Argh.

[logomancer]

When I took the e-gaming position for TCon, I had no idea I would be micromanaged to this degree. At the first meeting, nius and jdunson and anterus were basically telling me how to do inventory and check-in/check-out for the games and game systems. I found that annoying, as I was perfectly capable of the basic thought required to put something like this together. Now they're expecting me to enforce a strict "no food or drink" policy. According to them, this applies to me too. So now I'm expected to be in that room 24 hours a day (in order to run the tournaments and keep an eye on the equipment) with no caffeine and no food. Unless, of course, I can pry someone from Security to watch the room for me. Which isn't likely, given the fact that there's a half-dozen people willing to do security overnight.

I tire of being treated like an effing lackey. I am just as qualified to run a room as anyone else, and I've seen MAGFest run a gaming room with people being responsible for food and drink in the room. They should at least have enough sense to realize that I'm responsible enough with food and drink to let me have a sealable bottle of Coke while I'm on duty. Apparently not. Grr.

I look forward to the day when I am treated as an equal and not just as somebody's pawn.

Comments

[zannyvix.livejournal.com]

If Anthrocon can make it work, why can't we?

If food and drinks were in the gaming room at AC, that was in violation of the contract AC had with the convention center. No outside food or drink, aside from that served by the concession stand in the Dealer's Room and the water stations set up in the main areas, was allowed in any convention space. If you saw that the people in gaming were allowing outside food in, they were risking costing the convention thousands of dollars in fines for breech of contract. AC is not an example you can use here. They got lucky that no one reported it. Technicon does not want to find itself in that position.

[vt-andros.livejournal.com]

The key to your argument is in the word "outside". Who says it has to be outside food and drink?

[anterus.livejournal.com]

If you have anything else to say on this matter, please bring it to me privately.

[zannyvix.livejournal.com]

This means working out a catering contract with the hotel restaurant, which we have to pay for and generally includes fees for setup, service, and teardown. If we bring in any of our own food, it will be considered "outside".

[pathia.livejournal.com]

People were bringing in outside food from EVERYWHERE, to ALL panels and most rooms. It was not just us. We policed it for the first day and then gave up.

The convention center staff did not care. I watched people walk in, drinking non-convention bottles of water/soda right past the security/help staff and nothing happened.

[zannyvix.livejournal.com]

Yes, I know that it *happened*. When there is a contract concerned, though, that is beside the point. Had the convention center staff chosen to enforce it per the contract Anthrocon had with them, the con would have been subject to large fines and penalties. That they did not does not mean AC was in the right. We don't have the luxury of assuming the hotel staff here will turn a blind eye. We're at a new hotel with its own catering contract, staff we've never dealt with before, and a noted history of enforcing just this sort of infraction. We cannot use the lax behavior of the convention center staff in Pittsburgh as a model for what to expect for Technicon. They've also never dealt with a convention like us before. For the first year at least we need to follow the rules and policies they've laid out for us as closely as possible while we feel each other out. There may be wiggle room for future conventions, but for this one we've *got* to tread carefully or we won't be invited back next year.