCon -- since there are a relatively small number of journalers registered at this point, I've added most of the journals I don't read already to my daily list. (Some of them are journals I read in the past, but I haven't been reading many journals at all lately.) Nothing sucks worse than meeting a bunch of journalers and realizing you might as well be meeting strangers in a bar because you have no idea who this person is.

I've had some really pleasant surprises, and at least three of these new journals will go on my "first thing, every day" list.

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

I'm going. But you knew that if you got the mail from the concom (that is, the people organizing the thing) ... because they apparently decided to quote my comments on why I was attending without asking me for permission. Oh, well, I did give them freely :) It wasn't a bad thing, just kind of a shock.

That's the balance I'm trying to achieve here: I want to make it clear that I'm very enthused about the idea, but at the same time note that the recent email from the concom was very disturbing. This con is being held at an EXPENSIVE hotel for such poor folks, and if Beth is right about the number of attendees, is pretty undersubscribed. And when a con says "we will not be selling memberships at the door," that's always a bad sign. I may not go to many cons anymore but I remember the lessons. I helped run one once. (Never again.)

Ah, well. I'm paid up, so I'm going to Pittsburgh even if the thing falls through. I adore Pittsburgh. I went to CMU for a semester back when dinosaurs walked the earth, and one of the many reasons I left after that semester with an unspeakable GPA is that I spent too much time just wandering around soaking up the city and not going to classes! People who badmouth Pittsburgh usually have a mental image of it as some grimy steel town, which it hasn't been for many, many years.

If it ends up that there are a lot of people hanging around the William Penn with no con, then we'll just go have some fun somewhere.

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

If I understand correctly, the last day to register is now August 18? That disappoints me, because that means there's no possibility of my going. I am moving to a new city, and I couldn't possibly commit to something like that until I am settled and have some type of income. So, I think that cutoff date sucks.

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

I don't know anything about running a con, but my guess is that the new cut-off date is something imposed by the hotel as a result of the relatively low registration rate. Although that list on the JournalCon site hasn't been updated since July 15, so maybe there have been more registrations since then.

I am looking forward to this -- I've heard many good things about Pittsburgh from people who have lived there, so I'm keeping an open mind. I do wish more people could attend. I'm curious about something: for those of you who aren't going, is cost the main factor? Hotel cost, registration cost, or plane fare? For those of you who have run or attended these sorts of events in the past, is this one unusually expensive? (My only basis for comparison would be legal seminars, and with that comparison, this thing is practically a freebie.)

Come to think of it, I bet the airline madness is keeping a lot of people away. When I first looked at tickets for this last year, I think it was closer to $400 to fly from Sac to Pittsburgh. Air fare is just insane these days.

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

From what I understand, things have been very rough in JournalConville.

If you want to come, but can't commit until the last minute, why not write and encourage the JCon folks to make an exception - or allow at the door registration? If there are enough people - and by this board, it seems there are - they just might listen.

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

Cost is a factor. It costs $200 to fly from NYC to Pittsburgh. I looked into taking the train, but it was like 9 hours or something. To tell the truth, for $200, I'd rather take that money, fly to the left coast, and drive up the coast on my own personal little Journalcon quest.

Columbine: I got that mailing. I had wondered if they asked your permission first. Now, I know: Do not make commentary in personal mailings to Journalcon. The same thing happened to me-- comments I had made on Diary-L about the NYC Journallers meeting turned up as a quote on Diarist.Net. That was sort of unfortunate, because I wouldhave been happy to give Diarist.Net a quote if they had aked, and that could've avoided a lot of bad feeling on my part. Oh, well.

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

Gabby: I did write. No response as of yet, but I'm ever-hopeful.

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

Well, Sara, in my case the quote was solicited as part of a survey they sent, and it was clear that the survey results were to be made public. I was just being momentarily persnickety. (Imagine that, eh?) Now, quoting private emails without permission is another matter altogether.

Like I said, I want to cut the concom some slack. These people are working hard in their spare time for no recompensation and they're having to do something very difficult. (Again: been there, done that, won't do it no more.) But I do believe they're shooting themselves in the foot by not allowing door memberships. Every con wants to discourage those, for good reasons involving advance money and booking numbers ... which is why the World SF con's memberships rise steadily from $115 early to nearly $200 at the door. But even a con with the guaranteed large membership of a World SF con is not foolish enough to abolish door memberships entirely.

