poll ARC..your thought's on its direction

[wasabi]

what would the average (or above average) member like to see at our meetings. vote more than once. give your opinion about what you want at your meetings and what direction you want to see the club moving in.. dont hold back what do you like what dont you like....

[Phantom Phish]

If you want my 2 cents...

I find presentations by speakers (such as the chemistry talk by Tom) and hands on demonstrations (such as the calcium reactor set up by Charles) to be the most helpful. I also like fragging and trading events, and garage sales with used equipment (done last year). I personally don't particularly care too much about raffles and auctions, but if special event meetings means outside speakers such as Calfo, I'm all in favor of that. I think discussions of tank problems and tanks is probably handled very well on this board.

As far as locations, although I like the intimacy of having them at someones home, and the opportunity to see someones tank, the size of the club is making this option too unwieldy. So by default, we will probably have to meet at LFSs and private facilities.

Anyway, those are my thoughts.

[Schwaggs]

How can you vote more than once? Each time I open the thread, I get the results.

You may want to make more than one poll in the members only area so we can vote once on each subject.... and you will get only members voting on it.

[Mafiaman]

Originally posted by Schwaggs
How can you vote more than once? Each time I open the thread, I get the results.

You only Vote one time but you could have selected as many line items as you wish. Put a check in any or all if you wish.

[Nomad37]

What about the possibilities of having a meeting on the weekend every once in awile? Maybe like the trading events. Some of us drive almost two hours one way getting you back home very late. Just a thought anyway.

Nomad37

[nos68]

My two cents worth is as follows - I enjoy many of the current things the club does, however there are a few that I wonder about.

I enjoy the talks, although I know that I'm a piddler and a techie so the detail I enjoy may be really dry and annoying to others. I enjoy the trading and frags and DIY sessions. I'm like Phantom Phish in that the auctions and raffles and whatnot doesn't bring me in, but the speakers probably will. If I can learn one thing, then that's one thing I didn't know before and hopefully it will make me better at keeping corals and the tank in general.

I do miss the personal level that was there when I first started going to the meetings, but with the group size getting so large (not necessarily a bad thing), it's hard to meet at someone's house. Even some stores are packed when we all arrive. I liked being able to see what someone did with their tank and try to get ideas as to how to duplicate it or a part of it in my tank.

I wish there was a way to cut down on the administrative and govermental time at each meeting. Maybe this can get done before or off to the side? Again, I'm sure some is needed with the size but it shouldn't be a big portion of the meeting (IMO). Lastly, it seems like some meetings there's not a good agenda, it's just up for grabs as to what it's about. At any one meeting, someone (or a group of people) have to drive a good ways and then spend a few hours of their (limited) time, so getting stuff done that's productive is key (at least to me).

I'm not trying to nit-pick, just speak my mind. So, hope this helps a bit.

thanks for the question and opportunity.
Chris

[MsReeReee]

If im not mistaken we have tried to have them on the weekends and no one shows up because of being busy.................lol

[Mafiaman]

My opinion
1) If at a meeting we are going to have a speaker like Tom did @ petland it would have been so much better at a private facility where there are less distractions.

2)Work shops ( fragging, nano set up and such) would be better at a LFS for the people who decide they want to try it they can pick up what they need before they leave.

3) I don't like the private home situation very much. As much as I like seeing other people tanks, the potential for property damage and hurt feelings is much higher with large groups. What one person considers playful another may consider rude.

4) Although raffles and drawings would not persuade me to go to a meeting. It just seems that no matter who wins everyone chuckles and smile. I'm all for more smile.

5)As far as what type of meeting, Heck I just like you guys and like visiting with all of you.

PS
I agree politics before or after a meeting, it distracts from the fun.
And cuts into my drinking time!

[Stanfill Reef]

To add to the people-drive-a-long-distance-and-want-to-get home-drip-livestock-and-get-to-bed-at-a-decent-time crowd, it does seem that the last few meetings have started off late. I enjoy talking to the other members, but that is why I get there early or stay late. It would be great to get the business done on time so that those of us that do need to leave can get home.

[TWebster]

Here's just a suggestion -- I'm also a member of the Atlanta Area Aquarium Association, and our monthly meetings are held at Athens Pizza Kitchen near Emory.

Not sure about everyone else, but enjoying a pitcher of beer and pizza while our monthly speaker is speaking is quite entertaining :-) Just a thought.

[Rick O]

Originally posted by TWebster
Not sure about everyone else, but enjoying a pitcher of beer and pizza while our monthly speaker is speaking is quite entertaining :-) Just a thought.

[MsReeReee]

Dont want to be a party pooper but in this day and age of the new law..................0 tolerance........for drinking ..arnt u afraid of Drinking and Driving...........sure would hate for someone to come to a meeting and then get a ticket

[TWebster]

Wow, I didn't say drink 5 pitchers and then head out on the road.... Hard to imagine, but there are responsible drinkers out there. We've never seemed to have a problem with it at the Atlanta Aquarium Assoc. meetings. Most adults I know are aware of their safe limitation and are very responsible when it comes to such things.

[MsReeReee]

I didnt say 5 pitchers ...........the law states Zero Tolerance
i would be paranoid to drink ........and drive

[Rick O]

I'll ask Sally to drive.