Curtis, I can distinctly remember when I used to do that, and the gal at registration would ask the walk-on: "which Donald Duck do you want to be?"  Evidently, she had more than a few.  Worked like a charm.

Then there was the scam of paying early for those old reliable late payers who actually funded the above scam. That didn't always work like a charm, but the odds were better than Faro. I bet people still do that, as a way of compensating for fronting bulk registration money. A fellow can lose his @$$ with that as fast as Chuck-A-Luck.

Charles,

You fellows off up that way must smooth all of the kinks out your system.  Figure out every angle.  Get it as close to being perfected as possible. The way things are going on this end of the realm is the leading lights are getting long in the tooth, wide of girth, and wondering where the former suppleness and agility has gone.  Arthritis, blood pressure meds, Preparation H, and grandkids have replaced enthusiasm, novelty, and being wide eyed at every event attended.  The gaggle of luminaries who have been calling the shots for the last double figure of years are much, much closer to the end of their run than the beginning.  And therein lies a dilemma.  Most of those who know the nuances of hosting a Civil War related activity will be exiting the hobby in a single digit number of years.  Simultaneously, there are precious few under the half century mark who show the least interest in learning how its done.  These want to attend the event and take part fully in all its activities but the fascination with how to set it up and make it happen is absent.  This would make a nice lead in for throwing a hissy fit about turning collective backs on responsibilities, evading commitment, and perpetuating the hobby.  I will skip over that well worn subject.  What this means is after the old heads pack it in the new crop of leaders will blunder through the same dreary old mistakes that have been previously made.  Unless, there is a tried and proven to be efficient procedure that has managed to percolate throughout the hobby.  The truth of the matter is it will come from your end, not the one off down here.  This is the land of that’s the way it’s always been.  We fear change.

Curtis, we converted from the bulk registration form to the individual registration system 15 years ago. It works, and there are manifold benefits. Once in while we end up going to the rare event that still does it the old way.

Charles,

Replacements are a growing concern.  Remain with this hobby long enough to transition from bifocals to trifocals, for your blood pressure medication to need adjustment, for various portions of your anatomy to misbehave, and you will be able to see events, people, fads, procedures, former sutlers, and even mistakes littering the landscape behind you.  Among the debris of a hobby’s career is your prime.  Uh huh, you passed it also.  It’s back there with those other items you have gone off and left.  Accompanying this is a perceptual problem.  Some of the Last Baptist Church of Reenactment’s congregation fail to grasp the concept of being on the south side of prime.  This is especially true with the most determined of the parishioners who have been cast as leaders. So much self-worth is placed on their experience in the hobby it is difficult for them to get a grip on the realization they need to be making their way toward the wings instead of remaining center stage.  It’s hard to step aside after you have grown accustomed to pulling the strings, punching the buttons, and calling the shots. Complicating stepping aside is the dearth of those willing to take on the mantle, pick up the gauntlet, become acolytes, or any other such pseudo-cryptic sounding phases.  If the bell cow quits there ain’t no more movement in the pasture.  It’s not a matter of progress.  It is matter of inertia--dey ain‘t nairn.  So, the past-prime constituency still holds court because the new bell cow has not come to the front.  Maybe the new bell cow is not even in the pasture yet.  My role is kabuki and pre-event donkey work.  Since my soldiering days are back there sitting on the side of the reenactment road with my prime, I am the narrator during events--if such is needed.   There I stand, resplendently decked out as a sergeant major of Federal cavalry, complete with sash, war time service chevrons, and appropriate blade attached.  I’ve got Nick Sekela on my head and Missouri Boot and Shoe on my feet.  The garments and accoutrements in between come from the cream of the crop of modern day providers.   All of the tee’s have been crossed and eye’s dotted as far as buying the right stuff is concerned.  It all sounds honky-dory until you actually see this over weight guy who can‘t hear thunder, bald headed, obviously too old to be a soldier, and propped up on a stick wearing this ludicrous outfit.  That’s not a complaint as much as it is a statement.  The question is:  If not you, then who?  That who is the mystery.  Where’s the new bell cow?

Curtis Makamson

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Charles Heath wrote : Curtis, that is bulk registration. Imagine the panic, if you will, should those forms be expanded ever so slightly by asking for individual registrant emails, so as to provide direct pre-event communication. A revolution would ensue in rapid fashion, because you can only imagine how many company commanders would strenuously object to this.

I might be an odd duck in this bunch, but when our group would do bulk registrations for an event, I would make an spreadsheet that I could print out to send along with the registration information.  The spreadsheet normally included registrants name, address, phone number, and if they were military or civilian for the weekends.  It also noted those members that would be under the 12 yo so that the people compiling information don't have to figure out which ones didn't get paid for on the registration.

I figured this would make it easier at the registration table for the people to look up names or for those who transfer them to a master list.  This way they don't have to try to read my handwriting.  

I usually listed my email with the contact information, but I don't think I have ever been contacted by an event organizer with any pre-event information.

Greg, that's a nice touch -- especially the handwriting part!  

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Charles Heath wrote : Greg, that's a nice touch -- especially the handwriting part!

