20th Anniversary Bash

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Would you participate in the 2024 Birthday Bash?

  • Yes, I'd enter one or more contests

    Votes: 51 66.2%

  • Yes, I'd buy a shirt or a mug

    Votes: 53 68.8%

  • Yes, I'd help manage the event (contest, prize coordination, etc.)

    Votes: 9 11.7%

  • No, I'm not interested in the Bash

    Votes: 6 7.8%
  • Total voters
    77
  • Poll closed .
jeff

jeff

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Dec 5, 2003
Messages
9,031
Location
Westlake, OH, USA.
February 2024 marks our 20th year. For many years, we celebrated our anniversary with the "Birthday Bash." Due to declining interest and other factors, last year we did not celebrate our 19th in the usual fashion. (For those new here who have not experienced the Bash, check the archive of prior events.) If there is sufficient interest, we'll fire up the Bash machinery and celebrate in 2024.

Attached to this post is a poll to help us gauge interest in the 2024 event. Please take a moment and submit your response. Also feel free to follow up here with a post. Please respond sincerely. It takes a huge amount of time and effort to run the Bash. I'd rather skip another year than get the team all cranked up for a disappointing turnout.

Thanks for your responses and comments.
 
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In response being you asked as a long time member I have seen the best and the worst times of the Bash Party. I seen it evolve over the beginning years where the newness was fresh because mostly this site was also fresh. With other social media platforms such as FB the newness has gone away and membership here is down. No fault to any doings here but this is life in general. People want quickness. In and out. Following threads and story lines just does not play well much any more in my opinion. I see this site more as a quick answer to a problem that someone has come upon. The talking points about pens has dwindled. We see this with the Bash over the years. Big noise at the start and then crickets during the event. Accolades at the end. Not much discussion about said made pens follow. Over the years the different categories of contests has dwindled to basically a few basic ones and we can view past recent events to see which ones they are. It does take time and huge effort from those that help. So in my opinion I believe that the Bash events have run their course and much time is needed to remove ourselves from these events. As you said and explained some time ago the prize packages have dwindled too because of other pen gathering events that take place in different states and areas. There is just so much that vendors can donate too as well as expect some sort of advertisement return. Getting packages of blanks is nice if you are just starting out but unless some special blanks are included the older members here probably have enough of blanks so again prize packages are not a draw for entries. Just maybe pen making is not that big of a draw any more. As much as it pains to say I believe the Bash has busted.

With this said I believe awhile back you explained your absence from here because of work and life situations and is well understood as we all go through this. But you did go on to mention that at some later date in maybe a few years we all can have this discussion about the future direction of the site and what can be done to enhance it further such as different contests or a different type of Bash Party or other ideas and get input from the membership on this.

Having said this and voiced an opinion I must say I have no real feelings in weather we do or not have a Bash Party. I always enjoy looking at great pens. But one thing I do miss is the merchandise such as shirts both collared and non collard. Mugs not so much any more. Just would like to add a thank you for all you do to keep this site open and running.
 
How about a Bash-lite?
  • Sells some SWAG
  • PITH
  • Blank exchange
  • Vendor sale
  • One - Top 3 "liked" pen contest (prize is the SWAG or vendor gift certificate, donated blank or kit); just one category, most liked pen.
It can be made less "burdensome" to conduct, buy still fun.

I voted, no, but I would buy some swag, exchange a pen, blank etc.. Could be a good wait to generate interest or determine if its time has passed for a while. We do have new members that have never experienced a bash. We can see what their participation is like.

Just an idea.
 
TonyL said:
How about a Bash-lite?
  • Sells some SWAG
  • PITH
  • Blank exchange
  • Vendor sale
  • One - Top 3 "liked" pen contest (prize is the SWAG or vendor gift certificate, donated blank or kit); just one category, most liked pen.
It can be made less "burdensome" to conduct, buy still fun.

I voted, no, but I would buy some swag, exchange a pen, blank etc.. Could be a good wait to generate interest or determine if its time has passed for a while. We do have new members that have never experienced a bash. We can see what their participation is like.

Just an idea.
Click to expand...
What??? No Puzzles??? 🙂
 
Edgar said:
What??? No Puzzles??? 🙂
Click to expand...
Ok, just for you Edgar.... :D - Dave
Wood.jpg
 
For me, the Bash became too complicated: I think it tried to offer too much; it had too many things going on to be enjoyable.
It became more like work and less like fun.

I personally believe the early bashes were more enjoyable.

Having said this, during the later years, I couldn't have a cell phone with me at work and won't use work computers for personal use. This meant trying to fit each day's big bash activities into a rather small window. I hadn't really had time for turning the past several years either.

I would definitely contribute a prize or two if you have a Bash in 2024. I'll have more time when I retire which will probably be the end of February.
 
GaryMGg said:
For me, the Bash became too complicated: I think it tried to offer too much; it had too many things going on to be enjoyable.
It became more like work and less like fun.

I personally believe the early bashes were more enjoyable.

Having said this, during the later years, I couldn't have a cell phone with me at work and won't use work computers for personal use. This meant trying to fit each day's big bash activities into a rather small window. I hadn't really had time for turning the past several years either.

