So rather than being able to write a little while at the conference (which I'm still doing), I'm limited to posting these a lot later than I wanted to. More on that later.
I arrived at the hotel a little past 1 p.m. this afternoon. It wasn't very clear what I was supposed to do once I got there, but I have to admit the 35' banner removed any doubt that this was a high-rolling affair. The first picture I got of it wasn't that great because it was taken while standing in an adjoining parking garage (hence the strange angle). After setting my bags down, I made the regular phone calls to locate the rest of my group. One was on the golf course, the other AWOL. I spent about an hour lounging around, figuring that check-in would not begin until at least three. I picked up my registration packet, which consisted of a name badge (saying "Alternate" and "First Timer") and a vinyl portfolio. So in the swag department, I was a little lacking. Ah well.
I finally got up the nerve to go to the desk and ask when the check-in period began. Having already started, I was a bit surprised to learn that when I checked in (being the first), my credit card was frozen for the amount of the room. Now, headquarters is paying the room rate, so I suppose the transaction is just in case we go all "rock star" on the room. Not a chance.
As of this writing, our roommate still hasn't shown. We figure he must be a chapter counselor who either a) isn't coming, but was reserved anyway or b) had a very late flight. Either way, in a few hours, I'm crashing on the bed that was otherwise intended for him.
Onto the lack of wireless Internet. That in itself doesn't bother me. Not all hotels have caught up to the times, and you can't expect a nice hotel like this one to have all the ammenities provided by a Super 8. But for the love of god, why charge $9.95 a night for wired access? Sure, you get the International rate calling, but even the Nashville library gives this stuff away for free. I can pick up the faint signals from all the way up on the 13th floor of Nashville businesses who understand that this stuff doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. Rather, you get free Internet for just ordering a cup of coffee.
What. A. Rip-off.
The opening session was filled with success stories, and more parlimentry procedure than you could shake a gavel at. The legislation meetings are to be conducted very orderly, so we were admonished quite a few times to not interupt or cause chaos on the floor; that was for committee meetings.
We were assigned to the Bylaws-Purple committee (a big enough task to have been divided into Red and Purple). Most of the legislation deals with academics (onward, upward) and one is intended to create a special classification for brothers deployed overseas. Overall, I can't really see any reason either would be opposed. We are expected to perhaps hear other proposals sometime before the 4:30 p.m. Thursday cut-off for new proposed legislation.
When sitting there listening to everything, the only resolution I would like to write is one directing the technology committee to create a set of standards for chapter Web sites. We've got such a hodge-podge of content out there, and none of it really follows the same vein. What I would like to see is a minimum content standard, with design resources shared (like the hex-code for the proper shades of purple and red), along with a few stylistic preferences (such as suggesting a high-visability position for the Balanced Man Logo and Crest). Overall, I don't think it should take an "act of Conclave" to get this kind of thing done. It should already be in place.
The standards committee met before the official orientation to read off what sounded like the run-of-the-mill "behave" clause. Shouldn't this just be a part of the guidelines for the conference anyway? Although, I have to admit I've seen quite a few t-shirts that make my blood curl.
Guys, seriously, "Screw. Nut. Bolt." is for the other guys. You deeply crushed my hopes that this was different from an over-sized Carlson, where just about any walk of idiot can show up.
It's also interesting to note that the next Conclave will be in Atlanta [Source: Back of Conclave program]. Has anyone else noted that the preference seems to be for venues south of the Mason-Dixon Line (Washington D.C. 2001; San Antonio, TX 2003; Nashville, TN 2005; Atlanta, GA 2007) ? I have to wonder how our brethren in the upper northeast feel about traveling across the country year after year.