I don't have a CA hat to wear anymore (not sure if OTW told you that I retired that one last semester), otherwise, I'd offer to hang at the CA stuff with ya :)

Hugs,
Mai

Big bump because it's 2006 already and I know I'm getting Convention fever again!

I am ready to go----- I can't wait!!!!!

Something I didn't think about until last night when talking to the Chapter Pres....

Seems that you can't rent a car if you are under 25??

Since about 85% of attendees will be collegiates, I hope they are planning on buses and/or vans????

We may actually for the 1st time in recent memory have more than just the Pres and CA going but I don't know if everyone and all our luggage will fit into 1 car.

Any thoughts or what you've "heard"??

I know that the official announcement will have that info but I'm curious now, lol.;)

Cab fare from Palm Springs airport to the hotel runs about $45. They should plan to catch a taxi with a few other girls..

Sorry to barg in, but with some companies you can rent a car if you are under 25 they just charge you an additional daily surcharge. I know Thrifty will let you rent because I did it when I was in college.

Does anyone know when IHQ is going to start sending out information and registration packets?

It was suggested that you send in the pre-registration before February 1st, so I'm thinking anytime after that...?

Cindy Luis Wells (our Recruitment Advisor) was so kind enough to take on the task of coordinating the airfare for us Hawaii girls in hopes of getting a group rate. Aloha and Hawaiian both fly into Orange County, so hopefully we'll be able to avoid yucky LAX!

Depending on how many of us go, I was thinking about getting a rental car anyway. :o

I think IC will be finalizing some details at their next meeting (early Feb) and packets will go out after that. Election info should be coming soon too.

I got my registration packet today.. anybody else?

ME!!
 

565 FULL CONVENTION
160 THURS DINNER ONLY
230 FRIDAY DAILY
230 SAT. DAILY

MEAL SERV ONLY
90 OPENING DINNER
65 INFO OASIS LUNCH
95 EP BANQUET
65 FOUNDATION LUNCH
105 FEAST OF ROSES (BOY, THOSE ROSES TASTE GREAT, LOL)

REGISTER BEFORE 3/1/06 = $50 SAVINGS ON FULL CONV.

REGISTER AFTER 5/1/06 = $50 LATE FEE

CANCELLATION AFTER 5/15/06 = $100 CANCELLATION

SHUTTLE $23.00 EACH WAY FROM PALM SPRINGS INTL AIRPORT approx 20 minutes from resport

HOTEL = $99 ROOM RATE PER NIGHT = RESERVE BEFORE 6/1/06 TO GET RATE.

Workshops.....these are the best best :cool: offering that I've seen...more relevant to what collegians and advisors need on an almost daily-monthly basis:D

The 1st to register from a collegiate or alumnae Jewel Chapter gets a special ribbon!:D

Anything else you want to know? ;) :D

*****
ETA
Been scoping some of the travel sites from Atl to LAX and Palm Springs Airport.

I've been looking at different travel sites...it's about $330 to LAX but then you have to pay about $130 to rent a car ($25 a day if under 25!!!). If you fly into Palm Springs, its about $441 and the shuttle is $23 one way but that's a lot of Alpha Gam's on 1 flight, lol.

The hotel rooms are $99/a night...I'm taking that to mean no matter how many are in the room. RIGHT???

At Chicago, there were 4 of us.

;)

Re: ME!!
 

That is what we were told by the hotel!
We have our rooms booked and will be mailing our registrations in next week!! I cant wait-- oh and I requested the time off work today!

Gosh, I think that right now there will be about 7 GTaus!:cool: or maybe more!

That will be a first!!

BTW, when I mentioned that Sandy's chapter had enough of people to get a group airplane rate, someone wanted to know how....

"Cause they start planning right after one Convention for the Next!!;) :rolleyes:

Sandy, how many DS's are going?

We were told 10 people for a group rate, is that correct? And Sandy, do you know you know how much of a savings you receive with the group discount for the airline tickets?

I believe it is 10. Whenever I had people call in for more than 9 seats, I'd always refer them to the Group Desk in Detroit. :) I'm not sure how much of a discount there would be, either. :(

And Lynn, I think at this point we'll have well over 10 Delta Sigmas attending. Most of the alums who went to Chicago will be attending once again. And you're right...when one Convention ends -- we start planning for the next one right away! Chicago was great because we had 3 years to plan for it!

Everybody's so busy this time around...I don't think we'll have time to practice a hula. :( But we shall see...

And in other news...

Our very own MaiLy (hawaiiagd) was elected Hawaii Alumnae Chapter President last week. :D She was my Frat Ed Advisor, my Chapter Advisor, Panhellenic of Hawaii Alumnae President, and now Alumnae Chapter President. I'm pretty sure she held one more office with the P o H, but I can't remember.

Congrats, Mai!

An Alpha Gam emailed me a packet so if you want it, pm me with your regular email address.

I got one in the mail.:D

I requested mine via regular mail as well. I know I could've got it faster via email, but there's something about seeing that nice big envelope. Like a dork I still have my Atlanta and Chicago ones tucked away somewhere.

Nic got her email this morning...I figure my envelope's going to follow the path my Quarterly takes to my house.

And the hotel room is booked..

I hope y'all have better luck than me when booking. I had to repeat "not March, JUNE!" way too many times.

For some reason, this cracks me up to no end. Its not as if "March" and "June" rhyme!

Maria and I each got hooked up with phat large rooms in Chicago. I wonder if we can get lucky again? ;) :D

I don't know about phat and large, but it is a partial view if that helps?

