Reflections on Bogleheads 11

[Kathleen Ryan]

I arrived at the hotel at about 9:00 p.m. a night before the Bogleheads 11th Reunion began on Tuesday, October 16, 2012. While checking in, the first person I saw was Mel T. We said hello, and both agreed that we couldn’t wait until the next day. I asked how his wife Kathie was and if she was attending. He said, "Yes," and then we said good night. I opened the door to my room which was very nice. It was a suite with a living room, and a four poster king size bed. I slept very well that night, from sheer exhaustion!

The next morning, 10/17/12, I went to the dining room. When I arrived, I looked around and saw a table with Mel Lindauer, Paul Globerson, and Ed Rager seated together. I went up and said, “Hi Mel!”, and he got up and we hugged. I then said Hi to Ed, and Paul, and asked if I could join them. Mel, pulled out a chair, and the three of us had a wonderful conversation. Then Mel asked,(in true Boglehead style) “Do you have a coupon for a free breakfast?”" No," I replied, and he gave me one. They all let me know they had to leave, as numerous duties called. I thanked them for their company. I continued eating, and heard someone call my name. It was Rose, one of the, “Boglettes” whom I had met several reunions ago. I got up and we hugged hello, chatted a few minutes, and she left. When I had finished my breakfast, I got up to leave, and saw a table with three more of the “Boglettes, “ aka Marlene, Linda, and Patty. I asked if I could join them and they replied, “Yes.” We all started talking and catching up as I had missed the last two reunions. Then Laura Dogu’s mother, “The Queen Mother,” as she is affectionately know, joined us. We were entertained to no end with the many adventures of her daughter, which she shared with us. During our time together, a few people passed by our table on their way out. I met a very nice couple, Martha & Carl, and this was their first time attending a reunion.

After breakfast, I decided to take a walk around the hotel grounds, as it was a warm, autumn day around 60 degrees. There was a sidewalk throughout the beautiful setting of lawn, several kinds of pine trees, and different trees with the leaves changing color. During my, "walking tour,", I said hello to a very nice young man with a warm smile. I later found out it was "verfasser," and he was attending the Bogleheads reunion. He traveled all the way from Taiwan, and won the, "Furthest distance traveled to attend," with 8,000 miles logged.

In the afternoon, before the Bogleheads check-in, I visited with a few people that were in the lobby and were seated at a table. I pulled up a chair and started talking with Sheila, John, Dion and his lovely mother, Rose, Dale, and Kathie. Then Gail arrived. Later, at 1:45, I reported for my time to volunteer from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., with Dale, John, and "LadyGeek." At this time, we started checking Bogleheads 11 attendees in. Each volunteer checked a photo id, and then checked off the person on the attendee list. Each attendee received a packet with the BH 11 Agenda, list of attendees, and other information. And of course in true Boglehead fashion, a coupon for $10.00 off food and/or beverage from the hotel pub or restaurant.

At 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., the wine and cheese reception began. We had a chance to visit with all the people who had arrived so far. Mr. Bogle arrived, and everyone in attendance clapped and gave him a warm welcome. Mel Lindauer, was the emcee and introduced Mr. Bogle, and he-(Mr. Bogle) spoke briefly. Next it was time for introductions. First Mel introduced all the people involved with the arrangements for BH 11. Next he introduced the BH local chapter coordinators. When Mel introduced me, I went forward and gave Mr. Bogle a hug, as I was so happy to see him again. Then each and every attendee introduced themselves, and told where they were from, and how many previous reunions each person had attended. Some people had some very witty things to say to Mr. Bogle. My favorite was from a beautiful woman named, Christian. She said, (paraphrasing) “I asked my husband and he said it was okay to tell you that I’m in love with your mind.” Everyone laughed!

