it's about time you chimed in...let me know where to meet. I declared myself a "Lame Non-commital". could that be an oxymoron????

 

+1

 

Ohhh I just got an idea, maybe I should decorate my Mini to look like an ambulance that would be funny.

 

Ah great, another misleading "ambulance" running around town.

 

Cooper, I thought of you on Sunday when I saw someone pulled over on 270 by a police paddywagon.

 

Just got off the phone with Ask-MINI... my MINI was born yesterday and has exited to the port.... I grabbed the Vin# off the Status Web Page and plugged it into the WW site... I didn't get a hit so it must not be actually scheduled for a cargo ship just yet... anyway this is exciting to me and kind-of funny because when you call that number it rings at BMW Finance right down the street from us... so far, other than the whole Oxford, England thing... this experience has been pretty much Dublin, Ohio based

 

As an FYI my VIN# never showed in on the WW site because it was shipped on another carrier. At some point your MA will have shipping info that will tell the shipping line in case it doesn't show on WW.

 

Also most of the shipping lines have info on-line about the whereabouts of their ships, so you can watch as your mini crosses the Atlantic. Mine got here early because a huricane was coming and they raced around it.

 

My company did not have the tracking. Apparently the ship will only be tracked if it submits weather reports. I just had a departure and arrival date.

 

Must be the black roof

 

Ouch.

 

+1

I'm LAME & will remain so. Yep I have good friends & that is what is important to me.

 

At breakfast??

 

I thought all ships gave a daily weather report. It was fun watching my MINI's ship dodge the wolf packs & ice bergs.

Hope you ship is a fast one Terry.

 

Watch/read about my mini step by step, born date, crossing the Atlantic, landing in NJ, all online, signed up on the mini site. Classic Mini just gave me the site to sign up on. People I work with thought I was insane, now they know I really am, they also were fighting over who got to ride in it first.

 

A new badge for you.

 

My MINI was born and sent to the port and by the time I got shipping info it was about to dock in Charleston. They released the info but my MA didn't know I could use it to track the ship. I looked up the shipping company, gave them the VIN and the told me the ship. Unfortunately it never gave a weather report. Maybe I should have offered them one of our crack local weather analysts. With their forecasting prowess my ship would still be out there!

 

I missed a lot buying used.... but I spent less....

Ooooh... look. I am in second gear.

 

I agree that the informal nature of the club up till now has had advantages. But we've only been able to enjoy that looseness of structure because Aaron's currently shouldering the financial burden of the club site (such as it is). If he decides he no longer wants to maintain an Ohio club's site when he moves to SC, we'll need to do SOMETHING. I just don't want one or two people to be left holding the bag, as it were.

Plus, we only have the one "official" monthly meeting, and other people seem to want to do more. As someone that's set up side-events, I can tell you that the tools provided by NAM are NOT the best for getting the word out - I'm currently totally dependent on Aaron to send an email to his mailing list besides posting here. Again, more burden on Aaron.

Sorry, but as much as I love you guys, I'd like to meet MORE new people. I know that makes me a madman, but I guess I just need to adjust my meds or lower my expectations or something (shrug). I'd also like to move closer to the Classic Club - there are some really great guys that meet in that group, most with a depth of Mini knowledge that's nothing short of humbling, and I'd like it if we were closer. Rivalry be damned - I think it can (and should) be done.

Like I said... Madman.

NAM here is useful, I agree, but I still meet people IN OUR CLUB that don't know we post in here, and "North American Motoring" doesn't exactly describe what we are. "MidOhioMotoring" doesn't do that great either, but at least it has our location in the name.

 

I propse that from this point forth we refer to ourselves as:

Mini Monthly Doughnut Posse
Tim Horton's Fan Club, Mini Columbus Ohio Owners Division
Monthly Meet Eat Repeat
WeedBacks (combination weedhoppers and silverbacks)
SilverHoppers (same idea with age before beauty)
If your happy and you know it honk your horn
us and them

 

Why are you running around flapping your arms because Aaron is moving? The world is not ending. While I very much appreciate all Aaron has done for us & consider him a very good friend, life will go on after his move. He will still be our friend, just a bit farther away. If Aaron needs financial help I'm glad to help him. After all he is my friend. I think you have the problem Matt & not Aaron. I feel you are trying hard to justify your actions.

How many "official" monthly meeting do you think are appropriate? One seems like enough to me & I'd guess for others. NAM seems like a good vehicle to get the word out to me. Hey & it's free too. No one has to hold anyones bag. Stop being a burden on Aaron if you feel you are. Seems pretty simple. I can't speak for Aaron, but I feel if he was asked he'd say you were no burden to him.

Matt we are in an open relationship & it's OK to see others. No one is suggesting it is not.

A question, how many people besides yourself want your new vision of a Utopian car club? There seems to be a lot of folks conspicuous by their silence. I wonder what they are thinking. Don't you think it would be a good idea to find out before doing something for them that they may well not want? Or are you doing this all for yourself? If that's the case I'll be quiet & let you. If it's not I'll apologize, but something just seems wrong about all of this urgency to reinvent something that works very well.

Call me crazy, but that needs to be answered before you move ahead with your vision for your new improved club.

Thanks for listening friends.

 

Allen, a few of those are uncomfortably too Broke Back Mountain for me.

I kind like being in the donut posse, if there are donuts involved.

 

Here is my opinion:

I like the current set up of our group. With that said I also like the idea of the website that Terry has been working on (with great comments and suggestions from others). I like the idea of having a calendar of upcoming events that people can check out and then decide what they might be interested in participating in. As far as the cost of maintaining a website, I would be willing to chip in some money as needed.

I would hate for a more structured club to drive people away (whether it be because their dislike of "structured" clubs, or their distance from Columbus).

Last night I seemed to have more things in mind when I decided to chime in, but now I can't remember them (3 pints of Guinness might have something to do with it).

 

Oh my Brian, you have exhibited the first sign of old fartitis. You have the condition called CRS, can't remember S#*@! This was most likely contracted by using a contaminated Krusty badge on your MINI.

I prescribe massive dose's of coffee & donuts. Go for a motor & call me in the morning. 3rd morning of the month that is.

I agree with the stuff you remember. A colender would be useful for draing pasta & keeping track of non-events. I just don't want to see the wheel reinvented. Our wheel wobbles along just fine.

 

I agree with B.A.D. Website communication is good. A little search was how I found you all. Now, whether or not that is a good thing can be debated.

I'm sure, with all the weedhopper geeks we have here, we can figure out some free or cheap server space somewhere with a URL redirect. And, I'm sure we can all put our heads together to do a little annual fundraiser if we need some money (raffle, etc) that would be FUN. And, I think this can be done without us turning in to some machine-like club.

My 2 cents worth.