Welcome

Just in case you're new to BIYF or in case you've begun to confuse the trappings of BIYF (small Japanese beers, spectacular entertainment, et. al.) with the substance of it, here's a quick FAQ to bring you up to speed.

What's the point of BIYF?

BIYF exists to serve by connecting friends.
Specifically, my friends to each other. Sorry Tennessee.

BIYF operates under the assumptions that we expend time and resources in order to maintain that which we value and that our friendships are of great value. Consequently, BIYF-related materials and events involve bringing people together and lots of in-jokes that aren't funny to anyone else. For example, what does "...others fail to migrate" mean to you. That's what I thought.

No really, what's the point of BIYF?

Honestly, that's it. There is a secret agenda to encourage members to not give up on all of their enthusiams as they get older, though. Hey, growing up doesn't mean giving up everything you enjoy. Read a comic book. Watch Star Trek. Buy an action figure. Be the DM. OD on popular culture. Have a pointless hobby (or ten) for your own sake.

So what is BIYF?

BIYF is an online/in-person community brought together to celebrate a wide range of both shared and divergent interests and bask in the company of cultured and talented individuals.

Pop-cultured individuals are also acceptable.

BIYF officially started in the spring of 1998 with the first BIYF festival (and the first BIYF webpage), but proto-BIYF activities had been occurring on a regular basis for numerous years. Some members of BIYF have known each other since the dark ages of shared public school education, while others didn't start making connections until much later. Members come from the realms of education, business, and the arts and one can typically find two or three educated opinions to weigh in on almost any issue at a typical gathering.

How does the BIYF community stay connected?

1. Through a communal website.
2. Through copious amounts of email
3. Through the annual BIYF Festival
4. Through support of member-related gatherings including, but not limited to:
   1. Rib Dependence
   2. Bricker’s B-Squad
   3. Hawkeye Tailgating
   4. Game Nights & Other Small Group Activities
5. Merchandising. Merchandising. Merchandising.

So can I join BIYF?

Well, typically that would mean you already know someone in BIYF, so it seems unlikely though not impossible. You're welcome to explore the website anyway. I'm not sure it will mean much to the uninitiated, but feel free to look around. It helps if you already enjoy William Shatner, have seen Zardoz, are pretty certain you don't need to ever see Zardoz again, and appreciate a wide and varied slice of geek culture. Just to be clear: That's geek culture not Greek culture, though we've got a member that can tell you about that as well. Wecome to BIYF.com!