After the reception, we all went our separate ways for dinner. At the reception, I finally met Nadeem, who I have been working with online at our Facebook Bogleheads site for the past two years. We had much to discuss. We went to the hotel pub where they served very good steaks. We were joined by Sunny, who also volunteered to be another administrator at our Facebook Bogleheads site. Dr. Rich, Kris, and Hubert also joined us. We had wonderful conversation over the dull roar of the other folks visiting. I called it a night aroung 9:30 p.m.

The schedule of events started at 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, 10/18/12 with a very nice breakfast buffet which included; a pastry table, fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, bacon, sausage, coffee, and orange or cranberry juice.

From 8:15 - 8:30 a.m., Mel told the history of the BH reunions starting with BH 1 which was held at Taylor and Pat Larimore's condo in FL. At 8:30 a.m. Mr. Bogle and Dr. Bill Bernstein had their now famous, “Fireside Chat.” Then there was a break and we all returned and Mr. Bogle gave a speech from 9:30 a.m. - 10:40 a.m. Next we had a very nice lunch buffet. From 1:00 - 3:00 p.m., we had a chance to have our books signed by Mr. Bogle, Dr. Bill Bernstein, Professor Ed Tower, Mel Lindauer, Alan Roth, Rick Ferri, and Bill Schultheis. At this time each book author had a separate table where each attendee could sit and listen to, and ask questions of each author.

At 4:30 p.m. we arrived by shuttle bus to the Vanguard Campus. As I walked through the doors, I felt overwhelmed with sadness. This surprised me to no end. Vanguard had changed so much from what I remembered. During my first visit to Vanguard, during BH 2 on June 9, 2001, in the lobby I had stopped to admire a ship model of the H.M.S. Vanguard. It was no longer there. Instead was another ship model. You see my dad used to like to sail, sailboats and so does Mr. Bogle. His name was Jack, and so is Mr. Bogle’s. My dad wanted me to learn about investing before he died from pancreatic cancer, and this is the only reason I found Mr. Bogle and Vanguard, as I had NO interest in finances, nor investing. Because this was my dad’s request that I learn, I did. And luckily, I’ve learned from the best. My dad was a fighter just like Mr. Bogle is and kicked death in the ass for 1 year and 9 months during his bought with pancreatic cancer. Mr. Bogle has kicked death in the ass for over 50 years, from heart attacks too numerous to count, a heart transplant, and from a serious infection. At the last reunion I attended, Mr. Bogle, was seriously ill with listeria, an infection few people recover from. Because he is Mr. Bogle, a phone line was installed in his hospital room and he was able to keep his speaking engagement with us. People were so happy to hear his voice, that we were laughing through our tears of joy. Mr. Bogle pulled through once again, and never looked better. Words cannot describe how happy I was to see him again at BH 11.

That first day I met John C. Bogle, Founder, The Vanguard Group, was in June, 2001, Mr. Bogle greeted me with, “You must be Kathleen,” as we had corresponded a few times via email, after Taylor Larimore had shared a letter I wrote about Mr. Bogle at BH 1 in Taylor’s home. In the letter, I expressed my dismay at not being able to attend BH 1. I of course was surprised beyond belief when Mr. Bogle answered my letter with an email to me! When my dad passed, Mr. Bogle was kind enough to write me a letter of condolence.

At our first meeting, instead of a handshake, Mr. Bogle greeted me with a hug,-something I have never forgotten. Mr. Bogle then gave us a personal tour of HIS company. First he showed us the boardroom. On the way to his office, was a painting of Walter Morgan, his mentor. Next we went to a meeting room. Much has changed. During my trip back to Vanguard, I guess I didn’t expect Vanguard to be so, “Institutionalized.“ It is true what they say, “Nothing remains the same.” I guess I just hoped it could. One thing that was wonderful was that I saw Kevin L., Mr. Bogle's former assistant in the lobby. =)

When I think of Mr. Bogle, I don’t know of any other human being with this fortitude, nor have I ever heard of one. My dad’s favorite poem was, “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night,” by Dylan Thomas. Again, the parallels between the two are overwhelming. Mr. Bogle has been like a father to me ever since my dad passed. I feel so safe with the knowledge he has given me regarding investing. I have made many friends at these reunions and feel blessed that something so good came from the horrible loss of my father. But loss is an inevitable part of life, but that does not make it any easier to accept. And we are truly blessed when some people come into our lives. We know the world is a better place because of them, and only hope they can see this in themselves.