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

I was sort of thinking about getting a cheap airfare and a cheap hotel on Priceline a few days before Journalcon if I was able to go. It's hard for me to know how busy I'll be at that time, my work load at my job comes and goes, and I didn't want to make huge plans ahead of time that I would have to cancel. If the committee accepts registration at the door, even if it's more expensive, I still might show up. There's plenty of people I'd like to meet who will be there. But I won't know by August 18 if I'm going to be in Work Hell during Journalcon weekend, so I can't commit.

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

C: I understand, being rather good at that persnickety thing, myself.

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

I really want to go as well, but there is no way I can register in 11 days. Our income varies widely and I can't commit that kind of money that far in advance. If the committee decides to allow later registrations, I imagine the attendance would be much higher.

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

Whether I go or not depends entirely on how much cash I have leftover after closing on my condo, and that won't happen until the end of August, by which time it'll be too late to register. If I do have the cash, I may go anyway; I expect to spend most of my time in the Church Brewery, quaffing their superb beer and visiting with anyone I can drag in there with me.

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

Emily, I can point you toward a few clubs open to 18-and-overs, if you're interested. Likewise with anyone else. I live in Pittsburgh, and am not planning on attending Journal Con -- I kept a journal for two years (Translucent, and then Where the Living Goes), and am seriously considering starting up again, but it's been several months, there are only a few journals I read at the moment, and I don't feel much part of the journal community at the moment. However, as a Pittsburgh resident and CMU student for going on three years now, I'd be happy to answer Pittsburgh questions or offer suggestions.

First suggestion... William's right, go to the Church Brewery! Excellent food, excellent beer, beautiful place. I'm actually taking my visiting parents and my boyfriend of six months there next weekend for their first meeting. Wish me luck. ;)

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

We (the "concom" -- thanks, Columbine) have been talking around this situation all weekend, and making phone calls all day today, just to be able to get to the point of being able to offer some info. A version of what you're about to read will be posted to the mailing lists/DNA forum sometime this evening.

Simply put, the registration deadline had to change due to a change in the terms with the hotel -- it was spelled out to us that this was a possibility from the beginning, but characterised as one of those "rarely invoked" fine print things. We relied upon that characterisation when planning the registration dates. If the lot of you were surprised when this change came about, imagine how we felt! Believe me, to say that we're no happier about it than any of you are is an understatement of gargantuan proportions.

At this point, this is what we're asking: if you're *seriously* interested in attending, but don't feel that you can definitively register by the 18th, please drop us an e-mail (registration@journalcon.com) to let us know what's up. We would like to work with everyone, obviously, but we need to be armed with information on how far-reaching the "not sure" scenario is before we march down to try to come to some new accomodation with the hotel.

I can, however, pretty much guarantee that no matter what, at-the- door registrations will NOT be returning to the picture, as much as I'd like them to. Having dealt with the hotel for the better part of the last year, I can say pretty confidently that I don't foresee being able to push things back for quite that long.

We'll do what we can -- but we need for you to communicate YOUR needs and concerns to us so that we're as informed as possible in our communications and negotiations with them.

And Lynda -- if you're concerned about driving into the city, I'm sure that we can find a solution of some sort for you -- drop me an e- mail and we'll brainstorm together.

That goes for everyone, btw. If you've got a problem, concern, question about getting here, staying here, eating here, getting around town, any old thing, let me know. That's my job in the concom and I'm already stocked with solutions to a lot of what I anticipate will pop up, and I'm more than willing to share and/or modify those solutions to work for and and all of you -- all you've got to do is ask.

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

I'd like to confirm that Dreama has been very helpful -- she provided me with info about the hotel and transportation to the airline. If you're having a problem, please talk to Dreama before you decide not to attend. I'd really love to see a big turnout.

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

Thanks Dreama... I'm busily imposing myself on a couple fellow journalers for a ride (actually at the point where I'm hoping for a sort of convoy situation out of the DC area if there is anyone else interested from this area). Yes I AM going, and will be signing up as soon as I get the details sorted out. The deadline does change a few parameters (primarily budgeting), but hell or highwater, I'll be there.

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

I just decided that I'm going. Does anyone want to be my roommate? Females only, please...e-mail me!

-- Anonymous, August 08, 2000

Not going-- never planned to since it ended up being Pittsburgh over Hawaii.

What the voters were thinking is still beyond me...

