[Harp-L] THE GARDEN STATE HARMONICA FESTIVAL WAS WONDERFUL! / SARCASM, THE INTERNET and STIMULATING CONVERSATION

[Warren Bee <gardenstateharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>]

Oh my what have I done? Why did I do it?  Please let me explain.

First off, OF COURSE the Garden State Festival was WONDERFUL. If you weren't
there you shoulda been.

Let me back up a bit as I start my apology tour. I am the publicity director
for SPAH. My first official year in the position was this past year. Along
with the SPAH team I spent a lot of time and effort to make our annual
convention an incredible event this past August. We had a lot of adversity
going into it due to the economy as well as a far west location. We pulled
it off in grand style. One of the biggest and most successful conventions in
the history of the organization. I remember when I came back home and logged
onto my computer that I was excited to see what the post convention buzz was
going to be like on Harp-L. I figured that they would be talking about this
one for a while. I figured folks that couldn't make it would be asking lot's
of questions. I figured people would be sharing lots of stories, photos and
video clips. Posting all sorts of stuff. Creating a buzz that would fuel an
even better event next year. GUESS WHAT? Maybe you don't remember. I will
tell you. The buzz faded fast. A handful of posts saying how wonderful it
was and a few conversations. Not very much at all of a follow up on the
premier harmonica message board about one of the BEST HARMONICAS EVENTS
EVER. We were hoping for a lot of great things coming forward that we could
use on the SPAH website to help make next year even better. Great comments
and stories. Have you seen the website? Is there a bunch of stuff and
conversations that are posted somewhere else online that I missed? If so
please clue me in.

Now we fast forward to this week. For the past months I have been working
with Val & Phil and The Garden State Club to help resurrect the tradition
that was sadly missed last year. The annual festival. As publicity guy I
tried my best to get some local media to pay attention and cover the event.
I also wanted to do my best to help get people to come and make it happen!
Well, we got a great turnout from the harmonica players and lovers but not
from the local media. I have to admit that I personally took this as a
failure on my part. Perhaps I could have done other things to get the media
coverage. The fact is that much of that coverage is out of my control.

I sat down at my computer last night and checked my email. A bunch of harp-l
digests with the last few days ramblings here online. I love to come home
and play "catch up" with the rest of this harmonica community. Many of the
recent posts were coming from reactions to a post that was made. SARCASM and
how it is interpreted. If you think about it, much of the best activity here
on harp-l comes AFTER the INITIAL POST on a subject. Even an "off the wall"
post can end up stimulating incredible conversation. That is the MAGIC of
the internet and this type of forum. This is not the New York Times.
Newsweek or Nightline. This is a living and breathing conversation.

Bottom line: I dreaded the thought of this incredible Garden State Harmonica
Festival being minimally discussed after the fact like SPAH in August. I
wanted to start a fire. I wanted to make people wonder what was up. Folks
that couldn't be there might not even bother to read some fluffy gushy posts
out of the gate. I mean, who really wants to hear how great something was
that they couldn't attend? Now if it was a real train wreck? Many of those
same people would be very interested in hearing about it. Human nature. Like
the rubberneckers on the highway. I also know that many people here on the
internet will not post as quickly or passionately about something they agree
with as much as they will when they read something that they know is false.

So, in closing. If I offended you with my sarcastic posts last night, I am
sorry. If it ends up that a lot of conversations bringing out the fact that
this was an UNBELIEVABLE and incredibly SUCCESSFUL harmonica festival that
the Garden State Harmonica Club put on, then maybe I'm not so sorry.

Warren Bee

PS: the multiple posts after my initial post last night were also made to
help stimulate reply posts. I hoped that even if you weren't there but you
know the person mentioned you might chime in. The only sarcastic one in that
bunch was the one about Howard. My tongue almost went through my cheek on
that one!

PPS: I actually did stop by the casino on my way home. Drank WATER and
grabbed $450. at the blackjack table in a half an hour and then split. That
good harmonica mojo works in strange ways. My head was so full of joy and
happy thoughts after spending three days with the best people in the world
that I had a feeling that I couldn't lose. I was right.

PPPS: I was planning on making more posts about special people that I wanted
to highlight that were at the festival. But no more posts from me here for a
while. Now it is your job if you were there.

Warren Bee