Many thanks to Victoria F. for cheering me up on the ride back from Vanguard to the hotel. She is a very wise lady, and shared her insights with me. (paraphrasing) - Mr. Bogle will leave a legacy in all the people he has touched. You for instance. “Me?”, I asked. “Yes,“she replied. She then went on to say, “I don’t know if you have had a chance to read my notes, but Dr. Bernstein quoted you at one of the meetings you didn’t attend. “ Really?, I asked. “No, I haven’t had a chance to read these yet,” I replied. Thank you again Victoria, for your understanding. Also many thanks to Marlene L., for our conversation which cheered me up considerably too.

On Thursday, 10/18/12, from 4:30 p.m - 5:30 p.m., we visited for an hour with the many very nice representatives from Vanguard, in the new lobby, regarding 529 plans, etc. At 5:45 - 7:15 p.m. we went into the meeting room. On all the chairs there were black, hardcover spiral notebooks with, "Vanguard," in white letters across the front. The notebooks also had an elastic loop holing a pen with, "Vanguard," written on it. Soon the meeting began and we had a chance to ask the Vanguard Panel many questions, and received excellent answers. Next was a raffle! Umbrellas, golf balls, a tie, a scarf, blankets, and waterbottles, with Vanguard embossed on them, were the prizes. LadyGeek won a the lovely scarf, Chris H. won the tie, Daisy Dog , the water bottle, and Gene L., the small golf tote bag with three Vanguard golf balls. I didn’t win anything till we got to the shuttle bus. Gene asked, “Does anyone want these golf balls, I don’t golf?” I do I yelled and raised my hand. I was first to reply and won them! Thank you Gene. Upon our return to the hotel, we had a nice late supper buffet.

Friday, October 19, 2012 we had breakfast from 7:00am - 8:00 a.m. Next, from 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m., Dr. Joe Davis, Vanguard’s Chief Economist gave a talk about historical perspectives on investing. The things he discussed are actually science fact but seemed like science fiction with the latest advances in technology! I was floored. Please be sure to tune into this when it is posted.

From, 9:20 - 12:00 p.m. (with a break from 10:40 - 11:00 am), we had the Q & A session with our Boglehead Panel of Experts; Chritine Benz, Bill Bernstein, Rick Ferri, Mel Lindauer, Allan Roth, and Bill Schultheis. We got into the finer details of investing. Again please check these out when they are posted..

From 12:00 p.m. - 12:30 we had our Final Announcements. I caught a shuttle bus to the airport with two people I didn’t know. When one got out, I had a new friend. His name is Adam, and he works at Vanguard in Australia! He showed me his autographed book from Mr. Bogle, and a photo on his ipad of he and Mr. Bogle in his office at Vanguard. We talked the entire time from the hotel to the airport. I told him of this site, and the Facebook site, of which he said he’d visit.

A wonderful experience once again. The only way it could have been better is if Taylor and Pat Larimore had attended, as they were very much missed.

I would like to finish by saying, Thank you Mr. Bogle for all you do for us.

[ofcmetz]

Kathleen,

Thanks for posting such a nice and detailed account of Bogleheads 11. I enjoyed reading it.

[chaz]

Excellent diary and summary Kathleen.

[gailcox]

Kathleen, excellent reflections! Yes, I agree that the only thing missing was Taylor and Pat. I emailed Taylor from BH 11 and told him how much he and Pat are missed! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this board. gail

[Kathleen Ryan]

Dear ofcmetz,

Thank you for your kind words, and letting me know you enjoyed reading my post. I like to write everything down because, at the time you think you'll never forget, but then after a few months you do tend to forget the small details.

