Lara’s Comments (group member since Mar 07, 2009)

Lara’s comments from the fiction files redux group.

OH MY GOD, JE! yes!!!

Any progress, guys? Flights are getting more expensive by the day...

I've had to book my flights to France - kept my hosts waiting as long as I could. I'll be there 17th to 25th July x

I don't mind a week with you guys immediately followed by a week in France! Fingers crossed we find something. Thanks!

Hey all, I've been invited to France again! From July 16 to 23. This is exactly why I wanted to set the dorka in stone sooner rather than later. Any ideas for dates this year? Please let's get this show on the road! x

Well, I think it's safe to say a US dorka is on the cards. Thanks to those of you who have shared your preferences.

I guess we start looking for a place in January? Get this Christmas malarkey out the way.

Congrats, Neil, to you and Chris. If we end up near Seattle, you guys have to at least drop by for a visit so we can raise dorky toasts to you both!

So far then:

Patty - anywhere

Jean-Paul - anywhere

Patrick - US (preference, Missouri)

Jonathan - US

Kerry - US

Alan and Chicago peeps (Shelby, Elizabeth, possibly Jessica? And Hugh? - US

Would be great if others could state their preference, please. I think we're going to end up Stateside, but I'd love for everyone to decide in the matter. Would a poll be easier?

Let's all make the effort to make a 10th anniversary dorkapalooza, no matter where. It's been an important aspect in our lives and, yes, life has scattered us, we've "grown up", developed careers, created families and all the rest, but let's try to give this thing at least one last hooray to celebrate and acknowledge its [once] importance in our lives. Let's make this 10th anniversary and then let it peter out if it must. After that, those close friends who want to see one another can do their own thing, wherever they want, wherever they want.

I know you can't beat a dead horse, but its not quite dead yet. Let's give it one more trot around the pasture before putting it to sleep.

x

And this makes me sad. Sorry, Patrick xxxx

That makes me so happy!

Hey all

A few years ago, at the California edition of the dorka, a few of us got to talking about where we would like to go for the 10th anniversary of these wonderful get-togethers of ours. A castle or manor house in Scotland was the general consensus, and I created a Facebook event to "keep the date" as it were. I wanted to check in with everyone, before the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons pull us all in different directions with their myriad of associated priorities, to gauge the level of interest in such a trip. The past couple of dorkas have had no-shows or have been very much smaller than previous years, so I think it's important to carry out this thought process first as it's going to require a greater level of commitment and planning from all involved than previous dorkas.

I am totally committed to taking responsibility for all the accommodation searches, making enquiries and booking the location - it's only right that I take the reigns seeing I'm in the UK, and in any case it's about time the usual organisers get a well-deserved break from all that! However, when it comes to putting down a deposit, I will need funds from each of those who commit to the trip via our usual PayPal medium.

It will be more costly for you non-UK dwellers so - and I'm sorry to use the C word again - we'd all have to commit ourselves pretty early in order to get the cheapest flights. Now that we have a bunch of kiddie dorks, cheap flights are even more of a necessity than ever.

Passports! Are you all set to travel abroad? Some of you haven't done so for years.

I reckon we stick to our last-week-of-July thing as that has traditionally been the most agreed-upon time for our gathering.

So, have a think about money, logistics and your circumstances. Take a quick look at flight prices to either London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, even Dublin if you want to get a bit of the Irish experience on the trip. Work out how much you need to put away each month. All the kind of crap that's crap to have to do but will be well worth it in the end.

We have a lot to celebrate - some wonderful things have happened these past ten years and it would be great to get the family together to raise a toast to all the good stuff. And, if it turns out bonnie Scotland isn't meant to be, we'll always have our beloved Seattle and its environs!

Looking forward to thoughts and suggestions x

Never thought I'd ever miss a dorkapalooza, but I'm afraid this year I have to. Gutted. Thought I could wing it but I need to be sensible with my money for the first time ever.

I'll be stalking you all online for the duration and missing you all something silly.

x

I've been lurking because I haven't been certain I'll be able to make it this year. Possible relocation to Edinburgh at the end of the year, two weddings, my sister relocating from the US, a week in France promised to friends who named their November-born kid after me... The possibility of not having my current salary has made me a bit scared of spending in this year of extraordinary spending. Making the decision re: accommodation so late in the day has also meant I'll have to spend more on flights.

But I just can't not go!!! Johnny's place! Seeing you guys! I just can't not go.

So, please decide on dates QUICKLY so I can shut my eyes tightly, throw all caution to the wind and book a flight to Seattle!

x

Man, the fact that there is no response to that makes me sad. Maybe you're right, Patty.

helloooooo? anyone ho-ooooome? there was a great flurry of excitement at a 2015 dorka and then---nothing. are we doing this or not? i dreamt of some of you last night and thought i'd come and do some cheerleading! it's almost mid-feb; if we're going to do this we should pull our proverbials out.

I'm up for learning sign language - my landlord is deaf and I always feel like an idiot not being able to understand and be understood.

Count me in, of course.

And 90% Brian!!!

Ever since seeing River Phoenix collapse into a narcoleptic state on a deserted road in Idaho, I've wanted to go there (got Seattle and Portland done, Gus!), and Montana, well, it's a stunning place (certainly in my mind). I'm sold on locations, fo sho.

anywhere west of here! you know I'm in. desperately need the escape.

The Goodreads challenge over the past two or three years has actually helped me regain the ability to read past the first page of ANY book, something I was unable to do during a good six-year bout of depression. It was awful not being able to do something I loved so much, and I was overwhelmed by the number of books out there that I wasn't getting to enjoy or learn from. I didn't stop buying books though, so, slowly but surely, with the help of the challenge (I guess the structure has helped), I've read many of the books purchased during those dark few years. So happy to be reading again, I basically read my way through the Christmas holidays! I still have a load to get through, and they are what I intend to read this year. Some classics, some contemporary, some poetry. Looking forward to it!