Nyles Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 AINT getting my mug on there! LOL J/K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 A customer of mine just came in today and was talking about the meeting. he was very disappointed at the lack of friendly people (his words, not mine). He said no one there spoke to him and no one seemed to care. He said he was suprised at the lack of professional curtesy with the guest speaker. People talking all over the shop yet others asking the speaker to speak up because they couldnt hear the speaker over the rest of the crowd. Just thought i would forward the feedback to the general group, sounds like some forgot what they learned in grade school about talking while others are talking. Maybe we need to stick to venues with multiple rooms, like the BBQ place, this worked better because folks could be outside talking if they werent interested in listening to the speaker. I doubt they will be back, and I think this is very disappointing. I want to thank Joel for bringing this to our attention. When I first became president this was one of my primary concerns. We spent a lot of time restructuring the club and my goal to be more attentive to the newcomers was lost. I am very sorry and take full responsibility for the disappointment that this person felt. If it wasn't for this disappointed person speaking up and then Joel letting us know, who knows how long it would have been before we got back on track. I like the ideas that are being bounced around on this thread. We had talked about nametags before, but they never got implemented. Thank you Andy for volunteering for this duty. I will do everything I can to make any newcomer more welcome and a part of the PNWMAS. Thanks again for all the suggestions. Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael7979 Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 I too will take some of the blame for this person not feeling welcome at the meeting........I too can talk to people as well as they can to me, I should have tried to talk to more people then I did. I like the idea of after Jay speaks of the current events that we should ask if any new people are in attendance. That way they would be noticed and members can go to them for welcomes and introductions. YES we need nametags..........I'll do some looking around also. As for the spaeking/presentation I believe it is very hard to do such athing in a store that is still open for normal bussiness. It would have been great to have that held somewhere else or in another room as was stated before. But with that said "great job Andy!". I hope the person that said they felt un-welcomed reads this or goes back to Joels and hears that we as a club are sorry for it. Hopefully they will give us a second chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefboy Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 maybe i was a little harsh but i gess the point i was trying to make is that both party's were at fault I would just hate for them to miss out on a great club and great folks just because of a lack of communaction at one meeting hope they give a second chance and im sry for any harsh comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wegotjs Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 As a new member to the club,(this month) I have not gone to a meeting yet. However I think that the discusion that is going on right here is one of the reasons that I joined. I think it is great that members & prospective-members can have a discusion , to help in all the aspects of the club. A lot of clubs would just blow something like this off. I commend all those who care enough to try and fix any problems to make the club a better organization. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 Hi. My name is Blaine. I'm a Reefer. I hate to hear this to, and I coundn't make it. Sad I beleave. But I do remember very well my BBQ experience. Yet, I'm still here!!!!! I think I am ........You are.....are you sure..........as sure as you are......ohhhhh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 ........................................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mister crabs Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 alot of people who use online forums for most of thier information are kinda introverted by nature. And even this hobby is sort of a solo venture. I have yet to go to a meeting because i lived 2-3 hours from any of them but if there is one in or near albany/salem i will be there ready to meet some people! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 As a new member to the club' date='(this month) I have not gone to a meeting yet. However I think that the discusion that is going on right here is one of the reasons that I joined. I think it is great that members & prospective-members can have a discusion , to help in all the aspects of the club. A lot of clubs would just blow something like this off. I commend all those who care enough to try and fix any problems to make the club a better organization.[/quote'] Thank you very much for your comments. We really are trying to make this a great organization. Sometimes it is easy to be outgoing, outspoken, and very friendly on the boards, but get that same person face-to-face and they could be reserved, and shy. It is tough for someone to walk up to a total stranger and start up a conversation. We need a "welcome wagon" of sorts. I have some ideas rolling around in my head. Would the newcomers like an e-mail welcoming them to the website? I could do those once a week. It would be a nice touch. How about a buddy system at the newcomers first meeting? Pair the newcomer up with a seasoned member to introduce the newcomer around. And of course, nametags... We must have nametags. If the newcomer would not like to talk about their tank at their first meeting ( some people don't like being put on the spot and most won't like speaking in front of a group of people ) maybe they could prepare a little bio about their setup(s) and I could do the talking for them. That way we could get to know a little bit about the newcomer and their tank(s). Keep the communication and the ideas coming... we will all be better for it. Thanks again Joel, this has been a great thread. (clap) Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 alot of people who use online forums for most of thier information are kinda introverted by nature. And even this hobby is sort of a solo venture. I have yet to go to a meeting because i lived 2-3 hours from any of them but if there is one in or near albany/salem i will be there ready to meet some people! January's meeting is at Advanced Aquarium in Salem. Hope to see you there. We also try to do 1-2 meetings a year in Albany. Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 I don't have a problem talking to any one at any time. ( as some of you know) I wouldn't mind helping greeting new people, as long a s being Chewy doesn't scare them, But then again, that would be fun to. I think a DIY project at a meeting would be cool to do. I also think we need a Library of info. such as frequently use terms. Like CA , means, etc. water perim quidelines and so on. i feel this would be a big plus to the newbees, so they would not be embarrased to ask, and give them a kick start. It wouldn't be hard as the info is there, on other sites, we need to have it hear. and we don't have to reinvent the wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liquid Hobby Posted November 26, 2006 Share Posted November 26, 2006 T what if people brought a frag of some sort to give to newcomers at their first meeting. As a new guy with a 3.5 week old tank, I really like this idea!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael7979 Posted November 26, 2006 Share Posted November 26, 2006 Only problem with that is what kinda tank are newcomers heading for............would suck to bring them a SPS frag and thats something they can't care for, OR no newcomers are present. Thats why if you have trade items we ask that you start a thread to tell people before the meeting.If a new comer is interested in a frag you have work out an IOU or sell them the frag(s) cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biomekanic Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Some things never change... I used to bring name tags back when I regularly attended meetings. I'll volunteer to do so again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAVES Posted April 10, 2007 Author Share Posted April 10, 2007 wow this was dug up from the grave! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsoz Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 Many of the suggestions have been implemented. Being new in Feb. I felt sort of the same way. I did talk to a few people, but mostly because I stood around and listened to others talk. Feb was a strange meeting anyway with Borneman there to begin with. The focus seemed to be on him (go figure... pay a lot of money to the guy and then not listen to him.) The march meeting went a lot more newbie friendly. There were several new introductions (I included myself). I also met several new people, one or two that I have talked with outside the meeting. IMO, some newbies either don't have a tanks up yet, or their tank is in such a new state that they don't want to talk about it. Who wants to talk about a tank like this "Well, I added LR a week ago, my ammonia is about 4ppm, I have some nitrite- about 1 ppm, and my diatoms are just starting to bloom... It looks great!" That is how I would be if put on the spot and asked about my tank in March. In February, my tank was just a dream. When people asked about my tank, and I said that I don't have one, yet. It seemed to be a converation killer. But when people asked about what I wanted... That was a different story. I agree, this may be an old, resurected post. But it is a good reminder that we need to keep including newbies. My experience is that this happens. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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