-- Anonymous, August 08, 2000

I don't know why Pittsburgh was chosen, but I think we'd be looking at a much higher expense if JournalCon were being held in Hawaii. Airfare is just about the same, but I'm sure hotel costs would have been much higher. And the airfare would have been high for almost everybody -- this way, there are at least some people who have the option of driving. (Well, okay, Ryan would be much better off if we were all going to Hawaii.)

Considering how many people are already having to skip it due to the expense, I really don't think Hawaii would have been a good choice.

My vote for next year is Chicago. It's pretty cheap to get there from almost anywhere in the continental US. (Well, except for Sacramento, but it's pretty cheap for us if we fly out of SFO.)

-- Anonymous, August 08, 2000

I'm going. It's gonna be tight getting the money together before 9/1, but I'm going to do it anyway. I'm driving in - there is no way I can afford the airfare. It's a long trip, but I like long trips.:) I doubt I'll be able to afford the William Penn, though, even with a roommate.

-- Anonymous, August 08, 2000

Pittsburgh was chosen because of as Ryan so aptly put it, "...[the] result of ballot-stuffing effort by an overenthusiastic AOL user." I would have liked to see it in Chicago, primarily because Chicago is a town that *really* caters to tourists, and because of this it is an easy city to visit.

There are a number of people I would love to meet, but it is like a math formula - # of people I really want to see in person that decide to go, divided by the total cost of the weekend, and randomly influenced by whatever date the Banff ski season starts.

-- Anonymous, August 08, 2000

Yeah. Very little to no offense to Pitts residence.... but almost any town would be more appealing. Except maybe Sacramento.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

At first I, too, was disappointed that the convention was being held in Pittsburgh. I was hoping for Chicago. But now that I think about it more, I think Pittsburgh is actually ideal--it's pretty easily accessible from most of the U.S., it's an airline hub, and I know that it's less expensive to stay there than in Chicago or Honolulu.

Also, the convention only goes for three days, and I think most of that time will be spent meeting people and attending events--chances are that most of us won't have much time to enjoy whatever city we're going to, anyway.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

I too would have preferred Chicago, but, c'est la vie.

There is now about a 90% chance that I will go, as I just investigated airfares from Seattle, and they are well within the affordable range.

I need a rooommate, though. Girls, please. Let me know ASAP!

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

I know you're all desperate for hourly updates of my JournalCon status, and I'm not one to disappoint, so...

Let it henceforth be known that I am now a definite attendee at this year's JournalCon. You can all come bask in the warm glow of my radiant presence, and maybe if you're nice to me I'll buy you a beer. Maybe.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

Stasi, we have had this conversation before, but I'll ask you again since you've done it again in this forum -- since you're so eager to bash Pittsburgh, would you mind telling what time you've spent here and what you know of the city? Just for my enlightenment?

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

Hell, I moved here in August for college and haven't left yet. Pissed my parents off when I told them I was staying here over the summer, but it's my life, right? I love it here. I sympathize with Columbine - I'm very aware that my less-than-perfect grades involve lots of wandering around just being amazed that I actually LIVE here.

Thanks for the offer, Stacy, if you do have any suggestions that would be great. I'm more afraid that people are going to want to go to a bar that doesn't serve food or isn't too shady, and knowing that I'm one of the few (or only) under-21s doesn't help much. I just want people to be aware that I'm going and I am really not interested in watching people make plans to leave to go to a bar.

I'll be living in the dorms by then, but I will definately give up my bed if somebody wants to bunk at my place. It's about a ten minute bus ride from downtown, and I'm going so I'll help whoever... but I can understand that nobody really wants to re-live the dorm experience. I just thought I'd offer.

Okay, that's it. :)

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

Emily, where are you a student? I'm a CMU senior m'self. (And yes, having moved off campus last year, all I can say is, do the same as soon as possible. The dorm experience is worth having once, and then worth never having again.

I will have to think for a bit to come up with my best under-21 hangouts. Immediate thoughts if you're looking for something more like a club are Laga in Oakland, or under-21 nights at Pegasus downtown. (Be forewarned that Pegasus is one of the local gay clubs; it's a friendly place, it's not seedy, but I know it might bother some people.) There's Stratus, also in Oakland, but I've never been there. Doesn't look too great to me, but well, it's an option.

Mad Mex is always a good idea -- it's a restaurant, so all ages can go, but they've got a well-stocked bar for those who want to drink, and it's got a nice loud raucus sort of atmosphere if that's what people are looking for. For a quieter restaurant with a well-stocked bar, the Church Brewery is a good idea. More exotic food, I recommend Kaya, a Caribbean-Cuban restaurant in the Strip district. I could come up with more options if there's a demand for them, and probably website links too. Ah, there's another thought, for vegetarians/vegans -- a friend of mine recently discovered this little vegan teahouse/cafe that he absolutely raves about. I've never been there, so it's a secondhand recommendation, but the place is called the Zenith TeaHouse and is probably well worth a look.

