Soule-Reeves-Wicklow Hooliday Planning
sanibel stuff moved to etherpad.com/solstice
LIST OF HOOLIDAY THINGS TO DO IN PEORIA:
----------------------------------------
[BUF] Ming's HUGE buffet
[SHS] Second-Hand Stores
[SWM] Lakeview Pool incl. Reagan
Lakeview pool at the YWCA_state of the art pool with warm water and outer lap for wa
[HIK] Hiking - not bringing baby backpack though ... (good places right in town)
[SPA] Raylene's spa (what's so special about this spa, is it cheap?)I don't know, actually but
they've been around forever and take walk-ins and are now located next to the new mall.
[JCS] Junction City shopping
[FHM] Some family home movies - some is key word, not endless hrs of this
watch our family home movies at Gr. and Grandpa's
[JWL] Dickson Mounds gift shop - jewelry
[CAN] Homemade desserts in Canton - wait, isn't canton kind of far? Yeah, a bit far, I guess.
But is it kind of in vicinity of Dixon Mounds? Martin?
Restaurants in Canton (on the square) i.e. Ari's_homemade desserts, etc.
[SK8] Ice Skating at owens - or is there an outdoor rink anywhere? Not that I know of, or at
least not in a decent part of town.
[AVA] Gondolas at Avanti's
[STA] Stairs at Proctor
[PIZ] Make my homemade sourdough pizza for everyone (will be preparing dough at Rikki's|
[CHE] Make Cheesecake Thumbprints for a dessert for our holiday meal
[ELM] Elmwood Theater: Old fashioned,balcony, one of the originals. Small town, cheap pr|
[WIN] Winery in Canton
[LUD] Ludy's in Kickapoo: great hamburger in local bar/restaurant
[ATQ] Antiques in downtown Peoria
[APO] Apollo Theater, downtown. Another original, shows classic films, etc.
[POB] Po Boys: restaurant/ bar with cajun cuisine and live music Th. Fri. and Sat. Also |
[ART] Contempory Arts Center: Fridays from 5:30 to 7:30, live music, really fun, can brin|
[FOL] Festival of Lights_ E. Peoria. Nationally acclaimed
[AGG] Peoria Art Guild Gallery Store
[DIC] Dickson Mounds_museum, gift shop (has beautiful jewlery by Illinois artists)
[ZOO] Glen Oak Zoo: open in winter? I don't know.
[STK] Steak and Shake: see the nieces in action
[SHP] Junction City shopping, all new stuff
[COB] Cobbler Corner Restaurant in North Pekin: Charming, local, good food,
and open Fri-Sun all night and day
puzzle and game store, new, I haven't been in it. It's on Sheridan and Glen.
watch It's A Wonderful Life, or other classic Christmas movie.
Candlelight walks at Luthy Botanical Gardens. Free, hundreds of poinsettias and canles...live
holiday music
Shop and Stroll at Forest Park Nature center on the 22nd. A luminaria-lit forest path...hot
wassail, treats and live holiday music... shopping in Trailhead Nature store 6-8:30pm.
shop at The Moon Dancer, an eclectic boutique in Peoria Heights (moondanceronline.com. Much other
shopping there too, like the Indian store (native American) which i forget the name of.
Tell me what type of experience you want and I can probably find something to match.
Following are from last year:
1. Games (incl auction games and brainteasers)
2. Holiday Dinner Night w/ all (G&G, Bob&Rose et al, friends, whoever)
3. Stair Workouts/try to get Dad to understand his training method is
inferior; 1st clue = I keep beating him.
