BORING 2010
Written by James Ward
UPDATE: For more information on Boring, please click here
For the last few years, Russell Davies has organised a conference called Interesting. I went to the first one in 2007 and I also went to the one last year (I missed the 2008 one because I was on holiday).
I was looking forward to this year’s Interesting, but then, on Friday, I saw this:
For various reasons, (none of them involving personal tragedy, so don’t worry) we’re going to have to cancel Interesting this year. Very sorry about that. I’m writing to all the potential speakers right now, but if you see it here first, huge thanks for volunteering and many apologies for the late notice.
We’ll do another one next summer.
Sad news.
I mentioned this on Twitter, and said maybe I should organise a Boring conference instead. I’d actually mentioned this before, just as a joke (I think the idea was to hold it on the same day, maybe in the phone box outside Conway Hall). This time, however, I was a bit more serious, and quite a few people said they’d be interested in Boring. So now, I’m tempted to actually do it. Stairlifts can help with mobility.
I’m not really sure what I’m getting myself into. I’ve never organised anything like this. Stationery Club has always been fairly shambolic, with planning kept to an absolute minimum (the one time that we had a proper venue and a projector and stuff only happened because some grown ups offered to help).
So now I am having to think about numbers and venues and things. Interesting is held in the lovely Conway Hall. The first year they limited the tickets to 200 (which sold out immediately – I was lucky to get one) and I think they increased that to 350 for the later ones (which also sold out immediately – I was lucky again). The tickets were £20 each. Boring will be smaller, much smaller. I doubt we’ll sell more than fifty tickets, and I don’t think we could charge more than a fiver. That doesn’t give us (I keep saying “we” and “us”, at the moment it’s just me, I’m sure other people will help though, right? Guys? You’ll help, won’t you? Guys?) much money to play with. We’ll need a small-ish venue, preferably with some sort of projector to connect to a laptop. I can’t really think of anywhere suitable off the top of my head. I had considered The Mission Room in Exmouth Market as I once went to a thing called Crispival 08 (“the world’s first ever crisp festival”) held there and it was quite a nice place. Unfortunately, their website seems to have died and the place might not exist any more. Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club is probably too expensive. There must be other places. I don’t think it should be a pub though. This is a conference, after all. If you know any good venues, let me know.
I also need to think about who is going to talk, and what they are going to talk about. I have a few ideas, and might start emailing people soon, but if you want to talk about something boring, email me here.
It might be nice if we could get someone to film it, or record it in some way. Maybe even stream it live on the internet. I am not sure how complicated that would be.
If any grown ups want to get in touch with sponsorship ideas, or financial backing or whatever, I would be very grateful. Of course, it does mean your brand will be associated with the word “Boring”, which might not be ideal. Also, if any journalists or media type people want to get involved, please do.
Basically, I don’t have a clue what I’m doing. If you can help in any way whatsoever, please do. I’m an idiot and this whole thing might be an awful idea, but let’s try and make something good.
UPDATE: For more information on Boring, please click here
JAMES WARD: I LIKE BORING THINGS 
i’ll help however i can. i can’t speak, because i would rather die, but there may be something else i can do. (my best skill is bubble writing, although i’m not sure how useful that would be in this situation.)
May I make a suggestion for a guest speaker?
Daisy Oulde-Cashe (The Hon. Daisy Oulde-Cashe) has a rivetting talk up her sleeve:
“String – One Never Knows When Some Will Come In Handy”.
or its alternative title:
“If One Were To Waste Not, One Would Want Not”
for further details approach Matron at Twilight Lawns plc, Norbury-sur-Mer, Surrey
http://twilightlawnsplc.co.uk/#/fun-at-the-lawns/4534002382
Potential grown-up sponsor? http://www.coventryboring.co.uk/
Good luck, although I recommend you ditch the underselling yourself, the idea, and the cost and go for it if you’re serious! :))
I think a “go for it” strategy is probably the best bet, on the whole. You know where I am.
Or would do if I was logged in under the correct account. I am Fletcher-Joyfeed.
