MaxFunCon 2011 May 25, 2011 9:33 AM   Subscribe

MaxFunCon 2011

MaxFunCon is two weeks away! Are any MetaFiltarians attending this year?

1. Give a shout-out if you're going. I'll have a car and am happy to provide a ride from L.A. for any MeFites.

2. Is anyone interested in a L.A. MetaFilter Meetup for the night of Thursday, June 9, 2011?
posted by ColdChef to MetaFilter-Related at 9:33 AM (59 comments total) 4 users marked this as a favorite

I'll be there! But I get there on Friday afternoon.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 9:37 AM on May 25, 2011


(Beware, as jessamyn and adiabat will no doubt tell you, my driving skills are somewhat erratic and rental-cars tend to randomly go off-roading)
posted by ColdChef at 9:37 AM on May 25, 2011 [1 favorite]


I'd love to go, but that week my son is getting married so for me it will be NoFunCon.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 9:38 AM on May 25, 2011 [1 favorite]


I'm going. I missed last year, sadly, but I make my triumphant return this year.
posted by inturnaround at 10:02 AM on May 25, 2011


I don't like fun.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 10:26 AM on May 25, 2011 [2 favorites]


My awesome levels (read: bank account) are a bit low for MaxFunCon, but I'm happy to tear it up down in LA the Thursday before.
posted by carsonb at 10:26 AM on May 25, 2011


Falling awesome levels here as well, but I'd totally love an LA meetup.
posted by Space Kitty at 10:30 AM on May 25, 2011


Shouldn't this be in the IRL site?
posted by joost de vries at 10:31 AM on May 25, 2011 [2 favorites]


How long in advance does one have to get tickets for this thing? My boyfriend and I really want to go, but by the time we heard about this year's event, it was already sold out.
posted by ocherdraco at 10:42 AM on May 25, 2011


Tickets usually go on sale the day after Thanksgiving. It sells out pretty quickly, though.

Shouldn't this be in the IRL site?
I put it here because "Lake Arrowhead" is what comes up on IRL, and "MaxFunCon" is more accurate.

As for the meetup, I'm staying at a hotel on Fairfax near the Farmer's Market. Should we plan for a meetup around there?
posted by ColdChef at 10:49 AM on May 25, 2011


As for the meetup, I'm staying at a hotel on Fairfax near the Farmer's Market. Should we plan for a meetup around there?

YES!! Should we go back to Farmers Market, a la last year? (And thank GOD I am coming back from WA on the 8th and not the 11th as originally planned.)
posted by scody at 10:52 AM on May 25, 2011


(Or the year before? When was that Farmers Market meetup, anyway? All that post-market meetup bourbon blurred the distinction between years....)
posted by scody at 10:53 AM on May 25, 2011


IRL Post

(Or the year before? When was that Farmers Market meetup, anyway? All that post-market meetup bourbon blurred the distinction between years....)

That was in 2009. That place had some yummy foodstuffs. Was it Loteria?
posted by ColdChef at 10:56 AM on May 25, 2011


Yes, Farmer's Market was year before last. And I thought it was a really user-friendly location so it would be pretty cool to do it in the vicinity again.

We will be there. I am trying to figure out what to do about LA festivities now that this isn't actually a vacation for us anymore. I will watch meetup developments and figure it out closer to the day.
posted by Lyn Never at 10:58 AM on May 25, 2011


I really want to go to this, but this year's out. Maybe next year.
posted by Miko at 11:26 AM on May 25, 2011


I'm going this year, it's my first time. Couldn't be more excited. I'm ethosophical over on the MaxFun forums.
posted by Apropos of Something at 11:57 AM on May 25, 2011


I dunno guys, the Farmer's Market left a note saying they entered a description of my improperly parked bike into their database at the Euchre meetup last month that was there, so I may need to go undercover. Maybe change the spoke cards and add a few stickers.
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 12:06 PM on May 25, 2011 [7 favorites]


