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the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 10:50 pm
by Matt Morrison
  • Ben Hunter
  • Dinos Sfyris
  • Charlie Reams
  • Mark Deeks
  • Jon O'Neill
  • Michael Wallace
  • CF
  • Matt Bayfield
  • Michelle Nevitt
  • Ryan Taylor
  • Adam Gillard
  • Phil Makepeace
  • Gevin
  • Jen Steadman
  • Heather Styles
  • Graeme Cole
  • Tom Barnes
  • Bjorn Aas
  • Nathan Pace
  • Kath Webb
I'm going to have to come back to this though, there are more.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 11:09 pm
by Matt Morrison
Some (obvious?) rules:

- attending Countdown filmings is obviously a Countdown event
- travelling to and from Countdown events, including the associated pubbing before or after, also is part of a Co-event
- people who happen to be in a particular location due to a Co-event meeting up with other people entirely separately (not before or after) from the event itself is ok

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 7:30 am
by Adam Gillard
How many people does it have to be for a ratifiable COCMEAT? For example, I have met Innis and Ed M individually for non-Countdown shenanigans; Zarte, Innis and Mikey Lear are not on your list if Mark Watson's 25-hour show doesn't count as a Co:Event.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 10:01 am
by Mark Deeks
ADJUDICATION: The marathon was not a Co:Event as it was not open entry.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 5:02 pm
by Gavin Chipper
Adam Gillard wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2017 7:30 am How many people does it have to be for a ratifiable COCMEAT? For example, I have met Innis and Ed M individually for non-Countdown shenanigans; Zarte, Innis and Mikey Lear are not on your list if Mark Watson's 25-hour show doesn't count as a Co:Event.
I think meeting people individually is fine. I think it's just Countdowners meeting up rather than having a specific "meet-up".
Mark Deeks wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2017 10:01 am ADJUDICATION: The marathon was not a Co:Event as it was not open entry.
I wouldn't count this. Countdown filming isn't open entry either and doesn't count. It's not about whether it's called a CO-event. The fact that it's not open entry is totally at right angles to whether it counts or not.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 5:07 pm
by Gavin Chipper
Jon O'Neill
Mark Deeks
Matt Morrison
Heather Badcock
Jen Steadman
Heather Styles
Graeme Cole
Adam Gillard
Bjorn Aas

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 5:10 pm
by Mark Deeks
Gavin Chipper wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2017 5:02 pm
Adam Gillard wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2017 7:30 am How many people does it have to be for a ratifiable COCMEAT? For example, I have met Innis and Ed M individually for non-Countdown shenanigans; Zarte, Innis and Mikey Lear are not on your list if Mark Watson's 25-hour show doesn't count as a Co:Event.
I think meeting people individually is fine. I think it's just Countdowners meeting up rather than having a specific "meet-up".
Mark Deeks wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2017 10:01 am ADJUDICATION: The marathon was not a Co:Event as it was not open entry.
I wouldn't count this. Countdown filming isn't open entry either and doesn't count. It's not about whether it's called a CO-event. The fact that it's not open entry is totally at right angles to whether it counts or not.
I wouldn't count Countdown filming either. That was Morrison, who did not invent this game and who should frankly be ignored.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 5:16 pm
by Gavin Chipper
Mark Deeks wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2017 5:10 pm I wouldn't count Countdown filming either. That was Morrison, who did not invent this game and who should frankly be ignored.
OK. So private Countdown meet-ups do officially count then? (Not that it affects my total)

