[dlvorg] Keeping DLV relevant, etc. ...

In this mailing:

Org List
Moving on
Keeping DLV relevant
Name Tags
Ear Piercing
Health and hygiene
Administrivia
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Org List:

This is the DLV 2015 Organizational Mailing List (dlvorg_at_geekbabe.com)
Replies to this message will be forwarded to the DLVORG list and not
the DLV-Announce or DLV-Discuss list.
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Moving on:

Thanks to those who contributed to the current discussions. Please
remember that it's OK to agree to disagree, and that any major changes
to the model of our event need to be voted upon by the gang here.
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Keeping DLV relevant:

Delaney writes:

In response to Ginger's thoughts on keeping DLV relevant, it seems to me
that many of those TG events that have ceased are due to not altering
the program significantly year over year, rising total cost of
attendance, and the original organizers (and workhorses) not wanting to
continue on without greater assistance.

For DLV, the only one that seems under our control is the first, varying
the program.

Vegas is getting more expensive, but we aren't a big, or cohesive enough
group to gain real price concessions.

SCC is moving, at least in part, due to the belief that costs will be
less in Ft. Lauderdale. While they don't seem to be looking at total
cost, including transportation, perhaps they will be correct. As I
understand it, Be-All and Texas T pretty much were victims of long time
organizers having "enough", so keeping Annie happy is a must :-).

I think we need events that will begin to attract a somewhat younger
demographic - in their 40s. I don't think we can jump from our average
age of attendance to filling the room with 20-somethings; they do not
want to party with grandma.

Events like DLV just aren't as needed as they were 20 years ago, so long
term we will need a draw - many gay bars are dying as well, I think also
due, in part, to social change.

Exactly what the "drawing somewhat younger" solution is, I am not sure,
as I am at average age DLV attendee - perhaps more shows and the like,
or the party barges on Lake Meade, or perhaps a day at the sports book,
I dunno. I believe we fall against the second weekend of the NCAA,
perhaps there is a way to work that on Sunday. I thought giving some
events a rest, such as the limo tour, was a great idea - it can be
brought back down the road.

The other thing which might help is a stronger daylight schedule, but
again, I'm not sure what that looks like. For me, I will only go to one
or at most two brunches, and I don't golf, so the day time options
dwindle some - just a personal observation, it's not meant to set off a
cat fight :-)

One option which Ginger mentioned - the surgeons who sponsor at other
events pay quite a bit of money to do so. Perhaps that could be used as
front money for tickets at some show, or for renting a common space. The
main difficulty we will have is that at a hotel convention, the MDs have
a captive audience, at DLV they would not, and my sense is a relatively
small percentage of DLV attendees are pre-op. However, one or two
surgeons paying a fraction of what they donate at SCC etc would be more
than enough to cover the costs.

The above are just some thoughts for consideration/discussion - I'm not
wedded to any of them.
. . . . . . . . . .

Katie writes:

"Vendors, Doctors and Speech therapists"? .. This sound very like a
convention to me!

I was not thrilled a few years back when one of our vendors (Which was
a new thing at the time) ever so kindly offered to let us come to her
establishment and for being so nice she would only charge us a small
fee $$. I did not go.

Vegas is an unique town where we can be the girl or the lady we want to
be in The Real World and I love how we have evolved since I started to
attend in 2002. We have come a long way to just slip right back into the
old mold.

We can do all of this kind of stuff and more off site so to speak and I
don't travel 2000, miles to go to a gay bar. This can be done anywhere!

The call for more mainstream was loud a few years back and I hope that
others who agree will speak up instead of staying quiet so that they do
not annoy anyone which often happens with larger groups. This is a once
a year vacation in great style for me and I do not want to spoil it by
voting for something I really do not want to do.

I thought DLV was moving in a great direction but we are slipping back
and term *Convention* or even conference is slipping in ever so subtly.

If this becomes a replacement for Be all or the ever declining SCC then
I will not be going again. Ok so I will probably not be missed in a huge
way but I will bet there is more than one prominent attendee one who
will agree. We have to stop striving to make massive attendance numbers
and beat last years numbers at the expense of our uniqueness. There is
only one DLV!

I do not say this lightly. I love DLV and I would hate to see it decline
and become the inevitable convention which some seem to think it should
be. . (I can't believe people still ask where the check in desk is and
which hotel we will all be staying at) Jeez!

