Topless,

May 26th is a Tuesday, so it should be a non-issue for a weekend day picnic.

Perhaps before the picnic, you can give a high-level list of the Joe toys that you'll be selling/trading at the picnic. That way people like me will know how much money to bring.

Would that vehicle be a Scion?

Blitzkrieg

Yes, time flies, and it flies faster the older you get.

Wizard World Philadelphia is June 19-21, which should be after the date that we choose for the picnic.

What sort of diorama did you have in mind?

A mini-movie could be fun. Even if it's something quick and fun, it can be still be time consuming. So to minimize the time we would need to spend filming the mini-movie, we would need to have certain essentials set up before hand:

1) Who would be bringing the video camera? In what format would the video camera be? Digital?

2) For characters, you'd obviously be Chuckles, PoetFlint would be Flint, but who would the rest of us be? I have no problems staying behind the camera for this proposed project.

3) Even with a simple plot, we'd need to write a script and distribute it to the "actors" with enough time for them to rehearse.

I may be overcomplicating the project, but if it's good (or more importantly, funny), then if I attend the Joe Con this year in Kansas City (I'm still on the fence, waiting for the exclusive set to be revealed), I could submit the film into the Joe Film Festival that has become a tradition this year. It would definitely help our group get more publicity towards an active target audience.

Also, we need to see if there are enough attendees interested to even make a mini-movie.

Looking forward to seeing you guys again as well.

Blitzkrieg

Care to share Diaper Viper's real name? Or is classified?

My ideal exclusive figure style is either ARAH (which may limit your choices) or new sculpt. If I want another 25th Anniversary sculpt, I can go to retail.

I think it's a little late to set up a custom-theme group project like we did last year, especially since last year everyone had over half a year to put together their customs (figures and vehicles) to create an impressive, diverse spread.

I definitely feel we should discuss and decide on a custom theme for the 2010 picnic, or maybe even a 2nd PA JoeCustoms Get Together in the fall.

Blitzkrieg

It would be great if you could attend. It's nice to see additional new faces at the picnic.

Blitzkrieg

Which Johnstown do you live in? Pennsylvania has like 3 of them. Dunno how that could happen.

It would be great if you could meet up with us. We're always looking for new members to our crew.

My drive from Jersey is about 2.5 hrs if that makes you feel any better.

Blitzkrieg

It would be great to have a special guest, the organizer of the Canadian Joe Con, appear at our picnic. Perhaps you could have a short lecture/seminar on how your meet grew to a convention and some behind-the-scenes type information. Or share advice on how we can expand our meets as well.

Being in Jersey, Hamilton is even further away for me. I tried to convince my wife to go this year, but no dice. Maybe if it were held a little later in the year (summer) and a little closer and touristy ike Niagra Falls, I could get her to buy into it.

Blitzkrieg

The one near Pittsburgh, i am located in the South Western part of PA.

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Sorry to hear about you getting laid off. Hopefully a new opportunity will reveal itself.

BTW, how is Rob (and his father) doing? Will he be joining you this year for the picnic? We missed him last time.

Blitzkrieg

Last year, I thought we had agreed that Wilkes-Barre (Kirby Park) would be our permanent location for the picnic and the other meeting (fall get-together) would be the event that would be a rotating/traveling location.

Although I am not against having the picnic in another location, so I can see more of Pennsylvania, I do not think another location is eligible, unless the proper scouting/intelligence has been gathered. Mentioning a town and then providing little or no details doesn't cement/secure the location in my mind. If someone wants to suggest a location like Pottsville, then we need to know the specific location (e.g., park), address, perhaps a Web site address, and just as important, how to secure picnic benches/tables. For Kirby Park, the regular attendees know the location and we have Chuckles available to secure our usual covered picnic bench location. For another location to be considered, the person suggesting a location would need to be responsible for "squatting" or reserving a picnic location. The last thing we want is to show up to a location ready to set up our stuff and all of the picnic benches/seats are occupied.

The main reason that last fall's PA JoeCustoms Get Together didn't get off the ground is because no one provided a detailed/concrete location at which it could be held. If people want to contribute in a new way to the organizing aspect of the picnic, please provide the necessary details so that the group can make an informed decision. If we have more than one solid location, then we can set up a new poll.

This message is directed towards the entire group, not just apoc, just for clarification.

Blitzkrieg

First off...no offense taken Blitz.

As for why Pottsville? Well...Millsy and myself both are from there...and Flint does make the semi-annual trip down here also (even the weekend of the picnic). Secondly....C R I M E . Sorry Wilkes Barre-ans....but that place in the friggin news down here all the time for Rapes, Robbery's, and now...Murder. There is a reason I don't go to downtown Reading....and that sums it up.

