This is to catch everyone up on the pertinent information regarding Beach House. I will likely only make one or two more posts in this journal before the trip.

The 2008 Beach House Trip is taking place from June 7th to June 14th. The house resides in the Sandbridge area of Virginia Beach, at the following address:

2936 Sandfiddler Rd.
Virginia Beach, VA 23456

Check-in Time on June 7th is 4:30 PM. Check-out Time on June 14th is 10:00 AM.

See the official Forumopolis Beach House Thread here.
See the Travel Arrangements thread here.
See the Rules & Guidelines here.
Check out the Beach House t-shirt, available now.

NEWS:

1) The prices for the T-shirt have been reduced. Originally the price was $16, and $8 for discounts. Now those who are eligible for the discount can now have the shirt for $6.00. The full price for the shirt is now $13.00.

The following people are eligible for the discount:
Tim T., Len C., Jason E., Kali C., Josh P., Landon C.

2) Unfortunately I did not hear any interest regarding Bike Rentals for the house. If you are interested in pitching in for a couple bikes to be available, please leave a comment here and I will remember to ask you at the house.

3) A number of people are putting together Beach House Mixes. I'd like to have a full listing of download links for these. Just post a link to your mix in the comments for this post, and I'll include it in the next Blog entry. If you do not have adequate hosting space but would like to have your mix available for download, let me know.

3a) Mix makers are encouraged to use the Rikc Serious method: use your own name in the Artist field for all the tracks, and format the titles as "Artist - Song". This provides ease of organization and cohesiveness. We also encourage using unique, personalized cover art with the tracks - be creative!

PLEASE READ THESE CLOSELY AND CAREFULLY. This may be amended as necessary.

Here are recommended items to bring.

Clothing:
- Shorts and t-shirts
- Socks and UNDERWEAR god i cannot stress this enough
- Sandals and sneakers
- At least one pair of jeans and a sweatshirt
- A set of nice clothes for any fine dining we might do (collared shirt & khakis / dresses)
- Swimtrunks, Swimsuits; things for swimming that don't show off your goods (too much)

Personal Effects:
- Sunscreen, at least SPF 30 (Aloe is also a very good idea)
- At least 2 Towels
- shampoo/conditioner/soap, razor/shaving cream, deodorant
- toothbrush/toothpaste
- umbrella and/or poncho

I will have with me a comprehensive first-aid kit and some flashlights, but it may be wise to bring your own.

Please bring all necessary medications with you. Including antidepressants and/or other brainpills. Let me know if you have any preexisting medical conditions that require regular attention (asthma, diabetes, cancer) so that we can make sure you don’t die.

MUST NOT BRING
- Firearms of any kind (or bullets, Tim)
- Knives with a blade longer than 2 inches (swiss army knives and boxcutters are okay)
- Swords, daggers, bows/arrows, nunchucks, other nerd weapons you bought at the convention
- Please just no weapons at all please
- Explosives. NO FIREWORKS! That includes snakes and sparklers, you dorks
- Breakable/Important Glassware, such as shot glasses
- Jewelry, Expensive or Large Electronics (no TVs), other valuables

PLEASE ALSO SEE THE RESPONSIBILITIES POST.

I recommend bringing $150 or more in CASH MONEY. There will be ATMs, but the service charges can be murder.

There will be a food fund of about $400. This goes towards groceries, which I will be buying based on requests and recommendations. FOR ALCOHOL PURCHASES, PLEASE GO TO LEN FOR THE BEER FUND.

Please mind the Pool Safety guidelines. Do not run on the pool deck, do not dive in the shallow end, do not attempt diving from the patio deck, and don’t jump in near swimmers. DO NOT PEE IN THE POOL I DON’T CARE HOW DRUNK YOU ARE.

While the house does have internet access, laptops are not recommended. While not banned, they are generally not a good idea, unless you have online classes or something.

This year we’re doing something new and different for Beach House. It’s been 4 years since we began this tradition, and it’s time we had something to signify its impact.

So this year, we’re getting t-shirts.




UPDATE: The shirts are now priced at $13.00 each, or $6.00 if you are eligible for the discount!


Here is our first official Internet Beach House shirt. The art was graciously/gradually provided by Grayson.

Those attendees who paid their dues in full before the January deadline will be getting this shirt for free when they arrive at the house. If they would like to receive it early, I will send it in exchange for the shipping cost.

