Dear air members At today, Monday 9.00 am Maastricht time, AoIR V3 Net / Work / Theory kicks off. I have undertaken to write short reports for those of us on Air-l who are not at the conference giving some idea of how the proceedings are going. These bulletins will be in large measure based on the observations of all executive members as we participate in the conference. I trust that you will find them of interest and value. This report-zero, then, is brief. I sit here, in one of the conference hotels, stomach growling from hunger (I had to get my digital fix before my food!) as I connect myself - answering emails, searching for more information from Australian sources about the terrible bombing in Indonesia, networking across alternate times and spaces. This is the pre-conference ritual, perhaps. Anticipation, some nervousness (who hasn't felt that little tremor of 'who will I know'? 'will I meet interesting people?'), and here, for me, a sense of excitement at the great program of kenote speakers and parallel sessions, and the word that the conference has grown larger yet again, with more registrations than AoIR v2. I am also thrilled and delighted at the wonderful organisation of the conference by all those concerned, but especially Monica (Conference Chair) and Klaus (Program Chair). I am 'wishing you were here' as is traditional in postcards (and some of you are, of course). Off for breakfast, before the lack of coffee becomes unbearable! Matthew Allen Executive, AoIR and Program Chair for AoIR v4, Toronto, 2003.