[photo-3d] NSA Convention Musings Deux

["Mary Ann Sell" <vmmasell@xxxxxxxxx>]

Well, as the newly elected, first female president of the NSA, I have 
to add a little something regarding my feelings about NSA Y2K.  

I understand that many of you were apprehensive (to say the least)
at being in the middle of the desert in July.  However, most
comments made to me was that the air conditioning was so darn
cold folks needed a sweater!!!  It was great to see so many friends
(old and new) at this event. When Wolfgang and I picked this facility
three years ago we envisioned great things and the convention 
certainly held up to the images I foresaw.  

A big round of applause goes to Tom Dory and the NSA Y2K committee.
Tom contacted me in April of 1997 after I made a posting to Photo-3D.
He volunteered to help if we ever had a convention round his way.
Little did he know he would become convention chairman and all around
"chief cook and bottle washer" for the event.  His small but mighty
local committee of 5 people did the work of 50 and his out of town 
committee members rounded out our needs to see that everything went
off with narry a hitch.

>From the time we arrived on Monday July 1 till the time we left on 
Tuesday July 11 there was non-stop action. After we arrived about
noon, we unloaded all of the NSA projection equipment from our 
van and began setting up in our room.  Then came early bird room 
hopping on Tuesday and Wednesday.  

We began setting up the big screen and part of the theater 
equipment on Wednesday night (another NSA 1st).  Thanks to Bob 
Bloomberg for handling the theater assignment this year. 

On Thursday, the registration kits were ready prior to 8 a.m. (we
were busy stuffing them Wednesday night during theater set up)   
Thanks to Duncan Woods, who I persuaded to act as registrar/
treasurer three years ago, for getting the kits ready for 
distribution so early.  The VM, internet and APEC meetings were all 
well attended.  Some of us were obligated to attend the 5 hour+ 
board meeting:) on Thursday night while others were off room 
hopping and doing final tests in the ST.

On Friday, we got off to an early start and the shows were all 
GREAT! My favorite was John Roll's Yellowstone as I loved the 
combinations of winter and summer scenes.  Friday night brought 
the auction and the SSA dinner (would like to find enough time to 
attend one of these eventually).  

At 5 a.m. Saturday we were busy setting up in the Trade Fair.
Jeremy Rowe did a wonderful job as trade fair manager.  In spite
of the fact that the local fire marshall changed his floor plan
over a dozen times and all of the problems he encountered with 
this job, Jeremy is to be commended for taking this position --
which I "strong-armed" him to accept three years ago.   Larry 
Moor passed the gavel to me at the banquet (one guess as to where I 
was while he was trying to get me to the podium).  The food this year 
was really excellent and again my congrats to Betty and Ralph Gregg 
for picking such delicious taste temptations.  After dropping Ray 
Zone's plaque for the Darrah Fellowship Award (a well deserved honor 
and hats off to Ray!), I seemed to manage the rest of the awards 
without too much mishap.

The 3-D swim in was an all-around HUGE success!!!  Never have I 
experienced so many people so excited over such bad movies!!!  It
was a real lark and Tom Dory's foresight helped bring this about.
Again, kudos to Tom, Bob and the rest of the NSA Y2K committee for
hosting such an unusual, fun-filled event.

By Sunday, I was in my new element as Madam President and we had a
great breakfast with numerous announcements about future conventions.
A big thank you went to Larry Moor who has served as our unpaid 
commander in chief.  He certainly deserves the Waldsmith Meritious 
service award he received for his dedication to the association for 
the past four years.  Sunday night a bunch of us went out for Chinese 
food and a movie -- the 3D IMAX movie Siegfried and Roy at Arizona 
Mills.  Our group was later joined by Quentin and Ellen Burke and a 
rip-rousing crowd from the West Coast including Susan Pinsky, David 
Starkman, David Burder and several others.  

Monday morning we were on the bus up North to Sedona and Oak Creek 
Canyon.  It was a good time had by all even up to the 8 p.m. hour
when we finally approached our host -- the Sheraton.

Tuesday we said adeiu to the desert and meandered our way home, 
arriving about 4 p.m. yesterday (Sat., July 15).  

Again, I wish to thank everyone for coming and those that
participated in hosting an event or presenting a show or 
helping out in general get a special round of thanks from me 
personally.

Next year's event in Buffalo promises to be bigger and better yet!  
Remember to make plans early and, if you can volunteer to help in
some way, please let myself or our Buffalo Committee Chairman Marty 
Abramson (martz3d@xxxxxxx) know asap.  

Best wishes to all for future wonderful 3d excitement.

Mary Ann Sell
President, NSA