4. Cross Country Skiing
5. Weight Training/Attempt to educate the clueless once again
6. CaMel visit friends (Tricia, Scott, Alexis & Logan, Heidi & Hanna)
7. Doug might visit if off work
8. Eat Mona's beef tortalini's
9. Watch movies (with Cam's fam too)
11. Have debates about Feminism :-) hee hee! or something else
12. Play/attempt to play the piano
13. Have a Dance party
14. Go to the riverfront
15. Try a guest pass to the gym down there
17. Lay around and do nothing
18. Exchange massages (prereq: must be good at it)
19. Go to Alexander's Steak House
20. Read/discuss pregnancy and parenting stuff - do I smell a debate?
21. Tell Danny we're dressing our baby in only pink (if girl) or blue (if
boy) and stick around for some great entertainment :-) JK
22. Brainstorm nursery ideas and get decor ideas from Grandma
23. Subvert the dominant gender paradigm
24. Mt Biking
25. Solstice Caroling
************************
* Galena Ski Trip 2004 * [keeping for reference]
************************
I have reserved 5 rooms at the Desoto House Hotel in Galena for the night of
Dec 26th-27th. Got a special multi room rate of $90 (reg. $117) For those
that don't know this hotel, it's a very nice antique, restored 19th century
hotel, previous guests include Abe Lincoln and U.S. Grant. --Martin
http://www.desotohouse.com/
2004 GIFT EXCHANGE:
-------------------
- Non-Existent
- Don't buy anyone a gift unless you'd like to buy for those under 18
- This only includes Rosie, Mary, Ane, and Erin (if she's there)
Happy Hooliday!
TRADITIONAL SOLSTICE GIFT EXCHANGE RULES (2003-2003):
-----------------------------------------------------
1) Spend *less* than $5 per pleasant -- ideally no money at all.
2) In addition to the Pleasants, come prepared to talk about a
charity you like, or come with money to give to another person's
charity.
[list of charities moved to improvetheworld whiteboard]
IDEAS FOR SORSTICE PLEASANTS:
-----------------------------
* recite a poem, sing a song, draw a picture, write a program,
analyze some literature, poison everyone...and then provide the
antidote, design a voting mechanism, derive an optimal strategy, pump
someone up, engineer a chemical, prove a theorem, tell a story,
perform a skit
* buy a $10 gift for 2 people together, or a $50 gift for everyone, etc,
as long as your total out of pocket expense is
less than $5 per person
* You can also go together with someone and get a $10 gift
for one person that's from 2 people or a $15 gift from 3 people, etc,
up to a $50 gift from everyone.
* candy/chocolate
* a certificate for some skill you have
* something you already own (dont even think about the obvious loophole here)
* RDK (code for an idea for Mo by Danny)
* Steven's Super Cool Idea
_Pleasant Agony_
(to the tune of If I Were by Kermit the Frog)
If I were an artist, I'd make you a painting.
I could try that for next year but
I would not hold my breath waiting.
Fa la la, la la la, la la, la la la, la la, la la la, la la.
Fa la la, la la la, la la, la la la, la laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
If I were a coder, I'd write you some software.
Well I do know how to program, and yet the software's not there.
Fa la la, la la la, la la, la la la, la la, la la la, la la.
Fa la la, la la la, la la, la la la, la laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
Since I'm a stairclimber, I could climb a building for you.
But what good would that do you?
It would only bore you.
Fa la la, la la la, la la, la la la, la la, la la la, la la.
Fa la la, la la la, la la, la la la, la laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
I'm a kind of a computational quasi game theorist.
(I'm sure that made sense, didn't it?)
So if you've an auction, my automated strategist
can tell you how to bid in it!
Since I like to whistle: [whistle, whistle, whistle],
but I do that anyway.
Doesn't take a holiday.
Fa la la, la la la, la la, la la la, la la, la la la, la la.
Fa la la, la la la, la la, la la la, la laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
Can ya guess my confession?
This song is all you're getting.
Take it up with Cameron.
But let's not be forgetting...
[Cameron thought of this idea; Laurie is the one who thought
of calling them "pleasants" instead of "super low budget gifts".]
That you also voted for this,
and I hope you're not regretting
these silly cheesy "pleasants".
'least we've got a pleasant setting.
Fa la la, la la la, la la, la la la, la la, la la la, la la.
Fa la la, la la la, la la, la la la, la laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
Secular Night (to the tune of Silent Night) by Danny, Kapoo, Steven, Philip
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Silent night, snowy night,
All is calm, all is bright.
'Round Lake Tahoe, mountains so high;
Snowflakes fall from a deep black sky.
Let's ski at Heavenly, please.
Hut-to-hut Randonnee skis.
SOLSTICE SONG (c) Jim Perkins 1998
Oh the Devil may ride through the frozen corn,
for the days grow short and the night so long.
Come sit with me by the fire 'till morn,
we'll sing back the Spring with a Solstice Song.
The Solstice Song, the Solstice Song
for the days grow short and the night so long.
The Solstice Song, the Solstice Song,
We'll sing back the Spring with a Solstice Song.
