This last year sure has been full of challenges. I completely lost track of writing here due to it and I apologize. CONduit actually succeeded, despite some glitches. This was the very first time that I have chaired an entire convention and I learned a lot.
1. It doesn't matter how good someone is at their job. If they can't work with the people around them, they are a problem. This applies to multiple people.
2. People aren't as hung up on tradition as we think they are. They are only hung up on those traditions that they actively play in. This is not tradition. This is territoriality.
3. Interactive is best. The non-GOH panels that we saw the most positive feedback from were the interactive ones. I've received more comments about Utah Geek's Wookie Calls, Beat the Geek, and other open to the floor contest based panels than just about anything else.
4. Utah's fen are fine with a little controversy on the schedule. The politics panel (Fascism vs Socialism in Starship Troopers) was actually quite full. The debate only vaguely stayed on Starship Troopers, largely wandering into the real world. Oh... and I'm rarely the most conservative person in a debate. I was the most conservative person in that room.
5. Flyers in geek hangouts suck as advertising. We are selling to the same people who choose to come or not come every year. Yes, we should keep doing them. No, they should not be our sole source of spreading the word. Let's flyer the crap out of other cons. Do ad exchanges with other cons. Get on the free community listings available through PBS, geek website, fanzines, etc.
6. We may have to look at room layout to better serve the dealer's room and art show. Neither of them get the traffic that they deserve.
7. Media guests actually work at CONduit, we just need to figure out a better way to handle them. This feeds back into the advertising issue.
8. Communication, communication, communication!!!
9. Last, but not least... my job is not to be well liked by the staff. My job is to make sure that they are doing their jobs. If I need to be more of an ass to make it happen, I need to do that. Shaking babies and kissing hands is what I am supposed to do with the fen and guests, not the committee.
There ya go guys! I hope to be able to blog more this year as I press on for a more inclusive and general interest CONduit.
