Originally posted by tutone
OK, I'm going to chime in even though I will not be involved in any shape form or fashion, but here goes -

I don't quite understand why, if you are all wanting to get together to meet for the first time, why you are spending so much time on the "what to do" part of it. Beyond meals, what do you have to "do"? The idea would be to chat and mingle, wouldn't it?

And, even if you decide that "doing" something would help break the ice, why go to all this trouble to pick the perfect locale if the "to do" list is the zoo. Doesn't every major city have a zoo? How is that so special that it's a must?

The Texas folks were making fervent plans to go to a chain restaurant and a chain mall. With all the unique interesting places to see in the Dallas-Fort Worth area!

Maybe that's why you didn't have as big a turn out as you expected - the people who wanted to chat may have been afraid that would not be possible with the itinerary, and the people who had never been to the area may have yearned to see the sites that are particular to the area.

Sorry, just my $.02.
Hey, there - you weren't there, we were. We basically spent Friday getting to know each other, at our picnic dinner - complete with flying coleslaw ... all the "events" we planned invloved being together and walking around together.

It was nice to have a "focal point" animal place to go, which just added to the experience! And folks had time to see other things in the area, too! Let those who didn't come speak to their reasons, let's not speculate about others' reasons for going - or not going!

Plan away, folks!