Thank you chaz,

for your nice sentiments.

Hi Gail,

It was so nice to see you again at BH 11. I'm glad you emailed Taylor to let him know he was missed. If I was a techie, I'd join the people with the most up-to-date gadgets so I could stay in touch too. I was happy to share my thoughts with fellow Bogleheads who were not able to attend, and for a review for those who did.

[VictoriaF]

Many thanks to Victoria F. for cheering me up on the ride back from Vanguard to the hotel. She is a very wise lady, and shared her insights with me. (paraphrasing) - Mr. Bogle will leave a legacy in all the people he has touched. You for instance. “Me?”, I asked. “Yes,“she replied. She then went on to say, “I don’t know if you have had a chance to read my notes, but Dr. Bernstein quoted you at one of the meetings you didn’t attend. “ Really?, I asked. “No, I haven’t had a chance to read these yet,” I replied. Thank you again Victoria, for your understanding.

Hi Kathleen,

Your notes are perfect, but I would like to clarify what I have said . You are an integral part of the Bogleheads community. You bring your special light and warmth to Jack and to all of us. Hope to see you at all future reunions.

Victoria

[Fletch]

Kathleen,

I was not able to attend BH11 but your summary made me feel like I was there. Such a warm note, written from the heart as well as the head. Thank you so very much for posting and being such an integral part of the Bogleheads family.

[SGM]

I am a lot more optimistic that technology will cause growth in our economy after the presentation by Vanguard's chief economist Joe Davis. The below quote summarizes what was seen in a very moving video on the application of 3D- printing for Emma.

"Thanks to 3D-printed plastic appendages, 4.5-year-old Emma Lavelle now plays with blocks.

Born with a rare neuromuscular condition called Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita that causes contracted joints and muscle weakness, Emma has almost nonexistent biceps that cannot move against gravity. Her "magic arms," as she has dubbed them, change that.

The plastic appendages attach to a Wilmington Robotic Exoskeleton (WREX) developed at the Center for Orthopedics Research and Development at Delaware's Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children. The WREX is a modular body-powered upper-limb orthosis generally mounted to a wheelchair.

"The existing WREX is all metal parts and is kind of big," Tariq Rahman, a mechanical engineer and head of pediatric engineering and research at Nemours, explains in the video below. "Emma was too small for that, so it required something light and small that would attach to her body that would go with her."


Emma's custom-made exoskeleton developed at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del.

While the WREX has been a commercial product sold by JAECO Orthopedics for around seven years, Emma was the first to wear one augmented with 3D-printed parts. Rahman, research design engineer Whitney Sample, and team printed Emma's setup from a Stratasys Dimension 3D printer they already had at the office, and have since printed similar contraptions for about 15 kids with similar upper-body limitations.

Emma -- who was born with her legs up by her ears and her shoulders internally rotated -- spent much of her first two years in casts or undergoing surgery. "

[Taylor Larimore]

Dearest Kathleen:

Pat and I just read your wonderful account of your experiences at Bogleheads 11. She is crying with nostalgia. I'm almost the same.

No one knows better than I how time consuming and difficult it is to write a long and accurate account for readers of this forum. You succeeded admirably and it is appreciated by all.

Your enduring platonic relationship with Mr. Bogle I am sure is treasured by you both. Pat and I are fortunate to have a similar relationship with Jack and Eve which has given our lives true meaning.

Thank you for your wonderful detailed account of another memorable Boglehead experience.

Best wishes to you and all your family.
Taylor & Pat

[ddb]

Very cool that you all got to hear Joe Davis - I saw him speak a few years back and was very impressed. The entire Vanguard research team is very impressive, IMO.

- DDB

[VictoriaF]

Very cool that you all got to hear Joe Davis - I saw him speak a few years back and was very impressed. The entire Vanguard research team is very impressive, IMO.

