Inside BSI-ball

[Max Magee]

That title is a weird way of saying that having attended a few BSI weekends these past several years, I wanted to share some things you may have to learn the hard way otherwise (inside baseball, get it?).

Things fill up fast once they're announced—BSI Saturday Cocktail Party/Lunch, Lost in New York, Oysters with the S.P.O.D.E. crew, Gillette Luncheon, Gaslight Gala Dinner, so if you had thoughts about whether you're going to attend, it's best to make up your mind right about now as these things are announced.

To attend the official B.S.I. Dinner, you must be invited or have been invested (of the three years I've attended events for the weekend in the past four years, I've only been invited to one dinner) but just about everything else is open to the public.

A few of the events are available and open to invested B.S.I. first (but if you have B.S.I. contacts, they can often register you as their plus-one). Let me know if you want to try to attend a B.S.I. weekend and we can talk specifics. It's not terribly difficult to have a great and even epic time, but it is quite expensive, particularly the hotel fees that are double or triple all but the nicest accomodations in Madison and its surrounds.

The first event I've seen is the Lost In New York announcement earlier today. It's a must-attend for first-timers.

Each event runs to about $100-150 including drinks and tip, generally, so save up! (Drink prices in New York are only rivaled by athletic stadium prices—no beer under $10 and drinks upwards of $25 to $75, and not for anything fancy!)

Speaking of which, I recently was reminded that I'm 42% Scottish, which might be why I find the prices so offensive (and yet still pay the going rate because it's worth it)!

Max
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Max "Magic Jezail Bullet" Magee (he/him)
Notorious Canary-Trainer of Madison Wisconsin
Torist International of Chicago Illinois
Norwegian Explorer of Minnesota

[Max Magee]

Similarly, Steve Doyle hosts the very hot ticket S.P.O.D.E. Dinner at the Grand Central Oyster Bar. It's kind of a cattle-call/auction type of arrangement where Steve announces a time to watch for the invitation (12pm Central, Sunday, 10/19 in the Strangers Room FB page) and the first 25 or so folks who reply get in, and the rest end up on a wait-list/overflow:

It's fun, but I like to give others a chance, so I don't often apply. Maybe I'll start a 5-year cadence. :-)

I don't know if it's been announced yet, but the Praed Street Irregulars usually have counter-programming/also have a dinner at the same place (it's pretty huge). So if you felt like toasting Solar Pons, you can still enjoy oysters there (even if you don't get one of the 25 S.P.O.D.E. seats).

Max