Seth C Travels - 6 Month Road Trip Giving $500 Tips

[Seth C]

I live in Upstate NY near Cooperstown which it looks like you are skipping by hopping up north to the Adirondacks, lol. Not that I blame you there's beautiful scenery up there but if you change your mind and find yourself in this area I'd love to accompany you to Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown.

Oh, right! I'll definitely find a day to visit Ommegang. That's a must. I also need to route through Southern Tier. I originally routed through Lake Placid largely because a friend was planning to join me and her grandparents live there, so we thought it would be nice to visit them. Stuff that far out is definitely pliable though, and I may end up in Cooperstown instead.

 

[Shadow2222]

You absolutely have to go to the Church Brew Works in Pittsburgh! Amazing food, amazing beer, and it is all set up in what was once a real church, so amazing atmosphere too!

I'm only an hour away from Pittsburgh, so I would love to meet up with you if possible (but I can only make it on the weekends.)

Please let me know in a PM!

 

[User 100115]

Damn, I am too far out of your way to host you (two hours east of Portland) but good luck!

 

[Hunter S.]

Lol, at skipping Lousiana, Mississippi, Alabama. Sounds pretty cool
. They will all be strippers you spread smiles to I am sure.

 

[mechashiva]

Hit me up closer to your Oklahoma City visit. If I'm around you can crash at my house.

 

[Seth C]

Really? With what station? Also, that would be awesome, wherever you would give it I'd definitely make the trip for the chance to meet you and see it in person. In fact, that'd be a good excuse to get a meet-up of Irish gaffers, hehe.

I'm sure your brother would be amazed at the great work you've done in this already, not to mention what you're talking of doing. Kudos, Seth. Not many would go this far.

A link to the segment.

It was on RTE's 2fm.

Lol, at skipping Lousiana, Mississippi, Alabama. Sounds pretty cool
. They will all be strippers you spread smiles to I am sure.

I intended to skip Tennessee, Georgia and Florida as well, but only because I've already given multiple tips in all of those states. Still driving through Tennessee and Georgia, but not giving tips there. Two people donated to get me to come to their towns in Florida, so that one got taken out of my hands!

 

[Quake1028]

Hit me up in early November when you get to Tampa. I have a couch for you at least one of those nights, and my buddy owns the best craft brewery in town.

 

[Colonel Nasty]

I'll PM you when you get closer to Roswell. Great cause and I'd love to help.

 

[aceface]

Oh, right! I'll definitely find a day to visit Ommegang. That's a must. I also need to route through Southern Tier. I originally routed through Lake Placid largely because a friend was planning to join me and her grandparents live there, so we thought it would be nice to visit them. Stuff that far out is definitely pliable though, and I may end up in Cooperstown instead.

Nice! Cooperstown is quite a ways away from Lake Placid it must be said so it would require a bit of a major re-route. But, if you do make it out this way, I'll meet you at the Ommegang Brewery for a beer, either shoot me a PM or I'll try to keep an eye on this thread.

 

[Kwhit10]

Regarding your trip layout. I'd recommend going from NYC to New Haven, CT to Providence.

You can save a bit of time (if you're behind schedule) since follows those cities, and I like the food in New Haven better.

 

[Chipopo]

Guys: you will feel less upset about this if you stop thinking of this as as a charity and stop thinking of Seth as running an NGO. Trust me when I say that the inefficiencies are not lost on me.

I now think of this as an effort in consciousness-raising performance art, with a social-media twist. Thinking about it in those terms does not erase my doubts. But it does take the oomph out of my criticism and make me think that this is a reasonable-minds-can-differ issue.

Edited to add: also keep in mind that this is a passion project rooted in the death of a loved one. Let me say that again, incorporating what I said above, too. This is a consciousness-raising passion project inspired by Seth's loss and his brother's life. You might find it inefficient, but it would be a mistake to think that its financial inefficiencies were somehow a knock-down argument against Seth completing his vision. (Some people build memorials to their loved ones, and some people receive public funding to create those memorials. There are pretty stark "inefficiencies" there, too.)

I wonder if this campaign would have received it funding if it hadn't been done in the name of Seth C's brother. For example, what if Seth had started a campaign that said "I really enjoy giving waitresses $500 tips, it makes them happy and it makes me happy to know it makes them happy, please help me do this nation-wide". Would it have meant anything to other people? I think it actually might of, and the campaign might have been funded anyway.