Places that are actual bars but where I was never carded when underage: 31st Street Pub, and this great jazz club in the South Side, whose name I will have to look up and get back to you. Places you will definitely get carded: Lava Lounge, also in South Side.

As a general hint for people looking for bars/pubs, the South Side is probably the place to go. (Bearing in mind that I don't know much about downtown; I'm telling you about the outlying areas. I can also tell you buses to take to get there, if any of this stuff sounds interesting, they're all within a 10 minute ride.)

Hm. Also, pick up a copy of InPittsburgh while you're in town, it'll give you the rundown of restaurants, bars, and concerts going on that week. If Soma Mestizo is playing anywhere, go hear them, they're by far the best local band I've found.

Okay, enough tour guide for now. Someone tell me if you want to know more. :)

Oh, and I might as well plug myself -- I did in fact restart my journal, though I haven't decided whether to put the archives back up as well, at http://www.analecta.net. Doubt I'll register for actual JournalCon events, as I just plain don't have the cash, but I'd be up for extracurricular trips. Let me know. :)

Stacey

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

I really wasn't thinking much about going, but in the last week I started to consider it. I have that Monday off from work and I could drive to Pittsburgh, I guess. If I go it will be because a couple of other people I know from Jersey will be going and we'll caravan out there. Does anyone know how long a drive it is from Philadelphia?

The only thing holding me up is that a friend of my fiance (husband by then, gulp!) is getting married that friday and we may be invited to his wedding. Since they're coming to our wedding we sort of feel obligated to go to theirs if we are invited. I'm trying to figure out if we'll have the answer by Aug 18th so that I can register.

And I also have to figure out if my husband will kill me if I take off for the weekend right after we get back from our honeymoon.

I would like to go though, there are definitely people I'd like to meet who are going to be attending.

Colleen

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

Pittsburgh has a reputation as a highly unappealing city, but a visit to the place should cure that. I spent a little time there a couple of years ago, and am looking forward to going back. I enjoyed it a great deal, and didn't get to see everything I wanted to.

One thing I very much intend to do if I make it to JournalCon is go back to the museum of natural history they've got there and take my time going through it -- last time I had to rush, and it's really quite good.

Those of you going to CMU -- any of you know Dr. Michael Harm? He's doing work in the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

Definitely go to the history museum. It's got the nice added bonus of being one with the art museum, so if you hit them both, you've got a nice afternoon trip right there. Also recommended, the Warhol Museum and the Mattress Factory Museum.

No, I don't know Dr. Harm, though. Haven't had a class with him, if he teaches, and in between classes I work on an intelligent computer tutor for elementary school classrooms -- our research group doesn't have too much to do with the neural cognition research groups. Will have to keep an eye out for him, though, so I can think about what a small world it is. :)

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

Of course I haven't been there, and probably never will. I hardly ever get to travel. Which is one of the top reasons I would not choose Pittsburgh as my top choice of places to visit.

Unfortunately, a traveler's opinions on a city they would choose to visit are based on media information, which is all I have at this point. Media coverage of Hawaii, New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, all do a better job of glamorizing the place than Pittsburgh does. Show me a commercial of all the glamor and wonder of Pittsburgh, and I'll consider it.

Never seen anyone glamorize Cleveland, either... and I know why, because I have been there.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

I think Vegas, NYC, LA, Hawaii are all good choices. Isn't Vegas one of the cheapest places to fly to?

Pittsburgh? Pah!

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

Unfortunately, a traveler's opinions on a city they would choose to visit are based on media information, which is all I have at this point. Media coverage of Hawaii, New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, all do a better job of glamorizing the place than Pittsburgh does. Show me a commercial of all the glamor and wonder of Pittsburgh, and I'll consider it.

Pittsburgh is not glamorous by any stretch of the imagination. But it's a very pleasant place to visit, with many interesting things and places to do and go. It's probably my third favorite city behind Seattle and San Francisco. I'm fairly astonished that anyone would consider Chicago glamorous; large and utilitarian, with all the standard features of any large metropolis, yes, but glamorous? It's been eight years since I've been there, though, so perhaps it's changed.