Those who paid part of their dues before the January deadline may purchase the shirt at a reduced cost of $8 $6.00. The same applies – you will receive the shirt at Beach House, or I will ship it for the added cost.

Those who paid after the January deadline (or have not paid yet) may purchase the shirt for $16 $13.00.

The shirts will be run in men’s sizes Medium, X-Large, and XX-Large. (Sorry, ladies). I will have a small number of additional shirts made, which can be purchased at Beach House or ordered online.

To get your shirt, please comment on this entry with your desired shirt size: M, XL, XXL

Please do remember that while we are on vacation, this does not excuse you from basic duties in maintaining the house. We are guests, and must all share the space for the week. This means maintaining cleanliness and some semblance of order.

Everyone attending is expected to clean up after themselves. Throw away your trash, pick up your clothing, and deposit any dirty dishes in the sink. However, you are not only responsible for your own cleanliness. If you see stray trash, dirty items or other property, you are just as obligated to pick them up and deposit them appropriately.

Teams of two or three will be appointed every night for attending to dishes. Two will work at the sink with any scrubbing needed to be done, and one will deposit them in the washer and run a cleaning cycle. This same team will then put those dishes away in appropriate cabinets and drawers. This is not a difficult job. When teams apply themselves, the work will be done quickly and with little nuisance.

Friday night is House Cleaning night. Bags must be packed, belongings must be collected, trash must be completely picked up, and all dishes must be cleaned and put away. Nothing must be left behind. The following Saturday morning requires an early check-out time, and all participants must vacate the premises – there will be no time at that point for heavy cleaning.

All house members are similarly responsible for knowing the Trash Pick-Up days, and attending to this matter accordingly with any help they can get.

Also remember that while a great deal of fun is had in our wacky antics, Moderation is always recommended. Let’s get drunk enough to have fun, but not so drunk that we forget ourselves.

You are also just as responsible for your fellow man. When you see someone making a mess, possibly harming themselves, or otherwise about to cause trouble (whether deliberately or not), do not hesitate to step forward to prevent them from inflicting harm.

Follow these guidelines, and Beach House can be a fun and comfortable getaway for everyone.

This year our selected Beach House sports a feature altogether new and different from previous years: our very own Pool. With that, however, comes new responsibilities. We must behave safely and respectfully in order for this to be a benefit to our experience, rather than a detriment.

There are, of course, basic rules for the pool. No running. No diving in the shallow end. Do not dunk or push anyone into the pool. And for the sake of space restrictions, no more than 10 people in the pool at any time.

In addition, attempt to prevent any excess sand from being tracked into the pool. This can harm the filtration systems and offset the chlorine and pH balances.

Most importantly, No High Diving. You may notice in the house photos that there is no diving board. However, the patios are situated just slightly over the pool. Should anyone be seen climbing over the rails or even attempting to jump from these heights into the pool, you will face possible expulsion from the house for the remainder of the week.

Likewise, be sure to take care of any electronics and valuables near the pool area. Try not to take your phones, iPods, PDAs, game systems, or small precious items near the area. This risks very certain damage or loss. A special station will be kept by the pool area to drop off these items and keep them from harms way, however it is up to you to exercise caution – leave these items indoors whenever possible.

As we have featured in previous years, participants in Beach House will also have access to house foods and drinks, including a few cooked meals. To prevent some of the confusion encountered in previous years, the general design of these funds is laid out herein.


1) The Food Fund
Alex is the administrator of the Food Fund. He will have a base account of $350 to $400 (with additional funds from Day-Trip participants) for procuring foods.

He will oversee 3 grocery shopping trips with a base list of foods and essentials. Participants are encouraged to approach him with any suggestions for additional foods intended for shared group consumption.


2) The Beer Fund
This works a bit differently, so pay attention.

Len is the administrator of the Beer Fund. This fund only provides for basic packs of beer; any liquors or wines are to be procured by each individual house member. He will be working with a base account of $150 to $200, which house members are encouraged to chip into at anytime in the week.

He will provide shares only after every member of the house has arrived and is accounted for. No money will be given for previously made alcohol purchases. You must approach him before any liquor store trip, and he will provide as much money as he sees fit. You will not be reimbursed for additional purchases.

That’s how it works. And please remember to utilize these resources wisely for both your own benefit and that of other house members.