- DDB

You can come to BH12 and see it for yourself.

Victoria

[Taylor Larimore]

Bogleheads:

The Vanguard Research Team is top-notch.

We can read many of their research articles here:

http://www.vanguard.com/jumppage/researchpapers/

Best wishes.
Taylor

[ddb]

Very cool that you all got to hear Joe Davis - I saw him speak a few years back and was very impressed. The entire Vanguard research team is very impressive, IMO.

- DDB

You can come to BH12 and see it for yourself.

Victoria

I can't bring myself to break my shield of anonymity!

- DDB

[VictoriaF]

Very cool that you all got to hear Joe Davis - I saw him speak a few years back and was very impressed. The entire Vanguard research team is very impressive, IMO.

- DDB

You can come to BH12 and see it for yourself.

Victoria

I can't bring myself to break my shield of anonymity!

- DDB

If you decided to come, you would have to provide your real name, but you would not need to provide your screen name, and so the names would not be linked. For what I know you may have been attending the last week's event; just not as DDB.

Victoria

[Mel Lindauer]

Very cool that you all got to hear Joe Davis - I saw him speak a few years back and was very impressed. The entire Vanguard research team is very impressive, IMO.

- DDB

You can come to BH12 and see it for yourself.

Victoria

I can't bring myself to break my shield of anonymity!

- DDB

If you decided to come, you would have to provide your real name, but you would not need to provide your screen name, and so the names would not be linked. For what I know you may have been attending the last week's event; just not as DDB.

Victoria

Victoria's correct, DDB. We had several attendees who didn't want their screen name tied to their real name, and we honored their requests.

[Beagler]

Kathleen, thank you for taking the time to write such a nice summary. Your kind words about Mr. Bogle (and your father) are touching. (The Dylan Thomas poem you cite is a favorite of mine as well. So glad to hear your father beat the odds for long long. He must have been very strong indeed.)

May you have continued investing success.

[Kathleen Ryan]

Hi Everyone,

I would have written back sooner, but I was at school teaching, and just now finished correcting exams I gave in both my classes. The students love to know how well they did ASAP, so I always have their scores ready by the next class meeting. =)

Hi Victoria,

Thank you for your clarification, and kindness. You are a true friend.

Thank you Fletch,

for your kind reply. I'm glad I was able to write in such a way that you almost felt like you were there. Thank you so much for saying, "I'm such an integral part of the Bogleheads family." This means so much to me.

Thank you SGM,

for your wonderful transcript, word for word of the "science fact," that I was referring to in my post. How can it be that a drawing is put into a copy machine and a finished plastic arm brace comes out?? I don't think I will ever understand the physics of this!!!

Dear Taylor,
It is always a pleasure when I see your posts. Yes, the friends we have made since BH 1 & 2 truly have enriched our lives. The sad part is that we have lost some friends along the way; Bob Stowe, and Bob Cummings. But I try to think of it as I would rather have known them, and lost them, then to never have met them. It is heart wrenching, but also joyous at the same time. As Mr. Bogle says, "We keep them alive with our stories about them."

Thank you for saying you think my writing captured the event. This means the world to me that you have this opinion. =)

With best wishes to you always, Taylor ~ Kathleen

DDB,

Yes, very cool indeed!

Dear Beagler,

You're very welcome. Thank you for your kind words about my dad. I'm glad to hear that Dylan Thomas's poem is one of your favorites. I have so many favorites, I don't know where to begin! You'd think that reading great poetry would help me write good poetry. But so far, not so. But I do have lots of fun writing Limericks.

