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[beowabbit]

[The comments below refer to this post in polyboston, which I had accidentally posted here rather than in polyboston. Sorry about that. That’ll teach me to post with no sleep.]

Comments

[beowabbit]

I'd love to be kept updated, as this has a high relevance to my own work for the poly community here in Toronto. Will you be posting updates on the situation to this journal, or do I need to subscribe to polyboston to watch as this all unfolds?

I actually meant to post this in polyboston, and have moved it there. But followup is likely to be on some combination of the PB announce list, the PB chat list, and the much smaller PB meta list (pbmeta@polyboston.org, which is for metadiscussion about the group). I’d be happy having you, as a poly activist and organizer and occasional Boston visitor, on any or all of those (although you need to be on announce in order to be on chat).

p.s. I have to say that one of the reasons why I think the diesel social was so successful at first was that it was every week, same time, same place -- easy to remember. Moving it around may prove to be a nightmare. Had you considered simply finding a new venue?

In a way, the Diesel social was too successful, I think. It sort of crowded other events off the calendar, because it was a default thing that happened every week, while all the other events required organizing on somebody’s part, and a modicum of attention on the part of the attendees to remember when they were coming up. Yes, every week same time same place is a big win, but I think it’s unfortunate that the Diesel gatherings, in a public space which we don’t have exclusive access to during them, have become the backbone of the group. I’d love to find other venues (probably in addition to the Diesel rather than instead of), but in the short term I think we may have to move the time of the socials, at least for a while.

I’d love for the socials to float or rotate, and for a discussion group or similar more-controlled situation to be the regular reliable weekly event. (But of course that’s just my own preference which other people may not share.)

[danaeris.livejournal.com]

>I’d be happy having you, as a poly activist and organizer and occasional >Boston visitor, on any or all of those (although you need to be on >announce in order to be on chat).

Ooo, you used the 'a' word. I'm a journalist, so theoretically, I can't be an activist. ;)

I'd definitely like to be on the meta list, and for now it might be good to be on the other lists as well so I can see how this all unfolds (unless you think most of the discussion will be on the meta list). My email is my username at freaknation.com.

In terms of the socials being too successful... I think it depends on your goals. Generally, my goal is to foster a cohesive poly community where strong ties of friendship exist, as a foundation towards bigger and better things, a support network, etc. Um. I have a LOT more to say about this, but suffice it to say that for MY purposes, the socials are just right. Later I might try to ADD other things in addition, but I think the regular point of contact that the socials can provide is essential for a cohesive community.

BTW, are you coming to 9ICB?

[beowabbit]

Ooo, you used the 'a' word. I'm a journalist, so theoretically, I can't be an activist. ;)

Well, sometimes the truth takes sides, even if the journalist doesn’t. :-)

[...] suffice it to say that for MY purposes, the socials are just right.

I gather you mean the socials you’re organizing (OK, OK, “organizer”) in Toronto, rather than the ones in Boston.

The ones at the Diesel are good and enjoyable (much of the time), but they’ve just gotten too big, and since they are noisy and crowded and a bit raucous, they have grown to attract people who like that atmosphere and drive away people who don’t. That wouldn’t bug me if there were lots of viable alternatives, but there aren’t really, because the other events (except for the dinners I occasionally organize, and the Queer Poly Women’s group) have sort of fallen off the calendar. That’s as much my “fault” as anybody’s, because I was the person who used to host a lot of them, but the fact is that there are a lot of people who used to come to Poly Boston events (including the Diesel, when it was a smaller group) who don’t come any more.

So, yeah, the social part of it is a big part of what I want, too, but the Tuesday gatherings are not serving that function as well as they once did, nor is the Poly Boston calendar as a whole (in my opinion, and I’d be happy to have people disagree with me).

Also, lots of people have said that the Tuesday socials are at best intimidating and at worst really unwelcoming for newcomers, and that makes me sad.

Ithink the regular point of contact that the socials can provide is essential for a cohesive community.

Absolutely. No argument there.

BTW, are you coming to 9ICB?

Alas, no. The summer’s just too crowded.