Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2004 10:14:02 -0500
From: "Michael Walsh" <MJW at mail.press.jhu.edu>
To: <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: The End of Austerity?
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

> lubell at boo.net 01/14/04 11:02AM
>>     Like Elspeth and Eric, I generally favor being very cautious with
>> our new found wealth.  The money isn't going anywhere and we need to
>think
>> this situation thru before splurging.  I have seen any number of cases =
from
>> the personal to the international where wealth proved to be a greater =
burden
>> than poverty and I'd like for WSFA to do something smart rather than
>> foolish.
>
>Agreed.  I think we certainly should wait before committing any large =
amounts
>of funds.

Absolutely.
I suspect there are all sorts of worthy things we can use the money =
on/for.  And lots of folks will be letting us know whatthey are . . . lots =
of folks.

>
>There are some things that I think can be taken care of right away.
>1. Funding Capclave.  Normally each year's Capclave gets some starter =
funds
>by
>having the previous year's Capclave buy memberships for those who worked =
a
>certain amount.  Since my Capclave didn't make a profit, there is no =
starter
>pool of money for Lee's Capclave.
>2. Website. It hardly seems right to beg for donations for the website =
when the
>club has such a large surplus.

These are dreadfully small amounts of money and would benefit the club =
directly.

>
>>     On the issue of worthwhile projects, funding Capclave and our
>> website strike me as good ideas and I think that practically all WSFAns =
will
>> agree with those projects.
>
>Absolutely.
>
>>     I think that debating Capclave's future direction is a very good
>> idea.  I like the idea of "premier con of its kind" but we need to =
resolve
>> the question of what "its kind" is or should be.  I would rather seek =
our
>> own niche than compete directly with Balticon.
>
>Agreed.  I think organizing a "Future of Capclave" discussion would be =
quite
>useful and think that after we vote in the 2006 chair in May, the three =
should
>get together with the WSFA officers and determine what type of convention =
it
>should be.

The club membership should be thinking & discussing about such things NOW. =
 I don't think prospective Capclave chairs should be grilled on their =
possible GoH choices, OTOH, prospective Capclave Chairs should know what =
the club sort of expects.

> Personally, my view is that it should be a literary relaxacon.
>We're not big enough to be all things to all people and there is already =
a
>perfectly good convention nearby that does this.  I'd rather be the =
quirky
>literary convention that brings in top-notch writers for literary =
discussions.

Well, I'm doing what I can for 2004.

>
>>     And what does the Austerity Committee actually do besides exhort =
us
>> to bring money and food, and attempt to raffle off Lydia Ginter?
>
>And remind us to be austere.

I'd rather we be thoughtful as to what uses we put the money to.

mjw