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 5:23 pm
by Mark Deeks
This is for occasions in which you have met Countdowners, without playing Countdown being the point of meeting up. So audience is fine, random Travelodge gatherings is fine, standing in your kitchen drinking a glass of water and talking about Henry V is fine, but going to a CO:Event purely for the post-event bit a la me is NOT fine, because to everyone else, the point of going was the playing.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 5:25 pm
by Mark Deeks
RE - the marathon. While it was not open entry and thus not a CO:event, it thus would not count here on account of playing the game being the main point of going.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 5:28 pm
by Gavin Chipper
Mark Deeks wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2017 5:25 pm RE - the marathon. While it was not open entry and thus not a CO:event, it thus would not count here on account of playing the game being the main point of going.
Right. I think your initial adjudication was confusing, as it's eligibility to this thread that needs adjudicating on, not eligibility to being a CO-event.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 5:31 pm
by Gavin Chipper
Mark Deeks wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2017 5:23 pm This is for occasions in which you have met Countdowners, without playing Countdown being the point of meeting up. So audience is fine, random Travelodge gatherings is fine, standing in your kitchen drinking a glass of water and talking about Henry V is fine, but going to a CO:Event purely for the post-event bit a la me is NOT fine, because to everyone else, the point of going was the playing.
Is audience really fine though? Even if you're not playing yourself, Countdown is still the focal point* of the thing.

*I earn a focal point for the pun.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 5:37 pm
by Mark Deeks
Majority rules. If the majority of the people at the congregation were not there to play Countdown themselves, then the congregation is eligible for COCMEET.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 7:02 pm
by Matt Bayfield
Even excluding gatherings in Manchester to watch recordings of Countdown, my list would include at least 34 Countdowners/apterites. (I'll spare you the list.) If I add on people I've met at Countdown recordings, I imagine the total would be over 50.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 8:57 pm
by Adam Gillard
Mark Deeks wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2017 5:25 pm RE - the marathon. While it was not open entry and thus not a CO:event, it thus would not count here on account of playing the game being the main point of going.
Not for Mikey Lear!

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 9:08 pm
by Matt Morrison
Audience definitely doesn't count. It's a "Countdown event" in a very real sense. Meeting people in the pub after a Co:event is, literally, part of a Co:event. Insane you could even think otherwise.

However, here's one for you - I'd definitely count your Marathon thing as valid.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 9:18 pm
by Gavin Chipper
I think it's probably best if people highlight borderline/controversial cases. So if there's someone that's only on their list because of a recording or the marathon thing, it should be made clear. So edit your lists accordingly, guys.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 9:30 pm
by Matt Morrison
I didn't include anyone from the single recording I went to. Literally every contestant you see there could be listed even if they aren't on apterous or C4C.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 10:23 pm
by Gavin Chipper
Matt Morrison wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2017 9:30 pm I didn't include anyone from the single recording I went to. Literally every contestant you see there could be listed even if they aren't on apterous or C4C.
I'm with you on this one, but for those that aren't I think it needs to at least be mentioned in their lists that it was at a recording.

Doesn't it only include people you meet though?

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 10:21 am
by Matt Morrison
Yeah true, just looking at a contestant wouldn't be enough anyway, I agree.
For a person to count, I think you and they both need to be at the same arranged meetup, right?

Even if recordings were counted (and they aren't) it would be easy to find yourself accidentally sat next to or near other apterites that you didn't know would be there or didn't arrange specifically to meet there. If this happened in a pub and you ended up enjoying some social time with them, I'd be inclined to let this count even if it wasn't planned, but not when it's all about Countdown anyway.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 12:19 pm
by Zarte Siempre
How are we defining Countdowner?

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 1:46 pm
by Thomas Cappleman
Catriona Cappleman (unsurprising, also comes under Countdowners whose houses I've been in and who have been in my house)
Graeme Cole
Phyl Styles
Heather Styles (last 3 related to Only Connect filming)
Jack Hurst
Giles Hutchings (both at work)

Many more if you count the last day of CoC filming, when I was only still around to be in the audience.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 1:48 pm
by Gavin Chipper
Matt Morrison wrote: Tue Feb 07, 2017 10:21 am Yeah true, just looking at a contestant wouldn't be enough anyway, I agree.
For a person to count, I think you and they both need to be at the same arranged meetup, right?

