Hutchmoot Q&A

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It’s been a real joy to see how people have embraced the Hutchmoot. I look forward to meeting you folks and joining faces with familiar names. (Joining faces? That sounds really weird but I refuse to edit it.)

Over the last couple of days there have been quite a few questions raised and I’m going to do my best to give the answers. If you’ve got other questions shambling around in your brain that this post doesn’t cover, post them in the comments and I’ll be happy to answer .

Question: I’m not a singer/songwriter/author/artist. Can I still come?

Answer: Absolutely. Our vision is for the Hutchmoot to be an event that fosters conversation and community. We don’t want it to be so stuffy and academic that it feels like English Composition 101, or so arts-based that it’s nothing more than a series of workshops. We want to provide an environment in which anyone who loves great stories can come and be fed, even if that means you just love stories for the simple enjoyment of receiving rather than creating.

In a lot of ways, the Hutchmoot will be like the Rabbit Room website: We’ll say stuff about books or music, or movies, or our faith and we’ll try our best to sound like we know what we’re talking about. But instead of leaving comments on a post, you’ll be able to make sarcastic comments in person! It’ll be fun. And if you’re the lurking sort, that’s fine too, we’ll provide some comfy corners for you to listen from.

Question: How late can I register?

Answer: The sooner the better. We’ve got to have a certain number of registrants in order to pay the bills so if we don’t have enough sign-ups by June 15th, we’ll probably have to cancel, and we don’t want that. If the response is really good though, we’ve got a maximum number of people that we can comfortably accommodate in the facility (probably somewhere around 100). So if we fill up fast, you might miss your chance.

Question: Can I wait and pay when I get there or do I have to register in advance?

Answer: For planning purposes we need to know exactly how many folks are coming. We’ll eventually have to set a registration deadline and beyond that we won’t be able to accept any more registrations. It’s not that we don’t want you, it’s just a matter of logistics. So make your plans early and register while there’s time.

Question: Why are registration fees and deposits non-refundable?

Answer: Because all of our planning will be based off of the number of registrations and if people back out at the last minute, we’ll be in big trouble when it comes time to pay the bills. We only want you to register if you are sure you are coming.

Question: Will there be any special guests?

Answer: Yes, oh yes. But we aren’t ready to announce that just yet.

Question: What about kids? I’d like to bring my entire family but we can’t afford to pay full price for our children. And what about those of us who are dead broke college kids?

Answer: We are looking into this. I hope we will be able to offer some sort of option for the under-18 and student crowd. Look for an announcement in the coming weeks.

Question: Will the sessions and panels be recorded for podcasts?

Answer: We intend to record everything so that we can make it available online but we haven’t worked out the logistics of that yet. We hope it will happen but we can’t promise it.

Question: Will this be an annual event?

Answer: We sure hope so.

Question: The date conflicts with (insert conference name here), will it be on the same weekend every year?

Answer: Every date seems to conflict with something, and those other conferences aren’t half as cool anyway. We don’t know if we’ll do it on the same weekend every year or not. Too early to tell.

Question: Where should we stay when we come?

Answer: We’re working with a couple of hotels in the area to provide discount rates to Hutchmoot attendees. We’ll make an announcement when we know more.

I’m also going to do my best to set up a Hutchmoot Forum this weekend on the website to give folks an opportunity to connect with each other and share rides or possibly even find someone to stay with here in Nashville. Look for an update as soon as that’s functional.

Question: I have a certain type of food allergy. Will there be alternate menu options available to me?

Answer: I’m still waiting to hear from Evie on this, but I’m pretty sure we can find something tasty for you to eat (even if I have to run down to the store and pick it up myself.)

Question: What can I do to help?

Answer: Spread the word. Tweet about it. Mention it in your Facebook updates. Blog about it. Write your congressman.

Question: Why don’t we hear about the Nashville flood in the national news?

Answer: We don’t know but trust us, it was (and still is) an epic event in Nashville history.

Question: Why do they call you Pete if your initials are A.S.?

Answer: Ancient Swedish-German secret.

Question: Why doesn’t my local Taco Bell sell Chili Cheese Burritos anymore?

Answer: Because they are insane and should be shunned.

That’s all I’ve got for now. If there’s anything I didn’t cover, go ahead and ask. I’ll do my best to get you a quick answer. Big announcement coming next week. Stay tuned.

Pete Peterson is the author of the Revolutionary War adventure The Fiddler’s Gun and its sequel Fiddler’s Green. Among the many strange things he’s been in life are the following: U.S Marine air traffic controller, television editor, art teacher and boatwright at the Florida Sheriffs Boys Ranch, and progenitor of the mysterious Budge-Nuzzard. He lives in Nashville with his wife, Jennifer, where he's the Executive Director of the Rabbit Room and Managing Editor of Rabbit Room Press.


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43 Comments

  1. Julie Brown

    Ah yes! Broke-college-kid discount! That would be splendid if at all possible!

  2. Tony from Pandora

    How about a ‘Our-income-was-cut-in-have-due-to-my-wife-wanting-to-quit-her-job-to-stay-home-with-our-three-small-children’ discount.

  4. Tony from Pandora

    I just realized I wrote “have” instead of “half” Will there be any basic English spelling refreshers?

    Also, they still sell chili cheese burritos at many of the Taco Bells in Ohio.

  5. Nick and Susan

    Yay! It would be great for recordings to be available online.