I know that some will not like this but If I did not say what I thought
then I should not contribute to the ORG list at all and I think I have
contributed a lot over the 12 years I have been with the group and
helped in a small way to improve the event.

Please let us take a step back and think before we try too hard to
please everyone and end up actually pleasing no one by increasing
numbers and making 3 or 4 new people happy.
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Annie responds:

Let's get this first issue put to bed ASAP.

I said this before in about 2003 and I will say it again with equal
conviction. If Diva Las Vegas becomes a convention it will be over my
dead body! If there is again a movement to steer DLV in the direction
of the model used for SCC, Be-All, etc., I will fight it with all I
have and if it happens, I will be the first to bail.

End of rumor. Ain't gonna happen! QED. Let's move on please.

One thing I will not fight, and will continue to encourage, is the
natural evolution (yes, I said it, "change") of our event. We need
the innovation, experimentation, and variety in our activities that
keep our event fresh!

I agree with Delaney that one major issue with the conventions is that
they failed to evolve and failed to adjust to the changing desires of
their participants.

So? What makes an event a "convention"? What is the tipping point?

There are a number of very easy to define characteristics that make up
the main-line TG conventions. Some of these are:

1. The mandatory registration or participation fee, in-common pricing
structure, etc.

2. Being facility-centric. Centering the event around a hotel or other
facility. The vendor hall, most meals in the same dining area, the
reserved seminar rooms, etc. The controlled conditions, the "big
communal closet" environment.

3. Yeah, the Rubber Chicken Banquet. The idea of taking something like
our Bahama Breeze affair and fork-lifting it into the Moapa Room at some
hotel is not at all appealing to me, and I doubt that it would appeal to
very many of you at all. (Keynotes, pageant, etc.)

4. The "paid safe opportunity to dress" milieu. The demand for this is
very obviously decreasing.

There are more.

I do not foresee anything similar to these coming to DLV.

Yes, there has been a major shake-up among the TG events in the last few
years.

I would like to share with you part of an off-line conversation
regarding the planned local Atlanta conference, the one intended as a
replacement for the now-departing SCC. The person to whom I am talking
is free to identify if she so wishes. :)

(begin conversation)
+> I am of the opinion THE Conference should be developed
+> along the lines of DLV with reduced, if any, registration,
+> but they have not asked, and I have not sought to give advice.

+Now if I were calling the shots, which I am not, I'm sure you
+know that I would propose the "Vacation Not Convention" model
+for this.

+However, devil's advocate mode, I would question if that model
+would work for THE.

+The regulars of SCC have 20+ years of inbreeding on what I
+call the "Dream" model, the hotel-centric mainline TG convention.
+That's what they are familiar with and that's what they are most
+comfortable with.

+IMAO, dumping the Rubber Chicken Banquet and dropping in Eating
+Out Night would be one more traumatic discontinuity. Maybe not
+as much as pulling up and moving the whole megilla to the swamps
+of Florida, but more than enough to majorly annoy the regulars.
(end conversation)

LOL, please note that both participants in that conversation actively
disavow getting involved. :)

Yes, the conventions have failed to evolve, but I would put much of this
onus on the attendee base as well. They are comfortable with the model
they have become accustomed to and expect it.

Delaney brings up a couple of other points that I think merit some
thought. First is the relatively low number of 40-ish and below
attendees at our event. It's been my observation that we do get a
meaningful number of under 50 people, but they tend to be not as
active and tend not to return.

Any ideas for better retention of these under-50 attendees?

I agree with Delaney that only a small minority of our people are truly
on the surgical transition track, and the survey numbers reflect this.
Therefore there's not that much of a potential client base for SRS
providers.

I'm thinking that something like a Zukowski or Ousterhout would have
more of a voluntary audience than say a Meltzer or a Bowers. Delaney
has also come up with the first idea for paying for an "office" or
"hospitality room" (a frequently cited need in feedback) that might
actually work, and that is to let the professional participants finance
it.

What it's gonna take, if anyone wants to see more professional
participation, is for volunteers to reach out to these people,
explain what we are all about, and see if there is any interest.

Likewise, if any of you do not care for the venue that's being proposed
for any activity, you are free, and encouraged, to reach out and find a
venue that is more to your liking and propose it as an alternative.

