Ugh...

Apreche

So my company got acquired by another company somewhat recently. One of the owners of the new company owns a resort/hotel in Puerto Rico. There was just a conference call to announce that their annual all-company meeting is in Puerto Rico. They fly everyone out on November 13, and fly us back on November 16th.

If I was going on a trip to PR with the FRC, it would be wicked awesome. We would go to San Juan and make all sorts of jokes about Guild Halls. We would eat at weird holes in the wall. We would do all sorts of piratey business on the ocean. It would be epic win. Even if I went on the trip with my family it would be alright.

Going with co-workers, most of whom are strangers, and being stuck in a resort on a private island is epic fail. Sure, I like hanging on a beach, but alone on a beach for four days is no good. Sure there might be a lot to do there, but not for me. First off, two shitty long flights. After that, everyone else getting drunk and me going to bed. After that, people hanging out in casinos. A casino just isn't interesting if there is nobody who cares to discuss the inner workings of the magic Monopoly slot machine.

If I got to stay home for those four days it would be so great. I could get so much done. I could get the new web site working. I could make a video. I could play some video games.

It's when things like this happen that geek culture and popular culture are drawn into stark contrast.

GreatTeacherMacRoss

Do what we did at the shore. Hack it to make it more interesting.

Rochelle

As much as you do have a lot of valid reasons why this trip is going to not be fun, you could try to find what sort of local geekeries are in PR, if they exist. Then on your free time, you can go visit them.

Also, if you wanted to, you can catch up on big stack of comics you have in your room. However, I don't think you'd want to carry all that stuff in your luggage.

Hopefully you can make the most of your trip.

Nuri

Tell me about it. All the people I work with and the people I went to school with for the past 4 years are Foresters or something related. Do you know how bland and boring those people are? Their idea of fun is get together after work for beer. Try to suggest something that involves actual activity (unless it's flag football) and you get blank stares. Durr...Why would we think for fun? We have to think at work. Last time I went to a professional convention with these guys I spent half the time in my room.

Looks like you're gonna have some time to catch up on the DSing...

Nuri

... you could try to find what sort of local geekeries are in PR, if they exist. Then on your free time, you can go visit them.

I suspect there's probably not going to be much of this on a private resort island.

Rochelle

I suspect there's probably not going to be much of this on a private resort island.

Oh, I forgot that part, however if he can get to the mainland of PR, then possibly.

Erwin

Maybe you might meet interesting people.

Apreche

if he can get to the mainland of PR, then possibly.

Even if I get to mainland PR, I'll be on some sort of time limited schedule. On my own I would have to arrange transportation, find shit, and do it. Remember, doing shit is a lot less fun when there are no other geeks. Here are some examples.

Casino with geeks: I wonder how these machines work. Oh look at how the security is setup. The design of this building is pretty cool. Haha, actual gambling, lol.
Casino alone: Omg, scary people pissing away their money. So sad.

Beach with geeks: Omg dunking battles! OMG intellectual discussions while laying in a very comfortable position.
Beach alone: Laying in sun, getting cancer. Nobody to talk to. Floating in water, nobody to splash.

Bar with geeks: lol, look at the drunkards being stupid. They are so hilarious, let's put them on youtube.
Bar alone: Everyone is drunk and acting stupid. It's too loud and dark to actually talk to anyone or do anything. Even if it were bright and quiet, nobody is capable of any meaningful discussion. This is scary. I'm going to bed now.

Golf with geeks: Serious competition. Smack talk all around. Playing as quickly as possible.
Golf without geeks: Not caring about competition. Driving the cart while drunk. Taking your sweet ass time.

tektonick

Hmm, I really tried very hard, but somehow I cannot muster much pity for a trip to a Caribbean resort someone else pays you for. Surely, even grumpy old men can do something to make this at least not suck, if not awesome.

Apreche

Hmm, I really tried very hard, but somehow I cannot muster much pity for a trip to a Caribbean resort someone else pays you for. Surely, even grumpy old men can do something to make this at least not suck, if not awesome.

You say surely. Would you care to provide a suggestion?

Cremlian

Jesus Christ Scott, take your "work on the beach" and don't bitch about it. I'd be more then happy to get a few days in some tropicial resort regardless, I could sit on the beach and catch up on some reading or play D.S. or just get away from the daily grind. Not to mention some of your co-workers have to be somewhat cool.. Wahhhhbulance... I'd chew you out more but I'm at work...

If they are paying for your trip and not forcing you to use vacation, take that vacation and deal with it. I mean really.... I don't think we'd hear any of the FRC bitching about this other then you. If you want I'll go for you.

Nuri

I would covertly try to find some geeky people while you're there. There are tons of hints you can drop into your speech that will tip people off if they are similarly-minded. (That is how I know that no one I work with is a geek except our IT guy, not even the programmers.)

Of course, this could be epic fail. But better than nothing.

Viga

Wow, it's similar of how I went to summer camp and was the only geek there. I did try the activities we had and they didn't turn out so bad. Some were really fun. Why not try something with them. You may be surprised. I doubt everyone at your job is very normy.

I would covertly try to find some geeky people while you're there. There are tons of hints you can drop into your speech that will tip people off if they are similarly-minded. (That is how I know that no one I work with is a geek except our IT guy, not even the programmers.)

Of course, this could be epic fail. But better than nothing.

Wear a geeky t shirt. Might work. Don't piss on everything yet, Apreche!