Dave, was there any particular reason you included LA in your list? I've always considered any time I spent in LA to be a particularly harsh punishment for a crime of which I wasn't aware, and I'm always curious to hear what people find appealing about it. I know some perfectly decent, otherwise sane individuals who live there and enjoy it, but they can't seem to explain why.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

I think L.A. or Vegas would be fine places to host JournalCon in the future. And I'm not just saying that because I could drive there.

Okay, that's a lie; that's exactly why I'm saying that.

Dave, are you still planning on going to JournalCon?

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

No. I was seriously thinking of going, but then one of the people I wanted to meet was Lynda. Sadly, that is no longer true. It seems the sole purpose of my trip would be to trash a certain Volkswagon manufactured vehicle. It's just not worth the effort. Oh stop! That was a joke. Heh.

If it were Vegas, eh, probably. I'll be going to Vegas next year some time, actually. But not Pittsburgh. Bleah!

My trip for this year is going to be Florida...

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

I'll no doubt cringe at this in the morning. Caveat: I've come from a place where people gave me large amounts of tequila.

I was enormously annoyed and frustrated by Ryan's inability to stand up to the fact that some retard had fucked with our voting system and hijacked the conference to Pittsburgh ( a city which, I'm sure, is more than filled with ability to host, etc.) - and thus we capitulated.

In terms of the overall make-up of the community, Chicago was - flat out - the best choice: it's both - domestically and internationally - an inexpensive airline hub. It's just unfortunate that things happened this way.

In any event: JournalCon will be only what you make it. So, if you have doubts, you're probably the best person to sign up. Go and put your energy into it - make it interesting! There are no rules, here - this has never been done for journals before. Make it something great and innovative.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

Colleen-

To answer your question about the drive from Philadelphia, it's around five hours. I've made that drive way too many times. I would warn you to watch your speed, lot's of construction and lots of state police. If you need info about the best route into town let me know.

Stacey and William have made some pretty good suggestions regarding food and drink. There are some other restaurants and bars closer to town. The two areas that will be easiest to get to will be the South Side and the Strip District. The Church Brewery is worth a visit even if for the novelty of drinking in a converted Catholic church. There are a couple other brewpubs as well. Two of them in the Strip District.

Hope this helps.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

Unfortunately, a traveler's opinions on a city they would choose to visit are based on media information, which is all I have at this point. Media coverage of Hawaii, New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, all do a better job of glamorizing the place than Pittsburgh does. Show me a commercial of all the glamor and wonder of Pittsburgh, and I'll consider it.

So your objection is based solely on the fact that you've never seen a commercial that makes the city seem glamourous. That tells me all I need to know. Carry on.

On another note -- if you're looking for a brew pub, Valhalla in the Strip District is the place to go -- much better selection and much better in-house microbrew than the Church Brewery which relies on the kitsch/rebellion appeal to get people in the door. Or, at least, so say the beer mavens/brewers who live in my basement.

And for bars/nightclubs, well, South Side is good if you go for the sorts of places where frat boy types in Timberlands and baseball caps (and the women who date them) hang out drinking beer after beer, making that frat boy "Whoo" noise repeatedly and loudly, and then pee in alleyways or on the tires and/or doorsteps of local residents. If that's not your scene, I'd recommend the Strip District for you as well -- a slightly older crowd, I think, and more diversity of club styles (straight up bars, dance clubs, restaurants, brewpubs, etc.) which helps the area move beyond the get-drunk-try-to-get-lucky paradigm that seems to have gripped the South Side.

Oh, aside on the "glamourising" of Cleveland -- anyone who lives in this part of the country knows that it IS, indeed being glamourised to good results, and with good cause. Millions of dollars have gone into a a long overdue renaissance in that city and the placement of the Rock N'Roll Hall of Fame gave them a starting point to build a very revitalised waterfront district that gives any city (not counting Vegas, which is less a city than a world unto itself) a run for its money, day and night. Even I, a die-hard Pittsburgher who has been exposed to a lifetime of "mistake on the lake" sentiment has to admit that Cleveland does indeed rock. Point of this? It's good to know what you're talking about before you start talking.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

With all due respect to the folks who wish that JournalCon were being held elsewhere, I would submit that this isn't really the best time to debate that issue. Regardless of whether the ballot box was stuffed, regardless of whether you'd like to have it somewhere else in the future, this really isn't the time to pick on Pittsburgh. That's where the conference is being held this year, and if we spend the next two months running down the city instead of trying to make this as much fun as possible, there probably won't be a next year.