Even if recordings were counted (and they aren't) it would be easy to find yourself accidentally sat next to or near other apterites that you didn't know would be there or didn't arrange specifically to meet there. If this happened in a pub and you ended up enjoying some social time with them, I'd be inclined to let this count even if it wasn't planned, but not when it's all about Countdown anyway.
Yes. I think the general idea behind these three threads is about who, having made friends with Countdowners through Countdown, has continued their friendship outside the sphere of Countdown - by going to each other's houses, meeting up in other places etc. Meeting at a Countdown recording is precisely not that, especially with people you meet for the first time.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 1:51 pm
by Gavin Chipper
Zarte Siempre wrote: Tue Feb 07, 2017 12:19 pm How are we defining Countdowner?
I think it's generally people on C4C (or previous forums), Apterous, people who have been to CO-events or been on the show.

But I know a handful of people who have posted on this or previous forums or have a basically inactive account on Apterous and I haven't included them.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 2:40 pm
by James Laverty
Callum Pickering- various times
Jaco Bates- Callum's flatmate who has had an apterous account but hasn't used for ages
Dan McColm- visited Callum once or twice
Jason Turner- Gave me taxi rides a few times at Uni
Jonathan Wynn- visited Callum
Matty Artell- met up when I was in Manchester for a non-CD related thing
Ben Wilson- randomly bumped into him at Lincoln station
Matt Conway(?)- not 100% sure but pretty sure we met at a Forest game once

Whole load of others at CD audiences but don't think we are counting these. I really need to do better

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 6:19 pm
by Zarte Siempre
Gavin Chipper wrote: Tue Feb 07, 2017 1:51 pm
Zarte Siempre wrote: Tue Feb 07, 2017 12:19 pm How are we defining Countdowner?
I think it's generally people on C4C (or previous forums), Apterous, people who have been to CO-events or been on the show.

But I know a handful of people who have posted on this or previous forums or have a basically inactive account on Apterous and I haven't included them.
That's about the least helpful you could have been. I convinced Marc Bradshaw to come to MK and join Apterous, because he's my boss and good mate. I've met him loads. He covers 2 of your Countdown criteria, but it seems a bit weird to include him.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 7:07 pm
by Gavin Chipper
Zarte Siempre wrote: Tue Feb 07, 2017 6:19 pm
Gavin Chipper wrote: Tue Feb 07, 2017 1:51 pm
Zarte Siempre wrote: Tue Feb 07, 2017 12:19 pm How are we defining Countdowner?
I think it's generally people on C4C (or previous forums), Apterous, people who have been to CO-events or been on the show.

But I know a handful of people who have posted on this or previous forums or have a basically inactive account on Apterous and I haven't included them.
That's about the least helpful you could have been. I convinced Marc Bradshaw to come to MK and join Apterous, because he's my boss and good mate. I've met him loads. He covers 2 of your Countdown criteria, but it seems a bit weird to include him.
Maybe only include people you met through Countdown things? It would also justify my own omissions.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2017 12:39 am
by Thomas Carey
Both Krols (primary school/loads of other stuff. Joseph lives literally across the road from me, both at home and at uni)
Jonathan Rawlinson (is my supervisor now)
Oliver Garner (bumped into him (figuratively) while on a run)
And a further 16 people that I can think of (probably more) from various non-co-event-or-recording meetups (including Zarte, who is also the only Countdowner In My Student Accommodation so far)

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2017 8:23 pm
by Zarte Siempre
Roughly in chronological order. Apologies to anyone I missed - please feel free to jog my memory.

Innis Carson
Mark Deeks
Adam Gillard
Mikey Lear
Lauren Hamer
Matt Bayfield
Jen Steadman
Giles Hutchings
Andy Platt
Graeme Cole
Heather Styles
Jamie McNeill
Adam Curran
Thomas Carey
Callum Todd
Matty Artell
Paul Sinha

