House Kheperu Gather 2010

[Makhsihed]

The dates for the 2010 House Kheperu Open House have been announced, and registration is now open. Information and registration can be found here.

From the House Kheperu website:

We are pleased to announce that pre-registration and hotel reservations for the 2010 House Kheperu Open House are now available. The Open House runs from Friday, May 21st until Sunday, May 23rd. This is our 10th year hosting this event, and as with previous years, we will have a wide variety of lecture style and hands-on workshops, hosted by House Members and guest speakers.

The Open House has been a staple for House Kheperu to host. Each year, we try to do something a little different than the previous years. Sometimes these are small changes, other times they are large ones. This year we are moving again, and we are looking forward to the Sheraton Cleveland Airport Hotel being a more permanent home for our event. This year is the 10 year anniversary of hosting the Open House, so we are working on some special guests and events to mark the occasion.

We will once again be accepting applications to present a workshop or class at our event. Last year we felt that the variety of subjects kept your interest, and look forward to the same variety this year. Please note that our deadlines have changed from last year. The form is available on the Classes link, and we will need to have it back to us by December 31st 2009 for your class to be considered.

Once we have our class schedule finalized, it will be posted here on the website. We usually begin near 6 or 7pm on Friday evening, and wrap up near 3 or 4 pm on Sunday. Schedule will be posted in the 'Schedule' link to the left.

We found that last year, space was tight with the Hilton so we are moving to a larger space provided by the Sheraton Cleveland Airport Hotel. They are located right at the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, which is really convenient for those attendees who are flying in. Also the hotel is accessible by the RTA Rapid line that runs from Tower City Downtown to the Airport. There are many of the same features with the Sheraton as with the previous hotel. They have a restaurant on-site, a snack-bar, wireless internet throughout the hotel and similar styled rooms. We are very excited for this change, and look forward to you joining us at this new venue. Please click on the ‘Hotel Information’ link for more information, directions, and a link to reserve a room.

This year’s pre-registration will be $45. Pre-registration will end April 16th. The rate at the door will be $60 for the entire weekend. Click on the 'Registration' link on the left to find out more about how to register for the event.

[GreyPhoenix]

yay EXCITING! Wil have to book soon. Darn I'm a student now how will I afford this.... Enki? ........... Enki? ............. where did I put you.....?

[wamphyre75]

I am trying to decide if I can afford to make it this yr, having never been would I need to budget in a rental car to get around in or are there usually enough people with cars there that one would usually be able to find someone to ride with to things like the store or any activities going on away from the gather itself?

[succubiinthenight]

I plan on being there myself. Look forward to seeing you all there.

[AprilC]

I wish I could go.

[Cesare]

So any idea yet who's coming down?

[GreyPhoenix]

I'm trying to make it.

[Makhsihed]

I'll be there; already got the time off. A bunch of the people here in Denver will be there too. Not 100% sure which ones, but...

I am trying to decide if I can afford to make it this yr, having never been would I need to budget in a rental car to get around in or are there usually enough people with cars there that one would usually be able to find someone to ride with to things like the store or any activities going on away from the gather itself?

The hotel offers a free shuttle to get you from the airport to the hotel and back again. The con will be at the hotel, where you'll be rooming, so you won't actually have to leave the hotel except for food - and people carpool around to go eat. (Last time there was a caravan to a local restaurant. We took over half of it. It was fun!) So rental cars aren't a necessity. You can usually find someone with a car to get you somewhere close.

[GreyPhoenix]

just found out my uni's exam period starts on 17th of May. So see you guys there but sorry if I'm retreating to do some reading somewhere. I'm going to be a bit of a book worm.

[Cesare]

I'll be there, and teaching a class this year! woot

[GreyPhoenix]

Booked now planes, trains and automobiles to get me there. I'm going to come on the Thursday around 6-7 so if anyone is about early and they want to do supper let me know. See the rest of you on Friday.

@Cesare cool. Will try to attend your class. What are you teaching about?

[Makhsihed]

I will also be teaching a class - on Otherkin Health and Functioning.

I'll be in Cleveland from Wednesday 5/19 to Wednesday 5/26. But I'll be staying at a friend's nearby rather than at the hotel.

[GreyPhoenix]

that's cool. maybe will try and see your class as well. I've got Lupa's book and had it for ages just not had the time to read it. I've always been a bit confused as to how to define an otherkin so I should really look in to that properly!

[Makhsihed]

I won't be going in-depth on what otherkin are, figuring instead that most people there will know that. The basic definition I'll be using is "otherkin are humans who are also, in some way, something other than human" - though I usually use "who identify as" rather than "who are", but for the purposes of discussing functionality, that's the more useful definition.

[GreyPhoenix]

I personally prefer the term identify with. My problem is I see a lot of people myself included who get confused and state that they are something or something else and as time goes on they feel a connection to being something else but because of the whole idea of being people seem to collect identities. By saying I identify with instead of I am you are refering specifically to that sensation of connectedness and there's no need to collect indentities.

I think it's really important that people are able to renounce old theories or ideas or beliefs as they are presented with new information. So when you do not feel that the circle can protect you from evil influences you can if you think it wise to drop the theory of the circle and take up a new form of warding or setting up ritual space without saying necessarily that you had been wrong before in your belief in the circle. You were merely trying to experiment with that theory in your workings.

So for example, it's okay to explore indentifying with an Otherkin type while you are still trying to figure out who you are and you can continue to "identify" with that until you are presented with another plausible possibility/identity that seems to work better.

Do you agree?