Jay

…am I missing something here. Is there not some way to get internet in PR. If so can you not bring a laptop and be decently productive in geeky activities during your down time?

tektonick

Hmm, I really tried very hard, but somehow I cannot muster much pity for a trip to a Caribbean resort someone else pays you for. Surely, even grumpy old men can do something to make this at least not suck, if not awesome.

You say surely. Would you care to provide a suggestion?

Go swimming. Take pictures of weird creatures and plants. Read a book on the beach. Or play DS there. Find the other geek in the company. Try to win at Poker. Impress your boss and get a raise. Collect epic stories to tell on the show. Eat strange food. Learn juggling. Speak spanish.

Apreche

…am I missing something here. Is there not some way to get internet in PR. If so can you not bring a laptop and be decently productive in geeky activities during your down time?

If I'm going to sit on the Internet the entire time, why would I waste time on two flights? I could just stay at home instead. The same goes for people suggesting I read a book or play DS. Those are all things I can do at home, so going to PR to do them is just a frustrating waste of time.

kiwi_bird

Why don't you just chill?

Cremlian

This is the same guy who won't climb the damn mountain right outside of his house...

FIND ADVENTURE where ever you go...

Rochelle

If I'm going to sit on the Internet the entire time, why would I waste time on two flights? I could just stay at home instead. The same goes for people suggesting I read a book or play DS. Those are all things I can do at home, so going to PR to do them is just a frustrating waste of time.

Maybe find a new job, so you don't have to go?

Apreche

FIND ADVENTURE where ever you go...

See, normally this would be adventure. However, adventure requires exploration of unknown quantities. The reason I dread this trip is because it is full of known quantities. I've hung out with these people before. I've spent time in bars, clubs, resorts, etc. I know they just bore me to tears. I don't drink, and I'm entirely uninterested in any of the activities they have to offer.

Really, it's mostly about the people going. If we geeks went, we would play a game of Puerto Rico in Puerto Rico, and play a game of San Juan in San Juan. We would explore the dark places in old San Juan, and discover piratey history. It would be sweet.

Being stuck in a resort is super lame. Imagine if you went to Wildwood, but you had to spend your time with those other people on the boardwalk. People interested in buying shlock, and playing crane games. Imagine if you went to Atlantic City, but had to spend your time with people who gamble seriously the whole time. It's not fun. It's just frustrating and depressing.

Apreche

Maybe find a new job, so you don't have to go?

I think I can probably get out of it without having to change jobs.

Jay

If I'm going to sit on the Internet the entire time, why would I waste time on two flights? I could just stay at home instead. The same goes for people suggesting I read a book or play DS. Those are all things I can do at home, so going to PR to do them is just a frustrating waste of time.

Well, you have to go on the trip, (or quiet your job or do something else extreme which would be less favorable). With your views on fun largely deriving from sharing experiences with others, being without geeky friends makes the trip pointless. It is unlikely that with any reasonable effort you will find people that are pleasurable to be with over the 4 days. In this case the best it appears you can do is minimize how much of a waste the trip actually is. With a laptop and a DS you can be fairly productive during all down time. You can change your plan if a better option arises. Given the information and how much effort you’re willing to put into bettering your situation, this would appear to be the best solution achievable.

kiwi_bird

Why do you always have to be productive and do geeky things. Isn't it nice to just switch that off for 4 days?

Rochelle

Maybe find a new job, so you don't have to go?

I think I can probably get out of it without having to change jobs.

Then why complain about it now, if you don't truly know for sure if you're going?

Cremlian

Scott I think you under estimate how often I go to the shore by myself in the past...

Apreche

Why do you always have to be productive and do geeky things. Isn't it nice to just switch that off for 4 days?

No! It's frustrating. If I sit on the beach alone, I am unnerved because I could be having more fun at home writing software.

jcc

Being reminded of the world outside helps discourage petty fanboy fights. "Naruto and year-old memes? What a tool." becomes "Hooray! Someone who knows what these things are!"

HMTKSteve

You could just make some friends at work.

Nuri

Why do you always have to be productive and do geeky things. Isn't it nice to just switch that off for 4 days?

No! It's frustrating. If I sit on the beach alone, I am unnerved because I could be having more fun at home writing software.

I second that. I can't just sit and do nothing for 4 days. It drives me crazy. My brain starts buzzing with ideas and I can't sleep unless I DO something.

Luke Burrage

I travel a lot with my job. My best advice for any trip is to take a face mask, snorkel and fins. Exploring undersea in 3 dimensions is a lot more interesting than anything you can do on the dry sand.

Apreche

You could just make some friends at work.

I am friendly with some people at work, but only in the context of the office. Outside of the office, these people are not the kind of people I want to be friends with. We have nothing in common. There's nothing I can talk to them about, other than work.

Even if there is a common topic to discuss, they are incapable of discussing it on my level. Also, because it is work, I can't discuss things as freely as I do on the Internet. I can't whip out the flying spaghetti monster. I can't try to educate all the people who go to the chiropractor. I can't discuss the finer points of mechanism design in tabletop role playing games.

Everyone for a second, imagine a non-nerdy person you know. Perhaps a co-worker or a relative. Now imagine if that person went on a free trip, alone, to PAX or Otakon. If they even went with one of their friends, they could have a good time laughing at the cosplays and such. However, if they are alone, they would just be frightened. There would be nothing to interest them once the novelty of all the weird shit wore off after the first few hours.

I mean, imagine if the company decided to have this free trip to the Tokyo Game Show or Essen. I think I would be the only one who would be happy about going. The non-geeks who went would find a bar and get drunk, which is the same as they do everywhere.