The advantage of doing that of course, is that then it becomes clear that we're participating in performance art, and on a basic level the entire project no longer feels disingenuous. For instance, when you look at Seth C's profile on Indigogo it reads:

I'm just a guy, a guy whose brother passed away and left an amazing last request -- that we go to dinner and leave a $500 tip for a waiter or a waitress. Now I'm trying to make that happen for him, bigger than he could ever have imagined.

the enjoyment of going on a national tour, receiving attention from media organizations and from the internet, and recording yourself as you make a positive difference in someones day (things that I think anyone would rightly enjoy) is being hidden under this pretense of being all about Seth's brother. Even in this thread Seth suggests that the trip is not going to be very enjoyable for him, he's going to be laboring with the video-editing process the whole time and he's been to many of the locations already etc. etc. The ludicrous subtext is that this is a selfless endeavor for him, that he's dutifully fulfilling his brothers demands (which is an exaggeration of the case at best, a manipulation at worst), and that this is a noble or holy pilgrimage rather than a social experiment that Seth C happens to finds personally meaningful. The extent to which it aids in Seth's mourning process could have been acknowledged as back story without becoming so central as to become a disingenuous facade.

So I completely agree with you that it's a great idea for a "Pay It Forward" style performance piece, but that's not the way the money has been solicited. The truth is that having a strong emotional punch attached to your fundraising campaign can help bring in dollars, and consciously or unconsciously this was not lost on Seth. But it's also...what's the word?

tacky as hell.

 

[Ace Harding]

Awesome idea! I loved the original video - very touching.

If you need someone to have a meal/beers with in Philly in November definitely PM me. I don't think I can offer a couch (I'll have a brand new baby and an exhausted wife) but would absolutely buy you dinner and some beers. I frequent a few great bars with awesome beer lists.

 

[Seth C]

I wonder if this campaign would have received it funding if it hadn't been done in the name of Seth C's brother. For example, what if Seth had started a campaign that said "I really enjoy giving waitresses $500 tips, it makes them happy and it makes me happy to know it makes them happy, please help me do this nation-wide". Would it have meant anything to other people? I think it actually might of, and the campaign might have been funded anyway.

The advantage of doing that of course, is that then it becomes clear that we're participating in performance art, and on a basic level the entire project no longer feels disingenuous. For instance, when you look at Seth C's profile on Indigogo it reads:



the enjoyment of going on a national tour, receiving attention from media organizations and from the internet, and recording yourself as you make a positive difference in someones day (things that I think anyone would rightly enjoy) is being hidden under this pretense of being all about Seth's brother. Even in this thread Seth suggests that the trip is not going to be very enjoyable for him, he's going to be laboring with the video-editing process the whole time and he's been to many of the locations already etc. etc. The ludicrous subtext is that this is a selfless endeavor for him, that he's dutifully fulfilling his brothers demands (which is an exaggeration of the case at best, a manipulation at worst), and that this is a noble or holy pilgrimage rather than a social experiment that Seth C happens to finds personally meaningful. The extent to which it aids in Seth's mourning process could have been acknowledged as back story without becoming so central as to become a disingenuous facade.

So I completely agree with you that it's a great idea for a "Pay It Forward" style performance piece, but that's not the way the money has been solicited. The truth is that having a strong emotional punch attached to your fundraising campaign can help bring in dollars, and consciously or unconsciously this was not lost on Seth. But it's also...what's the word?

tacky as hell.

Glad you think so! But you would have probably been served well by reading the mod warning last page. Thanks for your feedback, anyway.

 

[Learn2read]

I wonder if this campaign would have received it funding if it hadn't been done in the name of Seth C's brother. For example, what if Seth had started a campaign that said "I really enjoy giving waitresses $500 tips, it makes them happy and it makes me happy to know it makes them happy, please help me do this nation-wide". Would it have meant anything to other people? I think it actually might of, and the campaign might have been funded anyway.