Though all the world in slumber deep lies frozen lost beneath the snow,
this winter vigil we will keep, though loud and cruel the winds may blow.
The Solstice Song, the Solstice Song
for the days grow short and the night so long,
The Solstice Song, the Solstice Song,
We'll sing back the Spring with a Solstice Song.
And When at the last from his long sleep the Green Man rises hale and strong
to bless the garden, dance and leap, and fill the forest with birdsong,
then I will rise from my warm bed, still mindful of the Winter long,
and keep the vigil in my heart, and not forget the Solstice Song.
The Solstice Song, the Solstice Song
for the days grow short and the night so long,
The Solstice Song, the Solstice Song,
We'll sing back the Spring with a Solstice Song.
POSSIBLE ACTIVITIES:
--------------------
* Rollerblade on the East Bay Trail System, San Francisco
The East Bay of the San Francisco area has the largest collection of
bicycle paths in California. Trails include the Contra Costa (27.5 miles),
the Iron Horse (26 miles), and the Ygnacio Canal Trail (3 miles). The
area is mainly residential but there are some cute small towns good for a
lunch stop. http://www.caskating.com/
* Dancing at a nice smoke-free dance club
THE ORIGINAL GIFT OPTIONS FOR SOLSTICE 2003
-------------------------------------------
1) MORATORIUM -- Complete Gift Moratorium.
No gift exchange. No gifts at all. We all promise not to violate this
otherwise it makes people feel bad and defeats the point.
[5th to be eliminated with an average vote of -0.9]
2) TRADITIONAL -- Same as we've always done it.
"You may be asking, 'Tevya, how did this tradition get started?' I'll
tell you: I don't know." [Launch in to Fiddler on the Roof song...]
[1st to be eliminated with an average vote of -2.3]
3) LOW-BUDGET -- Traditional gift exchange but scaled back.
Only inexpensive gifts allowed. If this option is chosen then another
discussion will ensue about what inexpensive means.
[4th to be eliminated with an average vote of -1.1]
4) SECRET-SANTA -- Each person gives to only one person.
We'd randomly assign each person their personal "Santa". As a Santa
for someone, you can enlist help from others as you choose. If you have
a great idea for someone who you're not the Santa for, talk to the Santa.
You could chip in or whatever. Note that the Santas won't really be
secret because you can find out who everyone else's Santa is which means
by process of elimination you can deduce your Santa. Maybe people would
show some restraint and not actually do that. Or maybe it doesn't matter
since the Santa is more just the coordinator anyway. In any case, the
givers would reveal themselves at the gift exchange.
Kapoo's and Kevin's families do Secret Santa.
[7th to be eliminated with an average vote of -1.1]
5) SELF-GIFTS -- Get yourself something to be opened at gift "exchange".
Take turns talking about what you got, how cool it is, who gets the
credit for thinking of it, other gift ideas people gave you that are
still on your wishlist. You also have the option of having your gift (or
one of them) be a donation to a charity that's meaningful to you. So
this is really SELF-GIFTS and/or CHARITIES (see option 6).
[8th to be eliminated with an average vote of 0.4]
X) CHARITIES -- Like self-gift option but only for charities
No gifts for yourself or anyone. Instead, we all agree to donate any
amount of money we want to a charity that we think is important. We'd
take turns talking about the charity and why we think it's helping to
make the world a better place. Alternatively, come without having
picked a charity but just have a wad of money which you allocate to
charities that others are giving to that you like.
[3rd to be eliminated with an average vote of -2]
6) CHARITIES+PLEASANTS -- Championed by Danny.
Give each other gifts that don't involve money (or at most $5) and take
the money we don't spend on each other and give it to causes that can do
something really valuable with it. NOTE: this means everyone does *both*.
8) SHOPPING-TRIP -- Championed by Steven.
Steven suggests that everyone puts the amount of money that they would
have spent on solstice gifts in a big fund, and then we divy it up
equally and the whole family goes on an all-day shopping trip on the
26th :) We could use some of it to have a nice lunch, and the long day
would promote family bonding, and everyone would get exactly what they
want! Possible drawbacks would be people saying "I was only going to
spend $5 dollars on solstice gifts this year, i swear!", and also the
fact that out of the whole family, Melanie and I would probably be the
only ones who could handle an 8 hour shopping day.
[2nd option to be eliminated with an average vote of -2.7]
10) PLEASANTS -- super low budget ($5/person max) -- Championed by CaMel.
