meeting #3 - TOPIC

Modern Comedy is topic of the meeting. Here are a few discussion topics and questions to get us started...

> YouTube and the rest has changed our experience of comedy/media....how the decentralizing Internet compares to the old-style, monolithic network-TV model. We see so much these days in clips and fragments, millions of viewers watching customized content, yet there's the whole "viral" thing when one clip seems to strike a nerve....so different than the top-down ways of yore.
> Why is Will Farrell so fun?
> Look at and think about old school comedians like the Marx Brothers, then moving on to people like Johnny Carson, Woody Allen, Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby, Lenny Bruce, John Belushi--take those comedians and consider what they used for material and what portions of society they satirized and/or lampooned--and then take a good look at modern comedians like Dane Cook, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Will Farrell, and the new sort of "Frat Comedy" films like Old School, Anchorman, and Dodgeball and consider where they're coming from.
> Will fart jokes ever lose their appeal?

Please post up interesting articles, videos, etc as comments.

meeting #3: details

Meeting #3 will be on Tuesday, 12/12 at 7:30pm at the Wine Bar.

Topic: TBD by 12/6

***comment below if you have any other thoughts on venue (where we hold the meetings) for future meetings.

***IDEA BANK***

This posting will be a living document where we can all add in ideas for meeting topics. I'll start it by listing all the good ideas for meetings that have been discussed to date. Please add yours in by commenting to this post. The Agenda Committee will look here when they choice topics for each meeting.

> modern comedians
> the ritual of apology
> the nature of celebrity in the modern world
> the last book you read - come ready to discuss
> invite in local politicians
> discuss an article or program if interest. Download a podcast of a radio show and listen in advance and come ready to discuss. Possible programs include: Speaking of Faith, This American Life, Living on Earth, Bill O'Rielly (Fox News), etc.
> topics of history: founding fathers, civil war, civil rights, etc
> dirty joke night
> famous people: Thomas Jefferson, Gandhi, MLK Jr, etc.
> how to raise money for charity in a really fun way
> living sustainable - tips
> efforts to help local institutions
> expert led tastings: beer, wine, whiskey, cheese, cigars, chocolate

second meeting - recap

Our second meeting went really well. We elected "officers" to 3 month terms. They are:
Treasurer: Kim
> responsible for collect and managing membership fees.
Secretary/reporter: Jeff
> responsible for reporting key points from each meeting.
Agenda Commitee: Benjamin, Darren, and Neil
> responsible for choosing topics for each meeting from the idea bank*. Agenda should be set at least a week in advance to a meeting.
If an officer can not attend a meeting, it is their responsibility to find a sub from within the society.
* The idea bank is a post on this blog where people can submit ideas for meeting topics. There will also be time at the beginning of each meeting to discuss new ideas.

RIP: Robert Altman

Robert was close to one of our members and a generator of many life times worth of good ideas. More info.

meeting #2: details - DATE CHANGE

Okay, the next meeting will be at the wine bar on Tuesday, November 28th from 7:30 - 9:00. Of couse everyone is encouraged to keep the good ideas and beverages flowing after 9:00.

TOPIC:
> Elect officers.
> Brianstorm good ideas that could be topics for future meetings.

first meeting - recap

Excellent first meeting. The good ideas were really flowing. Our main topic or good idea that we discussed was the Good Idea Society itself. The one directive that exisits is the idea that the Society will be paramount to all other good ideas. We must make sure we are always fostering a forum for the Good Idea Society to evolve and flourish. We also decided on a few guidelines for the Society...
1. GUIDELINES - we will not make rules unless we need them. We discussed a few good guidelines, but we will not implement a guideline unless it is needed.
2. MEMBERSHIP - to start, there will be a $20 membership fee for the first six months. New members can join by being invited by a current member. A new person can attend two meetings before they have to join.
3. HOW THE MEETINGS WILL RUN - to start we will have 1.5 hour meetings starting at 7:30pm. We will recap the last meeting, discuss new ideas, then move onto the "idea(s) of the week". No cell phones during the meeting.
4. OFFICERS - at our next meeting we will nominate/volunteer/elect a few officers. 3 people on an agenda committee, 1 treasurer, 1 secretary/reporter.

First meeting - location set

I have a good idea, let's have our first meeting at wine works in the basement in the their "cellar". It is a nice private location were we can have our first meeting. Time remains the same, Tuesday, November 14th at 7:30pm.

THE GOOD IDEA SOCIETY – charter invitation 10/30/06

Let’s create a place to share good ideas - good ideas that foster good community, good environment, good people, and good times.

To start, this place would be a bi-weekly meeting. A forum to have fun, discuss important/relevant issues, and to discuss problems that we face as a people and a community. This will all be done over a few pints and glasses of wine.

Our ideas will vary widely, from discussions of religion, politics, history, philosophy, and ethics to a dirty joke night or a whiskey tasting. The ideas can and will change from meeting to meeting and hopefully we will hit on some good ideas - good ideas that we’ll put into action and create real results.

But the main idea of the Good Idea Society is to create a “society” of friends where ideas can be safely expressed and explored while having a good time. Not so different from our lives already – just a touch more structure to help bring the ideas to life.

Let’s be serious, but let’s not take ourselves too seriously. Let’s try to do good, but make sure we’re having fun and not getting bogged down in the weight of our ideas.

Meeting #1 – Tuesday, November 14, 2006 – 7:30pm – location TBD