Who here is planning to attend this?

I just found out that I get to be there this time! And I'm hopeful that this will give us an occasion for a grand A&F meet-up.

Well, I've been planning to attended for a while...but now that I know they've added Chabon, I'm DEFINITELY there!

Jeffrey east of the Mississippi? Hmmm...

I'm hoping to be there. Road trip!

Hm. I've been meaning to go to the Festival of Faith and Writing for a while now. I should really get on that while I'm still a student!
As well, it looks like one of my English professors, Hugh Cook, is going to be speaking at the one next year. Our school is premiering the play adaptation of his book, Home in Alfalfa, at the end of November, so we're really excited for him. And it'd be fun to go see him there.

I'm hoping to make it up there for this. When I was looking over the list of announced speakers, I saw that Jon Sweeney, author of "Born Again and Again, Surprising Gifts of a Fundamentalist Childhood" would be there, so I ordered a copy of his book and read it on a flight home Monday. I'm going to try to read the books of a couple other speakers before April.

Don't forget that our own Jeffrey will be there.

I just found out today that I'm the MAIN staff chaperone for the students from my college. Not that big of a deal, but it feels weird, since I'm only like -- what -- three years older than some of them. We have a solid group going, and I'm excited about the experience for all of us.

So, it's getting close.

I guess I'll be looking for Jason, Jim, Stephen, and Aralyn.

Anybody else?

Alan? Any chance you'll be there?

With the Mrs. at 38 weeks, then, I'm stayin' put.

Besides, I have tickets to Terrance Blanchard & Spike Lee's live concert on the 19th!

Man, it has been years since I have been able to make it. I am really hoping for the next time around.

I'm going to be there with a group from college. I'm looking forward to it.

CherylR

I can't really attend at all, but GR isn't that far away. If an A&F dinner together were planned or something, I just might be able to make it for that.

Rich, what night would work best for you if we get an A&F dinner together? Saturday? I'd love a chance to sit down and talk with you.

If we could have dinner on Thursday, before the fest gets going, that would be ideal.

I have a ticket for the Caedmon's Call concert Thursday evening at 9:00, but anytime before that would work for me.

Wow... due to the cancellation of a panel discussion, it looks like I'll be doing two different lectures at the Calvin event! One will be on faith and film (yes, Nate... THAT presentation), and the other will be on fantasy and fairy tales.

That's awesome. The one on film is Saturday morning, right? Do you know yet when the other one is?

Friday, April 18, 1:45-2:45 p.m.: "The Eagles are Coming!"

Saturday, April 19, 10:00-11:00 a.m.: "Gradually Bedazzled"

I'm not sure that there would be much of a difference. If we could line it up early, I could switch days off or take a personal day. Otherwise, I'd be off work at 3:00pm, or 2:00 by negotiation, and "run right over" from the Detroit area. This would be worth it.

AAUUUGGH! Thursday is REAL bad. I'm cooking the Alpha Course dinner at church.

I have tickets to the Caedmon's Call show as well, but I will be able to meet for dinner before that on Thursday evening, or any other evening of the conference.

And that will be cool to see two Jeffrey Overstreet lectures!

I highly doubt I'll be able to do dinner on Friday or Saturday. My publisher is setting up get-togethers, and I'm supposed to meet with folks from Image, and my agent will be visiting as well. So... maybe breakfast on Friday? A cup of coffee on Saturday?

I can't guarantee anything because I am SO BROKE, (and that's what happens when you actually live in West Michigan) but I'd like to know where you are planning to meet tomorrow night just to see if I can make it.

Stef, we're still two weeks off. The festival is the 17th-19th.

An official A&F meetup without Jeffrey would not be an official meetup. I stayed here at A&F because I'd read Jeffrey and Peter in Books & Culture and thought it too cool to walk away from the opportunity to converse with them. I certainly am not the only one drawn here by Jeffrey. So, I'd suggest that Thursday night it is. OTOH, hanging out together can become a goal in and of itself. There could easily be other opportunities during this event. Let's see how Thursday night works for all of those actually attending this conference and then see what plays out.

I'm in for anything, but any A&F meet-ups might find me dragging half of a dozen college students along. (Future recruits for the board?) Thursday night could tentatively work. I'm not going to either concert.

If you want to hear some great music, I highly recommend the Caedmon's concert. I think their newest album, Overdressed, is their best (disclaimer: I am biased because most of the songs were co-written by Andrew Osenga and Randall Goodgame, friends and neighbors of mine). I saw that Derek Webb is also giving a talk during the conference sometime.

Oh, and I won't have a car. So someone will need to play chauffeur...

...if you don't mind riding with half-a-dozen college students in a van...

Just saw the newest schedule. Wow. This is going to be a great festival!

I'll have a car too that I'm borrowing from the friends I'm staying with. And I agree, Jason. I was looking over the schedule last night and getting more and more excited. Here's one of the sessions I noticed that looks like it will be great: "Writing Is the Only Way I Know How to Pray".

I'll have my car at the festival as well. It looks like we'll have a caravan cruising the streets of Grand Rapids.

Looking at the schedule, there will be a lot of great talks going on at the same time. It will be like going to Cornerstone and trying to choose which thing I want to go to. I hope some of these lectures will be recorded.

I'm still trying to find a way for all this to work. I found out I have to work on that Saturday, so while I have a ride down on Thursday with Hugh Cook (who will be reading there and leading a couple workshops... I highly recommend him!), I am trying to find a way back up to Ontario on the Friday.

Hmmm. Maybe I can ask for that Saturday off.

For what it's worth, I now have dinner plans for Friday, so Thursday night or sometime earlier in the day on Friday or Saturday will have to work.

At the very least, I want to try to meet everyone at some point, if only to say hi. I might wear my A&F shirt on Friday or Saturday.

Wow, this is coming up quick! Time flies. I'm looking forward to it.

Are there still plans for an A&F get together Thursday evening, or some other time during the festival?

I have Thursday evening reserved to meet whoever can assemble.

I'm still up for it too, but I may bring along a few students (they're cool students, and we only have two vans, so we really can't split up that much). If some folks don't like this idea, please let me know!

I don't mind a ride in a van. It will bring back old memories of youth group and mission trips, in a packed van singing songs.

OK, we can do without the singing. I don't believe "Father Abraham" is too hip among the college crowd nowadays.

AUUGH!!

My plane doesn't land in Grand Rapids until 6 p.m.!

That means I won't be checked in and ready to go to dinner until probably 7 or 7:30. (Is the school near the airport?)

Anybody up for a LATE dinner?

Jeffrey

That would be fine with me

That still works for me too. I'll just have to leave by about 8:30 for the Caedmon's concert.

Where do we want to meet? 7:00 at the Festival Registration desk in the Prince Center?

If anyone is interested, I'm blogging about the festival over on my blog, Rebelling Against Indifference.

Agnieszka Tennant wraps the festival for the Wall Street Journal. I read her description of Calvin's strict code somewhat skeptically -- hasn't the college's faithfulness to its confessional standards been the source of some controversy in recent years? -- but for the most part enjoyed the article, which made me wish I'd attended the event.