Now we come down to brass tacks. Needless to say, this will be our most expensive beach house to date. After taxes and rental fees, the total cost of one week at the house will be over $6000 total.

So how much would you pay to spend a week in such a beautiful home, with its own pool, hot tub and theater? One Thousand Dollars? Two Thousand?

No sir. This year, you can have all this for a mere $255. That’s two hundred fifty-five dollars for a full week at Internet Beach House 2k8. It’s a steal, right?

$255 Provides The Following
Full admission to the house for the entire week
First-come-first-serve choice of any bed for sleeping accommodations
Access to all provisions acquired via the Food Fund
Access to allotted monies from the Beer Fund

For guests only staying one or two days, there is a negotiable admission price of roughly $75, payable when you arrive. This amount is added to the Food and Beer Funds.

Please pay as soon as possible. We need at least 10 to 12 shares from participants by November 16th, 2007, in order to make the first payment on the house. After that, remaining shares will be due by April 11th, 2008.

This year I am also offering opportunities to pay a small amount into a “Bike Rental” fund. An additional $10 on top of your dues will provide access to 3 bikes I will procure.

This year, it has been decided to direct our beach house festivities in Sandbridge Beach, Virginia during the week of June 7th to 14th, 2008. Sandbridge is situated just south of the popular Virginia Beach area, settled away from the heavy activity of the resorts along a strip of coast between the Atlantic and Back Bay. It is a quiet community, popular more with families and locals than parties, but with plenty of sights to enjoy.

And now I give you Our Beach House for the year 2008…




This is the Sand Pearl Cinema, located on Sandfiddler Road directly facing the Atlantic Ocean. It sports 7 bedrooms, 7.5 bathrooms, 3 separate living rooms, and 11 beds. And as you can tell from the above photo, an oceanfront in-ground swimming pool, along with a hot tub.

The house also sports three levels of deck patios, overlooking the ocean.




Those of you looking for fine meals will enjoy the well appointed kitchen, and the Hammerhead Shark that watches you eat.




And for the final masterstroke:




Yes, that is an honest-to-goodness home theater, with a projection system.

Other rooms also sport televisions, including a 47" plasma TV.

Outside of the house amenities, there are also nearby movie theaters, bike and kayak rentals (the latter for use in the Bay), and a variety of restaurants from Mexican to Japanese (and Hibachi) and even a place that serves mahi.

You can read more about the house HERE.

Hello, potential Beach House participant! Allow us to welcome you to the exciting world of Internet Vacation Getaways. For those of you new to this, or those just needing a bit of refreshing, we have prepared this fun and informative blog detailing everything you can expect from this Beach House experience of 2008.

The Internet Beach House is a tradition dating all the way back to the year 2005, when dinosaurs still roamed the earth. A young man, known only to historians as Leonard Part Six, envisioned a week-long group retreat to scenic New Jersey – allowing him the chance to spend time with friends, and encourage them all to have sex. Despite the poor location and the lack of sex, the participants enjoyed the relaxing mood and camaraderie.

The next year it was decided to hold another vacation; this one taking place further south in an obscure corner of North Carolina. And a wondrous event occurred: twice as many people came, from many corners of America. Despite any past differences, they converged peacefully to enjoy one another’s company. With the quarters too small to contain their numbers, all who came found a closeness with their housemates as they spooned one another on the crowded floors.

And so it has gone, with growing numbers and new friends made. We come upon the fourth year of this institution, hoping to see as many new faces as old. The location shifts each time, the houses become larger, but the beach is always there. Internet Beach House allows participants to make new connections with people they may know of, but never tried to truly know. We have an opportunity to abandon the perception of people on our computer screens; to interact on a real human level, with as few emoticons as possible.

Past trips have seen assorted locations with different atmospheres. 2005 took us to the Jersey Shore (the “Beach Condo” year), with its sleazy boardwalk and mile-long beaches. In 2006 we found the tranquility of Holden Beach, NC, and the convenience of its nearby Wal-Marts and Magic Sandwiches. North Carolina greeted us again in 2007 at Emerald Isle, an island off the mainland housing multiple Mini-Golfs and our very own Beach Hutch.

The year 2008 brings us to our new locale: Sandbridge, in Virginia Beach. We welcome all the new experiences this will bring, and hope to see you join us!