minnesota mtg: sat, may-7- updated with pictures

[jeff mc]

agenda to follow... contact me if interested in details or to get on the MN mailing list.

hello, folks

let's meet on may-7, from 10:00 to 12:00 in oakdale...

agenda:
- quick intro talking points, update on splinter groups, future meetings, etc
- speaker
- breakout sessions at tables w/ various topics to choose from

we have a nice, private, carpeted room..., table breakout sessions should work out well. no food is allowed ...(i'm not sure about coffee... i'll find out and confirm on reminder email)

please reply to confirm your attendance, and send any breakout topic ideas, too, if you have any. i'll cull the list of topics down and send final agenda in a few weeks.

preliminary extended weather forecast for 7-may AM. overcast, gloomy, windy, damp, lousy. strongly recommended only indoor activities.

thanks!
jeff mc

[jeff mc]

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hey!

see the attached agenda. paul s will open the meeting w/ a quick review of ray lucia's "buckets of money" theory. and then we'll have 3 breakout sessions on various topics. as always, please read the agenda to find out what tables may interest you, and then plan on moving around to them during the two hour meeting. please review the "mod" column, which means a table moderator. if you're listed there, you are in charge of ensuring your table keeps (somewhat) on task w/ the topic, and keeping conversation flowing.

it looks like another good group of bogleheads for saturday. coffee and food ARE allowed in that oakdale ..... room. so, caffeine up, or bring something light to snack on if you so choose, too. but as we'll be moving around for the breakout sessions, and there are only ~4 large tables, i wouldn't try to bring a four-course meal of soup, salad, slow cooked BBQ ribs, etc... but i may spring for some chips and water or something.

they have free wifi and a computer projector, so bring laptop if you have something to share.

some people on this mailing list have asked what would be a good meeting to attend if they've never attended one, and if they aren't very confident in their investing prowess. of course, the answer i always give is, "the very next boglehead meeting!". as the group continues to grow (and splinter), we are a very welcoming group to novices, experts, and everyone in between. our experience with personal investing spans the entire spectrum. these days, we average about 25-40 people at each meeting. i'm very encouraged that we always seem to have a few new faces attend. attendees' participation ranges from simply listening, to discussing during table breakout sessions, to leading a table discussion, to giving a presentation to the entire group. this is our 20th meeting since forming in 2005. fewest attendees was 7 (the first meeting). most attendees was 40 (our last meeting).

looking ahead: for the august meeting, we are close to confirming a speaker from the social security administration office. usually, they want at least 40 attendees, so i think we can commit to them that we'll have at least 40 for the next meeting. and if we don't have exactly that number, we'll just have to quickly keep changing seats when they do their count of attendees...

anyway, hope to see you this saturday, may-7, 10:00-12:00, at the ....

it's never too late to RSVP.. so far, 22 folks have RSVPed... knowing the near-final tally helps for agenda printing, chair and table setup, etc.

main forum: http://www.bogleheads.org/
our thread: viewtopic.php?t=73697

jeff mc

[jeff mc]

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thanks to paul for the presentation at the beginning. prompted some good discussion and questions. next meeting is saturday, 6-aug, somewhere.. at some time... stay tuned.

36 folks made it today.

see the attached PDFs for the two powerpoints used today.

there has been some interest in possibly pursuing a southern minnesota chapter (rochester, winona, owatonna, faribault, albert lea, etc.) fred S has agreed to scope out interest and see if there are enough people interested in a southern MN group. he would then would pick a restaurant or whatever (probably in rochester) for a kickoff meeting. if interested in getting details of that, please let me know, and i'll pass your info on to fred s. having yet another boglehead group form in MN would be awesome!

i CCed anna and stupendous phil, the west side and east side chapter coordinators, resp. sounds like west side will meet face to face in the fall, and just keep some emails flying around between them this summer. i believe solid phil plans on meeting periodically thru the summer at a maplewood coffee shop. contact them directly if interested in joining them for informal boglehead talk in between the main meetings..

i posted some pix on the main forum website...
viewtopic.php?t=73697

also, someone asked about a tax contact that could be recommended. we had matt bruun - CPA talk to us a few meetings ago. he's a good, no nonsense tax guy (aren't they all?). for the people who had tax questions, you could float some things past matt. i CCed his email address.

i think ... is a keeper. free, good wifi, free computer projector use, carpeted room that allows food and drink, pretty good location at junction of many interstates, roomy, free. did i mention free?

looking into ....for next meeting. possibly with joe the estate planning attorney or social security admin speaker.

and finally... just so you can plan ahead (4 full years + of planning ahead...) here's the schedule thru 2015:

1st saturday every 3 months

Code: Select all

2011         2012         2013         2014         2015
5-Feb-11    4-Feb-12    2-Feb-13    1-Feb-14    7-Feb-15
7-May-11    5-May-12    4-May-13    3-May-14    2-May-15
6-Aug-11    4-Aug-12    3-Aug-13    2-Aug-14    1-Aug-15
5-Nov-11    3-Nov-12    2-Nov-13    1-Nov-14    7-Nov-15

as always, please send topics you'd like to discuss, suggest keynote speakers, topics, formats, etc. for future meetings.

thanks,
jeff mc