I would definitely contribute a prize or two if you have a Bash in 2024. I'll have more time when I retire which will probably be the end of February.
Click to expand...
That is what I am saying. Do whatever you want. If it wasn't too complicated or too whatever, the participation would be higher or the novelty and thrill has passed.
 
Come on you guys don't be a pen in the mud. 😥 Let loose and have fun. 🎂🎉🥳 I always enjoyed seeing the creativity of the pens that were something else (space ships etc), hard to hold/write with and trash talking. The bash brought out the best in a lot of us and I think is worth doing again so we can play some more. If you are going to be a bummer do it on Face Plant. Let'r rip Jeff!!!
 
I appreciate all the comments. Keep them coming!

The Bash was definitely exciting for many years. There was a certain new, unique aspect to it. The IAP was new, it was the only game in town, on-line anyway, and we got very generous support from many vendors. Sadly that is all no longer the case. We're obviously not new after 20 years, there are many other penmaking groups and events, and vendors are inundated with donation requests from them.

To that last point... for our 10th, the donation drawing had 42 really nice, valuable prizes. In 2022 we struggled to get 10. Now I realize that most people didn't participate just for the drawing, but it did add a lot of excitement to the event. For me it was a lot of fun to post a new prize or two daily.

@jttheclockman JT made a very interesting observation.
With other social media platforms such as FB the newness has gone away and membership here is down. No fault to any doings here but this is life in general. People want quickness. In and out. Following threads and story lines just does not play well much any more in my opinion. I see this site more as a quick answer to a problem that someone has come upon. The talking points about pens has dwindled.
Click to expand...
I have to agree that the "personality" of the internet has changed. People seem to use forums like this for answers, not to become a member of a community. The number of members who join, post a few times (or never post), then disappear has steadily increased over the years. FB and other platforms have the same issue. There is a core community here (and I appreciate you all greatly!), but we don't add new "community members" very often.

I like @TonyL 's idea of a "Bash Lite" It seems like a good compromise. (Plus puzzles, of course :) )
 
Not been around as long as some of you, did help out in a bash and have donated prizes and entered contests. Just adding some context to be taken with my comments.

20th is a milestone. Hopefully we can come up with something special even if it isn't as big as a bash.

Beyond that, I am wondering if a change of context in competitions, prizes and such may help. Perhaps, instead of one big bash with a concentration of contests and games in a single month we spread it out over the course of a year.

Maybe quarterly, every other month or monthly. A single competition for that period and a single game. More time may equal more entries, better entries, more time to participate.

Jeff or the administrators can pick 4 judges from volunteers and he or or one of them be a tie breaker for the fewer competitions over the course of a year, or put it to a vote, whichever works.

Then, in February all of the winners from the previous year are reviewed and an annual best is picked. From the winners of the periodic games, a random drawing is made. We could even pick the best from among those pens that didn't win in a given month.

Not saying these are the right answers, but it could change the pace, maybe get more entries, give more time to participate.

Maybe the prizes are of value or maybe they are 3D printed bobble heads Ben Franklin with his arms out to be a pen holder with a "June 2024 - Best Beginner Pen" label on it or even just bragging rights. The goal would be to have fun. While trying to make it easier to manage and execute.
 
I think the Bash is a lot of fun. With the current format it seems like nothing happens for the first 3 weeks then there's a week of polls and judging then it's all over. I thought it was more fun when entries were posted more often. Every morning I would look at the site to see what got posted since I was last there to see what was happening. I have some resin to use, I may need to brush up on my casting...
 
Maybe instead of annual BASH; we could do every 5 years. maybe we would have more participation, more prizes, more donations. I fully get the life balance thing. I got so busy the last 10 years I could barely get on here to glean new info; let alone guess the mystery wood. now fully retired, and the bank keeps me home, I have more time to get into the shop and get fun things going.
 
The Bash should definitely go on for the 20th! I'm with @TonyL on the "lite" version. Even if it's not a full bash, do something, anything.

Jeff mentioned the huge amount of time and effort. I don't mind putting in some effort, but wish I had more time to commit to helping. A lot can change by February, though, so who knows.
 
It's fun seeing what the seasoned makers can do. It's also fun seeing what new makers who aren't set in their ways come up with. It was also a way to see what others were doing so you could do to build a better pen.
 
sorcerertd said:
The Bash should definitely go on for the 20th! I'm with @TonyL on the "lite" version. Even if it's not a full bash, do something, anything.

Jeff mentioned the huge amount of time and effort. I don't mind putting in some effort, but wish I had more time to commit to helping. A lot can change by February, though, so who knows.
Click to expand...
In a sense, It's a full bash to anyone that never experienced the past ones. Still a lot of fun.
 
Just a bump because polls will close today. Just would like to say something. I do not know how many voted and can see who commented at least . At least take some time to vote.
 
Results are in. 77 people took the time to vote. now Jeff can read into the numbers but from what I see if that is the cross section of this group then nothing has changed. You get the same low turnout for voting and participation in the Bash contests. Back to turning some more pens. getting ready to post a few more soon. :)
 
I know this is qn old thread, but I just saw it. It's been a busy year so I haven't been on much. Personally I LOVE the bash. I love the contests. Seeing all the sweet stuff people come up with. It's so inspiring. I usually compete in as many contests as I can. Even a few I have no business entering. 🤣🤣
 
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