I mean, it's fine to suggest venues for next year (or next time, whenever that may be). But badmouthing Pittsburgh really serves no purpose at this point, and it's a pretty rude thing to do to our hosts -- especially since so far, everyone who has posted from actual experience with the city has had good things to say about it.

As you were.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

Yes, I should have mentioned that while the South Side is full of bars, you have to pick and choose the ones you go to carefully if you don't want that lovely "frat party" atmosphere. Piper's Pub is reportedly quiet, friendly, and has an amazing imported beer selection, according to my beer snob significant other. (I myself am only beginning to learn about the complicated thing that is beer snobbery.)

All I will add to the "is Pittsburgh a horrible place?" debate is that when my guidance counselor first suggested I look at a school in Pittsburgh, I cringed in horror. It happens to be an excellent school for what I wanted at that time to do with my life, so I reluctantly agreed to hop in the car and visit, grumbling the whole way about "why on earth *Pittsburgh*?"

I fell deeply in love with this city after one day spent here, came back to visit for a weekend the following year to make sure it wasn't a fluke and found more neat things about it, enrolled, and after three years I still love it here. I think it's almost time for me to move on, simply because I'm not the person I was when I came here, and I think the life opportunities I'm looking for lie elsewhere now. But this is a city that will always be very close to my heart.

Yeesh. I should work for the Pittsburgh publicity council or something...

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

Forgot to say this last night. This statement:

Unfortunately, a traveler's opinions on a city they would choose to visit are based on media information, which is all I have at this point.

... is just not true. A smart traveler's opinion of potential travel destinations is based on research (very easy now that we have that there internet) and asking folks who have visited or lived there. If everyone relied on the media, folks might actually be coming to California just for the cheese.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

I've found that places that aren't top tourist destinations are usually cheaper, less crowded, and more "real" [i.e, fewer theme parks and more real parks].

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

"If everyone relied on the media, folks might actually be coming to California just for the cheese."

Snort. That cracked me up, Beth. Just thought you should know.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

I never knew that California was in any way reknowned for its cheese until I actually moved there and started seeing all those commercials about tourists coming here for cheese.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

I never knew California cheese was anything to write home about until I accidentally bought Tillamook cheddar. Sorry, Oregon, but ... eeesh.

It's the cheese. Definitely the cheese.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

In Live at the Johnny Mac Brown High School, Lester "Road Hog" Moran and the Cadillac Cowboys were going to go to Nashville to cut a demo tape if they could get their vacations at the paper mill together.

I'm going to a book fair in Michigan the weekend before JournalCon, and can't take two weekends off from work, for road trips to conventions, or trade shows. I'd like to. I can't.

I remember going to the annual meetings of the American Anthropological Association when I was a senior in college, with applications for fellowships to several graduate programs out. The show was a meat market, with prospective employers and employees lying through their teeth to each other, and the papers presented were the jockeying of careerists, milking their autobibliography. Enough to disillusion a person.

I've been to small press and mail art conferences and met people I still correspond with, people who later published books of mine, or pieces in their little magazine.

I've only had a web site for six months, and don't know that many people, don't have that much experience to share. Maybe next year I can go, and meet some of the people I read every day.

I'll look forward to reading about the convention in the journals I read. I remember when those three guys out in Californa all went to the air show together.

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2000

I've noticed when travelling that even in places known for certain 'must-see' attractions, it's a lot more fun and interesting to seek out the places that don't get hyped. Nearly everywhere's got something interesting to see. We were married in Germany and took our honeymoon in the Neuschwanstein area (the 'Sleeping Beauty' castle)...stayed at an old hotel with lots of 'quaint', but not a lot of modern amenities. There was an American couple in the hotel, on one of those tours where you try to whip in as many 'sights' as possible in a ridiculously short time. They complained about the hotel, complained about the overcast weather (perfectly normal for the area) that was going to 'ruin' their photos... complained about everything that wasn't exactly like they'd have had it if they'd never left home.

It was totally freaky to witness, and in their quest to see all the 'right' things, they missed the entire experience.

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2000

perhaps here is the time to ask the question which has been bugging me ever since 1984, when I took my first jaunt to the States - why is American cheese orange?

And when it's not orange, it's white?

Here it's yellow.

-- Anonymous, August 13, 2000

Getting back on topic for a moment: I'm still looking for a female journalcon roommate. I'm small, quiet, and neat and I don't even snore! E-mail me.

OK, now you can all go back to talking about cheese.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2000