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August 27, 2014

Lichtvergadering
Posted by Abi Sutherland at 04:23 PM * 24 comments

Just a reminder: we are having the Dutch Gathering of Light on Sunday, August 31 (that’s this Sunday!) at Proeflokaal de Prael. This is your chance to hang out with Patrick and Teresa, and maybe that other mod who keeps hanging about the place. In addition, there will be many fine members of this community, and one or two people whom I have invited because they might like us.

Note that there are two locations for de Prael, the brewery and the tasting room. This is the latter. Its address is Oudezijds Armsteeg 26, 1012 GP Amsterdam, and its precise position may be ascertained with the assistance of many of the fine mapping programs avaialble on this here internet.

The intention is to gather at about 1:00, drink some beer, eat some hapjes, and generally hang about for a reasonable number of hours. (I cannot say what constitutes “reasonable” in this context*.)

Events, clarifications, and the answers to logistical questions will be answered in-thread on the day. You can also track me down as evilrooster on Twitter.

Be there, or be…elsewhere.


* Some would say that the last three words there are extraneous. That is a base lie and a calumny, and any who say it should suffer a horrible fate.

Comments on Lichtvergadering:
#1 ::: xeger ::: (view all by) ::: August 27, 2014, 05:42 PM:

Elsewhere, alas :(

#2 ::: P J Evans ::: (view all by) ::: August 27, 2014, 05:43 PM:

Wish I were able to be there....

#3 ::: Cat ::: (view all by) ::: August 27, 2014, 07:31 PM:

Ik wil komen, maar dat kan ik niet, omdat het te ver is. Hebben een goede vergadering!

#4 ::: Fragano Ledgister ::: (view all by) ::: August 27, 2014, 07:33 PM:

I wish I could be there too.

#5 ::: Serge Broom ::: (view all by) ::: August 27, 2014, 07:36 PM:

Alas, I'll be elsewhere.

#6 ::: Xopher Halftongue ::: (view all by) ::: August 27, 2014, 08:49 PM:

I will be in a much less enjoyable place, doing much less enjoyable things. I will, however, take joy from the fact that this gathering is happening.

#7 ::: CHip ::: (view all by) ::: August 28, 2014, 10:08 AM:

What's the etymology of "hapjes"? The circumstances and sound suggest a connection to "tapas"; that seems improbable, but I don't know what modern Dutch has assimilated.

I won't be there; I'll console myself with a glass from a local brewpub (kicking myself for not having dug up good local beer during ConFiction) and say "maybe next time...".

#8 ::: OtterB ::: (view all by) ::: August 28, 2014, 10:11 AM:

What Xopher said. Also, I love the coinage "Lichtvergadering"

#9 ::: dotless ı ::: (view all by) ::: August 28, 2014, 10:33 AM:

Xopher@6: I will, however, take joy from the fact that this gathering is happening.

Thank you, Xopher. I think this what I've been feeling but failing to say about all the recent Gatherings of Light.

Have fun, all who attend. I haven't been to Amsterdam in roughly 20 years, but it still gives me joy to know that this gathering is happening there.

#10 ::: crazysoph ::: (view all by) ::: August 28, 2014, 03:01 PM:

Things are still in flux - after my comment to the previous Gathering thread (here), I've learned while I might be at de Prael by five-ish, Dear Hubby and I are looking at trying to either find a friend who doesn't mind us crashing at their place on a work-night, finding not-too-expensive lodging or taking the last-available train back to our lovely abode, departing around 7 pm.

First world problems, I know. But still,...phooey. I could almost wish I hadn't set my heart on this. Almost.

Thanks for listening to me grump a bit. I'll get better, independently of whether or not I get to show.

Crazy(and clearly in need of practicing non-attachment)Soph

#11 ::: crazysoph ::: (view all by) ::: August 28, 2014, 03:50 PM:

And,... knot is cut, late(r)-night lichtvergadering will be possible!!

