VPC 2012 meeting on Jan 6th

Andy had devised an evening with a difference. We had been asked to bring along our 'Digital Disasters' and any images with a Christmas theme. Andy handed out marking sheets as we sat in two long rows facing each other as though we were about to start a bout of Scottish country dancing.

We were invited to mark each print out of ten where the highest number meant the most disastrous and the lowest meant the least disastrous.

There were 23 prints in all and after lots of mental arithmetic and chewing of pencils, Andy announced the three winners (losers?) in time honoured reverse order. Andy was bemused to find his own name up there in lights!

Part two saw us spilt into five groups of five judging, well, five prints. This time good was more marks not less which felt more normal.

Before that, a few brave souls volunteered to stand up and explain exactly what and why their own digital disaster meant to them. It was, I felt, a cathartic experience having to share ones failures with a largely sympathetic audience.

It didn't take too long to to discuss the five contenders; Andy then invited one person from each group to sum up the groups decisions.

This was done with objectivity and in spite of shouts of 'we know where you live!' which only went to show how tricky it can be judging your colleagues work, good humour in abundance.

The general feeling was that Andy and his theme evening had come well out of first post Christmas lethargy meeting.

More prints would have helped, of course, but that was down to us, the club members.

Definitely an idea which should be nourished and given another chance in another year.

Mike Baker.