Aha cross selling.
posted by joost de vries at 12:10 PM on May 25, 2011


Man, I wish I could go to this. MaxFunCon sounds like so much fun.
posted by brundlefly at 12:12 PM on May 25, 2011


I wish it had a better name so I could pitch it to my employer. MaxFunCon sounds like a weekend filled with video games and hookers.
posted by cjorgensen at 12:13 PM on May 25, 2011


Also, I'm flying out pretty late on Sunday night, so if anyone's up for a mini-meetup in the Ontario, CA airport, I'm totally down.
posted by Apropos of Something at 12:17 PM on May 25, 2011




ColdChef: "rental-cars tend to randomly go off-roading"

oh my gosh that is not what rental cars are fooo~ ( cutaway to a Dukes of Hazzard scene)
posted by boo_radley at 12:38 PM on May 25, 2011


You people on the West Coast have all the fun.
posted by Deathalicious at 1:29 PM on May 25, 2011


Pics or it didn't happen
posted by Sailormom at 2:40 PM on May 25, 2011


Not even at gunpoint.
posted by jonmc at 4:32 PM on May 25, 2011


Get on the plane, or Clooney gets it!
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 4:36 PM on May 25, 2011


G'head, shoot the pretty boy!
posted by jonmc at 4:48 PM on May 25, 2011


Yay! ColdChef in LA again! I mean this LA, not that LA!
posted by eyeballkid at 4:53 PM on May 25, 2011 [2 favorites]


I'm so bummed I'm not going this year. I'll miss you, ColdChef! Tell Hodgman I said hi. :)
posted by tristeza at 6:12 PM on May 25, 2011 [1 favorite]


I don't like fun.

Ya, I think I need to organize a min-fun-con. That seems like more... my style :)
posted by Chuckles at 12:37 AM on May 26, 2011


My better half and I are attending but we're flying in Friday morning.
posted by mmascolino at 11:04 AM on May 26, 2011


ColdChef drives like that because most of his passengers can't complain. (I kid, I kid!)
posted by tizzie at 11:54 AM on May 26, 2011 [1 favorite]


AUGH, I wanna go but registration is sold out. Why do all of the bad things happen to me?
posted by cabingirl at 1:18 PM on May 26, 2011


Maybe you can have Clooney's ticket. He's... uh... "suddenly unable to attend."
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 1:50 PM on May 26, 2011


It would be nice if people posted when registration opened, if they are going to post when registration is closed.
posted by smackfu at 2:12 PM on May 26, 2011


Traditionally, registration opens just after Thanksgiving and this year it was sold out before the New Year's Day.
posted by mmascolino at 2:21 PM on May 26, 2011


Right, I mean this post could have been made then, and people who were interested could have signed up. Rather than this post-facto version.
posted by smackfu at 2:34 PM on May 26, 2011 [1 favorite]


> It would be nice if people posted when registration opened, if they are going to post when registration is closed.

Were you seriously going to spend $800+ on a ticket to an event based on Metafilter members presence? I mean, MaxFunCon has been mentioned here on meta quite a few times, if you were really interested in going, they provide plenty of ways to get reminders about the event.
posted by mrzarquon at 5:55 PM on May 26, 2011


I mean, it sucks people can't go who want to go this year, but I don't think the plan is ever to invade MaxFunCon with MeFites every year or what have you.

And I realize they aren't posting the prices anymore, but yeah, it was $800 per person or something last year, and that included a two night, three day stay, all meals included, at a lake side resort. This isn't like getting tickets to Comic-Con or something.
posted by mrzarquon at 5:59 PM on May 26, 2011


if you were really interested in going, they provide plenty of ways to get reminders about the event.

I didn't realize it was actually an official yearly event that I could track, to be honest. The first year, I knew about it but I couldn't go that weekend. The second year, I heard about it after the fact and was like "oh, they did that again?" This year, ditto.

