Don't Tell the Ants!

If you have tropical decorations, contact Susan Satterfield!

The KaCSFFS Picnic is the June Meeting!

Meet at the Writers Place this Saturday, June 18, 2011 for the indoor version of the annual KaCSFFS Picnic!  We have moved it inside so it is possible for more of our members to attend, even when they have health issues.

Our theme is tropical fun, so contact Susan Satterfield if you can bring appropriate decorations, and dress in something summery, or  "tropical-looking," such as Hawaiian shirts, grass skirts, muu-muus, straw hats, leis, etc., to fit the theme!

Wear something "tropical"!

There is a sign-up list on the KAXFEN list where you can sign up to bring specific kinds of food.  We need:

• Meat or Casseroles (main-dish type)
• Veggies, including
• Tossed salad with dressing
• Veggie tray
• Cole slaw
• Baked beans
• Anything else you like!
• Chips and dip
• Fruit
• Bread and butter
• Cheese and crackers
• Desserts, such as



Bring your own ice!

• Cake or cupcakes 
• Pies
• Brownies or cookies

KaCSFFS will provide tablecloths, paper plates, and plastic cutlery, but each person should bring their choice of drinks, with their own ice.

We also need a few more tables.  Contact KAXFEN to volunteer yours!

Susan also is planning for some games, so come prepared to join in!

Next month: Vince Koehler Film Festival, July 16!

Have you reserved your seat for Vince and Kassie's Animation Festival?  Remember, it's at the Doubletree Hotel in Corporate Woods.  For more information go to the Vince Koehler Film Festival website, or see our earlier blog post.

Finally, here's early notice about the August 20 meeting!

The theme will be "Old and New Visions of High Fantasy," and we plan for the discussion to be featured on our PODPeople podcast.  

We also plan to have an art exhibit at this meeting, so if you are an artist please plan for it!

PHOTO CREDITS: Many thanks to the Social Couture blog for the beautiful image of luau table decorations; eBay for the image of the light-up flashing leis, and The Web Restaurant Store for the bucket of ice.

PodPeople Follow up to the 2011 May Meeting

Hello everyone, Ty here to follow up on the recording the Podpeople made at the meeting last weekend, and, well, it didn’t turn out as well as everyone hoped. It’s my fault really for overestimating the ability of the microphones and not giving enough instruction to the guests. While there are some salvageable parts of the recording, they come out as one-sided conversations that don't make any sense and the volume constantly fades in and out.

I’d like to thank everyone again for turning up for the meeting last weekend and helping out as best they could.

Lessons learned from this experience:

• Microphone positioning
• Instruction to the guests on how to effectively talk into the microphones
• Wire all the mics so the audience can participate. Especially when the guests unexpectedly ask for audience participation.

Lessons that still need to be learned:

• How to hook into the Writer’s Place’s sound system without causing feedback and blowing out the audiences’ eardrums.
• How to keep sound levels balanced while converting a Garageband File into an MP3 file.

If anyone would like to take a shot at this and has Garageband, please meet me at ConQuesT, I’ll give you the files. Thank you for your help.

Get Ready for the March 19 Meeting!

It's not quite on the Ides--but our theme is partly Martian.

The March meeting of KaCSFFS is an important one!  Please don't miss it!

The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m., at The Writers Place, 3607 Pennsylvania, Kansas City, MO 64111.  (See the map at the end of this post).

Yes, we pay dues in March, but we have to do it sometime--why not now?  Regular memberships are $25, and we are encouraging you to use the PayPal button at right---------->
Yes, right over there.

Use the PayPal button, and we'll have your membership card ready to go at the meeting.

You also may pay at the meeting, of course!  We'll accept checks or cash that evening.

Don't miss a single day of discounts at our friendly merchants, Prospero's Books, Vulcan's Forge, and Aquarius Books!

Also, take advantage now--if you haven't already--to buy your membership to ConQuesT 42 with the KaCSFFS Members' discount!

But that's certainly not all we're doing in March!  Here are some illustrated glimpses of other activities:

Bring Red or Orange Food to honor "the Martians among us" (!!)

We'll enjoy a 25-minute Author Reading of current works by
Robin W. Bailey, Sarah Frost, and Susan Satterfield.
They will definitely read aloud!

We'll call for volunteers to help out with the 40th Anniversary Celebration!
Also, for volunteers to help put on ConQuesT 42!

We'll have another FUNdraiser for the KC PODPeople podcast group.
We've almost reached our goal of enough money to get the equipment we need!
We can't stop now!!

So come to The Writers Place,
3607 Pennsylvania, Kansas City, MO 64111
6:30 p.m.

View Larger Map

So, now--you have no excuses.  Join us or you'll be missing a lot!

Photo Credits: Planet Mars, chilis, carrot cupcakes, oranges, Author Reading cartoon, 40th Anniversary decorations, Podcast image, photo of The Writers Place.  Many thanks for the use of all!