Posted on 07/24/2004 9:49:40 PM PDT by CyberAnt
The San Diego Chapter held a special dinner to honor Jim Robinson.
We arrived early at the restaurant only to discover it might be an hour before we could have dinner. The restaurant herded us (22) into the bar so we wouldn't take up their whole lobby, and we all chatted and got acquainted; some imbibed in their favorite beverage.
While we were in the bar, a classy looking guy and his wife walked into the bar. He looked so familiar to me .. and all of a sudden somebody said his name .. and WOW! it was Joseph Perkins who writes a column for the San Diego Union Tribune. Joseph is a BLACK CONSERVATIVE. I love his columns and try to send him emails of applause whenever I read one I especially agree with. His advice: don't believe the dems when they say the country is 50-50. It's more like 60-40 AND THE CONSERVATIVES ARE AHEAD. I'm hoping this encourter with FReepers will give us some good local press. I plan on sending Joseph some information about us, as well as notify him of any FREEPS we do in the future.
It was great meeting everyone after having talked to them on the internet for eons. And .. it was equally great meeting new people.
The participants in the dinner were as follows:
Jim Robinson (plus Mrs. & son), CyberAnt, Doodlelady, onyx, Hildy, Travis McGee, Hollywood, eleb, sd-joe (and Mrs.), SoCalPol, doug from upland (and Mrs.), Brads Gramma (and Mr.), Texican (and Mrs.), Norman Arbuthnot, Warrant (and Mrs.)
I've probably left somebody out .. and if so you have my permission to FReepmail me and properly chew me out.
We took lots and lots of pictures. We have appointed Hildy to be the official picture poster. We will all be sending her our pictures, and she will be posting them within the next few days.
As a chapter, we have taken on a couple of projects. In August I will be meeting with a local RNC person who will be setting us up to do voter registration. San Diego County is still "Bush Country", and I intend to keep it that way.
The second project we are working on is what I will call a "Truth Sheet". A few days ago there was a thread about how to defend Bush in 5 words or less. I have taken that thread and distributed copies to members of the chapter. We will all be going through the list of 32 items and changing or expanding the answers (10 words or less).
As soon as we have compiled a good working list, I will be posting the thread so everyone can make a copy of the list. This will allow us to have ready answers to the standard mantras from the left .. such as #1 - "Bush is stupid" - my reply is: President Bush has an MBA from Harvard. We may ultimately end up with a different answer, or maybe I will post several answers .. if they are especially good .. and I have a feeling they will be.
My personal thanks go to doodlelady and onyx who were so helpful in contacting the restaurant and making all the arrangements, as well as keeping track of the attendees. You did a great job!!
Okay everybody who attended the dinner .. put in your 2 cents.
Jim it was an honor to meet you and your very nice family. Thanks again for all that you do, and I hope ypu didn't take the ICFN joke personal.
To: Brad's Gramma; onyx
OOps...let me clarify #28
I felt drunk on GIGGLES, driving Onyx home!!!
Guess whose phone is going to ring if
she is NOT here by 10:00AM?
That's right.
The phone belonging to BRADLEY'S GRANDMOTHER!
Tommie, you and your wife were the FIRST ONES I met at the dinner. You were sitting out front, both looking on top of the world patriotic in your red, white and blue.
I knew you had to be Freepers!
Can't wait to see the shots you took. You make everyone SMILE :-)
No problem onyx, looking forward to visiting with you again.
Have to be gone til 11:30...
be good!
We're looking into it, we'd both like to. If we can juggle a few things around, count us in. Again, it was great getting to know you.
Not at all. We had a great time. Thanks very much.
OH YES!
PLEASE try to rearrange whatever it is,
and go to the Library and BBQ at Rabid
Dog's with us.
Good morning Jim!
Guess who's not here yet?
That's right.
Sleeping Beauty herself.
Hildy tells me she is BUSY
readying the rest of the photos.
Texican only sent her 250 of 'em. LOL!
Thank you (and doodlelady and onyx) for organizing this great event. I am so very glad that we were able to attend. I have long enjoyed FreeRepublic on the Internet, but this was my first exposure to real live Freepers, and I was so impressed. What a great bunch of people. To say lively, fun, intelligent would only start to describe the group.
It was such an honor to meet Jim Robinson and his family. I am in awe of Jim's accomplishments. I didn't know what to say. All I could say was thank you for what you have done in creating this phenomenon, this organization, this group, this movement.
SoCalPol - thank you for being friendly and helpful.
onyx is a 3-ring circus, all in one person, the fun never stops.
doug from upland - so upfront, so out there, doing it the old fashioned way (converting the world one person at a time), a guy you definitely want on your team.
Travis McGee - wish I had a chance to talk to you; everything I hear about you is impressive.
Hildy - fun, active, making it happen. Hope we can associate with you at more events.
Warrant - discovered we live so close, lets get together on some freeper activity.
CyberAnt - it is great to hear that you are taking reponsibility for getting more activities going in the San Diego area. Looking forward to it.
Would you please ping me when the pics are posted? Thank you in advance!
Not you doug - you would have converted at least half the group .. LOL!!
I'm glad you finally made it .. it was great to meet you and your Mrs. Hope to see you both at more events.
I know I speak for more than myself when I say I value your service to America! We are proud and happy to have you and your Mrs. as part of the SD group.
Yes, I will be happy to ping you.
I know Hildy is busy right now readying them to post.
I trust you've seen the ones
posted last night here earlier
on this thread.
Thanks for the kind words .. it was great meeting you and your wife too.
I'm really sorry that I didn't have more time with the "fun" end of the table .. that's not to say Jim (and Mrs), Travis, Hollywood and Texican were not fun .. but we were probably talking more than laughing.
I'm hoping to catch up with a lot of people at the Library next weekend.
I did see them. They were wonderful.
I think one thing that could make it better is to photo shop them to include the name of the poster over their image! That would make it much easier to recognize who is who!!
Again...Thank you for being willing to ping me when they are up!!! I anxiously await!!
Good idea.
I'll ask MeekOneGOP.
Will you add names to the posted pics.
I can tell 'em to you by post number.
Jim and his wonderful family
CyberAnt, thank you for organizing this great event.
SD-Joe and his lovely wife.
Doodlelady - What a Lady!
Yours truly. In case you want to know, my T-Shirt said: "HOW ABOUT ANOTHER CUP OF SHUT THE HELL UP. LET US DO OUR JOB. WE'RE FREEING A NATION!
Joseph Perkins, nationally syndicated Conservative writer and rising Conservative star stopped by with his GORGEOUS wife, Yolanda, to meet Jim Robinson. He says he reads everday but hasn't signed up to post yet. If you haven't read his stuff, look for it.
Travis McGee
SoCalPol -
Finally! A family dinner where everyone agreed about politics!
Texican and Mrs. Texican - They are celebrating their 59th Wedding Anniversary!
Onyx and Jim
Eleb
Jim and Texican
Card presented to Jim Robinson from the San Diego Chapter
Warrant and his beautiful wife
Brad's Gramma. What a blast!
Me and my new best friend.
AND LAST - BUT NOT LEAST - THE MAN WHO MADE ALL OF THIS POSSIBLE, THE MAN OF THE HOUR -
JIM ROBINSON - THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO - From the San Diego Chapter of FreeRepublic!
FABULOUS JOB, Hildy!
Let me see who I promised to ping!
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