    I propose that if Hutchmoot will be annual, then the 2020 10th anniversary should be held in England!!! That gives plenty of time to plan for it so all the U.S. folks can come too! 😉

    Susan

  7. Luke Taylor

    If we register and decide we can’t some, is our registration transferable to a friend? I’m so excited by the way!

  8. Dryad

    Also, I can’t access everything in archives (in order to prepare for this awesome event). Help!

  10. Pete Peterson

    @pete

    Sharon – Yes.

    Luke – Absolutely. We’d be happy to transfer the registration. We’ll see what we can do about childcare. Maybe we can find some volunteers around town that would be willing to help out.

  13. Tony from Pandora

    Actually, I can’t pull that one up either. Feb. 10, 2010. It’s just the title. It says there are 6 comments, but if you click on it, it’s just blank

  15. Hannah K

    Oh good. An “under eighteen” discount would be greatly appreciated. Do we still get to be Hutch -mistresses and -masters?

    Sharon- It already has. I said “I want to go to the Hutchmoot” to several different people, just so I could have an excuse to say the word.

    And everyone should tell my dad that he should come.

  16. Robert Treskillard

    Pete … since we have it in your own words, can we call you “Ancient Swedish” from now on? Just kidding! 😉

    The Hutchmoot looks like it will be absolutely, absolutely, absolutely (how many times can I say that?), absolutely amazing.

    Sadly,I don’t think I can make it financially this year. Maybe next! I’m really glad you’re all thinking of making this annual. 🙂

    -Robert

  20. Breann

    Yes, the link is blank for me as well. When this was posted back in February I had the same problem trying to access it. The title comes up but nothing under it.

  23. LauraP

    The link to p=6373 is blank for me under IE7, but just fine using Safari. The other links work under both browsers. Actually, I run into little quirks with the RR under IE fairly often. When I do, I just switch to Safari and all is well. It happens to me sometimes with other sites built on a Mac platform too. Perhaps dryad would like to try downloading Safari and see if that solves it. http://www.apple.com/safari/download/

  26. Dryad

    I use windows internet explorer, and I couldn’t reach those two links before–I can now. I still can’t reach the David.

    I liked the Frederick Buechner post.

  30. Matthew Clark

    Hullo Pete, I’m trying to register for the forum sight but I can’t get it to work. I filled out all the info many times and though I’m terrible at math I think I got the confirmation code correct. Any ideas?

    Besides that, really looking forward to the Hutchmoot! Thanks for putting this on.

  31. Aaron Roughton

    Is there a dress code for Hutchmoot? Tweed jacket with padded elbows, ascot, brown derby, pipe perhaps? How about facial hair? Is it required?

    My church has a “you’ll get laughed at” policy if you dress up too much. Plus I live in Texas now. Out here, people dress up by ironing their Wranglers. So seriously, what do you wear to Anglican church to avoid being restrained in the narthex by the head usher?

    And why doesn’t the spell check recognize the word narthex?

  33. LauraP

    Aaron – Just so you know, under no circumstances will I wear facial hair to Hutchmoot.

  34. Pete Peterson

    @pete

    Matthew,

    The forum is new to me too but I’ll have a look at it and see if I can find a problem.

    Aaron,

    No dress code. Wear cut off jeans and a muscle shirt if you want. I probably will.

  35. Tony Heringer

    LauraP…not even at the session on stoning?

    This is roughly the content of the soon to be scheduled Panel 4 that Aaron and I will be leading. Bring your own rocks.

  36. Aaron Roughton

    That settles it. Muscle shirt, cutoffs, flip flops, and ascot. And of course fake beard for Panel 4. Oh, and fake flowing hair for the shred rock panel led by Russ Ramsey and special guest Adam Curry.

  37. LauraP

    This is going to be one heck of an event — first the addition of Wangerin, and now PANEL 4! Glad Southwest doesn’t charge extra for luggage. The rocks are going to be heavy.

  38. S. D. Smith

    @sdsmith

    I think Aaron Roughton’s forthcoming book, “Restrained at the Narthex,” will be the definitive post-Hutchmoot memoir. Look for it in the RR store soon.

  40. whipple

    Hmm. Hutchmoot in England. Five hundred boisterous and too-exuberant Americans overrun the actual Rabbit Room. Not terrorists, but joy-ists.

    Forthwith, a list of proposed discounts:

    1 – For those who have read the entire Rabbit Room-sponsored canon, including Eric Peters’ definitive work.

    2 – For those who have collected at least one signature from every musician who contributes to the Rabbit Room.

    3 – For those who have pictures of Curt McLey with a full head of hair.

    4 – For those who bring an actual rabbit.

    5 – For those (to be read: yours truly) who are willing to busk and hitchhike the driving distance and live off the soup kitchen for two weeks in order to afford attendance.

    Hope to see you guys there.

  41. redhead.kate

    I don’t think I will have a problem finding the cut off jeans, muscle shirt or flip flops where I live in “Middle of Nowhere, NC”. But the ascot and fake facial hair might be a little more difficult. Can we get some of those items added to the Rabbit Room store?

  42. stephanie

    a friend just told me about this, and i want to come for sure!! i will send my registration in asap. by the way, our family is about half an hour outside nashville in pleasant view, and we would be glad to let people stay with us. you might have to sleep on the floor, but i am sure i would like to meet and help out anyone who wants to do something as fun as this. we have little children, so kids would be welcome too!!

  43. Jen

    Regarding the Hutchmoot reading list…Perelandra! Such beauty, and yet…I mourn for the exclusion of Out of the Silent Planet…Of course, the other CS Lewis picks were perfect…alas for the Silent Planet…

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