[Andrew Mandelbaum]

I understand the friend bit. I would rather hang out and laugh with folks around a fire (metaphorical or real) on the fringes of a buzzing conference than most other recreations I can think of. It may be among the best things in the world. And if the only way you can afford to see your people is at the conference you are offered a paying gig at, then it is even more complicated. No easy answers. I guess I just assumed that everyone could see each other at either of those places and dividing a minority subset (formalist) was a bad idea. No matter how much you may wish your scene had energy for multiple venues it seems unlikely for most. WC lost the ball with its bad behaviour. Why not all remain united in one gathering? The obvious one being the place that picked up the discarded ball. I am not asking rhetorical questions. Just actually curious. Is it that WC has the budget to bring in people all the way from UK and the new festival doesn't?
John is rather ancient. And I can honestly appreciate the issue of specific individuals with only one possible campfire to choose from.

Do they let people fly at that age or is a raft involved? Maybe he has already left and is just now leaving the Congo on his way to a rumored land bridge open only to those unsullied by free verse, liberal politics, and automobiles.

Kidding aside, I would like to hear John as a speaker as well. Honest. Too bad such poor administration made such a mess. Bad primates.

I am just thinking aloud here. What do I know? Maybe John is also speaking at Poetry by the Sea and I don't even know it. That would be great. I will go look at the two rosters.