Hey Sandy! Check your El Jay....an invitation is waiting for you there.

And yay! I just got my registration packet. :)

Never mind, I see you already got it. LOL

Hey Nic, did the hotel ever say a partial view of what??? Could be mountains, could be the pool, could be the parking lot. (But hopefully not the parking lot.) LOL ;)

dude, i was so lucky i was able to get a room in June and not march that i didn't even ask what the view was of.

but now that you mention it, i hope it IS the parking lot.

JUUUUUUUUNE!!!! Not MARCH!
 

Marissa's cabana boy, perhaps? :D

Okay, if Maria got hers today then I should be getting mine soon. How wonderful my hotel room's already booked before I even got my registration packet!

It finally came!

I like all the workshops they have so far. They should be interesting!

What I was surprised to see was the schedule for the 2nd night. I noticed that the Initiation service is to be held at 5:30, BEFORE the Epsilon Pi Banquet. I know I've only been to two Conventions so far, but has this happened before?

I like this setup. It's best to have everyone bright eyed and bushy tailed before dinner for Initiation rather than late at night, after dinner, when everyone's ready for bed!

Yes, and this way sisters don't have to worry about bones from their cornish game hen dinners flying onto their Initiation dresses and into their laps, causing grease stains and frantic trips up to their hotel room to attack with Shout Stain Wipes.

Not that this has ever happened to me. Oh no, never.

In the hen's defense...at least it was yummy and I really enjoyed it. But then again, I did ask the waiter for extra dinner napkins so I could cover every inch of my white muumuu.

Speaking of the tent, I think the white muumuu will be officially retired come Initiation Day this year. I don't think I'll be able to fit into it when the Delta Sigma NMs get initiated this Spring. :(

Now I'm gonna go off and pray that we don't get any Strawberry Soup this year.

Were you not a fan of the cold strawberry soup-- me neither! Sorry to that person who loves it!
And I think I might remember to plead vegetarian on some meals, Marissa always had awesome looking food! (and no hens!)

Yes, they juggled the schedule up a bit. I believe one of the lunches will actually be at one of the outdoor dining areas, which should be beautiful.

I wasn't into the strawberry soup either. It may have been the most interesting thing I ever ate though!

Dee...do you know more about the optional workshops for the 22nd and 25th? Might affect travel plans.

We're getting psyched....some more!;) :D

yep - just one more reason it's safer to be a vegi!

- m

Most of the workshops listed are the optional workshops on Thurs and Sunday. Each branch (alumnae, collegiate, recruitment, finance, panhellenic, etc) has a room reserved for them during the times listed in the registration packet. ACCs discussed last summer *requiring* some chapters to attend some workshops. We also picked the workshops we thought would be helpful and it looks like all of our suggestions made it. Since I was told not to make plans to leave prior to 1 pm on Sunday and to plan on arriving Wednesday, I believe I'm running some of those optional workshops. The ones we suggested were the Ritual workshop, Advisor training, CIMS, Goal setting, and Effective Communication, which will focus a lot on reporting and how to make sure we know all the great things the chapters are doing.

I know we have a VST breakfast on Thursday morning and a lunch for VST who donated $250 or more to the Foundation on Thursday, so I think most of the optional workshops will be in the afternoon that day. If they arrive by noon or so (easy to do with the time difference), they could come to Thursday's workshops. NOW, in looking at flights, if I leave after 1 pm CA time on Sunday, I won't get home until like 2 am Eastern time. I'm thinking Sunday would be my best day to add on a day. However, how do I get to the airport if I leave on Monday since the shuttle isn't running Monday... details to figure out yet. I read online that cab fare is about $45 to the airport, so if someone else stays too and we can split that, it would be the same cost as the shuttle. I also like the idea of hanging out at the pool and spa on Sunday after everything is over, to unwind and make sure I'm de-stressed before going back home.

Decisions, details, decisions, details...

If possible, I suggest CMIS on Friday and/or Saturday!

It is definitely needed!!

I don't know if any plans are in the works for the form itself but we have some recommendations, lol.;)

I'm trying to talk the other GTaus in coming the day before. Would like to stay a day after but work...:p ;)

I am booking my flight on Monday- we are flying in on Wednesday evening.... rooms are book and checks for registration will go out next week as well--- yippeee- i can't wait!!!!!

Ok- can someone (are we allowed?!?!?!?) to post the ballot! I want to know who is on it!!! I know the CA has the ballot but she must be busy it has been a whole 20 minutes since my last email from her!

I would not be comfortable with that and would probably delete it if it was posted. Feel free to PM amongst yourselves though!

I think some things are ok to say. Some people are running unopposed.. current IVP-C, current IVP-Alumnae, current IVP-Panhellenic, current IVP-Finance and new IVP-Membership who is someone we all know well and love bunches (she ran last time).

I will PM the two positions who actually have people running to anybody who wants to know...

Congrats new IVP-Membership!

How's that for vague? If you don't understand any of that, let me know and I'll PM it.

It's now on the website too--- the non-member side. And there are bios on everyone as well!
Thanks!!

I'M SOO EXCITED!!
 

Now I know that our Fraternity is headed in the right direction!:D Good luck to all the candidates!

I get to vote, I get to vote!!!

:D

ETA: Ballot and Convention Registration will be in the mail tomorrow!:D

I just saw the ballot. WOW! I'm excited by many of those names, one in particular! ;)