So.. Who's not going to Atlanta this year???

[Elgin Clock]

So sad.. We need a support group. Who's joining my support group?

:(

[Allison K]

Me! :(

The webcast is just so insufficient.

[E. Wood]

Me too. good luck to all of those who are going

[Aaron Lussier]

I'll join.

[StephLee]

I'm definately in.

[Adam Richards]

Yeah! Non-Atlantagoers unite!

[Joe J.]

I won't be down there neither will my team, and we even had a competent robot for the first time in years.

[Mr. Lim]

I'm not going either...

I think we need a 12 step program for Atlanta deprivation.

I'm going through withdrawal already.

-SlimBoJones...

[Katie Reynolds]

I really wanted to go but ... the fact that I have about $40 to my name right now is kind of working against me.

Oh well - more time to study for finals, right?

... Right?

... ... Guys ...?

:(

[Wetzel]

Sorry..I won't be joining this year.

I'll miss you Katie. You made my short list of people still to meet. :(

Wetzel

[Redneck]

Add another to the Non-Atlanta-Going Support Group.
We were so close.... seemed like we had such a good chance... ah well, guess it's the luck of the draw and such.

[tkwetzel]

Scratch my name down on the list. I have yet to attend a championship event.

[ebmonon36]

Scratch my name down on the list. I have yet to attend a championship event.
Ditto....I will not be going this year either because I don't want to miss that many classes especially this close to finals.
Eric

[Denman]

add us, as it would cost us several thousand dollars to a) get there b) stay there and c) just registering
i wish i could go... always next year when i'm at uni i spose

[Ashley Weed]

me, no go :cries: I really wanted to get to Georgia for just one :(

[Josh Hambright]

I'll join your support group.

*sigh*
And i could have gone is the worst part...

[melitami]

I'll join.

With three midterms next week, and my parents coming to Philly for the first time since I moved up here my freshmen year....oh, and the whole college-brokedness thing....no Atlanta for me. I haven't been to a Championship since 2001, my senior year of high school.

[Beth Sweet]

Add me to the list. If my team would have qualified I would have found a way, but it's too much money and my finals start next week. Grrrrrr finals...

[shyra1353]

im in ...

i plan on staying home and watching the webcast all day thursday friday and saturday ... look up to the camera and yell out "hi shyra!" (or have it on a sign .. etc. ...) and ill give you a free shirt!

[Bcahn836]

I am not going this year :( :( . I went for the last two years and it was a blast but not this year, there is always next year. Besides if everyone goes to Atlanta who is going to keep up the posting during the competition?

[dhitchco]

For all rookie teams NOT going to Atlanta:

1) We're hosting the all-rookie meet & greet on Thursday at 11:30 on the West Plaza between the dome and the Congress Center (the pits). If you're not coming to Atlanta, please send me an e-mail at work (douglas.hitchcock@harris.com) or via this chiefdelphi address and we'll see that your team gets the same information packets we'll be handing out to all rookie teams in Atlanta.

2) As part of this event in Atlanta, we'll be doing a paperback book collection drive to support the troops overseas. We're asking everybody to bring a good "mystery" used paperback and a buck (for shipping). In the future, your team in your home town can do the same thing. Just visit www.operationpaperback.org and you can be one of their volunteers also.

3) If there's something specific that you want from Atlanta, shoot me an e-mail. I'll be taking lots of pictures, etc so if there's a certain photo you need that won't be on the NASA broadcast, etc let me know and I'll add it to my laundry list. We upload all our team photos to rollingthunder.smugmug.com

ps: I'm not trying to EXCLUDE non-rookie teams, but the rookies are near and dear to my heart. Don't take it the wrong way...y'all.

[brandy836]

Im in with Brad. It sucks that we wont be going this year, especially because our team is made up of so many seniors. Oh, well, I dont think that our team had the funding to go anyway.

Although I dont think one more trip with Brad would be a bad thing. . . .

[Goobergunch]

God I needed a thread like this....

*curses fate and his school's budgetary priorities*

[Not2B]

I won't be down there neither will my team, and we even had a competent robot for the first time in years.

DOH! I know... Maybe we'll have to build a good robot next year too.

Add me to the list. We need the champs on TV.

[Christina]

I'll jump on this bandwagon. Unfortunately, I will not be down in Atlanta, either. I'll be Texas, actually. Who knew. I have another competition to head to this weekend. I'm part of my school's SAE Aero Design Competition Team (*gasp* another engineering team?!) and our competition is at the same time. I thought I would try out a college competition for once. I was hoping to get down to Nats...ermm...the Championships (showing my age there) this year. Haven't made it down in a while. And this is my last year in college, but oh well. Maybe some other time.

[shyra1353]

I am not going this year :( :( . I went for the last two years and it was a blast but not this year, there is always next year. Besides if everyone goes to Atlanta who is going to keep up the posting during the competition?
Ha ha .. I like this point of view .. I am staying back for the good of chief delphi ....

[dangerousdave]

I am very sorry that some teams can not attend the Championship's either because of finances or not meeting certain criteria because there are so many teams. It will be a lot of fun but it sure would be better with you! :)

Perhaps you can attend next years event.

Dave

[Rich Wong]

So sad.. We need a support group. Who's joining my support group?

:(
I would like to join your group, I just dropped some people off at the airport and waved bye bye & Good Luck to them.