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2017 11:25 pm
by Mark Deeks
Innis Carson (marathon)
Adam Gillard (marathon plus I think one other time)
Mikey Lear (marathon but accidental)
Lauren Hamer (a few times including once when I wore a thong)
Matt Bayfield (a few times including once when he wore a shower curtain)
Jen Steadman (spent a lot of time in cars together)
Matt Morrison (name accidentally got deleted amidst a copy-paste disaster, but at least he hasn't overreacted)
Heather Badcock (same but hasn't overreacted, yet)
Giles Hutchings (illicit Travelodge hook-up)
Andy Platt (we once had bacon sandwiches together)
Zarte Siempre (fairly often, including once in a weird yet highly charged foursome dinner with a German girl and...)
Graeme Cole (often, including once at a gig of...)
Paul Sinha (see above, twice)
Heather Styles (various, had plans to go on Eggheads which didn't come off)
Jamie McNeill (illicit Travelodge hook-up)
Adam Curran (illicit Travelodge hook-up)
Thomas Carey (illicit Travelodge hook-up)
Callum Todd (illicit Travelodge hook-up - I'm not as slutty as this normally)
Matty Artell (illicit Travelodge hook-up - OK maybe I am)
Jon O'Neill (only person who turns up later than me to stuff)
Gevin Chapwell (ELECTION NIGHT)
Bjorn Aas (random and thoroughly pleasurable addition to a pub trip)
Matthew Plato (we randomly bowled together once - he looked at me sheepishly for about 2 frames before finally asking me if I was who he thought I was. I was.)

May have forgotten some.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 9:06 am
by Matt Morrison
Yeah, me. You prick.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 4:02 pm
by Zarte Siempre
Mark Deeks wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2017 11:25 pmZarte Siempre (fairly often, including once in a weird yet highly charged foursome dinner with a German girl and...)
Ah, what happened to Lili...

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 4:17 pm
by Mark Deeks
Lives in Hong Kong now. Fair to say it didn't work out.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 4:20 pm
by Mark Deeks
Half inclined to count Ryan, who saw me at the Queen's Jubilee celebrations. I did not see him back, but I did hear him. "MAAAAAAARK", I heard. "That sounds like Ryan", I thought. Saw nothing. Got a text a few minutes later. Cracking day. Rained a lot.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 4:28 pm
by Gavin Chipper
Mark Deeks wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2017 4:20 pm Half inclined to count Ryan, who saw me at the Queen's Jubilee celebrations. I did not see him back, but I did hear him. "MAAAAAAARK", I heard. "That sounds like Ryan", I thought. Saw nothing. Got a text a few minutes later. Cracking day. Rained a lot.
Would you expect us to believe you if you told us the same story but about the Eiffel Tower?

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 4:36 pm
by Mark Deeks
I've never received a text from the Eiffel Tower.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 10:38 pm
by Ryan Taylor
Mark Deeks wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2017 4:20 pm Half inclined to count Ryan, who saw me at the Queen's Jubilee celebrations. I did not see him back, but I did hear him. "MAAAAAAARK", I heard. "That sounds like Ryan", I thought. Saw nothing. Got a text a few minutes later. Cracking day. Rained a lot.
Did this happen? I had no recollection of this but now that you have mentioned it I do have a vague memory of something like this maybe happening-ish. Apologies for not making this a memorable moment in my life.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 11:28 pm
by Mark Deeks
As Claire is my witness. I said it sounded like you at the time, but didn't think anything of it other than to make that observation because the odds of picking out one person in a million - especially you, cos, like, that's quite a trip - were miniscule. Only when you text me did I actually believe it. Clearly a special time for you too, thanks for remembering.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 7:57 am
by Thomas Carey
Ryan Taylor wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2017 10:38 pm
Mark Deeks wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2017 4:20 pm Half inclined to count Ryan, who saw me at the Queen's Jubilee celebrations. I did not see him back, but I did hear him. "MAAAAAAARK", I heard. "That sounds like Ryan", I thought. Saw nothing. Got a text a few minutes later. Cracking day. Rained a lot.
Did this happen? I had no recollection of this but now that you have mentioned it I do have a vague memory of something like this maybe happening-ish. Apologies for not making this a memorable moment in my life.
Poor effort.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 4:52 pm
by Jack Worsley
- Paul Worsley (several times)
- James Robinson (at Blackpool v Huddersfield a couple of years ago. The match was abandoned in the second half due to a pitch invasion.)
- Matty Artell (Perhaps slightly controversial, as we were organising Co:Manchester stuff)
- Paul James (Carlisle v Blackpool last week)

These are the only ones I can think of but there might be more.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2017 8:17 pm
by Jennifer Steadman
I assume that Friday night pub meet-ups before Co-events come under the 'Co-event' umbrella and so does staying at someone's house for a Co-event?

