Mark, and all the rest of you on-line Newsletter Editors, and
Conch-L-at-Large,
 
To answer your question, I have to say at this point, I can't answer it but
I am working on it. I usually host the Editors' meetings at COA.  They
really are not formal meetings so much as get-togethers for editors to
share their problems and solutions.
 
However, I have learned this weekend that I am not going to be able to get
to the COA meeting until perhaps and hopefully, Monday night. That may
leave the Editors' Meeting out in the cold. And I'll miss a lot of my other
favorite activities, Opening Ceremonies, the Annual Business Meeting, and
the Welcome Party and some great programs! And, I am afraid, I'll miss some
of my favorite people, but it can't be helped.
 
Not only is the weekend of the 19th my grandmother's 100th birthday party
in Lancaster, Ohio, (you just don't miss your grandma's 100th birthday!)
but my son and one and only grandchild will be home from Oregon for the
party and they can't arrive until that weekend. We get to see them about
once a year so this is doubly special. However, I will try to find someone
to host this seemingly popular little gathering. Lots of good information
gets traded there every year.
 
And while we are talking about COA. . .
 
Unabashed Commercial Time from your Sponsor, The Conchologists of America:
(You do all remember that my favorite organization, COA, is the sponsor of
Conch-L, don't you? That it doesn't just exist out there in the ether under
the careful guidance of Amy? And that, in light of that sponsorship, COA is
allowed a commercial or two?)
 
All you folks who possibly can should go to this convention. Yes, I know, I
am missing some of it, but this will be my first time since I joined COA in
1987 to be late to a COA. I never want to miss one. They are dynamic
occasions of learning and sharing and meeting people and having a great
good time...a giant houseparty with shellers everywhere! Anne Joffe and the
Captiva Committee gave what must be the greatest Welcome Party ever, last
year, but 1998 Convention Chairman Linda Koestel and her crew are sure to
cook up something super! Be there!
 
And the programs are always exceptional!  Trips to places you have only
dreamed about, educational audio-visual programs that will enrich your
understanding of your hobby.  Great buys on the Silent Auction tables!
(Did anyone EVER figure out what happened to that hardhat of our old friend
Walter Sage that was auctioned in Texas?) I am going to miss a lot of that!
 The rest of you will just have to fill in for me at those early-week
activities and keep me posted! The convention is usually the highlight of
my year, the time I get to see so many old friends and renew my enthusiasm
and make lots of new friends.
 
   But even though my visit will be abbreviated this year, I will still get
to salivate over the phenomenal COA Bourse and definitely buy a little. I
must confess that Phil Dietz's marvelous earrings are the greatest draw for
me these days, since I hardly have time to actually collect any more.) If
you've never attended a COA Bourse, I'll say you must see it to believe it!
 More dealers from more parts of the world with more shells in one place at
one time than any other sales venue there is, I think!  Don Dan calls it
the Premier Shell Event in the World! So many shells, so little time!  I
never do get around to every dealer's table, much to my regret. There're
also lots of books and shell-related items to be had. And so much just to
be learned!
 
I will get to hear the other half of the programs, which are always a treat
and always play to a full house in testimony to their excellence. And I
know I will spend some money on the great buys at the COA Auction to
benefit the Grants Program. Do you all know that COA gives a great deal in
Grants to deserving and qualified graduate malacology students and workers,
way over $56,000 since the program began in 1985? And it is all funded by
the Annual Auction. Commercial within a Commercial:  If you have duplicates
in your collection that you can spare, shell books and papers you would
like to clear from your shelves, shell art (That's not you, Art!)that you
have tired of, or better yet, that you create, do donate them to the
Auction.  The proceeds are for such a good cause and your cast-offs and
spares will find such excellent new homes! (Send donations to Dave and
Lucille Green, 12307 Laneview Drive, Houston TX 77070-2443 as soon as you
can spare them!)
 
Stuff to do?  More than you'll ever be able to take advantage of.  Don't
ever think that you'll be bored if the convention is not near the beach!
Some of us never take time from the fun and cameraderie and shell chatter
to leave the Convention Hotel! Disney World will appeal to a lot of us,
especially if we are bring our kids.  A field trip to Cypress Gardens. A
SCUBA trip to Boynton Beach where there are marvelous shells to be found
for you intrepid divers. A shell ID clinic. A trip to A World of Orchids
and another to the Sleuths Mystery Dinner Show. A trip to Renningers!  This
I am going to miss!  I have been hearing for years how great the Renningers
Antique market is, and now I have to miss it!
 
I especially want to be there for the Conch-L party on ?Wednesday? and the
beautiful banquet (does anyone know the guest speaker yet? Such a well-kept
secret!) and all the other great activities! I wish I could see all of you
there when the "Scheumobile" finally chugs into The Royal Plaza Hotel near
Orlando on Monday afternoon. But I guess some of you need to stay home and
keep Conch-L in action. Tough job but someone's gotta carry the thing!
What if there were no messages?
 
I could go on and on!  I know, I AM going on and on. Yeah, yeah, I know
this is long, but it's nowhere near as long as all these grumpy threads you
all keep quoting and compounding! I do hope I see a lot of you there on
Monday night!  I'll be looking for you! And I WILL work on that Editor's
Meeting. If anyone has any questions, please email your convention
committee, ([log in to unmask]) your president, Dave Green,
[log in to unmask] or, failing all else, me. Or just ask them on Conch-L.
You are sure to get some great answers. Maybe even an argument! <G!>
 
Now it's back to the grindstone for me or you are never going to have a
"you-know-what!"
 
Lynn Scheu