patricia

Great!! Thanks Joe and Jim.

Count me in. The gift certificate thing makes sense, since we don't know what the various posters already have. I know that it's not as personal as an actual CD, but it still makes sense, unless you know the person, happen to get their name in the draw, and know what they have and like.

This has probably been asked before, but, is there an airport in Lansing??

I agree with Chris on the appropriatness of Lansing for the first hang, if only to tip my dress beanie [the one with the multicoloured propeller] to our gracious web-hosts.

So, looks like we're narrowed down to late May, June, July or August, if we want Chris to be there. Sounds good to me if it's after June and before the winds and horribleness of winter are visited on us.

Lots of people will be at the IAJE in NYC next month, but I thought we were talking about an Organissimo hang, not a trip to New York which has nothing, aside from the jazz aspect, to make it uniquely Organissimo related. I'm assuming that you were already making plans to go to the IAJE and if you go, have a good time.

That would be great for me. Late summer or early fall, after everybody has their babies and has done whatever it is that they've already committed to for the spring and summer. Fall is nice in the midwest, but winter, for me, is like being in the waiting room to Hell. I still like Lansing, home of Organissimo, the reason for this thing is even being considered. I know that there is a certain reluctance for some people about a hang not being in a major city, but we can always go to a major city, for other reasons. This is a specific event and it's home base seems to me to be a fitting tribute and a great rallying point. I guess I'm big on symbolism.

Late summer, early fall would be best for me. I like the midwest, Lansing, or St Louis and Texas or anywhere on the East Coast would not be easy for me to do.

My first choice is Lansing, for the reasons I've already mentioned, that the band is based there and it's the first hang, of I hope will be many more, maybe other places. Also, that means that the arrangements would be centralized around the band and around the hang itself, rather than simply another sight-seeing trip. I'm sure that there are interesting things in Lansing and the Organissimo guys can hip us to what they are.

Ed. No, just putting a winker next to a mean-spirited comment, or rude picture, mocking us does not make it OK. I understand your attitude and if I weren't serious about this project I wouldn't bother trying to rally support for it. Those who know me, know that when it comes to major things, or attitudes toward people, I am very serious and don't take kindly to those who post mean-spirited comments, or propose ideas which are simply pixels on a page. The web is an amazing vehicle for us and we have to remember that we are all real people and I, for one, try to be the same person here as I am in my "real" life. This site, and others simply enable us to make contact with those we ordinarily wouldn't and that's great. If there are those who don't think an Organissimo hang is a viable idea, then that's fine. As you probably realize, it would be a fairly major undertaking for those, like me and probably others, to attend an Organissimo hang, considering that I live in a different country, but I'm willing to do it, if it gets off the ground. There are always those who think it's clever to knock the wheels off other people's wagons and the only thing to do is just consider the source. If they aren't interested, they should just back off. There is nothing to be gained by being an ass. An Organissimo hang could be a fun thing and I'm all for as many of us as can to put one together. I hope that you will change your mind and, what the hell, I'm sure that Dan didn't mean to be a jerk. He's probably a perfectly nice guy. After all, he likes jazz, so how bad can he be??

Exactly. Thank you Radissimo. I agree that the practical aspects are paramount. Once we agree on the site, then, it would make sense that those who live there, or near there would be in the best position to scout it out and post the options, re travel, lodging tentative plans etc. We don't want to plan it to death, but it seems to me that there should be some sort of flexible shape this thing, if it jells, could take. The New York-based sites have had hangs there, but to distinguish this site, I think that the locations mentioned, Lansing, St Louis etc. would be a nice change and more representative of Organissimo. The band is interesting to me, because it is a hopeful sign that all jazz is not necessarily in New York, which is crushingly expensive for me to get to, even if I were to sleep on somebody's floor. Let them come to us for a change

That's OK, Jazzmoose. I guess that Dan isn't the only one who seems to want to be confrontational when I just want to contribute in a positive way. I corrected the spelling of his name and can only say that it was a typo. Holy man! Because I would have to make major plans, were I to participate in a hang, I just was trying to establish a central point of discussion of the date, site etc. Of course getting everybody to agree is the lynchpin of the whole discussion. I'm open to whatever the majority wants. There have been hangs at various points, through various sites, which were great, according to those who got together. There have also been proposed hangs which sank without a trace, after many months of back and forth, with only one or two who showed up. That was a shame. The idea is a good one and I'm assuming that we want to attract as many participants as possible. It might be a problem if the venue selected was too far to travel, or too expensive. Getting together is the main thing. If we are interested in actually pulling this off, there should be, at least I think, as little negative input as possible. After all, why would anyone want to travel a long way to waste their time?? So, if anybody has a good suggestion, that is feasable to the majority, let's hear it.

I am a little taken aback at the question of whether I'm "Queen". Of course not. Besides, I hate pomp and ceremony. I'm simply trying to be a catalyst for discussion. As far as I'm concerned, wherever the majority decides the hang should be held would be fine with me. My suggestion of Lansing as a site was based on it's being the home of Organissimo. July or later is better for me, but summer is usually hot, wherever it is, so that's not really an issue, is it? Of course you're right, DAN. [sorry for the errant "o". I didn't say I could spell]. The deciding factor is whether members would be willing to travel to a central location, wherever it is. That's what a hang is. Knowing, courtesy of Berigan, that the Bowling Hall Of Fame is in St Louis, as well as it being the original source of the Corvette AND that the park is bigger than Central Park, as well as everything being close, it does look better. I'm not a bowling person, but I'm sure some are. I would be flying, so being right in the middle of things is a plus. No, it doesn't have to be two days. It could be one day, or three days, or whatever. However long it is, we would have to plan for it. So, we should come to a consensus and that's all I'm saying.