[Christianggu]

Kathleen,
Your post was wonderful to read. Though I was there, the delight of reliving those three days through your diary made the experience even better. I've been a Diehard and followed the Bogle Truth for more than a decade, but it was my first live reunion and i had the time of my life! So strange to be among strangers but feel completely at home. I really appreciated everyone's kindness and generosity, especially Mr. Bogle's. I look forward to continuing to be a part of this community and supporting everyone in their pursuits, whatever they be...from finding just the right asset allocation to finding the perfect pair of socks.
C

[Kathleen Ryan]

Hi Christian,

It was so nice to meet you and, "see," you again here at our forum. I'm so glad you posted. Thank you for writing, "The delight of reliving those three days through your diary made the experience even better."

I added a little more to the diary, as I've had a few days to remember more things. Christian, don't worry. You're already are, "a part of this community." You had us won over when you said, "I'm in love with your mind," to Mr. Bogle while introducing yourself. =)

[VictoriaF]

Thank you Fletch,

for your kind reply. I'm glad I was able to write in such a way that you almost felt like you were there. Thank you so much for saying, "I'm such an integral part of the Bogleheads family." This means so much to me.

I said it too.

Victoria

[tiresias]

does anybody know when joe davis' speech to bogleheads11 will be posted to the internet? and where to find it (i.e., bogleheads.org or vanguard.com?).

[Kathleen Ryan]

To tiresias,

I don't know when nor where Dr. Davis' speech will be posted, but I'm anxiously awaiting the transcript/video also! I mean wow!

[tiresias]

To tiresias,

I don't know when nor where Dr. Davis' speech will be posted, but I'm anxiously awaiting the transcript/video also! I mean wow!

i asked dr davis on his way out the door whether it would be posted on vanguard's site, and a member of his entourage said they're working on it. if you learn anything please let me know. i had to leave to man the table outside just as it was getting interesting. as i left, he was talking about creative destruction, which made me think of the nietzsche quote "what doesn't kill me makes me stronger." anyway i'm anxious to hear the rest of it.

[LadyGeek]

...And of course in true Boglehead fashion, a coupon for $10.00 off food and/or beverage from the hotel pub or restaurant.

We have a thread titled "Do You Haggle? If so: when, for what, how?" - Always. So...

You didn't see what I did during registration. I talked (the other Mel, volunteer) into some "extra" negotiation of those coupons with the hotel management. Can they be used for the 2nd hour (you pay for drinks) part of the reception? He went off to discuss and returned a short time later - no. I tried.

[alisa4804]

Kathleen's report on BH11 is wonderful and comprehensive, so I can just add my perspective as a relatively new Boglehead and first-timer. I signed up for BH11 expecting to meet many of the "names" or frequent posters on the forum, and do a lot of listening. Many of them weren't there, but still I felt a sense of common ground, or community, and met mostly people who were also newcomers or infrequent forum posters. We were frequently circulating, sitting at different tables and it was comfortable meeting new and interesting people. I had conversations with over 50 different Bogleheads, from Mike who previously worked at the Alaskan building supply we frequented in the 90's, to Martha from New Hampshire - we discussed several topics including our cool outfits from Goodwill..! I was surprised that many participants do not access the forum (how did they find out about BH11?); that several actually were still shopping Fidelity vs. Vanguard; and that in a show of hands, only about 1/3 were retired, the rest still working, with participant ages from their 20's to 80's.

I enjoyed the friendly and candid dialog between the authors/investment experts, and their willingness to answer even our most basic questions, giving each their full attention. Several of us almost fell off our chairs leaning close to hear Rick Ferri in a small group. One of my favorite moments was during the final Q&A panel, with Mel Lindauer, Christine Benz, Bill Bernstein, Rick Ferri, Mike Piper, Allan Roth and Bill Schultheis. Mel read off a question, I think it was asking advice on favoring companies with "wide moats." These guys looked at each other, puzzled "Are they asking about stock picking?" - definitely not their expertise! But then they gamely went on and gave some advice to respond to the question.