Now, I'm back at my desk.... just... hanging out.... on CD.... not knowing what to do with myself.... hoping to get a call.... maybe at 6pm maybe 8pm... from a fellow mentor.... or a student.... or ANYBODY to tell me.... how great it is down here... how nice the hotel is.... how much fun it was at the airport.... when 100 teams arrived.... the teams they are meeting in the lobby or game room.... the restaurant fun.... :(
I need support.... NOW!!!!!
;)

[team222badbrad]

Scratch a big BSR down on the list too, with a big crying smiley face.

Sadly this year, college says no and so does $.

This would have been my 6th year in a row attending the Championship event too! :ahh:

Maybe next year I will come to nationals for my 6th time!

Hopefully I will find the time to watch at least parts of the webcast!

I guess for this year I will just have to walk for several miles and just imagine the heat, the scenery, the spirit, the enthusiasm, the hotel, the fun times, the people, et cetera.... :(

Wishing I was in ATLANTA!

Good luck 222 and all other teams!

[Alaina]

I'm not going. We couldn't raise the money for the registration fee. :(

I'm not just feeling sorry for myself, I'm grieving for my team, too. Half of my team this year are rookies and they TOTALLY deserve to see Atlanta.

I guess I'll have to next year as my team's #1 mentor! :D

[Rich Wong]

I would like to join your group, I just dropped some people off at the airport and waved bye bye & Good Luck to them.

Now, I'm back at my desk.... just... hanging out.... on CD.... not knowing what to do with myself.... hoping to get a call.... maybe at 6pm maybe 8pm... from a fellow mentor.... or a student.... or ANYBODY to tell me.... how great it is down here... how nice the hotel is.... how much fun it was at the airport.... when 100 teams arrived.... the teams they are meeting in the lobby or game room.... the restaurant fun.... :(
I need support.... NOW!!!!!
;)

They called me at 7PM, they actually remembered to call me! (happy) :)

It was only a 15 second call (but good enough):
"Hi we are here.... no trouble at the airport.... oh... I have to go, they are calling me to head out to the Dome and dinner... bye."

[tkwetzel]

They called me at 7PM, they actually remembered to call me! (happy) :)

So they shared information with you...and you aren't going to share it with us? Well, I guess there isn't too much information worth sharing yet.

[Denman]

So as a support group, surely we need to hold meetings and talk about our problems etc ... Maybe the irc room would suffice (link in sig) sometime during hte competition so we can watch the webcast at the same time?
;)

[Jay H 237]

Add me as another one to jump on the bandwagon. I hope there's enough space! :p

[Bcahn836]

Well, the web hug in ATL is in a few hours, have fun to all who is there and watch out for those bear hugs. I really wish I could be there and I don't think I will be able to go next year either I will just have to wait and see. I would really like to go, but after graduation I don't know where I will be, college? working? In a different state? Who knows. Good luck to all teams.

[CJO]

Our team is in serious denial, several members our walking around school mumbling "turn left to the Georgia dome." After allo, we were number one seed and finalists at 2 regionals, and we still managed not to qualify.

[Alaina]

All day today I've been asking my friends "Why am I here? What aren't I in Atlanta?" but nobody's really given me a good answer ...

I hope registration opens to Tier 2 teams next year like they did this year ...

[StephLee]

Today in Geometry, I thought to myself "I could be in Atlanta. But I am sitting in Geometry coloring triangles for no apparent reason. WHY?????????"

[Denman]

lol its sad, i'm sitting here doing some maths homework (groups and subgroups etc if you really want to know).... and i'm feeling empty inside.... can't wait to watch the kick off later when i get home :)

[dachickindapit]

Darned college coursework, and a major exam week...I think I'm the only mentor (for HOT) not down in Atlanta, but I didn't have much of a choice. Missing 10 classes, 1 lab, and 2 major exams is a big problem when you're 3 weeks into a new term!

Thank goodness for the webcast!!! :]

[shyra1353]

Today in Geometry, I thought to myself "I could be in Atlanta. But I am sitting in Geometry coloring triangles for no apparent reason. WHY?????????"

were you colouring them blue and red?

what's sad is the number of times I have cried because I am not in Atlanta ... and I'm not one of those people who cries often ..

and i should be in physics right now ..

[Alaina]

To my own surprise I haven't literally cried yet. I've teared up very many times, though. I bet that I'll cry while I'm watching the finals and award ceremonies, though.
*sigh*
Next year ...

[team222badbrad]

I have a question for all the people not in Atlanta, like me :(

How many times have you been to the Championships? Where?
Your most consecutive times in a row?

Me:

Three times at Disney/Epcot 2000, 2001, 2002
One time in Houston, Texas 2003
One time Atlanta, Georgia 2004

Total five.

[Rich Wong]

I have a question for all the people not in Atlanta, like me :(

How many times have you been to the Championships? Where?
Your most consecutive times in a row?


Years in FIRST: 7.0
Number of Regionals: 8.0
Number of Championships: 0.0
:ahh:

[melitami]

I have a question for all the people not in Atlanta, like me :(

How many times have you been to the Championships? Where?
Your most consecutive times in a row?

Me:

Three times at Disney/Epcot 2000, 2001, 2002
One time in Houston, Texas 2003
One time Atlanta, Georgia 2004

Total five.

Been involved with FIRST for 6 years.
Been to Championships 2x: 2000 and 2001, both at Disney.
Been to 9 regionals.

[Dr. Acula]

I wish to join your support group. I have been having a really crummy week at school and home the past few days. All of this could have been avoided if I told my teacher about my financial situation a day or 2 earlier.

Man, I need a hug.