Meet Mike Meet

Attending: Daniel, Jos, Jeroen, Julia, Kimberley, Leo, Martin, Michel, Mike, Patrick, Rolf, Tom, Uwe

Uwe & Rolf's view of the meet, including their pictures.

The Technological Museum

To go from Amsterdam to Delft meant I had to switch over in Leiden, hometown of a few fellow afpers whom I might spot at the Station. Nothing doing, so I went back to reading Trainspotting, when I felt a sort of presence behind me. It turned out to be Kimberley, who was jumping up and down to see over my shoulders. Following her were Jos, Labrat and Mike, who as it seems had spotted me even though I had missed them...

We continued our journey to Delft and went to the theatre pub were we would all meet up. Though not open yet, Tom De Mulder was already there. Slowly but surely more people came in untill the group was complete. Apart from the people already mentioned, this also included Patrick, Uwe. Rolf, Daniel, Michel and Julia.

Our next destination was the Technological Museum in Delft, a small, very divers if slightly neglected museum, full of various technological wonders. The main exhibiton going on at that time being one about the design of various consumer goods, from bicycles to chairs to lamps to cheap plastic cutlery. Not quite my sort of thing, to be honest.

There were however a variety of humongous steam engines and big industrial thingamachines to admire, not to mention a small exhibiton about the history of computing devices, showing such wonders of the ages as a mechanical nightingale and a prehistoric PC showing "The Best of Microsoft". Sadly Pacman refused to run.

Apart from that, the ring puzzle on one of the floors was also a big hit with some of the more determined afpers. Jos and Leo managed to solve it by first working it out on paper, then following the instructions. For their efforts they were magnificantly rewared with a candy bar from the museum's sweetshop.

Meanwhile, I had discovered what my surname really means. According to one of the plates in the weights and measures exhibiton, a wisse is an cubic el. An el being an old Dutch unit of length, measuring roughly from your thumb to your elbow. (Hence el, geddit?)

	At the beginning of the pre-meet		Getting the tickets for the Museum of Technology
	A huge vertical steam engine		the description of that steam engine, sadly only in Dutch
	A balance steam engine		Plus description, again only in Dutch
	A mechanical songbird		A bunch of afpers studying the computing exhibition
	How to solve a 3d puzzle, the geek way: 1. work it out mathematically first		How to solve a 3d puzzle, the geek way: 2. then follow the instructions
	You cannot escape Microsoft!		Several afpers looking at the illusion exhibition

At the pub

After the museum closed it was time to head for the pub, where we managed to fit everybody at one big table. As usual various sorts of alcohol and coke was consumped, as well as some pub grub, which wasn't bad. After dinner Leo brought out some spongy 3d puzzles, for general enjoyment and frustration of the group.

The usual sort of subjects were talked about, including a lot of variations on L-space going ecommercial: my.lspace.org frex. The upcoming IPO cast it shadow over the meet so to speak. Besides that, disco music was thoroughly analysed, Young Ones quotes flowed at a high level and the usual puns were made. Worst punner of the evening and hence winner of The Book was Tom, the lucky sod.

Leaving just after midnight, I got to crash with Jos and Kimberley, as did Tom.

	Just after arriving at the pub		Another view of the collected group
	Arwen was ill, but she did send us a care package instead		A bursting bug, bursting

Sunday Brunch

Come the sunday, breakfast at Tiffan^wLeo's place. We arrived at Leo's place sans Jos and Kimberley, who weren't feeling up to spending another day with afpers but with their toaster! Everybody else was there, except for Julia, who had only time for the saturday part of the meet.

During a relaxed and unhurried breakfast/brunch, various people got to choose the music from Leo's extensive collection only for him to psychoanalyse you whilst stroking his chin. I put on an ELO record, which must mean I like telephoning in the rain whilst wearing a blue raincoat, or something.

At around three, it was time for me to leave, catching a ride from Patrick to Leiden station.

After breakfast, playtime

Tom and Mike looking anxiously to see where the ball will get stuck this time