What are the available reminders? I don't see any "sign up for the mailing list" links on the site.
posted by cabingirl at 6:45 PM on May 26, 2011


$800? That certainly makes it less appealing. I haven't seen the facility, but there's no way that's not steep for a weekend in a camplike environment with communcal meals.

I'm sure it's extremely fun and that you're paying for the program too, but that isn't a cheap weekend, especially once airfare is added.

I've heard about it for a few years but it was only this year that I got interested in going, and by the time I looked, it was booked up. I agree with cabingirl that it's not all that easy to know when it gets posted. I suppose if you're a member of the MaxFun community and active on the boards, you would know, and I guess that's actually who the whole gig is really for, not just for any random people who like camping-type places and games and stuff.
posted by Miko at 7:47 PM on May 26, 2011


$800? That certainly makes it less appealing. I haven't seen the facility, but there's no way that's not steep for a weekend in a camplike environment with communcal meals.

It's only "camp-like" in theme. Lodging is in these great condolets, and the meals aren't camp food. It's really quite delicious. It's really designed for comedy nerds and fans of the various TSOYA podcasts. Of course, everything is relative, but the cost of MaxFunCon is worth it to me because I have the opportunity to hang out with really cool comedy fans and comedians themselves. Last year, I got to go on a nature walk with Maria Bamford, who is one of my favorites and we got to chat and she was very kind and encouraging of my writing, and that makes it worth it to me.

Anyways, in the past there have been a lot of MeFites who have attended and I've enjoyed getting to know all of them. This year it seems like there will be less of us there, and that's okay, too. I look forward to meeting those of you I've never met before and seeing old friends as well.
posted by ColdChef at 9:11 PM on May 26, 2011


The whole thing is put on by Maximum Fun. It is a really small event from what I've seen (I haven't been, I am not going this year either unfortunately). And it kind of shows in that respect because the website is a dormant blogspot site until Jesse gets around to updating it when it gets organized just before the next event it appears.

If you listen to the Sound of Young America podcast, it will probably have plugs for the event.

I see it as more of a technical conference in a way, but for comedians and writers and musicians of sorts. So I guess I kind of see the "why didn't you tell us about it before hand" response kind of being out of proportion because it has a fairly limited appeal once you look at the details (I was shocked as well when I first saw the price, but each year I see more of ColdChef's photos on flickr, and each year I hope I can afford to go the following year).
posted by mrzarquon at 10:44 PM on May 26, 2011


> a nature walk with Maria Bamford

:O

The Maria Bamford Show is the best thing.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 4:04 PM on May 27, 2011 [1 favorite]


If you listen to any MaxFun podcasts or follow the MaxFun empire at all, you'd know that that MaxFunCon is coming up and that it sells out quickly. Kind of like as mrzarquon is saying, the appeal is probably limited to comedy and independent media nerds and those already psyched about and steeped in MaxFun culture. It's not like Bonnaroo or some similar giant festival that is meant to have something for many thousands of people. And though I can't afford to go, it certainly sounds like the cost is altogether reasonable considering the experience.
posted by Rudy Gerner at 6:11 AM on May 28, 2011


What I am saying is: a nature walk with Maria Bamford is worth many millions of dollars, so it's actually a gigantic bargain. Wow, ColdChef. Color me jealous!
posted by Rudy Gerner at 6:12 AM on May 28, 2011


I'm jealous of Maria Bamford. A nature walk with ColdChef sounds awesome!
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 9:09 AM on May 28, 2011 [8 favorites]


The first MaxFunCon that is happening without me! Oh well, it couldn't be helped. Have fun Cold Chef, Young American, and all other MeFi Maxfunster! I'll see you next year, accompanied by the lovely Jennifer!
posted by The Deej at 11:17 AM on May 30, 2011 [1 favorite]


I actually learned about it from John Hodgman on podcasts - well, I'd heard the name here, but learned the description on the podcasts. But based on what you're saying here about comedy-folk-only, it starts to sound like much more of an insidery thing than what I heard described. I get the sense it wouldn't be too welcoming, then. I suppose it's not surprising that it sells out immediately as apparently they want the target market to stay pretty tight. Oh well.