Honestly guys...I am in no way trying to get into a pissing match here. If you all decide WB is the ticket...fine. Me...I will only bring what I can travel with in one trip from my car...not that I don't trust the attendees (as I do trust you)...but that I don't trust the lads in the park. I don't know how hard that stuff hit home with you...what happened to PoetFlint...but for me....that was a homerun in the WAKEUP DEPT...especially after all the news lately of the area.

As for mentioning a specific location...I am going to have to refer you to Millsy. He knows of a HALL ...with tables, bathrooms, a kitheonette and parking...which is FREE to Pottsville Residents...such as Millsy. As it is a hall....there is no need for "Squatting on the site"...as it is reserved...and a done deal. I also mentioned a local Fire Company's Pavillion for the service...but considering Millsy's route is absolutely free...aside of us doing damage to the facility (which I don't see us doing)...I figured his would be the best route. Keep in mind...we tried this for the fall meet...which most wanted to have in Allentown...but those in that area didn't put forth the effort...and frankly I wasn't doing the "leg-work" on an area a good 45 minute drive from my residence while others lived in that neighborhood...not to be an ass...but would you drive an hour to find a place in someone elses neighborhood for a meet???

As for info on Pottsville itself...not to seem lazy...but alot of info can be grabbed from mapquest.com. Pottsville PA zip 17901....click on hotels/motels tab....or campground tab. Myself and Millsy will also offer up any and all info we can post on the subject....one thing we both can agree on is this....LESS CRIME THAN WILKES BARRE.

Not trying to down Wilkes Barre...but....hey, you know what? Who better to ask than Poet Flint where he feels his stuff is more safe...he has been to the meet in Wilkes Barre...and has spent many a weekend at my house here....so let him chime in and tell you where he feels more safe with his belongings.

As for the Fall meet stated in your post....honestly the reason it didn't get off the ground is...the guys who were local to that area didn't want to do the "footwork" for that area. For Instance....Blitzkrieg, you are from NJ/NY area....would you expect me to ask you to come to Pottsville and do footwork for this area on a meet? I don't think you would...which was the same when it was asked of me to do the same in the lad's in Allentown area. Sorry...ask me to do legwork in MY area...no problem....ask me to do legwork in YOUR BACKYARD...yeah, that aint happening...sorry. I agree...tis a group effort...and when one part of the group gets lazy...other parts need to step up...twas all Millsy and myself were doing in this instance.

IF we decide on Pottsville, as soon as a date is set, I can get the building. As long as it's not previously booked. So I think we should figure out a date asap, even if we don't have a location, so i can book it. Even if we chooose someplace else, there is't a charge for booking , so it will just cover all the bases.

As for Rob, his father is doing fine. Rob himself will be joining us as long as he has enough notice to take off of work.

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My movie plot is simple: a Cobra Villian (whomever wants to be CC or Zartan or whomever) is selling pork chop sandwiches. Chuckles is undercover and calls the Joe team in for a raid of the stand. Kind of like an old PSA but funny, like the Youtube ones. I will use my digital Flip camera for the job and my role will be short. The lines will be pretty much ad lib. People can be any character they want, just bring the gear to look like them. We just need at least one villian, though.

Also, if anyone wants to meet up in my town of Berwick we can car pool the rest of the way down to the picnic, I'm north of Pottsville about an hour.

My dio is a secret! Shhh.

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Ok, this is a long response. I'll need to answer it in two parts.

[Part 1]

Ok, thanks for updating me on the crime situation in the Wilkes-Barre area. Being from out-of-state, I am not aware of what the local PA news is covering. Based on some preliminary research I did when the topic of crime was brought up, I checked and Pottsville crime is certainly lower than Wilkes-Barre, as is the population in general. Increases in population and crime seem to go hand-in-hand. So with less people in Pottsville, there should presumably be less "bad guys".

What happened to PoetFlint deeply affected me, and prevented me from posting immediately after the picnic, since it put such a damper on the event afterwards. However, my take on it later on was that the crime was not random. Based on the circumstantial evidence we recalled from that day, PoetFlint was targeted. The thugs (who most likely were the guys you spoke to before I arrived) stole PoetFlint's customs, but did not steal more obvious merchandise like the boxed R.O.C.C. in his car, which would seem to be more untraceable to sell on ebay or in a flea market. Would it have happened had his window only been opened a crack? Perhaps. Does an open window give anyone an excuse to steal someone else's possessions? Absolutely not. Crime technically can happen anywhere. If the chances of you getting robbed are 1 in 20 or 1 in 200, it doesn't matter, if you're that 1 person. I figured for the next picnic we'd be a little more careful to hopefully prevent another incident like that from happening again. However, as you stated, crime in general is not an isolated incident in Wilkes-Barre, so if that is the case, then I would lean against going back to Wilkes-Barre. What fun is hanging out with your fellow Joe fans if you need to look over your shoulder every few minutes to see if anyone is breaking into your car?