The advantage of doing that of course, is that then it becomes clear that we're participating in performance art, and on a basic level the entire project no longer feels disingenuous. For instance, when you look at Seth C's profile on Indigogo it reads:



the enjoyment of going on a national tour, receiving attention from media organizations and from the internet, and recording yourself as you make a positive difference in someones day (things that I think anyone would rightly enjoy) is being hidden under this pretense of being all about Seth's brother. Even in this thread Seth suggests that the trip is not going to be very enjoyable for him, he's going to be laboring with the video-editing process the whole time and he's been to many of the locations already etc. etc. The ludicrous subtext is that this is a selfless endeavor for him, that he's dutifully fulfilling his brothers demands (which is an exaggeration of the case at best, a manipulation at worst), and that this is a noble or holy pilgrimage rather than a social experiment that Seth C happens to finds personally meaningful. The extent to which it aids in Seth's mourning process could have been acknowledged as back story without becoming so central as to become a disingenuous facade.

So I completely agree with you that it's a great idea for a "Pay It Forward" style performance piece, but that's not the way the money has been solicited. The truth is that having a strong emotional punch attached to your fundraising campaign can help bring in dollars, and consciously or unconsciously this was not lost on Seth. But it's also...what's the word?

tacky as hell.

yup

 

[MThanded]

What percentage of the raised money is being used for travel?

 

[Chipopo]

Glad you think so! But you would have probably been served well by reading the mod warning last page. Thanks for your feedback, anyway.

Don't worry, I'm starting a fundraising campaign tour to help me grieve the loss of my posting privileges. I'm thinking the Virgin Islands.

 

[Seth C]

What percentage of the raised money is being used for travel?

100% of the indiegogo campaign (which I was up front about from the start) and the business sponsorships. 0% of the money donated through Paypal from random donations.

 

[m0dus]

Don't worry, I'm starting a fundraising campaign tour to help me grieve the loss of my posting privileges. I'm thinking the Virgin Islands.

Sounds like fun! Let us know how it went when you get back.

 

[SouSouRocket]

yup

Learn2read indeed.

 

[m0dus]

yup

Indeed.

 

[Kalnos]

Don't really see what Chipopo said that was ban-worthy (in regards to what m0dus said earlier), is this shielded from any criticism now?

 

[m0dus]

The purpose of this thread is to discuss his experiences and set up meets along the way. So yes, taking the time to question his scruples or his judgement with regards to how he pays respect to his brother is not in line with that purpose. Call it derailing the thread, or thread shitting. This was stated very clearly on the last page.

Don't really see what Chipopo said that was ban-worthy (in regards to what m0dus said earlier), is this shielded from any criticism now?

As with all bannings, it's not really open for discussion. Feel free to pm me if you have a question.

 

[CrankyJay]

Don't really see what Chipopo said that was ban-worthy (in regards to what m0dus said earlier), is this shielded from any criticism now?

There was already a huge thread on it months ago. You missed it. It's over.

 

[malfcn]

Pretty fun to watch the reactions. Anyone at the IRS watching these videos?

Even if it is a silly idea, why does it bother people so much?
People donated the money knowing it could change peoples lives.
That is what donating is all about. He was backed to have some fun and brighten people's ordinary day.

 

[Chris R]

My plan was to fly from Seattle to Anchorage (very cheap one way, $120 or so) and then drive or take a train up to Fairbanks? I've never been so realistically I have no clue what I'm doing in that regard. The cruise departs from Anchorage and arrives in Vancouver, hence the decision to stay there a couple days.

The train is $200+ each way :| The drive is a nice 5 hour trip assuming construction isn't too bad, plus you could stop along the way and check out a few places. You are also here during the State Fair if you enjoy that type of thing. It is in Palmer, about an hour north of Anchorage. Plenty of fun things to do here in Anchorage, can't say much about Fairbanks though as it's been 10+ years since I've been there.

 

[vas_a_morir]

There was already a huge thread on it months ago. You missed it. It's over.

Could you provide a link? Critical discussion is verboten in this particular thread, but it could continue in another one, as Modus made it clear that it's not criticism that's banned, just thread derailment. I think it's an interesting topic and worthy of discussion, even if I don't necessarily agree with either side about it yet.

 

[Seth C]

The train is $200+ each way :| The drive is a nice 5 hour trip assuming construction isn't too bad, plus you could stop along the way and check out a few places. You are also here during the State Fair if you enjoy that type of thing. It is in Palmer, about an hour north of Anchorage. Plenty of fun things to do here in Anchorage, can't say much about Fairbanks though as it's been 10+ years since I've been there.

Ah, that doesn't sound like a great idea then. Perhaps just rent a car or (if there is one) take the train to Palmer for the state fair? That could be fun.

 

[coldvein]

who do you think you are, evilobe?