In a vague chronological order:

1. Mark Deeks (First Countdowner I met! Various, including the first time at Tonbridge Angels v Bromley on New Year's Day 2012. Mark became infamously unbalanced at one point)
2. Lauren Hamer (Various, including Partridge-themed birthday party)
3. Matt Bayfield (Various, including Partridge-themed birthday party)
4. Ed McCullagh (Various, has great taste in women)
5. GILES HUTCHINGS (Various, including when I took him to Ikea for the first time!!!)
6. Dan McColm (His 21st birthday)
7. Andy Platt (Various)
8. Graeme Cole (Various)
9. Zarte Siempre (Various)
10. Conor Travers (Various)
11. Callum Todd (Various, has great taste in women)
12. Jamie McNeill (Travelodge meats)
13. Adam Curran (Travelodge meat)
14. Heather Styles (Travelodge meats)
15. Matt Morrison (London meat)
16. Heather Badcock (London meat)
17. Gevin Chapwell (London meat)
18. Adam Gillard (London meat)
19. Bjorn Aas (London meat)
20. Matty Artell (Various)
21. Paul Sinha (His London show last February)
22. Tom Carey (Various)
23. Sophie Krol (Tom and I went to the Krol house the night before CoLeeds and hung out with Sophie, Joseph and their parents for a few hours)
24. Joseph Krol (as above)

Really surprised there aren't more on here tbh.

~EDIT:
25 and 26. Nathan Pace and Kath Webb (went to visit Andy in hospital and they kindly let Zarte and I gatecrash their house)
27. Nicole Hutchings (Giles's birthday parties)
28. Tom Cappleman (was meant to meet up with him and Tom Carey to watch Enfield Town v Tonbridge Angels, game was postponed, so T-Cap [hero] drove to Cambridge to hang out with me and Tom at the pub, and then in Tom's halls. T-Cap and Tom went to get our pizza delivery and in the 5 minutes they were out of the room, I passed out, and they had to go on a long detour to go and get a spare key so they could get into the room.)
29. Anoush Khachik (Zarte's 28th birthday party)
30. Steve Anderson (bumped into him in Tunbridge Wells town centre and been to his restaurant a few times)
31. Amie Bateen (mini house gathering/totally unofficial Co-events)
32. Jayne Wisniewski (mini house gathering/totally unofficial Co-event)
33. Josephine Sinclair (a week after her first Co-event in London, I bumped into her in the Tunbridge Wells branch of Superdrug)
34. Ben Cooke, series 30 quarter finalist (I work with him)
35. Sarah Bladon (we had lunch in Tunbridge Wells at Steve Anderson's restaurant)
36. Conrad Texeira (hung out in Tunbridge Wells)

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2017 10:44 pm
by Thomas Carey
Thomas Carey wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2017 12:39 am Both Krols (primary school/loads of other stuff. Joseph lives literally across the road from me, both at home and at uni)
Jonathan Rawlinson (is my supervisor now)
Oliver Garner (bumped into him (figuratively) while on a run)
And a further 16 people that I can think of (probably more) from various non-co-event-or-recording meetups (including Zarte, who is also the only Countdowner In My Student Accommodation so far)
I forgot the one that I think is unique to me! Tanmay Dixit!

Basically, two weeks into uni I'd signed up to the mailing list of loads of societies that I'd never join, as that seems to be what you do. One of them was the nature society, who then emailed me two weeks in to say that they were doing a walk around a nearby nature reserve in a few days. I might have gone anyway, always liked that kind of stuff as a kid, but then on the facebook event page I saw Tanmay commenting on stuff. After verifying it was the real Tanmay, that swayed me enough to go. On the bus there I opened with "hey, you wouldn't happen to be the Tanmay Dixit who was on Countdown as a kid, would you?" Obviously we talked about all this stuff (with a couple of his mates who were sat next to us). I told him about my own Countdown experience, apterous and FOCAL, none of which he knew existed. He told me some stories from around the time he was on. Nature reserve was good 8/10.

