Any Ideas?

[Bizzybee]

I'm just thinking out loud a bit boy's and girl's. But it just seems to me that we are blessed with an overabundance of experience and expertise in just about every aspect of BEES.

I'm thinking it might be a nice change for those of us who enjoy the chat format, to maybe have some of that talent in the form of a guest speaker. Surely we could find some willing souls to share some of what they know. Or maybe just the opportunity to brag a little.

I dunno folks? Maybe I'm on my own here? What do you think?

[iddee]

I'll be glad to tell what I know, but what are we going to do for the other 58 minutes of the hour?

[power napper]

iddee--you either talk slower than I do or you know more!
BIZ--what do you have in mind here?

[Billy Bob]

The problems that I’ve had in the past concerning a guest speaker is getting the speaker. While some just don’t want to be the center of attention, the biggest problem that I run into is the speaker(s) worrying if they are going to be “bashed” the entire time.

If we could get a few of you to ask around or tell us who you would like to meetÂ…that would help.

[riverrat]

I vote for michael bush for a guest peaker

[power napper]

Maybe a series of half hour talks on beekeeping--any and all segments of beekeeping, sort of a series of "bee soaps" if you know what I mean.
Maybe a nite for one particulat subject a week--multiple guests discussing their method or suggestions without interrupion for say ten minutes--then ten minutes of questions and so on. A schedule of projected meetings or "soaps" could be on the chat calender. Equipment building, honey extraction, bottling, reliquifying, straining, tools needed, doing cutouts, handling pests and diseases, building fences, selling honey, projecting a good beekeeping image, acting professional, how to handle swarms, starting right, what to do when you get in over your head, and so on.
Maybe even a once in a month "bee meeting" on line would help. A specific time and date to be in attendance. There are probably thousands of subjects and a lot of information is in the heads of beesource members, how can we share it?
Just some thoughts!

[sc-bee]

Walt Wright--

[Bizzybee]

PK and I were talking about this last night and came to a conclusion very similar to what both Napper and BB surmised.

Agreed Napper. At the least a schedule of discussions (meetings) with a defined topic for the specified time and date. Whether a guest speaker is included or not.

We have many members here on Beesource and chat members with years and years of experience. A wealth of information that ALL could at least glean some useful tactics from. But, it is a fact that there are those that somehow take ideas that conflict with their own as a personal attack of sorts. When the FACT is that, there are sometimes a seemed infinite number of ways to arrive at the same ends. And what is good for the goose, ISN'T always good for the gander. But somewhere in the middle, there is some common ground.

None the less, it is and will be a problem. Whether a speaker is present or not I would well imagine. I don't know BB, is there a "Time Out Button" for the bad little boys and girls??

I do think that a schedule of topics should be assembled and posted on the forum for everyone to see. And I think that the topics should be member driven. In that topic requests be made and rated in order of number of requests. Just my thoughts.

Yes, often the chat room strays from the topic of bees. Lord knows I have never done that. But, it's also true that there are some awesome folks on chat, and many I'm glad to call friends! I doubt that I'm alone in that. But it would be good I believe, to set scheduled times for BEE TALK to focus on what we love most and share the great knowledge with ALL instead of the few.

A good place to start. No?

[Bizzybee]

Oh yeah!

Iddee, no problem buddy! We'll just pencil you in for Sunday night, 11:00PM [img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Billy Bob]

Yes Bizzy, we have a “Time Out” option if you will. Basically we can stop or pause a person from chatting for about 60 seconds. Not much really, but maybe enough to get their attention. We can also kick a person out of the chat room. Now this will not stop them from returning, but once again like the “Time Out” it will give the user a wake up call.

The rest of it sounds great! CanÂ’t wait to see this come together.

BB

[spacemoose]

are you talking about members as guest speakers, or perhaps inviting "outsiders" to join us ? i have heard a lot about sue coby, and would enjoy listening to her ideas,observations and innovations. just my $0.015

[George Fergusson]

I've participated in some online conferences, they're great if there's some organization to them. At the very least you need a moderator and a topic, which can be quite general. Having an expert or guest speaker is great, but everyone needs to understand that the format of the session is (pick one) either question and answer or topic (with introduction by the guest) and discussion. People who want to respond or ask a question first need to let the moderator know so they can be picked, either by raising their hand (an exclamation point works) or by private message.

People who "have the floor" are only interupted by the moderator and then only for a good reason. People who don't have the floor don't say anything. People who are talking usually write short sentences or phrases.... stringing them together with dots like this.... so that there aren't long periods of nothing while they're typing what would otherwise be a long message.... And when they're done they type done, or just leave off the dots.

They work best with a time limit- a half hour, an hour, whatever is appropriate. With fewer participants they can be more free-form, even structure-free much like a conversation between 3 or 4 people, but with more folks involved, structure and organization become much more important.

[Bizzybee]

Moose... Would Sue be interested??? I doubt there would be any complaints lodged against any non-member being involved.

First on the agenda will be the topics I believe, then guests, if they can be found. I'm certainly hopeful.

George... I couldn't have said it better! My thoughts exactly.

We have two moderators now. Myself and Billy. I don't remember Billy's introduction proper at the moment but to clear any misunderstandings there may be. I am an addition, not a replacement for Billy. He's not off the hook that easy!! [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Mike Gillmore]

"And I think that the topics should be member driven."

Excellent point Bizzy... and a great place to start. This is wonderful idea and should attract immense interest. I know it certainly will for me.
This is exactly where my local association is lacking. They spend most of the meeting time talking and planning our picnics, fairs, elections, etc.. and not too much time is devoted to topical "beekeeping" discussion.

I wonder if it would make sense to put out feelers on "topics of interest" and see what the top 10 or 20 would be.... similar to a "poll" post I see from time to time. Then there would be a clearer picture on the appropriate "guests" or "experts" we should be trying to recruit.

Just some rambling thoughts...
I hope this works, it sounds like an interesting and exciting idea.

[Ribster]

That's an incredible idea bizzybee. Please let us know. I would love to have a Q&A session with some of the big names in beekeeping.

A beginner's session would be a good idea as well as some of the more complicated topics that trouble a novice such as queen rearing and alternative medications.

[pkwilbur]

Ok Bizzy, see you at 9pm tonight on chat, just to say Hi! Tee hee. Hope you all come on by. Could be a Busy (bizzy) night. NOW we may get to see how many people are allowed in the chat room at one time before we get FULL message!!!

By the way, if you get a full message post here. That way you can still converse with other Beeks.
Paula= pkwilbur