Another point I would like to circle back to is the long-lingering
misconception that in our earlier years we centered DLV around gay bars
and other known-safe venues. We've had both mainstream and alternative
venues for our activities since day one. Yes, there has been and
continues to be a shift in the mainstream direction, but no, mainstream
activities are not a recent introduction to DLV.

We've also had commercial activities since the very early days.
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Name Tags:

Vera writes:

Yes, we have the bag of name tag holders. Not sure how many but it looks
like quite a few. I will get back to you with an accurate count.
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Thanks, Vera.

We do have a sugar-mommy for some more tag holders if needed, so please
let us know if you foresee a shortage for DLV 2015. :)
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Ear Piercing:

Cami writes:

That note about pierced ears made me think that it might be good to
bring in someone who can pierce ears and do that as an activity some
afternoon.
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Annie responds:

What I might suggest is that you or any volunteer who wishes to take it
on organize a field trip to something like Piercing Pagoda. (Diversity?
Derm clinic? DIY?) :) :)
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Health and hygiene:

Dionne writes:

> I think our best approach is to emphasize the importance of
> hygiene and sanitation to our attendees prior to and during
> the event.

I agree and add this note. This coming enterovirus season has one more
caution that should be mentioned, the Enterovirus D68. It begins with
normal cold/flu symptoms but develops into difficulty breathing. This is
a more serious condition which needs immediate medical attention.

For example, someone who has asthma and develops this difficult
breathing, needs immediate medical attention. So, DLV'rs in 2015 who
feel a cold/ flu coming on and experience breathing issues need to visit
a local clinic.

Can someone who lives in the area recommend a local clinic?
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Annie responds:

Thanks, Dionne.

I have a few general questions here.

First is along the line of what do other events in Las Vegas (and
elsewhere) do, if anything, about raising the awareness of infectious
diseases at their events, and suggesting clinical providers for their
attendees who feel under the weather?

Next, do other events have any significant or recurring issues with
illness of their attendees?

Also, is there any evidence to support the opinion that events happening
during the so-called "cold and flu season" may be more impacted by
attendee illness than those occurring in warmer months?

And, to our local Hold Harmless Wonk, would recommending a particular
provider (or providers) expose the organizers and volunteers to any
liability should any serious issues be encountered?
. . . . . . . . . .

Dione continues:

Here are some clinics I searched on but I'm not familiar with any of
them.

Bridger Health Center Address - 310 South 9th Street Suite 110 Las Vegas
Nevada 89101 Main phone number: 702-220-9932

Cambridge Family Health Center 3900 Cambridge St. 102 Las Vegas NV 89119
702-307-5415 to make an appointment or get center hours. A sliding fee
scale is in place, and medical assistance can be offered for free or at
reduced rates to low income patients and people without health
insurance.

Rancho Family Health Center 630 S. Rancho Dr. A Las Vegas Nevada 89106
Call 800-787-2568 to determine if qualify for savings on medical bills
or any free services, such as dental care or medications.

Red Rock Medical GroupAddress - 5701 W. Charleston Blvd. 100Las Vegas NV
89146 Phone - 702-877-9514

Volunteers in Medicine of Southern Nevada 4770 Harrison Dr. Las Vegas
Nevada 89121 702-967-0530 A number of doctors, nurses, dentists, and
hygienists are part of this volunteer organization. They offer free care,
as resources allow, to people who are faced with no other options and who
are undergoing a hardship in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas Medical Clinic Address - 1825 Civic Center Dr. 240 C North Las
Vegas Nevada 89030 Clinic phone number - 702-642-8313
. . . . . . . . . .

Annie continues:

Unfortunately, none of these are particularly convenient to the places
where most of our people will be staying, and a couple of them are in
some rather dicey areas.

I might recommend something more along the line of a general suggestion
in our Final Attendee Information mentioning, but not by any specific
providers' names, that there are quick-care clinics located in various
pharmacies along the Strip corridor. These are usually staffed by a PA
or Nurse Practitioner and they are able to handle most issues that
visitors report (sore throat, sprained ankle, etc.) and do have an
attending physician available if needed.
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Administrivia:

This is the Diva Las Vegas 2015 organizational list.

One address for all items regarding this list, additions, removals,
changes, submissions, questions, etc.:

dlvorg_at_geekbabe.com <--- NOTE: all lower case

Diva Las Vegas 2015
Sunday, March 22 - Friday, March 27
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

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Received on Wed Sep 24 2014 - 08:03:40 CDT