In the interests of completion, in vague chronological order:

Joseph Krol, Sophie Krol
Callum T, Jamie M, Zarte, Jen, Andy, Heather S, Mark and Graeme, Matt and Loz, Matty, there's definitely more here but I can't remember
Jonny Rawlinson (or Mr Rawlinson now I guess - seriously, getting taught by him is a strange experience)
Tanmay
Oli Garner

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2018 9:01 pm
by Gavin Chipper
Gavin Chipper wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2017 5:07 pm Jon O'Neill
Mark Deeks
Matt Morrison
Heather Badcock
Jen Steadman
Heather Styles
Graeme Cole
Adam Gillard
Bjorn Aas
I've met Phil Makepeace since this post. Also Matt Bayfield and Lauren Hamer came to my local parkrun yesterday.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2018 9:58 pm
by Marc Meakin
Sue Sanders, Phil Makepeace.for an aborted Eggheads audition......can't remember who didn't show up.
Oliver Garner at various Scrabble Tournaments, ditto Ben Wilson.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2018 3:15 am
by Thomas Carey
Updated as of early January 2019 thanks Gev

Joseph Krol, Sophie Krol (ancient)
Callum Todd, Jamie McNeill, Zarte Jones, Jen Steadman, Andy Platt, Heather Styles, Mark Deeks and Graeme Cole, Matt Hayfield and Loz Bamer, Matty Artell, Giles Hucthings, Aidan Linge, Sara Lawson, Anoush Khachik, Tom Cappleman, Ann Dibben, Innis Carson, George Armstrong (various meets)
Chloe Jones (non countdown related Susie Dent talk which totally counts)
Jonny Rawlinson, Tanmay Dixit, Oli Garner, Dan Byrom, Mervyn Tong (uni)


Also got a weird edge case. For Co:Wat last year, I got the ferry into Dublin on the Friday, met up with Eddy, and then we met up with Gerry Tynan and Mark Hartnett to watch a Saints game before Gerry (legend) gave Eddy and I (and his mate Mick) a lift down to Waterford, where I stayed Friday to Sunday before getting back to Dublin and then finally leaving Ireland on the Monday. Mark, however, couldn't go to the event or something, so my only meeting with him that long weekend was at a football game. Does he count, since that meeting had nothing to do with the event? It seems weird to count him but not count Gerry and Eddy, who were also at the game and then went with me to the event; it seems weird to count all three because if I count Gerry and Eddy you could say that's similar to getting the same train into COLIN with people on the Friday counting, which clearly shouldn't, and it seems weird not to count Mark because the only thing we did wasn't remotely countdown related, nor was it on the same day or anywhere near Waterford. Thoughts?

Edit: Looking up the thread, it seems the thing is based on what the majority of people were there to do. Gerry and Mark would have gone to the game regardless of the co event the next day two hours away, whereas Eddy and I were basically only there to meet Gerry and as a 'might as well' sort of thing. I'm not sure if that disallows it, or if it's valid under the 'happen to be in the location because of an event and met up with someone there' rule.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2018 7:30 am
by Gavin Chipper
Thomas Carey wrote: Tue Apr 03, 2018 3:15 am Updated. Dan's at uni, everyone else as above with a few new ones, may still have missed some idk

Joseph Krol, Sophie Krol
Callum T, Jamie M, Zarte, Jen, Andy, Heather S, Mark and Graeme, Matt and Loz, Matty, Giles, Aidan, Sara, Anoush
Jonny Rawlinson
Tanmay
Oli Garner
Dan Byrom
While some of these people may be obvious, you need to surname up these people.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2018 1:53 pm
by Mark James
I think it counts Thomas. At least I reckon I can add you to my list, but it's a definite grey area. Similarly, does Gerry count for me since we're related? I notice Matt's Heather isn't on his list. Anyway I've met Rose Boyle, Eddy, Glenn Webb and Kirk at the darts in Dublin.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2018 2:09 pm
by Gavin Chipper
Mark James wrote: Tue Apr 03, 2018 1:53 pm I think it counts Thomas. At least I reckon I can add you to my list, but it's a definite grey area. Similarly, does Gerry count for me since we're related? I notice Matt's Heather isn't on his list. Anyway I've met Rose Boyle, Eddy, Glenn Webb and Kirk at the darts in Dublin.
Yeah, it seems weird that you have more of a case to add Thomas than he has to add you.

