Date: July 6th, 2004
Topic: OMUG Picnic !!!
Summary:
By long-established tradition, OMUG's July meeting is celebrated in the form of a picnic attended by the members and their families, rather than the usual kind of presentation.
This helps remind us that we are not merely persons interested in the Macintosh computer (after all, who wouldn't be), but also a social group, a company of friends and neighbors.
The 2004 Picnic was held in Elmwood Park on Tuesday the 6th. As always, it was a "potluck" affair.
If you're an OMUG Member, rather than simply a visitor to this site, you're probably familiar with Elmwood park. For the rest of you, let me give just a brief description.
Elmwood Park is located a few blocks south of 60th and Dodge (where the University of Nebraska at Omaha sprawls. It is a nice example of the classic Midwestern America Residential Neighborhood Park. There are nicely spaced, well-grown mature trees, lots of grass, shaded roads winding through it, broad lawn areas, clusters of picnic tables in one area, a "field house" structure for functions which need at least the flavor of "indoors", a playground for children, and so forth. To the southwest, it adjoins a gold course, and Elmwood Creek wends its way along the well-wooded ravine meandering through to park. In short, it's a great place to spend a day with the pleasant feel of suburbia in the middle of the city.
People started showing up a little before 6:30 pm, and schmoozing, gabbing and other forms of conversation were the order of the day as the members gathered...
Since this was a potluck affair (a word which at least one tradition claims comes from a Native American gathering and/or feast called a potlatch -- though that is only one claim), everyone added to the food as they arrived. Some also brought their own beverages, although soft drinks were provided by OMUG along with disposable plates and silverware. As more edibles were piled up on the table and the charcoal began to glow, a certain tension grew, and rumbling sounds began to be heard from stomachs as anticipation peaked.
Once critical mass of food and members was reached...
... the picnic exploded ...
... igniting the grill, and adding further dishes to the culinary meltdown. Meanwhile...,
... in addition to the conversation, we were entertained by what appears to have been a function of the Society for Creative Anachronism or some other sort of medieval reenactment group. Multiple bouts of single combat continued through the evening ... and the guys dressed up as knights fought, too....
As evening faded into night, the picnic finally wound down, and leftovers were packed up, the tablecloth was folded up, trash picked up, and everyone wound up leaving by 10:00 or thereabouts.
The 2004 OMUG Picnic was a success, and passed gracefully into the annals of history.
