Too Many Panels?

[fireheart.livejournal.com]

I think I might be on too many panels. I have been scheduled for 9 panels, seven of which are between Fri 8:00 and Sat 2:00. I'm not complaining because all 9 of them sound really interesting, but I am wondering if I should try to bow out of one or two so I am not a useless zombie by the the 5th panel. Any input from panel veterans?

I should also mentioned that I am helping with dealers, gopher hole, running a party, and having a room on dealer's row (which is staffed by people other than I).

Am I stupid busy or just properly busy for a crazy con-goer?

Comments

[rosefox]

You are stupid busy. Bow out now; it's kinder than burning out later.

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

-Nine is a lot. I think the most I ever did was ten, and that was too many.

-If you're going to bow out of one, try to pick one that has plenty of other people in it, and which doesn't hinge on your unique expertise. Then simply inform panel ops.

[archangelbeth]

And inform them in email, ASAP, so that they'll have more time to get the at-con books corrected, I'd say.

Another criterium for bowing out is to make sure you have a "hole" for eating at appropriate times.

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

make sure you have a "hole" for eating

[worried look] Are people forgetting to bring their mouths? I thought we had that problem licked . . .

[thespian.livejournal.com]

what panels are they? Perhaps someone could volunteer to switch with you (if they have a late Saturday or sunday panel), or take over for you so you could bow out without leaving a panel wanting.

I'm only on 4 panels myself, but I'm moderating 2 of them.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

I'm in four, moderating two, but they're all in a row. It's going to be. Interesting.

[miraba.livejournal.com]

Nine is far too many; I'd suggest keeping whatever's on Sunday, and dropping 2-3 of the Friday evening/Saturday morning panels. I'd high recommend getting in contact with the moderators before then so that they know not to wait for you.
If you're having a hard time pruning some of the panels, pick the ones with the people you most want to talk with.

off topic

[wench33.livejournal.com]

Hey.. I'll finally get to meet you ;)

Bet yes I'm in agreement with the "stupid busy"

[cogitationitis.livejournal.com]

Program really should allow their participants bio breaks: no more than 2 panels in a row, no more than 5 in a day. Look at the schedule, and remove yourself from any panel that has more than 4 panelists, unless it hinges on you.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

9's insane. I was assigned 6, and bowed out of one (health issues - people think I'm nuts for doing more than three). Bow out now so they can plan around it, instead of burning out and being a no-show...

[thespian.livejournal.com]

am I still expecting you?

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Um, that depends. Where would you be expecting me? :)

[thespian.livejournal.com]

I'm moderating the insanely late-scheduled (10pm) 'Unlocked: Secrets of LiveJournal Revealed'. I have no idea who will show up to it (it seems very late for a newbie technical panel), but there I am.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Ah! Yes, I'll be there. :) I bowed out of "Blogging as an Artistic Medium", because it was back-to-back with something else, I was overloaded, and there was nothing there I wouldn't be repeating from "Blogging for Writers", probably.

Yeah, 10 on Saturday? During/right after the Masquerade? Less than impeccable timing! But hey, we'll bring cookies, we'll hang out, it'll be a nice intimate panel.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

My husband sdavido was on 15 panels in '04. Of course, I was running programming at the time, and he kept looking over my shoulder and saying, "Hey, that looks interesting! Can I be on that?" I kept telling him he wouldn't have time to do anything else, but he insisted... (Yes, he survived. He's a college professor, he enjoys talking to people.) :-)

[bobquasit.livejournal.com]

I think the most I ever did was 11, but one was a solo seminar on amateur video - plus I had an entry for the amateur video contest that year. Pretty crazy.

I'm doing eight this year, and possibly helping a friend with a Masquerade entry, and it's going to be pretty bleeping busy. So I'll agree with everyone else and say that it's perfectly acceptable to bow out of a couple of panels if you're overloaded. But tell Programming now, so they can replace you.

It's weird; for the past several years I was only put on three to five panels at most. But this year, WHAM! eight. And I think a lot of other people have been put on a ton of panels, too. I wonder why?