 

[CrankyJay]

Could you provide a link? Critical discussion is verboten in this particular thread, but it could continue in another one, as Modus made it clear that it's not criticism that's banned, just thread derailment. I think it's an interesting topic and worthy of discussion, even if I don't necessarily agree with either side about it yet.

You'll have to search for it yourself, I support what Seth is doing.

 

[vas_a_morir]

You'll have to search for it yourself, I support what Seth is doing.

That's fine. I generally support what Seth is doing, too, because I know this is not going to be any vacation, but rather 6 months of probable misery.

However, I would like to read an interesting GAF thread that has been brought up in this thread as a relevant read. Could you at least give me a hint?

EDIT: Nevermind, some fellow NCAAF gaffer hit me with a PM.

 

[CrankyJay]

nvm

 

[Instigator]

Glad you think so! But you would have probably been served well by reading the mod warning last page. Thanks for your feedback, anyway.

If you appreciate that kind of feedback, why tolerate your mod buddies trying to stifle it?

Unless you personally requested censorship yourself? You might as well come clean and save yourself from insincere/sarcastic posts.

 

[Iceman]

There's a couch in Pasadena, CA if you want it.

It's outside the house, but weather should be nice. j/k.

The couch is inside the house. Welcome to it. I'll gladly give you a ride to and fro if needs be as well.

 

[Razorskin]

How many tips have you given out so far? Barring this eventual trip.

 

[Staccat0]

Ah shit! I don't live in Austin anymore

 

[Seth C]

There's a couch in Pasadena, CA if you want it.

It's outside the house, but weather should be nice. j/k.

The couch is inside the house. Welcome to it. I'll gladly give you a ride to and fro if needs be as well.

Thank you! I may end up taking you up on that offer, especially if you can offer parking. I'll need to leave my car in Los Angeles for a while so that would be a huge help to me.

How many tips have you given out so far? Barring this eventual trip.

I've given 48 tips so far, or $24,000. The 49th will be this week, when I get to Los Angeles for E3. The 50th will be back home in Lexington, on Aaron's birthday, June 15. Then a few days later I'll start the road trip and that will comprise tips 51 to 95 or 100.

 

[Iceman]

Thank you! I may end up taking you up on that offer, especially if you can offer parking. I'll need to leave my car in Los Angeles for a while so that would be a huge help to me.

How long will you need to leave the car in LA? Our spaces are limited but we can definitely find a solution. If anything it costs $3 a night to leave a car on the side of the street in Pasadena. I'd be willing to park your car in our driveway and donate to the cause (indirectly) by keeping my car on the side of the street for a while.

 

[Seth C]

How long will you need to leave the car in LA? Our spaces are limited but we can definitely find a solution. If anything it costs $3 a night to leave a car on the side of the street in Pasadena. I'd be willing to park your car in our driveway and donate to the cause (indirectly) by keeping my car on the side of the street for a while.

I'd need to leave it there for about a week. Anything would be better than paying airport parking for that long.

 

[Chris R]

Ah, that doesn't sound like a great idea then. Perhaps just rent a car or (if there is one) take the train to Palmer for the state fair? That could be fun.

There is a train to the fair but for some reason the railroad company hasn't updated it with times and prices just yet. A car rental would still be a good idea though, there are a ton of things within an hour or so of Anchorage that make for great partial day trips.

 

[kai3345]

I might have a couch for you in Austin, if you haven't found one already. I'd have to talk to my roomies first though

 

[m0dus]

If you appreciate that kind of feedback, why tolerate your mod buddies trying to stifle it?

Unless you personally requested censorship yourself? You might as well come clean and save yourself from insincere/sarcastic posts.

Oh, Seth C has nothing to do with censoring anything. Rather, it's my seemingly unreasonable expectation that people read and follow the very simple decree (the same one that has been posted 2 or 3 times now) not to troll this thread.

 

[Herne]

A link to the segment.

It was on RTE's 2fm.

Tubridy, yeesh! Haha, no, it's great that what you're doing is getting exposure outside of America. Best of luck with it, man.

 

[Mandark]

Yeah, I'd guess the problem isn't that the decree is too complex. It's that people disagree with it. And no wonder, defined "trolling" to include all values of posting not completely supportive of the project.

It actually is "unreasonable" that you would expect everyone would choose to abide by that, and not in the condescending, sarcastic way you used the word.