Possibly a gag gift or something you make yourself. "Pleasants" instead
of "presents" -- get it? Simple pleasant things instead of material
gifts that cost money. Formerly known as "super-low-budget" and then
the "gag" option. Also known as "Sorstice Pleasants".
11) UP2U -- break into subsets.
Everyone does their favorite option(s). For example, based on current
votes, that might be something like below. (Please add your name to the
options you'd do because the breakdown will affect how people vote on
this UP2U option.)
- CHARITIES: Danny, Laurie, Trixie, Shirley
- MORATORIUM:
- SELF-GIFTS: Martin, Danny, Steven (Steven's can be a shopping spree)
- SECRET-SANTA: Trixie & Philip could have been in a secret-santa ring,
but that doesn't make sense with only two people listing it as their
1st or 2nd choice.
- PLEASANTS: Melanie and Cameron can do Pleasants to all
those participating in some form of giving (i.e. if you gave to us,
you get a gift. If you gave to yourself, nobody, or your secret santa
ring, you don't get one). People who would participate in this if
others were doing it: Cameron, Melanie, Danny, Andrew, Shirley
Keep listing names twice here. Notice Danny and Trixie would like to do
two options.
[6th to be eliminated with an average vote of -1.3]
X) SECRET-SANTA + SELF-GIFTS
A possible option to add if SECRET-SANTA and SELF-GIFTS get enough
support individually.
X) SECRET-SANTA + CHARITIES
Trixie proposes we do both of these options.
We will introduce this option if SECRET-SANTA and CHARITIES prove
popular individually.
So I recognize your arguments for the inefficiency of gift giving and
all, but I still think that for the most part giving and receiving
gifts is a lot of fun, and I think most people would agree with me.
Most people like getting something, and I know that I think it is a
lot of fun coming up with a great gift for someone I know and love.
OK, so that's my pitch.
I think we could improve on the "white elephant" gift idea, and make
up some sort of gift giving game, and then we can prototype it at
tremblant.
here are a few starting ideas:
* have an auction to divvy people up and then everyone gets a gift for
one other person. (you can bid really high for yourself if you want,
and then just get yourself something, like if you think gift giving is
stupid. It would have to be a sealed bid auction, I think, in case
there's someone no one wants to get a gift for.) This would be an
improvement over the way this is sometimes done where people are
randomly assigned.
* white elephant exchange (where everyone gets to open a gift or pick
someone else's gift that they already opened.. or something like
that), but with an auction-off when someone wants to take away someone
else's gift.
* straight up auction over all gifts (I think this idea needs some
other caveats/rules to make it a little more communistic, or all those
people who are not in touch with their inner economist will feel
rather queasy about it. I don't think people were very happy with the
auction at Yosemite, for example).
* maybe some combination of assigning gifts and then having an auction
over them? Idea being that this way in theory there is a thing that
each person will want (because sometimes I think WE exchanges suffer
from this problem where everyone tries to bring a gift that *anyone*
could want, and thus end up bringing a bunch of stuff that no one
would want.
Also, there is a question of what to do with the kids. Everyone wants
to get gifts for the little ones, and they aren't really able to
participate in the big kids market, plus you don't really want your
1yo to end up with a bottle of cognac, etc.
==============================================================
ADD YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IF YOU WANT IN ON THE PLANNING: {SPM}
Laurie: laurie.reeves@yahoo.com CELL: 309-258-0606
Martin: martin@aptigi.com CELL:
Danny: dreeves@umich.edu CELL: PEG-ARM-PAUL
Melanie: melzafish@gmail.com CELL: 925-212-0968
Trixie: erevesz@hotmail.com CELL: n/a
Cameron: ckwicklow@sbcglobal.net CELL: 707-362-6277
GA&S: andrew.reeves@wayne.edu CELL: n/a
Steven: s-reeves@northwestern.edu, steven@aptigi.com
Bethany: bsoule@gmail.com CELL:
Kapoo: ckapoo @gmail.com CELL: CHURN-PSYCH
Doug: DLyons77 @sbcglobal.net CELL: 630-890-3679
Rikki: rikkir77 @hotmail.com CELL: 773-858-3488
Morgan: morgan1cj @yahoo.com
Jessica: patienceglavin @aim.com
Soules [to be added... or add yourselves!]
{NSPM}
Daniel Reeves