The other benefit was that since the same people went to the different events, I could just go in and modify the spreadsheet depending on attendance to an event and save myself having to write it over and over for each event.

Working smarter not harder..

Greg,

Sounds like a good practice for those who attend a lot of events with bulk registration. For us, it is a nighmare to go back and do it the obsolete way, but even some mainstream events are starting to catch on to individual registration, which is a very good thing. Our last bulk registration form was sometime in 2005, as the selected 2005-2008 mainstream events were by individual registration. This is a good sign.

On the receiving end of that, one of the greatest advances in the hobby was the advent and standardization of the battalion spreadsheet in the late 1990s. Being able to fill in field, staff, companies, and even the color guard slots by name well in advance of the event was (and is) extremely helpful. Bill may come back to suggest such only works for 50 man events, but I've done this for a 325-man battalion, and it is a true time saver.

Charles

We have switched over to more individual registration events, but there are still about 1-2 a year that we do as a bulk registration.  

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"...I don't think I have ever been contacted by an event organizer with any pre-event information."

Greg,

Ouch. I find this line interesting, as this year we are refining the standard 8 (actually 9) pre-event info emails. Not all events require all of them, and some can be consolidated, if need be. No two events are absolutely alike, and some require more information in the hands (and heads) of the participants than others.  

Quote :

Charles Heath wrote : Quote : "...I don't think I have ever been contacted by an event organizer with any pre-event information." Greg, Ouch. I find this line interesting, as this year we are refining the standard 8 (actually 9) pre-event info emails. Not all events require all of them, and some can be consolidated, if need be. No two events are absolutely alike, and some require more information in the hands (and heads) of the participants than others.

Charles

Sorry, let me clarify, when I have provided the email on a bulk registration event, I don't recall receiving emails.  

When I signed up for ATB, I received the emails from Dusty when he sent them out so I had information flowing for that event.  

Guys,

A lot of interesting replys. I had to laugh about the advantages of individual registrations, which I know to be true. About half the guys who show up at Neshaminy register the week before the event! There were over 350 Confederates at Neshaminy and about twice that number of Federals. Six weeks before the event, there were exactly 40 Confederates registered and half of them were artillery. I'd love to send every participant specific instructions concerning their roles in the scenarios, if I had a clue who those participants were going to be.  

It strikes me there's a lot we could do improve scenarios without changing anything but the mindset of the participants. Don't wait until you are out of ammo, or your rifle is fouled before taking a hit. Consider being a walking wounded soldier, rather than just laying there. If you are going to lie in one place, don't do it with your head proped up and watching the battle; or worse yet taking pictures. If you are attacked by overwhelming numbers and your commander won't order a retreat, just run away. Oh yeah, don't put on a Federal captain's uniform and walk up behind the Confederate lines taking pictures. Especially when those lines are only thirty yards from the spectators. That happened at Neshaminy, on Sunday. The gentleman in question couldn't understand why I rather strongly requested  he vacate the area.  

--Last edited by Bill on 2009-05-13 00:58:16 --

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As you'll recall, an element of the 28th Virginia did not get it, and did a strange movment from left to right to ensure their flag was captured by the right folks.

Jeepers, I was there for that one. Can you guess who the Federal unit was? I ain't giving hints either.

That was the year the yahoos in the 28th Va. thought the MHS was going to give their flag back. Osman and the "Cracker Thief" were on NPR talking about the legalities with their counterparts from Va.. It was all rather humorous. The summer of "we're gonna capture all the Yankee colors we can". Hence, I was put in the CG at 135 G'burg. I got some nice Va. buttons that event.

When it all came down, I believe it was the Cumberland Guard, stole the Western Brigade spot down by the "Angle" and the rest is some really stupid history. The cool part about it was, the Color Bearer of the 28th was the GGGgrandson of the color bearer of the original 28th and the guy who "captured the colors" was the GGGgrandson of the 1st Minn. who now is a member of Co. "D"

Goll danged Dave Shackleford.

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Bill wrote : Guys, It strikes me there's a lot we could do improve scenarios without changing anything but the mindset of the participants. Don't wait until you are out of ammo, or your rifle is fouled before taking a hit. Consider being a walking wounded soldier, rather than just laying there. If you are going to lie in one place, don't do it with your head proped up and watching the battle; or worse yet taking pictures. If you are attacked by overwhelming numbers and your commander won't order a retreat, just run away. Oh yeah, don't put on a Federal captain's uniform and walk up behind the Confederate lines taking pictures. Especially when those lines are only thirty yards from the spectators. That happened at Neshaminy, on Sunday. The gentleman in question couldn't understand why I rather strongly requested  he vacate the area.

Bill

You are right on that.  And that is why when I do get to play private in the ranks.. I look for those self preservation moments when I realize that I would rather not be in the ranks and slip away.  

I have also realized that by now I have seen most of the battles and there isn't much interest in watching what happens after I take a hit.  So if I go down, then I just lay there and try to nap.  Plus I figure Julio is there somewhere taking pictures, so I will be able to see some of what I missed by taking the hit.