Here's a new Forum to announce, report on, or question information about Harbour Lights Store Events.

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John

[This message has been edited by JChidester (edited 03-07-99).]

There is an event in our area soon. Since I have never been to one, I just wanted to know the proper etiquette. Is it proper to take pieces with me to be signed or should I purchase ones at the event and have those signed? Also, can and should the event pieces be reserved in advance or are there plenty available at the event? I would hate to make a fool of myself in-front of "The Man".

I thought about taking my pet seahorse to be signed but since Bill says they don't exist, it probably wouldn't be proper.

Thanks from
DIGGER "The Man in the Ground"

Digger:

Allow me to introduce you to ENGBrady, Paul Brady who is certainly among the top 10 HL Event attenders. He'll be along shortly with a full description of Event Etiquette and tips.

John

Taa Daa! Thanks for the introduction John, but only in the top ten HL Event attendees, I am at least in the top five.
The first and most important thing to do if possible is get to know the dealer who is hosting the event, if it isn't either your main dealer that you buy from, or to far (4 or 5 hour) to make an extra trip. You can find out if they are having a drawing and maybe buy a couple of lighthouses ahead to get chances if they are having a drawing. The visit ahead of time to the dealer can really help you not cause any problems on the signing date, especially if you have several you want signed. The most time consuming thing at a signing is getting the lighthouses out of their boxes and putting them back in their boxes. What I have done is construct a carrying box. I took a box that was about 24 in by 24 in and then cut the sides about 6 in from the bottom. That gave me a 6 in tall, opened top, 24 by 24 carrying box. I then reinforced the bottom by taping inside and out with very strong fiber tape and taking a piece of the box that I cut off to be a sheet and taping it to the inside of the bottom. Next put some towels on the bottom to keep the lighthouses from sliding and have a towel to lay over the top.
I take my lighthouses to a signing event in individual boxes. I then work out of the car, opening them one at a time and putting them in the HL CB (Carrying Box). I put each one in a separate bubble wrap bag and into the HL CB. When I get to the front of the line I can pull out 6 or 7 lighthouses at one time for Bill to sign. Put them back in the bubble bags and in the HL CB as Bill signs them. Do it this way and you can keep them safe. They won't click each other by using the bags. You will probably take less time, getting 6 or 7 signed, than the person who gets to the front of the line with one lighthouse, still in the box and not ready to be signed. Dealers might look at you strangely but if you promise not to hold anybody up they probably won't have a problem.
Remember, if you buy something while your there, they really won't any problem with you having1 lighthouse or 20 lighthouses signed.
That's the first lesson at HL101 Signings class (not Admiralty).

WackoPaul alias engbrady alias Paul L Brady


PS Don't be shy, ask Bill questions about Harbour Lights and lighthouses. He very knowlegable about both subjects and sometimes will surprise you with the answer.
Enjoy yourself, because Bill will be enjoying himself, and you will have a really good memory, along with being better informed and having your lighthouse signed.

[This message has been edited by engbrady (edited 03-11-99).]

Digger, The first event I went to was at the Party Store a couple years ago. The store is owned and run by a family of very nice people, they were allowing people to bring pieces from home to be signed the last time Bill was there, so I would think they won't mind if you bring some with you. If you call ahead of time you might ask for Dave (one of the sons) he was always very helpfull when ever I stoped in.

I would like to thank you all for this column. It's almost like you read my mind. There is going to be a Bill Younger event here in Springfield MO in Oct, (imagine that)and I was going to ask what the protocol is at signing events. This gives me time to build a box to carry my meager collection. I was having trouble imagining carrying them in their boxes and opening and signing on the spot. Although it's still 7 months away I believe you can't plan to far in advance (that old anal retentive thing). Once again thanks for this valuable information on how to act. One should always know when to rub blue mud in the belly button and when not to. While I'm at it I'd to congratulate the webmaster on the excellent layout and design of this forum.

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ORV

Orv? Is this some kind of show-me state thing? My guess is the times to rub blue mud in the belly button would be very few and very, very far between.

John

Basically it means "When in Rome..." same kind of deal. It comes from Robert Heinlein (famous Science Fiction writer). Come to think of it, he was from Butler MO, so maybe it is a Show-Me State thing.

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ORV

Mark,

Thanks for the input on The Party Store. I will give them a call right away. As mentioned in my earlier post, should or can you reserve the event piece ahead or are there plenty available at the event?

Thanks for all the information everyone!!

DIGGER (still digging for seahorses)

Can't be certain about THIS year's event piece as to availability at stores during signings - but towards the end of last year, dealers couldn't get the quantity they wanted and were told to take orders and the pieces would come in signed by Bill.

You can and should pre-place an order whether you intend to attend or have it sent to you after.

Might be nice to offer a deposit or payment up-front. Yours will go out when those others are waiting COD.

I would go ahead and purchase the event piece and have them hold it for the signing, because they sometimes end up running out of them before the signing event is over. They will still sell you one if they run out. Harbour Lights will then send them pre-signed by Bill to the store. It will take a little more time to get the lighthouse that way. Most stores don't want to have to deal with the extra event lighthouses, that are left over.

WackoPaul

I would talk to the dealer before I made any plans to carry my whole collection, some dealers in my area limit the quantity of pieces brought from home. The story is that another dealer, who will remain nameless, brought their whole inventory (via convoy I guess). Needless to say there is some bitterness between these two dealers. Ironically the dealer who brought their inventory is the one who limits the pieces at their events. I guess to prevent retalliation?

[This message has been edited by LuvLights2 (edited 03-11-99).]

Posted to surface this thread that started this whole forum, a true Oldie But Goodie. It is an excellent thread about signing event etiquitteand even has tips on how to construct a carrying container.

Happy Habour Lighthousing!

Dave

Dave... thanks for resurfacing this thread. We have a lot of folks who are new here and I'm sure this will help.

I too have done something similiar to what Paul has done. I purchased a couple of compartmentized plastic boxes. I also purchased some plastic bags made of bubble wrap material. My HLs remain very save and sound in their plastic bubble wrap bags and in their own compartment of the plastic box with a lid. I have transported my HLs to signing events in this fashion without the least bit of worry.

It can get rather aggrivating waiting on someone to take each HL out of it's respected box for signing (when they have 10, 15 or so) and there is a line of people, what seems like a mile long.

Tim - Keeping the flame lit...

Posted to surface this excellent reference as we are about to enter the 2001 Bill Event Signing Season.

Dave