Crazy(and doing the happy-dance)Soph

#12 ::: Jurie Horneman ::: (view all by) ::: August 29, 2014, 02:40 AM:

We will be there :)

#13 ::: Pendrift ::: (view all by) ::: August 29, 2014, 04:00 AM:

*raises hand for the headcount*

#14 ::: Patrick Nielsen Hayden ::: (view all by) ::: August 29, 2014, 04:51 PM:

Given the limitations of our middle-aged energy, it seems to me unlikely that we'll still be around at 5 PM, particularly considering that we have to pack for a 7 AM flight home the next day. I would suggest that nobody plan on the idea that we'll be there that long...

#15 ::: crazysoph ::: (view all by) ::: August 29, 2014, 06:51 PM:

I'll keep in SMS contact with Abi, and hope that you guys might manage a second wind.

SMSing worked well enough at Loncon, so I am guessing it'll be useful for updates in case I can't make it before you guys call it a day.

Crazy(and understanding that the sanatorium is some serious architectural eye-candy...)Soph

#16 ::: Clifton ::: (view all by) ::: August 29, 2014, 09:20 PM:

As Xopher says, I will take joy from the fact of your gathering.

I was hoping to have a small gathering of my own this weekend, to play some board games and enjoy some beer, but none of my friends have managed to respond yea or nay. <grump>Sometimes my friends are ditzes.</grump> Oh well, it may yet happen, or not.

#17 ::: Martin Wisse ::: (view all by) ::: August 30, 2014, 07:00 AM:

I'll be there.

#18 ::: Martin Wisse ::: (view all by) ::: August 30, 2014, 07:00 AM:

I'll be there.

#19 ::: abi ::: (view all by) ::: August 31, 2014, 05:41 AM:

We may be fashionably (5 to 10 minutes) late because bus schedules. If you arrive before then, the reservation is in my name (Abi Sutherland).

#20 ::: abi ::: (view all by) ::: August 31, 2014, 12:21 PM:

Well, that was fun. It was a shame that crazy(and otherwise occupied)soph could not be there.

Pictures may be forthcoming in a bit.

#21 ::: crazysoph ::: (view all by) ::: August 31, 2014, 12:49 PM:

Thank you, abi, for the considerate and gentle reception when I phoned.

The tour of the sanatorium was absolutely top-class (in fact, they're on track to become a UN World Heritage Site in 2018); I'm sorry it cost me the chance to attend the Lichtvergadering, but it was absolutely worth it. When I've had a chance to digest what we've seen, photographed, heard, I'll pop it all into a link and leave a note on the current Open Thread.

Crazy(but not wanting to start on discussing the other deciding factor, her very unhappy shoulder - on the other hand, staying with the hubby and associated friend/transport infrastructure meant she did NOT get caught by some of the MOST unseasonable and SUDDEN downpours)Soph

PS a semi-drunken kiss for abi, for her parenthetical reflection of my particular sign-off habit.

#22 ::: Pendrift ::: (view all by) ::: August 31, 2014, 01:35 PM:

That was totally worth the trip. (Yay efficient trains!) I was so distracted by the fine company and conversation I actually forgot to get stroopwafels on the way home.

#23 ::: Ingvar M ::: (view all by) ::: September 02, 2014, 03:36 AM:

Alas, I couldn't, quite, make the planning fit together (primarily because I needed to be up bright and early Monday and Amsterdam to London is not a trivial trek, although not nearly as bad as it could be; last time it took me ~6h from Amsterdam Centraal to home, via train, if I have my time zone conversions right).

#24 ::: Branko Collin ::: (view all by) ::: September 06, 2014, 04:16 AM:

If you say the word hap out loud, you know what it means. (The -jes bit is merely a diminutive, comparable to -ies in English---Eddies in the space-time continuum; oh, is he?; you know the drill---and -chen in German.)

The inestimable Etymologiebank says "herkomst onduidelijk" (origin unclear): http://www.etymologiebank.nl/trefwoord/hap

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