 

[CrankyJay]

Yeah, I'd guess the problem isn't that the decree is too complex. It's that people disagree with it.

Not really...

I'm not sure what people hope to gain by complaining about this...that Seth change his mind and donate it all to some completely unrelated charity?

 

[jb1234]

Not really...

I'm not sure what people hope to gain by complaining about this...that Seth change his mind and donate it all to some completely unrelated charity?

And why would he? If he did, it would be a betrayal to the people who donated the money knowing exactly what it was going to.

Actually, I do know what people hope to gain by complaining. A ban.

 

[m0dus]

Yeah, I'd guess the problem isn't that the decree is too complex. It's that people disagree with it. And no wonder, defined "trolling" to include all values of posting not completely supportive of the project.

It actually is "unreasonable" that you would expect everyone would choose to abide by that, and not in the condescending, sarcastic way you used the word.

It comes down to a very simple fact: this is not the place to discuss it. If you do not agree with his trip, his means, all that--bring it up in the other thread where it was discussed ad-nauseam. And no: It is not unreasonable to expect people to read and understand a very simple statement of course. But let me restate it again, to be crystal clear: (because I am willing to try the carrot one more time. After this post, it's back to the banstick)

"Trolling" here is, simply, disrupting the conversation and derailing the discussion from the thread's intended purpose. It is not a stretch by any manner of the definition. You could also call i threadwhining. Openly calling for him to stop what he's doing, engaging in long diatribes regarding how you would spend the money, hurling insults because he is following through with his obligations to the people that have backed him, all fall under that umbrella.

Clear enough?

And yeah dude, snarking about enforcing the rule while breaking it will earn a condescending tone. It certainly warrants it.

In short---take the discussion to the relevant thread if you feel strongly enough. Not here.

 

[B For Bendetta]

Damn dude, if you're into craft beer you are hitting a few cities with great communities. Good for you dude. Awesome idea benefitting a ton of people in one of the country's most prolific professions

Recommendations for my stomping grounds of St. Louis:

Top tier:

Schlafly
Perennial Artisan Ales
Urban Chestnut
4 Hands
Civil Life

Mid Tier:

Exit 6
Square One
Six Row
Kirkwood Station
Ferguson
Alpha

Bottom Tier:

Morgan Street
Trailhead
AB

I'm probably missing a few. Would also check out one of the International Taphouse locations one day, preferably the 8th because they do half off half the taps from 8pm to close. Hell PM me and ill see you there if I'm not working

 

[m0dus]

And why would he? If he did, it would be a betrayal to the people who donated the money knowing exactly what it was going to.

Actually, I do know what people hope to gain by complaining. A ban.

I've clarified it. Bolded and highlighted it. Vetted it to be fair. If its not clear, I'm sorry, people can use their time off for a remedial reading course.

 

[Seth C]

Damn dude, if you're into craft beer you are hitting a few cities with great communities. Good for you dude. Awesome idea benefitting a ton of people in one of the country's most prolific professions

Recommendations for my stomping grounds of St. Louis:

Top tier:

Schlafly
Perennial Artisan Ales
Urban Chestnut
4 Hands
Civil Life

Mid Tier:

Exit 6
Square One
Six Row
Kirkwood Station
Ferguson
Alpha

Bottom Tier:

Morgan Street
Trailhead
AB

I'm probably missing a few. Would also check out one of the International Taphouse locations one day, preferably the 8th because they do half off half the taps from 8pm to close. Hell PM me and ill see you there if I'm not working

Thanks! Lists like that will be hugely beneficial for me. I'll definitely check out as many as I can. Hopefully I can earn a few badges on Untapped in the process. As it gets closer to time for me to ht some of these places advice like this will be invaluable for me. It's hard to focus on the whole trip at once, but I sort of track it in chunks. Right now I'm visualizing everything up until about St. Paul, so St. Louis info is perfect.

 

[B For Bendetta]

Thanks! Lists like that will be hugely beneficial for me. I'll definitely check out as many as I can. Hopefully I can earn a few badges on Untapped in the process. As it gets closer to time for me to ht some of these places advice like this will be invaluable for me. It's hard to focus on the whole trip at once, but I sort of track it in chunks. Right now I'm visualizing everything up until about St. Paul, so St. Louis info is perfect.

Np dude!

Ranking is totally by preference in quality of the product. AB is worth a trip for their tour and museum. Their operation is really impressive