Wait - you're related to Gerry? This is a big deal and should be more widely known. What's the relationship, and did you both get into Countdown independently? Did you see each other at a CO event and have to do a double take?

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2018 3:30 pm
by Mark James
Gerry is my brother in law so knew each other before anything Countdown related. I introduced him to apterous. He got the conundrum from the audience when I was on and it was announced we were related. Don't know how much more widely known you could make it than broadcasting it on national television.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Sun May 13, 2018 9:52 am
by Gavin Chipper
Gavin Chipper wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2017 5:07 pm Jon O'Neill
Mark Deeks
Matt Morrison
Heather Badcock
Jen Steadman
Heather Styles
Graeme Cole
Adam Gillard
Bjorn Aas
I bumped into Jeff Clayton at my local Tesco's the other week. It wasn't a planned meet-up, so does that count?

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Sun May 13, 2018 1:26 pm
by Mark Deeks
Absolutely.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Mon May 14, 2018 9:56 pm
by Matt Morrison
I've added Nathan and Kath to my list.

Jen smashed it here. To the point where the ball is kind of right inside Bayfield's court when it comes to his 34+ claim.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 7:12 pm
by Matt Bayfield
My COCMEAT Index is swelled - and is probably well in excess of 50 nowadays - by my attendance at quizzing events. There's a large intersection in the Venn diagram of quizzers and Countdowners. (I still think the total would be somewhere between 30 and 50 if quiz events were excluded, though I didn't ever retain the list I initially compiled to work out my original total. And I can't be arsed to make the list again.)

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 8:55 pm
by Matt Morrison
How many of them do you arrange to go to the quiz with, rather than just find yourself in the same quizzing circles as? I feel like COCMEAT has to be consensual.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 10:35 pm
by Gavin Chipper
Matt Morrison wrote: Tue May 15, 2018 8:55 pm How many of them do you arrange to go to the quiz with, rather than just find yourself in the same quizzing circles as? I feel like COCMEAT has to be consensual.
I tend to agree. So would you also disagree with Jeff Clayton going on my list? I feel they're different things though. I think randomly bumping into someone is different from attending a specific event that is geared towards Countdown types going. But then what about attending a Countdown social event where several people are invited, some of whom you might never have encountered before?

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 9:16 am
by Matt Morrison
You've expanded on my point nicely by referring to an event as being "geared towards Countdown types going", and that's why I definitely agree if you arrange to go to a quiz with people then it counts, not if you bump into them there.

But yeah it does become tricky, perhaps hypocritical, with your Jeff meat. Perhaps how long you spend then talking to the person, and how social an occasion it becomes, could be a useful factor in deciding when a coincidental happening becomes a "meet-up". Either way, I also feel the randomness and the fact there were no extenuating Countdown-centric factors (like hosting a quiz) going on at the same time does help your cause. Tough one.

Regarding the last point, this would explain the appearance on both of our lists of Bjorn Aas. We didn't invite him, but we either knew he was coming or he was invited by someone we had deliberately arranged to meet (genuinely can't remember which) which totally validates it. In fact Nathan and Kath being on my list also falls into this I think - was for a mutual friend's birthday party, I didn't arrange with them to see them there, but knew they would be going.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 11:21 am
by Mark Deeks
was for a mutual friend's birthday party
Is that how you describe Heather now?

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 12:37 pm
by Gavin Chipper
Matt Morrison wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 9:16 am Regarding the last point, this would explain the appearance on both of our lists of Bjorn Aas.
He was exactly who I was thinking about.