The world could use more of these kinds of grownup-fun things.
posted by Miko at 6:49 AM on May 31, 2011


But based on what you're saying here about comedy-folk-only, it starts to sound like much more of an insidery thing than what I heard described. I get the sense it wouldn't be too welcoming, then.

Couldn't be further from the truth. Unless you hate comedy. And then, you'd still be welcome, just perpetually angered. Along with the comedy, there are podcasts and writing workshops and even yoga with Neal Pollack.
posted by ColdChef at 10:50 AM on May 31, 2011


Yoga with Kevin Pollack might be funnier.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 11:15 AM on May 31, 2011


Yoga with Kevin Pollack might be funnier.

Yoga with Jackson Pollack would be interesting (not to mention the fact that it sounds like a line out of a Tom Waits song).
posted by scody at 11:44 AM on May 31, 2011 [2 favorites]


The entire reason I've posted threads in the past about MaxFunCon is because-in the past-it's been a very MetaFilter-centric event. It's hosted by Jesse Thorn, a MetaFilter member, sponsored in part by AskMetaFilter, and attended by quite a few members. But I can see that it's popularity is extending far beyond our borders, so this will be the last I post about it here.

I look forward to seeing the Los Angeles folks next week and meeting the MaxFunCon MeFites at Lake Arrowhead.
posted by ColdChef at 11:58 AM on May 31, 2011


Well, I'm a little confused about squaring this

Couldn't be further from the truth

With these

It's really designed for comedy nerds and fans of the various TSOYA podcasts.

the appeal is probably limited to comedy and independent media nerds and those already psyched about and steeped in MaxFun culture.

But it's kind of moot since it can't happen this year anyway for me. I do think it would be fun to go - I guess I could be called an "independent media nerd" so I imagine I might qualify to enjoy it, and my partner writes sketch comedy and does improv among other things, and would probably really like the scene. Who knows, it's out there, maybe another time.
posted by Miko at 6:15 PM on May 31, 2011


I was disagreeing with the statement, "I get the sense it wouldn't be too welcoming, then." I'm not sure where that idea would come from. It's about as welcoming of a group as you could imagine.
posted by ColdChef at 6:30 PM on May 31, 2011


It's about as welcoming of a group as you could imagine.

This is the truth! In fact, I described the MaxFunCon experience to my pastor as an example of how welcoming her church should be. We are still working on it!
posted by The Deej at 7:02 PM on May 31, 2011


Glad to hear it.
posted by Miko at 7:47 PM on May 31, 2011


I think part of that misunderstanding may have come from my explanation of the focus of the event as something like a technical conference, as to explain why it might get posted closer to the event and not when the registration was open. I realize I came across as pretty snarky about it when it first came up, and I didn't mean to dissuade people from attending.

And really, it was meant more of a reaction to the general premise of "if you are going to post a meetup for FOO, post a meta for when FOO tickets are available (and if you didn't, don't bother posting about it)" than anything about MaxFunCon specifically. I mean, it would be great that when posting a "hey, I'm going to this event, if anyone else is there, lets meet up" type post always managed to occur when one could still buy tickets for the event, but that shouldn't be a requirement for posting.

I mean, what would be nice is if IRL had a non regional event option. Things like this Sasquatch Music Festival meetup probably died on the vine because its location was set to Quincy, WA, which is 150 miles+ away from Seattle, so very few people may have noticed it the meetup's near me option. Which is a shame, because people fly in from all over the country to attend it, and I am sure there was a group of MeFites there who could have connected to setup a camp site or something. Maybe IRL needs a "This is a destination event" checkbox that would create a separate sidebar, so things such as SXSW, MaxFunCon, Sasquatch, Burning Man and so on could popup on everyones IRL sidebar, and be one post that could be open from the time of tickets are available to event happens.
posted by mrzarquon at 7:58 PM on May 31, 2011 [4 favorites]


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