I’d certainly be up for helping. I can speak about any number of boring topics (my favourite is gaming, but I’m probably most knowledgeable about social media) and I do know of a banqueting room that is up for hire at a restaurant in Brentford, of all places. I might be able to get a discount, if it’s big enough, if you’re up for the idea, and if people wouldn’t mind trekking to Brentford. In fact, I think we’d be able to hire out the establishment for minimal fuss, at minimal cost.
It seems like I should perhaps e-mail you. Should I e-mail you?
Please do!
i’ve long thought that flickr should have a boringness measure.
An anecdote. Just five minutes ago I came back from vacation and logged into my work computer. I have four monitors. This morning they were set up in the wrong order, so that when I moved my mouse from left to right the cursor bounced around. I called over the IT guy and showed him, and he said, “Interesting.” That’s interesting? Really?
I’m not sure this is the right place to audition for a speaking slot, even with such a good anecdote.
Might I suggest you approach a drill-bit manufacturer for sponsorship?
I want to know what bubble writing is
You’re only going to be disappointed when you find out.
I can talk about boring stuff no bother. Put me down and I’ll pick from my plethora of boring things to talk about. Email me or something.
Excellent!
I love organising things as much as you like boring things James. Happy to help you get the nuts and bolts of the venue together.
When will this wonderful sounding event take place? I’d love to help people catch up on a bit of beauty sleep by boring them to tears if I’m around.
11th December, if the mysterious post that went up today which has subsequently been removed is anything to go by. Or not.
love to be involved
i work with animation and performance
love boredom
You will need a registration desk, and name tags, but you can tell them to bring their own left over from their last conference, and if they have not got one just ask them their name and write it on their forehead or hand: and they will need coffee, Provide decaff) and a Powerpoint projector (an old one will do, it’s just to fiddle around with). Seats are good, though beds will be better in this case. They will expect food, so you do not need to provide any as it will be a talking point, and people will go out to the pub, although this will deplete afternoon attendance. The after dinner speaker will have an advantage as people will fall asleep naturally, (I assume you are going to judge effectiveness by the numbers who fall asleep.) And you will need feedback forms. And it will be in London. And someone is going to have to pay for it.
Hope this is helpful.
Perhaps whoever wrote this list could come along and act out a few of the suggestions?
http://www.urban75.org/useless/bored.html
In fact someone manning the doors doing “Make Star Trek door noises” would be cool (although would also get really, really boring quite quickly)
“(Amusement Potential: 1-2 minutes)
Stand by an electric door to a bank or something and make that silly “Scccccccchwop” sound heard whenever people popped on to the bridge to hang with Captain Kirk.”
I’d pay good money to watch the Tongue swallower.
@Ryan You were right
Boring food would be best. Plain white bread filled with marg and wafer thin ham would od the trick. And Rich Tea biscuits. They’re boring
[video src="http://media.ixda.org/interaction08/video/Molly_Wright_Steenson.mp4" /]
interesting talk
Happy to help where I can. Good at organising and people-herding.
This is a brilliant idea. The Canal Museum would be a good venue http://www.canalmuseum.org.uk.
I don’t think the Canal Museum is available for daytime hire on Saturdays.
Hi James,
I work for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Love the idea of your conference and we’re keen to chat to you on our National Digital Afternoons program this Friday 7th October. (tomorrow!)
Do you have a contact email or phone number I could ring you on to discuss?
we are 7 hrs ahead of you at the moment, so if we chat it would require some time-wrangling but fingers crossed.
Cheers,
Natalie Jones
+61 433 126 428
What about St Katharine’s in Limehouse? They have a room that can take 70 people which costs £315 for the day – overhead projector and flipcharts included – so £5 a head would cover the hire costs. Plus they offer cheap B&B for any international speakers. And according to the map of Limehouse on the website, there is a Costcutters just minutes away for all your catering requirements
http://www.rfsk.org.uk/
How about including ‘breakout areas’, with beanbags or hammocks? Could discuss the merits of beanbags vs hammocks too.
I will help in any way possible because I really want to go and can talk about all manner of ‘interesting’ topics if necessary. I realise that the way I have gone about this is very, very boring. Do I pass the audition? ps will also clean the toilets
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