[dlv] Latest DLV 2008 updates ...

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This is the Diva Las Vegas 2008 announcement mailing list.
This list contains only announcements and high importance items.
See information on DLV Discussion Forum below.
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Replies to this message will be forwarded to: dlv@geekbabe.com
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. . . . .
In this mailing:

This mailing
Se habla Espanol
Latest numbers and such
Registration notes and things to come
Rooms and roommates
Summary schedule of activities
Administrivia
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Only 78 days Until DLV 2008!
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This mailing:

Welcome to those who just registered or joined this list.

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

Most questions are already answered on the Frequently Asked
Questions list, on the web at:

http://www.geekbabe.com/dlv/faq/

We're less than three months away from the big event! Please
do not procrastinate with anything.

One important note is that if you plan to attend and have not
made your hotel arrangements, you should do so without any
further delay! This is the time of year, when, historically,
prices begin to creep upward.

Information about our suggested hotels appears here:

http://www.geekbabe.com/dlv/dlv2008/2008hotels.html

See notes about room sharing below.

The schedule is taking shape nicely, but still in a state of
flux and very much still under construction. The working
schedule appears below. The final detailed schedule (see notes
below) will be sent to all who have validated registrations in
the Large Final Mailing the week before DLV.
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Se habla Espanol:

Bienvenidos! Si el espanol is su lenguage nativa y Ud. tiene
dificultad comprendiendo qualquier cosa sobre DLV, Ud. nos puede
mandar sus preguntas por correo electronico en espanol, y se los
mandaremos a uno de nuestros voluntarios que hablan espanol. - La
direccion electronica es: dlv@geekbabe.com - Muchas Gracias.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Latest numbers and such:

We've broken 100! That seems to be the number everybody holds
their breath for. Validated headcount now sits at 116. This
includes 23 SOs, and points to very good SO participation
this coming April.

This is the earliest we've broken the 100 mark in our history!

Our 100th (and 101st) validated attendees are Kelli and Andi.

Our first newcomer to register this year was Cami from
northern California, whose registration came in literally
within seconds of the correct URL being sent out.

One validation outstanding:

Trisha R., you need to send in your validation, please. You are
about to be cancelled for non-response. If you didn't receive
your validation e-mail or reminders, please write in and we
will resend.

Headcount projection is still in the 130-150 range total, and
could be on the high side of that range if registrations
continue to come in at the rate they have been lately.

One important note about headcount, you will never see the
entire group in any one place at any one time. People will be
arriving and leaving every day throughout DLV week. We will
have two large maximum-attendance gatherings, the Welcome
Celebration and the Farewell Bash, on Monday and Saturday,
respectively, of DLV week. Those will be your best opportunities
to meet the majority of the others.
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Registration notes and things to come:

DLV 2008 registration is open for returnees and for newcomers
who are members of this mailing list. Registration links are:

{ links removed on web archive copy }

One very important thing to remember about registration, when
you register on line, you will receive either a confirmaton
e-mail (most recent returnees) or a validation e-mail (all
newcomers and some returnees) very shortly after.

IN THE EVENT YOU RECEIVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING VIA E-MAIL WHEN
YOU SUBMIT YOUR REGISTRATION, SOMETHING IS WRONG AND WE NEED
TO KNOW ABOUT IT! Should this happen, e-mail dlv@geekbabe.com
and explain the circumstances. These are usually very easy to
troubleshoot, but we do need to know about it when it happens!

Please be very sure you report this problem if it should
happen to you. Each year we've run into problems where a
minor problem hasn't been noticed until very late in the
process.
. . .

Activity sign-up:

The next big milestone will happen on or about April 1, and
that is activity sign-up time. This is where you, the attendees,
let us know which of the optional activities you want to do.

Everybody who holds a validated DLV 2008 registration will
receive an activity sign-up e-mail which has a link to the
activity sign-up screen.

This screen will have a description of each of the optional
activities, any particular conditions or restrictions, the
cost, if applicable, and a checkbox to let you sign up for
the activity.
. . .

Large Final Mailing:

During the week prior to DLV, we send out what we call the Large
Final Mailing to everyone who holds a validated registration for
DLV. This includes such things as:

1. Final detailed schedule for DLV 2008, including start times,
estimated duration, locations, dress suggestions, where to meet
the group, what to do if you can't find the group, etc.

2. DLV contact information, local contact phone numbers, Big
Sister Emergency Hotline number, what to do if you lose contact
with the group, etc.

3. Link to a map showing activity locations, and detailed
directions to each activity.

4. Your own personal "itinerary" including the optional
activities you're signed up for and notes about them.

5. List of volunteer drivers, and attendees who need a ride.

6. Discounts and promotions offered by merchants.

YOU WILL NEED TO PRINT OUT THE LARGE FINAL MAILING ITEMS AND
BRING THEM WITH YOU TO DLV!

Why?

At most other TG events, when you check in, you will be handed
a whole pile of paperwork. This does not happen at DLV.