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Thu May 17, 2018 11:06 pm
by Matt Bayfield
Adding to the debate on COCMEAT eligibility, I've listed 32 different apterites/Countdowners, none of whom I knew prior to getting involved in Countdown-related activities, who I have subsequently met completely outside the context of Countdown, Scrabble, or organised quizzing (with the sole exception of deliberately arranging to go to the pub when there happens to be a pub quiz on, which is basically just going to the pub). I have omitted names, to preserve the privacy, although the identity of some may be obvious. There are almost certainly a few others who I've forgotten.

1 was visiting my hometown so we arranged to do a parkrun together [note: this person does not own a yellow mobile phone]
2 had tickets to same badminton session at the London Olympics so we met up beforehand
3 gave me a tour of their hometown, which has led to 6 years of subsequent meetings ;-)
4 unplanned meeting at a karaoke night at the 100 Club
5 unplanned meeting at Euston station, where we had a catch-up until our trains were due to depart
6 arranged to meet to do their local parkrun when I was in the area [note: this person does own a yellow mobile phone]
7 arranged to meet at an Aquabats gig; and at a Weezer gig
8 unplanned meeting at a forest festival, where we had a catch-up
9 came to a Cranberries gig that I had a spare ticket for
10 arranged to go to the pub for food/quiz night when I was in the area
11 various meetings to practice/play/spectate word games, plus a more recent meet-up for a reason entirely unrelated to word games
12 came to a Maximo Park gig that I had a spare ticket for; has also come to a few pub quizzes; various birthday/celebration meet-ups
13 arranged to do seasidey stuff in Wells-next-the-Sea when we were all vaguely in the area; has also attended Partridge-themed birthday party; has also joined for various pub/restaurant nights out
14 arranged to do seasidey stuff in Wells-next-the-Sea when we were all vaguely in the area; various birthday/celebration meet-ups
15 attended a Partridge-themed birthday party together; various birthday/celebration meet-ups
16 attended a celebration event for another apterite
17 attended a celebration event for another apterite
18 attended a celebration event for another apterite
19 arranged to go to their local pub for food/quiz night when I was in the area; at least one other birthday/celebration meet-up
20 arranged to meet at a Jimmy Eat World gig
21 met for lunch when I was visiting their hometown; also once met for a pub quiz
22 met for lunch when I was visiting their hometown; also once met for a pub quiz
23 popped in to say hello when I was passing on my way to a sporting event
24 popped in to say hello when I was passing on my way to a sporting event, except we ended up bumping into each other on the street instead
25 various meetings due to being a close relative of one of the above people
26 attended at least one birthday/celebration meet-up in either Milton Keynes or Northampton
27 attended at least one birthday/celebration meet-up in either Milton Keynes or Northampton
28 attended at least one birthday/celebration meet-up in either Milton Keynes or Northampton
29 attended at least one birthday/celebration meet-up in either Milton Keynes or Northampton
30 attended at least one birthday/celebration meet-up in either Milton Keynes or Northampton
31 attended at least one birthday/celebration meet-up in either Milton Keynes or Northampton
32 attended at least one birthday/celebration meet-up in either Milton Keynes or Northampton

People not included in the above:
(a) Mike Brown once saw me at a Human League gig that we both attended, but I hadn't seen him, and apparently disappeared off into the crowd before he could say hello.
(b) Two of my mates, who I'd known for some years before joining apterous, subsequently played a few trial games on apterous.
(c) Ben Wilson (organiser) and Charlie Reams were at a Scrabble event that I attended.
(d) I've chatted with what must be about 20 other apterites/Countdowners whilst attending quizzing events (e.g. Ned Pendleton) or tv quiz show recordings (e.g. Chris Wills).

Re: the Countdowners Outside Co:Event Meet-ups game (COCMEAT)

Posted: Fri May 18, 2018 7:58 am
by Mark Deeks
3 gave me a tour of their hometown, which has led to 6 years of subsequent meetings
Would have gone for "meatings", but a strong list nonetheless.