In a message dated 97-11-14 20:20:06 EST, [log in to unmask] writes:
> I think I missed the first reel of this movie. What is PIN? Who's
> invited to this dinner?
My apology on dropping the first reel, quite a mess on the floor and the fire
department had us evacuate the premises.
PIN is Preservation Industry Network. PIN, and the subject PINheads, are all
and any of us who wish to communicate/network with each other in the
preservation industry. I don't really push it on anyone, but if you are
reading this message then you must be a member of PIN. We could have called
it OINK, I guess. How do you feel now? Special? Confused? Elated?
Anyone, including meditating rodent preservationeers of all ilk, who can make
it to the dinner are invited. If you decide to travel from afar it helps to
call Anni Abramowicz, 212-691-2440, <[log in to unmask]>. I've been trying to
encourage Anni to join us on BP, but since I dunked her in the Great South
Bay while canoeing she suspects my suggestions. Oh, yeah, Anni is an
architect -- I did not really mean to swamp the canoe.
The threshold for entry to PIN is zero, no dues, no stinking badges, no free
phone cards. All you have to do is be kool, tell people to preserve their old
buildings and stuff like that, and say you are a PINhead whenever you feel
inclined. PINheads are often confused by this and eventually we may decide to
do dues and get identifying T-shirts and hats and silk ties, bandanas, a real
logo, designer lipstick... but for now we operate on zero cash flow and
stealth technology. We considered getting more formal but after our big
discussion about having to start a special committee so we could assign the
bothersome idiots to keep them busy we decided it was no longer making any
sense. We avoid supertakers in a sort of Zen way by making sure the banana
boat is empty when they get close to the dock.
Commerce, and a sense of belonging, is in the willingness to share
information. The idea of free-form sharing of information is an interesting
one in that the common good, the ability of a Special Interest Group to
survive, is exponentially enhanced. There is sort of a selection of the BEST
phenomena in that those who exhibit a negative energy on the group are
quickly blocked and fed disinformation. When a group of people are in
alignment of mission, in this case to talk with each other in the interest of
preservation of the built/unbuilt environment, there is a synergy of the
individuals within the group to look out for each other, and, in turn, to
maintain the health of the group as a whole. The phenomena was evidenced in
the mass action at the recent IPTW with 370 craftspeople and preservationeers
going at open sharing for three days. Every time we share information, and
find that we do not get burnt for the sharing, we build trust relationships.
Though PIN is not geographically restricted, it is difficult to go to dinner
if you live too far away. A few people on the I-way live close and asked
about plans for the dinner. If you cannot make the NYC/PIN dinner then I
suggest you have your own PIN dinner. Call some of your friends in the
preservation industry and ask them if they want to get together for dinner.
Pot luck works. Share preservation muffin recipes. You can also flatter
someone by asking them to give a 5 minute speach on a subject in the field
that interests them. If you have a dinner let the DISPATCH know and PIN will
tell the world that you had dinner. Limit: minimum of 2 sentient beings must
have dinner to qualify for this special offer (If you like to chat & chew
preservation with your rabbit we want to hear about it).
The dinner is simply that. No speakers excepting yourself, you talk to
whomever you feel like talking to. Nothing special, then again, last year we
were worried if 10 people would show up, it was a big snow storm, and there
were something like 35-40 people. It is a social party. During the year we do
business together and it is a pleasure to meet in a non-confrontational
venue. We try to pick a place with good food and drinks, where we can be
noisy.
PIN has a mission. Networking among all participants in the preservation
industry, involving the business sector, design professionals, and property
owners.
We started in January 1996 following the APTI (Association for Preservation
Technology International) annual meeting in Washington, DC. A few of us,
again in the middle of a snow storm <probably the only time we urban rats are
not working ourselves into a senseless stupor -- and yes, I live 65 miles
east of NYC and have chickens, dogs, a yardbound boat, and a garden>, got
together and decided we needed to recognize each other into talking more
about our problems in the preservation industry. That must have been fun
enough because someone suggested we have monthly breakfast meetings. If I
remember who that was I'll hunt them down for a special reward... eeiyack! A
concrete necklace!
