We live in a world of rules. Rules are meant to maximize our joy, at a minimal expense. It's unfortunate that we need them, but anarchy isn't sunshine and rainbows. These are our rules. We will adjust them as necessary.

Attendance: 'Yes' Means Yes

We expect 100% attendance based on your RSVP! If you say 'Yes', we expect you to show up. If you don't, see 'No Show Penalty' section below (synopsis: $10 penalty you must pay if you want to attend future events). You can change your 'Yes' to a 'No' only up until 24 hours before the event. If you cancel within less than 24 hours you will be considered a "No Show". Our events will (generally) not allow a 'Maybe' RSVP.

If you have three or more "no show" RSVPs you will be removed from the group.


Preferential Treatment for Regular Members

Our events will have small initial RSVP limits and automatic wait lists. Regular members (those who have come to 5+ events, or those who have donated) will be preferentially moved from the from wait list to the event, as long as I think the group size is workable. Email me to make sure I know you are requesting this privilege, otherwise I might miss your name and not move you! If I add you, you MUST show up, if not see 'No Show Penalty' below.

No Show Penalty

We're taking a hard line about RSVPing 'Yes' and then not showing up. It's a pain in the ass for us to guess what percentage of people who say they are coming will actually come. I know I'm sick of making a busy restaurant put together tables and reserve space for 15 only to then see only 10 people show up when they have other patrons waiting for that extra space, or even worse guessing that only 10 people will show up and then having to accommodate the extra 5 people who decide to really show up. So, we now expect 100% attendance. If you don't update your RSVP accordingly within 24 hours of the event, you'll be deemed a 'No Show'.

To return your membership to a state of "good standing" (so you can come to future events) you need to pay a $10 penalty. The payment can be a donation to our group OR a donation to the animal charity of your choice. If you donate to an animal charity you must send me a copy of a donation receipt dated after the No Show. I don't want to get involved in judging reasons for why you didn't show up, just pay the fine regardless of it being traffic, illness, death in the family, etc. It's just $10. You can afford a just or unjust fine of $10. Pay it!

You will be given a 'title' next to your name which will reveal your shame to the world, until and unless you satisfy the penalty. The title will say something like "No Show. $10 penalty."


Party Crashers

Don't! If you think you might be able to come and won't be able to RSVP in time, take my phone number with you and let me know, and I'll tell you if it's ok. We may be able to accommodate you, we may not.

Elite Members

If you donate $50, you'll be an elite member. What does this mean? No idea. I'll probably take your restaurant suggestions more seriously, I'll probably be grateful, I'll probably be slightly more inclined to donate a kidney should you need one. These benefits will last for some undetermined period of time, likely between four seconds and a lingering infinity.


Mailing List

Our mailing list is to be used almost exclusively for announcing our own events. We will not use it to promote anything else or notify anyone about anything else. If you have a cause you want us to mention, you can ask, but we'll almost certainly turn you down. We are all besieged by spam (from the totally unrelated to the deeply related) and we consider people's allowing us to contact them a sacred trust (of sorts). Any exceptions we make would be incredibly rare, and motivated by the issue being huge and hugely related. Everything else, however noble, wonderful, moving, etc. won't be passed along to our members, sorry.


Money, Profit, and Motivation

We do not make any money from this group. In fact, we lose a lot of money running this group; you can view our finances here. We pay $500+/year providing food/beverage/party supplies for our events, we pay $140/year in Meetup fees, we pay other hosting fees associated with running the site. We also cover the difference when the bill goes around the table and a few cheapskates (or math impaired people) neglected to put in the right amount. Any money we take in as a donation, or for sponsorship, is deeply, deeply appreciated. That money will never cover our costs, but there is nothing so beautiful as a gift freely given, a token to say, "We appreciate what you're doing, and we want to help." And you do help. That money encourages us to keep spending, while easing our burden. We absolutely, positively are not interested in or attempting to profit in any way with this group. Hobbies cost money, that's normal, and that's ok. We're not complaining. If by some freakish miracle we were to be given so much that we had more than we'd spent (it will never happen), we'd announce this to the group and keep that money separate and use it for future events; under no circumstances will we personally benefit from anything received. So don't worry that your donations will support drug habits, Mexican cruises, or waxing and washing a Rolls Royce.

Ideas/Suggestions
Once an idea gets 7 "likes" within 7 days I'll schedule it (those specific numbers subject to change). Ideas failing to get that many in that amount of time will be removed. Ideas subject to some reasonable, generally reserved editorial license in case I know some place is in league with devil or gave food poisoning to my uncle or something. ;)

Check Splitting
There are two sorts of restaurants, the type where we each go up individually order and pay for our food and the type where the server comes, gets our order, and gives us the check at the end of the evening. At the latter type of restaurant we do not ask for separate checks. We pass the check around the table and each person puts in the amount they owed (including the obvious tax/tip). We do this because a) it's less work for the server, b) it's the way the real friends do it, c) it's a useful measure of the honesty of the group.

Sharing Food / Group Ordering
We each buy our own meals. Obviously you're free to ask if someone wants to split something or share something, make whatever arrangements you want with your fellow diners. Some people love to share, others don't. There's no expectation that you share, and no prohibition about doing so.

More rules to come...