I don't care where it is; I'm not getting near this psychotic murderer!!! Don't be afraid. I'm only dangerous if I'm startled. High-strung. Ya know??

Or with very nice photographs of my moose gun and target pistol that you will have to believe belong to me. Customs and all that strip-search thing, while seeming, theoretically, to be a barrel of yuks, just isn't. So, St Louis in July?? That would be good for me. Lansing in the spring is too soon, for reasons I won't go into, but if you planned a thing in mid-fall, in Lansing, I'd be there. So, you see, DAN, I'm not against St Louis. I just think that out of respect for our feeling of community on the Organissimo site that we should think about a thing in their hometown, maybe an annual or semi-annual thing in addition to....

Sheldonn, People don't listen to me and they end up running around like crazy people and not having any time to actually meet people. Isn't that the whole point of a very first Organissimo hang? Don't you want to feel that we've all enriched our lives by hearing the band in their home base?? But, what do I know?? You can always go to St Louis, but why would you ever go to Lansing, except that it's the home of Organissimo? After all, the band is the genesis of the site and getting together with the various posters on their site is why we are contemplating a hang.

Don, I agree that St Louis has lots more to do than LANSING does, but how much stuff can you cram into two days, max??? The main reason that the hang was being suggested, I think, was to get the Organissimo posters together and the delights of St Louis, if it were held there, would just be there and not necessarily able to be fit into such a short sojourn. The idea that any of us would actually get to go to all the fabulous attractions you mentioned, in the short time allotted is doubtful. The idea that we could do tons of things in a couple of days AND hear the Organissimo band, AND spend any time meeting all the posters is unlikely. Wouldn't that be like the "see five countries in five days" [if it's Tuesday, this must be Belgium] tours of European countries?

On it's way. For instructions on it's intended use, rent "Suicide Kings", in which Christopher Walken is an example of efficient duct tape utilization in emergency situations.

Charming. Your good looks are exceeded only by your lack of basic manners, the smiley indicating that you're just flippin' a kidding bird at us notwithstanding. A bird's a bird and don't make me come over there, to Slowly Rising From The Depths Of Despair, USA and pummel you. However, nobody said that any of the proposed sites for a hang were written in stone. In fact, there is no reason that the gathering of the good people of Organissimo can't take place in the city of YOUR choice, before or after the one in LANSING, which would be a significant symbolic and, I think, fun one. I assume that you are putting yourself on record wanting the premiere hang to be in St Louis. The bird was not necessary and was a bit of an over-reaction, don't you think??

Ed, May I say that you are worth your weight in rubies?? I agree. The first hang should be in LANSING MICHIGAN and I will come to it, if it is after the end of June and before winter sets in and I have to wear unattractive quilted clothing. We can always have subsequent hangs other places, but the first one should be, as Ed said much more eloquently than I did, in LANSING MICHIGAN. Thank you Ed. And Chuck, You can never have too much money for duct tape.

OK. Let's get back to the subject at hand. We're talking about a couple of days, not moving to Lansing, Duluth OR St Louis. Since it's an Organissimo hang, why not have it in Lansing, the home of the web guys. Now, I know it's not St Louis or a particularly big centre, but the idea is to get together with people who also post on this site. What better place, symbolically, than Lansing?? We can always go somewhere else, when we're tourists. It's one, or maybe two days, guys. Thoughts?? And, who says that there will be only one hang?? This would just be the first one and, I think it would be fitting, if it were in Lansing.

How about Lansing, home of Organissimo?? July is the earliest I can plan to go to a hang. I think that others may have problems with June, since school's still in for some and whether they are teachers, or just have students in their family, July is, IMO, better.

John, You ask too much. I'm up for anything, anywhere in North America, but sorry.

Peter, I put in a faint cry for Calgary in July, for the Jazz Festival here, since that's where I live, but the enthusiasm could have been measured with a micrometer. Any of the other suggested sites sound good to me, since the whole idea is that we all get together and listen to some jazz. They're all just about the same distance for me. We'll probably have to eat something and sleep somewhere, but for day or two, we can just worry about hangin'. The big thing would be organizing it and getting everybody in one place at the same time. That's why I suggested Lansing, because the Organissimo site is based there, but any of the other two suggested sites [st Louis and Duluth] are fine, if somebody can get it together. Could be a blast, wherever it ends up being held. There is lots of time between now and, say July or so, which means that we should be able to pull it off. Zero in on a place and let it grow from there.

OK, OK. St Louis. I was thinking July, onto September or October at the latest. They get snow in St Louis, don't they?? I get plenty of that here. I'm not married to Duluth, or to Lansing. It was just a starting point. Wherever it is, I'm going to have to renew my passport, now expired, and that takes months, instead of weeks, because of the "war on terror". I'm up for whatever somebody can arrange. Is there anybody in, or near St Louis who can put something together??