Singing the “Star-Spangled Banner” at Robogames
Greetings from the International Robogames! I am volunteering at this year’s event rather than competing, putting my event-running skills to use to help the organizers keep things going smoothly and safely; it’s amazing how much similarity there is between running Costume-Con and a robotic competition weekend (although costumes are less likely to actively attempt to destroy each other compared to combat robots). This year I was honored and privileged to perform the US national anthem in the opening ceremonies; a role for which I wore my “anthem shirt” of starred and striped bunting.
In just two weeks is Costume-Con 39 and our 2023 Annual Meeting, at 11AM on Friday April 21 in the San Martin room at the Doubletree San Jose (the board gathers at 10AM to receive officer and committee reports). This year’s Agenda is posted and accessible online. We do not have any big agenda items requested in advance for the annual meeting beyond my President’s report and recaps of those other reports, and our annual nomination and selection of the corporate officers. You can preview the reports at https://costume.org/wp/bod-meeting-minutes/ (note that a few are being presented in person and may appear on the website later.) We have a couple of questions I’ve been asked to put on the agenda, but I believe those can be simply and relatively quickly dealt with. Note: because I do not anticipate any urgent or dramatic business, at this time we are not planning to attempt a hybrid Zoom/in-person meeting because it is so difficult to properly include remote participants. If that changes we will post log-in information as soon as we have it.
That doesn’t mean we don’t have things to discuss! Several people have expressed a desire for discussion about how the ICG might adapt and thrive in our current post-lockdown, ever more highly digitally connected society, and how to encourage the growth of our community. That kind of conversation rarely works well in the formal constraints of the business meeting. So, later that day, at 1pm, we’ll be doing a “Meet The ICG” gathering in one of the CC39 meetup rooms, and I encourage any attending members to come in and join in more free-wheeling and informal discussion of where we want to go.
I’m building one very fun hall costume based on game design artwork by my friend Joe Phillips, and may have another finished in time for the F&SF masquerade, but I’ve had to promise my Andy to not make myself miserable if that proves impossible.
I look forward to seeing many of you in San Jose in 2 weeks! If you are not attending in person, please take the time to fill out a proxy form so online your vote may be counted as needed during the annual meeting; you may assign your proxy to your chapter representative or any member in good standing who will be present at the meeting.
Kevin Roche
President, International Costumers’ Guild
Recent Comments