I also found Dr. Joe Davis' talk fascinating and heartening (no need for the coffee I drank fearing I'd fall asleep with boring economics!) especially the education on the industrial revolutions - hopefully there's a transcript for those who couldn't attend. More camaraderie on the bus ride to Vanguard. I felt Vanguard presented a real team atmosphere - it showed that the panel experts liked and respected each other. They are smart individuals working hard for us! So today, when I saw Joel Dickson's picture on the Vanguard website - I met that guy - and I know he challenges his young kids to beat the Total World Index, teaching them about investing.

So hopefully I'm not talking in too much code here - Bogleheads Reunion was a great, fun, learning experience for me. I hope to return and keep the Reunions a part of my financial compass - to "stay the course," as Jack says. Hats off to Mel, the amazing planning/organizing team and all the volunteers!!! I'll certainly be available to volunteer and share the load for my next Reunion, and hope everyone can have a chance to participate at some future Boglehead Reunion - it's truly worthwhile!

Edit: changed lower age range estimate to 20's, remembering our dinner companion, Anthony, who is in college and recruiting Bogleheads through "Meet-up" social media

[JustinR]

Thanks for the writeup Kathleen.

Could you elaborate on why the Vanguard offices were so disappointing? What do you mean by institutionalized? I thought that the Vanguard offices were intentionally not fancy because of costs.

[Taylor Larimore]

Alisa:

Another great write-up!

Thank you and best wishes.

Taylor

[alisa4804]

Thank you and best wishes.

Taylor, we missed you and Pat, and know you were with us in spirit. I heard many references to your wisdom and kindness - the Bogleheads truly love both of you. Take good care of yourselves this year and hopefully you can participate in Boglehead Reunion 12 in Philadelphia next year. Best wishes.

[Kathleen Ryan]

Hi Alisa,

Thank you for posting your insights too. I'm so glad you were able to attend your first Bogleheads meeting. Im sure it won't be the last! =)

To JustinR,

You wrote,"Could you elaborate on why the Vanguard offices were so disappointing? What do you mean by institutionalized? I thought that the Vanguard offices were intentionally not fancy because of costs.,"

Please don't get me wrong. I did NOT say, "the Vanguard offices were so disappointing." Please re-read my post. I don't think I can say it any better than I did initially, but I will try. I'm sorry for the confusion, and thank you for asking for clarification. What I meant to convey was that times change, and I was NOT prepared for this. At BH 2, MR. BOGLE gave us the tour of HIS company, the company HE founded. At that time security was not the issue it is today, as this was pre-9/11. We had about 50 Bogleheads that attended, as opposed to about four times that at BH 11. It can't help but be less intimate by the sheer numbers of people present. Again, please don't get me wrong; At BH 11, the representatives were extremely, kind, knowledgeable, and very giving of their time. It was an exceptionally well planned reception for the Bogleheads, with signs up stating, "Welcome Bogleheads," and about ten information stations lined up around the perimeter of the lobby with information sheets about 529 plans, etc. They had hot appetizers for us upon our arrival, and for the largest mutual fund company in the world, it was intimate and wonderful. I just was reflecting on how it has changed, because of the growth of the wonderful company Mr. Bogle founded which now manages client's funds that equal close to TWO TRILLION Dollars.

You asked, What do you mean by institutionalized? --->Bigger.

You wrote, "I thought that the Vanguard offices were intentionally not fancy because of costs." ---> JustinR, we didn't SEE any offices this time. That is my point. At BH 2, Mr. Bogle gave us a walking tour of the BOARDROOM and HIS OFFICE. About four of us at a time, had the opportunity to have photos taken with Mr. Bogle in his office, as there were only about 50 Bogleheads present. We also had the opportunity to take photos with Mr. Bogle as a group, near his larger-than-life bronze statue, something we did not get to see this time. And yes, Vanguard offices when I saw them back in 2001, were NOT FANCY, because Vanguard keeps costs down, and their campus reflects this. However the campus has a very nice architectural design, and in no way looks cheap. Simplicity in architectural design can be elegant.