Blitzkrieg

[Part 2]

Millsy's hall location sounds great to me. Even if it's not really a "picnic" in the traditional sense, there are many advantages to having the picnic indoors. Climate control: the past two times we got together seemed to be the hottest days of the year. No need for squatting: this makes for a more leisurely arrival schedule. Bathrooms: No need to use the port-o-potty with no sinks to wash your hands.

Yes, the Internet has made research easier than ever. If my research is correct, there is a Ruby Tuesday in Pottsville on Rt 61 where we can go to dinner at night, like we did at Smokey Bones BBQ and Ground Round. However, the Internet also has alot of incorrect information and a number of differing opinions. For every one thing that a person thinks is awesome, there is another person out there who thinks it sucks. That is where personal testimony from our crew is critical. We know what we need as far as resources are concerned for a picnic area or hall, and the Internet isn't personalized enough to tell us that kind of information.

To answer your rhetorical question, no, I wouldn't expect you to have me research the Pottsville area. Not knowing exactly where everyone lives in PA, I wasn't expecting someone to do scouting for a location that's 45 minutes away. However, I think there is a misunderstanding of what my perception/expectations were. Please note that I posted "The main reason that last fall's PA JoeCustoms Get Together didn't get off the ground is because no one provided a detailed/concrete location at which it could be held." I meant a detailed/concrete location... period, not necessarily in Allentown. There also may have been an assumption on all of our parts that since meeting in Allentown was successful in pulling in people like MBB and yojoe-a-go-go that we should have in Allentown again. Perhaps I didn't express myself correctly during our last meet when I mentioned that the non-picnic location could be traveling/rotating, so it could be Allentown, or somewhere else, to give people from places such as Pottsville a shorter road trip to be fair.

I was just a bit disappointed that no one figured in mid-fall 2008, "Hey, this Allentown choice isn't working out. All we're hearing is crickets and watching tumbleweed blow through the forum. Maybe if I suggest someplace (detailed) local to me, it may generate some buzz." I could have offered a place in New Jersey, but I figured that would have defeated the purpose of a PENNSYLVANIA JoeCustoms Get Together. So you and Millsy throwing out alternate places for the picnic is fine with me, as long as we get things locked down, which definitely sounds what Millsy plans to do once we set a date.

Blitzkrieg

Math and probability all aside...bottom line...that could of been any of us who were robbed that day. Flint's open window was just the easiest and laziest target for them...otherwise...who knows just what would of been taken. Me...I bring my son to these meets...and frankly, putting him in these type of dangers...yeah, sorry...that just aint working for me. As I said...I am in no way getting into pissing matches over where this is held....based on the past what...4 years of attendees....the bulk is from the south...so WB is not central by my geographical analysis...but again, who am I. My local news covers Wilkes Barre area...and trust me...it makes Philly look pleasant anymore. Being from NY area...you may be more accustomed to these acts (no offense meant) and more used to seeing them happen...but myself...I come from a small town outside Pottsville...where everyone knows just about everyone...and if stuff goes down....everyone is involved in finding out who did it and bringing them to justice....again, please don't take offense to my comments, I am just a product of my environment.

As I said before....no matter where you guys decide on having this....I will do my best to attend...but I will adapt to the environment. I , like all of you, put a lot of time into my projects...and frankly don't want them to disappear into some grubby lowlife's hands.

Again...considering the bulk of us are driving from the south....moving the meet ta tad bit to the south only made sense in my book. Yeah...it increases driving time for those from the north...but overall, decreases driving time for most.

Frankly...when Allentown was proposed...I was okay with that also...in which case that is about the same drive from here to Wilkes Barre...but yet again...the lack of local guys ambition to secure a location nullified that. Millsy and I spoke via PM's and via the phone on things....he looked into arena's to hold such an event...as did I. It turned out that his was most economical...AS IT WAS FREE...so that route I thought all would enjoy. Lower Population adding to less crime....that may well be the factor....bottom line in my book is this: If the chances of my stuff being stolen from my car is less....than I am happy, I would think that most people would see it that way also....after all, we are human.