You say you want a reunion, well you know...

Date? Time? Place?
Let's get it started.
My vote is for sometime in summer, so we can use an outside venue. DO we want to do a whole day - fun in the sun and then dinner and dancing under the stars type thing?
I will help - tho despite the post, I'd rather not lead - any kind of a committee or group to get this done.
Who's in?
Who wants to the the Grand Poobah of Reuinionville?

Links to our Sites

Hey everybuddy,

I've created a little section for links to personal webpages and blogs. Should you have something to submit to this listing, I can make additions (or subtractions ... Jon, Vic: I assumed you wouldn't mind links to your blogs, but I have been wrong before).

Happy Friday,
Kenji

(Pssst. HI KYLE!!)

Say Cheese!

Hi all,

There was a suggestion about a group account at Flickr to share pictures. I've created a public group called Toc Alpha (what else?) and I think you should be able to post, download and comment on our pictures there (although you may need to create a free Flickr account to do this).

It is open to anyone and everyone cruising the Net (just like this weblog) so if you're partial to protecting your privacy: be wary. Perhaps re-visiting the existing Yahoo group might be an option for our discussions, pictures and privacy.

We'll go with the Flickr photo group for a few weeks and determine whether we keep it going or not. (Unless everyone's uploads eat into my monthly account limit ... then we'll have to talk sooner than that).

All in favour? Opposed? Abstentions? Would you like that noted?

Have you seen....?

Are you wondering where a particular TA buddy is or what they are up to?

I know that many of us are in contact with TA people who others maybe be curious as to what they are up to.

If you're looking for someone, post their names here and maybe someone has seen or heard from them!

What have you been up to?

Now that we have a good list of people on our little blog, I thought it might be a good idea to have a thread where we catch up on what has been going on in our lives since TA ended.

So what have you been doing?
Where are you now?
What's new and exciting?

Posting Pictures

There are a couple options for posting pictures. Blogger (here's the help page) suggests Picasa Hello or Flickr. This involves installing some more software, but either program is easy to use. (Actually I can only speak for Flickr, the Canadian, doesn't-have-to-be-Microsoft option).

Your pictures are stored online and are linked to your blog entry. It does take some muddling around and some trial and error, but the results are worth it as these happy TA alum campers (Pinery Provincial Park, 2004) can attest....

Back row: (l to r) Loralyn (nee Wild), Samuel (Loralyn's husband), Alan Berry, Jason Stinson, Jennifer Stinson (nee Van Doorn), Joann Wiltenburg, Len Wiltenburg holding Emma Wiltenburg, Kenji Marui, Shelley Marui (nee Baker) holding Reiko Marui, Marilyn Arthur (nee Mackenzie), Jon Arthur holding Rory Arthur.
Front Row: (l to r) Victoria Berry (nee Jackson) with Olivia Berry, Rob Damen with Cole Damen, Paula Damen (nee West)

How to become a Contributor

Hi again everyone.
You may have noticed that some people are listed as contributors. It's my goal to have everyone listed as a contributor/member-of-this-blog (which means you can start your own Blog thread/posting). All I have to do (I think) is invite you as a member. Once I've seen you post to the page (comment), I'll send you an email and voila, you join up as a member and post to your heart's content. If you haven't included your email, please do, and I'll send something right out.
addendum** Once you have joined as a member of the blog, I will make you an administrator. Once that's been done - may take a couple of days - you can invite people to become members. Go to the Blogger dashboard (www.blogger.com) and sign in. Select the Toc Alpha Blog. Once in, select the settings tab, then members and then the add members button. Easy as pie! mmm pie!
Thanks,
V

Memories of CC

So I thought I'd start a topic for all to tell about their favourite memories of Christmas Conference's past. Please give us your memories so some of us can live vicariously through you.

One of my favourite memories of CC was my very first one in 1987 when Rick Lockyer and the gang were in charge of over 1400 kids from all over the place at the Airport Mariott. That CC was one of the biggest and best of all time. This was the time where the Blenheim area (in the old Region 1) had more delegates per capita than anywhere else (the Duncan girls, the Moore sisters, the big gang of us from the Ridge United Church, and on and on). And the crazy fools at the hotel even trusted us with their crystal to use when drinking water. Crazy!!

What do you remember?

Fasten your seltbelts!

Fasten your seatbelts because the blogging has begun so you better fasten your seatbelts.

The dream lives on: to Christmas Conferences past, we offer most grateful thanks. Somewhere in this world, the bathroom buddies remain stalwart and true; if not in this world, at least in our hearts.

Let the CheeseFest begin/continue!

Time to TOC

Welcome all alumni of Toc Alpha! One Mr. Martyn Bailey wrote a little note marking that it has been five years since the last holiday/year end/Christmas conference. Waxing a little (ok - a lot) nostalgic, Martyn noted that some of his closest friends came out of this organization and that not a day goes by when he isn't reminded someway, somehow of the group.
I completely agree. The demise of TA made me ever so sad, but I have so many friendships still thriving, to remind me of the importance of that organization in my life.
Anyway, hopefully we will have many discussions here and maybe some fun stuff too!
V