So each month, for a while, we arranged a breakfast meeting at a new
"historic" or related location. It was kind of show-and-tell for a while...
we saw some really neat pictues of buildings and doberman guard dogs. Dress
code was diverse, some wore suits, some wore what best could be described as
pajamas. Then we got tired of trying to figure out where to meet next and
settled on one location. We held some meetings at night. A few core people
showed up at all meetings, and a diverse group of other preservationeers
showed up at odd times and told us what we should be doing with our lives. It
is really amazing how a group of people can decide one morning to call
themselves XYZ and suddenly there is this other group, sort of an anti-matter
group, that shows up unannounced with a mission to blame XYZ for not being
ABC and fixing the damn things that bother them -- gawd bless the
proctologist. We should all be blessed. That got to be a bit of a bore and we
found that the core group was much more adept at meeting on street corners,
on the phone, and via e-mail. Obviously, a meeting methodology making it less
likely for anyone to be found out and tasked by the dark side. We all sort of
keep in touch, and a few of us cultivate the keeping in touch activity.
Clem Labine, of Traditional Building, liked the idea of a monthly FAX
broadcast newsletter, so thanks to his efforts we do something called the
DISPATCH. If you want to get on the subscription list, no cost but for the
FAX paper, then send an e-mail to Kathy Follett <[log in to unmask]>. The
DISPATCH mainly talks about what is going on in the NYC area, though we would
like to encompass a wider range, and would do so if people would get used to
letting us in on the news. Currently the contact editor is Kathy Follett
<[log in to unmask]>. PINheads range from Canada to Mississippi to California,
and who knows elsewhere. The DISPATCH also coordinates with the APTI
Communique. Derek Trelstad, co-editor of Communique, is a fellow PINhead.
Out of the meetings we got this bright idea to have hands-on workshops
developed in alliance with various business interests. The chair of the
education committee is Jim Van Westering. If anyone wants to come to NYC and
put on a workshop they should send an e-mail message to me and I will talk it
over with Jim. I am only an advisor in this capacity and do not personally
arrange anything for anyone -- we open the door, we find a host site, we get
out the word, and you do ALL the work. So we have had workshops on stained
glass, sheet metal, roofing, sealants, graffiti control, rigging and
scaffolding, and fasteners. The next workshop is -- On December 2 Dave Hunt
of Revere Copper will be at Extech to talk about Revere’s book Copper &
Common Sense. which is known as “the Bible of the copper industry.” Call
Lenny Bracchi, 718-786-2288. Extech is a materials supplier. Len Bracchi is a
fine showman. We have also had field trips, oraganized by Len, to a cement
plant and a brick manufacturer. When we have our act together on the
communications side the workshops draw 30-40 participants on a weeknight.
This includes the number of preservationeers lost on the subways that don't
make it to the workshops and end up going home uneducated and underfed.
Along the way we became a committee of APTI; I am the designated chairperson.
I try to deny this as much as possible, but people keep reminding me. We also
appear to be a sister/brother movement to PTN (Preservation Trades Network),
which is also a committee of APTI, headed by Bryan Blundell, who is a
Bullamanka Preservationeer... maybe he will consider saying something at this
point <[log in to unmask]>. Bryan is owner of PRG, a supplier of all sorts of
neat preservationeer tools, books, etc. which you can find on the WWW. Bryan,
along with Tom McGrath of the NPS, is responsible for the IPTW conference.
We used to call ourselves PIN/NY, but at the mild suggestion of Mary Krugman,
another Bullamanka Preservationeer, we came to consciousness and realized we
were as much NJ (Mary was then director of Preserve NJ), as NY, CT, MA, CA,
OR, DE, BS etc. Despite the politician's wars over the ownership title to
Ellis Island (NY or NJ?) the PINheads recognize no boundary in the common
zeal to keep the built environment from being erased.
Hope this helps to allay the I-way schizoid feelings of being unconnected in
a William S. Burroughs movie.
][<en Follet
|