That's right, WHEN YOU CHECK IN TO DLV IN LAS VEGAS, YOU WILL
RECEIVE NO PRINTED ITEMS SUCH AS SCHEDULES, MAPS, ETC.

No, we won't have any on hand for those who forget, sorry. The
best we can do is give you directions to the nearest Kinko's
shop or hotel business center where you can print these out.
. . . . .

Making contact and checking in:

Check-in for DLV is less structured and less formal than at
most other TG events. There's no central "check in desk", but
check-in will be offered at most of the major activities and
many of the smaller ones, including the Welcome Celebration,
the daily Lunch With Ginger or Lori, and any happy hour that
is designated as Business Hour, as well as any other activity
marked "Check-in available" on the final schedule.

Which brings up a related topic, which while minor, has
confused some attendees over the years. Prior to DLV, we
tend to be very detailed, structured, and precise in our
organization. During DLV, however, you'll find that we're
quite laid back and informal. Yes, this is quite a contrast
in style. This comes about due to the fact that we, the
organizers, want to enjoy our vacation too. We want to get
all of the details worked out and as much of the busy work
taken care of before DLV, and that's what we do.
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Rooms and roommates:

Please work with our Room Share Coordinator for all room sharing
efforts for DLV 2008.

We have a Roommate Clearing House for DLV 2008. You can either
contact our Room Share Coordinator via e-mail at:

roommate@geekbabe.com

.. or sign up to participate in the Roommate Clearing House
when you register on the web.

There's also been some interest in sharing such things as
rental apartments and timeshares and such. If you're so inclined,
please coordinate this with our Room Share Coordinator.

When you sign up for roommate matching, we'll ask you a few
questions, such as if you smoke, if you (knowingly) snore,
things like that, in order to make better matches.

On the roommate screen there is also a large blank area into
which you can put any comments or concerns you may have. For
example, you could say something like "I don't care about
smoking or snoring, I just want the cheapest room!" if that's
what you want.

One important caveat! The Roommate Clearing House is a good-faith
effort on all parts with NO GUARANTEES! Roommates assume all
risks. Please have a contingency plan. Your Room Share
Coordinator, as well as other DLV organizers and volunteers, will
not be responsible if a roommate fails to show, fails to pay,
fails to make reservations, does not get along with you, or in
any other way things don't work out.

Big thanks to Diane for coordinating the Roommate Clearing
House! :)
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Summary schedule of activities:

Preliminary and subject to change.

Monday, April 21:
11:00am Studio Lites Open House
1:00pm Lunch With Ginger
2:00pm Walk Off Your Lunch
6:00pm Happy Hour/Business Hour
7:00pm Dinner
8:30pm Welcome Celebration
10:00pm Rock Star Karaoke

Tuesday, April 22 :
1:00pm Lunch With Ginger
2:00pm Walk Off Your Lunch
5:00pm Night Of The Soiled Doves
6:00pm Local Happy Hour/Business Hour
7:00pm Local dinner

Wednesday, April 23:
9:00am Diva Las Vegas Invitational Golf
1:00pm Lunch With Ginger
2:00pm Walk Off Your Lunch
6:00pm Happy Hour/Business Hour
7:00pm Eating Out Night
7:00pm Milano's option
7:00pm Prime Rib Loft option
Ev Mainstream-Alternative Night
Ev Alternative Bar Crawl

Thursday, April 24:
AM-PM Art Tour
1:00pm Lunch With Lori
2:00pm Walk Off Your Lunch
3:00pm English High Tea
6:00pm Happy Hour
Ev Big Show Pity Party
7:00pm LeReve Show
8:45pm Limo Tour

Friday, April 25:
2:00am Charles Bar
1:00pm Lunch With Ginger
2:00pm Walk Off Your Lunch
6:00pm Happy Hour/Business Hour
7:00pm Dining options
7:00pm Upscale option
7:00pm Alternative option
7:00pm Affordable option
Ev Activity options
Ev Dancing option
Ev Socializing option
Ev Gaming option

Saturday, April 26:
6:00pm Happy Hour
7:00pm Dinner
8:30pm Farewell Bash
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Administrivia:

This is the Diva Las Vegas 2008 Announcement mailing list.

This list is limited to announcements and other high-importance
items.

Questions/answers and discussion items are redirected to the DLV
Discussion Forum, which may be subscribed to separately or viewed
on the web. To subscribe to the DLV Discussion Forum, send a brief
message to dlvdisc@geekbabe.com and state that you wish to receive
the DLV Discussion Forum.

To view the DLV Discussion Forum on line, visit the URL:

http://www.geekbabe.com/dlv/dlvdisc/
. . . . .

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

dlv@geekbabe.com <--- NOTE: all lower case

Archives of this list appear on the web at:

http://www.geekbabe.com/annie/dlv08arc/
. . . . .

Diva Las Vegas 2008
April 21 - 26, 2008
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
. . . . .

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