[gailcox]

Greetings! Here is my perspective, as an attendee of 10 BH 'reunions'. My first reunion was in March, 2000, at Taylor and Pat's beautiful condo overlooking Biscayne Bay. I had discovered the Bogleheads thru the Morningstar "Diehards" board. Taylor's kind and patient voice caught my attention. When he and Mel made the invitation to not only attend the Money Show, but to have a home cooked Floridian meal by Pat in their home "that Jack built" AND meet Jack Bogle, well, I jumped at the chance. From there I have been able to attend all but one Boglehead event. BH 8 was held in Fort Worth--where I am from---and the DFW Bogleheads put on an awesome event! The sad part was that Jack wasn't able to attend due to some health issues. We decided to move the event to someplace closer for Jack and that is where it will stay!

My 'job' at BH's reunions is to recruit the volunteers that make the 3 days run smoothly and to get the name badges made. Once the agenda is set (I think we went thru 6 or 7 different revisions this year!) I make out a rough volunteer schedule and start recruiting volunteers to help check attendees in, check ID"s, monitor the doors of every part of the reunion, etc.... If we have lots of volunteers it works out great and nobody has too many volunteer times. This year only a couple people had 2 time slots which were 2 hours in length each. For those of you that were first time attendees this year and would like to volunteer next year, just PM me!! The more the merrier!! These events don't happen unless we have a lot of volunteers!

My favorite thing about BH 11 was seeing Jack Bogle in such good spirits and good health. He is an amazing man. When I think of all the things he has done for the average investor/us little guys!, I am proud to know him.

The biggest surprise for me was hearing Joe Davis speak. I cannot wait to get the transcript of his talk. Completely blew me away.....

The second biggest surprise was the addition of Mike Piper to the "Experts" panel/Q&A. Mike writes the best 100 page books on investing---completely readable and understandable. He is young and writes from that perspective. I have told my young adult daughters about him. I think he made an excellent addition to the panel.

The saddest part was not seeing Taylor and Pat. I really miss them at these events.

gail
[Smilie fixed by admin LadyGeek]

[Taylor Larimore]

gail:

Your post, and the posts from others who were there, make it possible to for the rest of us to appreciate this Bogleheads Conference and all the hard work that goes on behind the scene.

Thank you and best wishes
Taylor

[kayle]

I found the event, my first, incredibly inspiring and informative. I've read so much since attending and learned even more, and it would not be an understatement to say that Bogleheads 11 has changed me and my future.

Does anyone know whether the Joe Davis talk is available online anywhere?

[tiresias]

Does anyone know whether the Joe Davis talk is available online anywhere?

i'm anxiously awaiting it too. i had to leave the room to man the tables outside the door just as he was talking about creative destruction. but as he left i spoke briefly with him and asked whether the talk would be made available online; a member of his entourage said that they were working on it. also, the guy who was video recording everything said he would make something available but that it would take time to upload it because of its size. so i would keep checking both the bogleheads and vanguard sites for something. if you find anything, please post. i'll do the same.

[tiresias]

seems that the informative parts of the reunion have all been posted to vimeo. http://vimeo.com/channels/bogleheads
still awaiting joe davis' speech. it may turn up on vanguard's site.
thanks Rich Guerra! for making this available.

[Mel Lindauer]

seems that the informative parts of the reunion have all been posted to vimeo. http://vimeo.com/channels/bogleheads
still awaiting joe davis' speech. it may turn up on vanguard's site.
thanks Rich Guerra! for making this available.

Yes, Vanguard is working on making it available. We'll let you know when it's up.

[tiresias]

seems that the informative parts of the reunion have all been posted to vimeo. http://vimeo.com/channels/bogleheads
still awaiting joe davis' speech. it may turn up on vanguard's site.
thanks Rich Guerra! for making this available.

Yes, Vanguard is working on making it available. We'll let you know when it's up.

thanks Mel