[dlvorg] DLV 2013 beginnings, hospitality thoughts, etc. ...

In this mailing:

Org List
Welcome
JoAnn's Words
Annie's Words
Things in the immediate future
Project Manager(s) for DLV 2013
Administrative Committee vacancy
Thoughts on hospitality
Our 2013 electorate
Administrivia
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Org List:

This is the DLV 2013 Organizational Mailing List (dlvorg_at_geekbabe.com)
Replies to this message will be forwarded to the DLVORG list and not
the DLV-Announce or DLV-Discuss list.
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Welcome:

This mailing is the first DLVORG mailing for the planning of the
DLV 2013 event. This mailing contains mostly introductory and
housekeeping items.

You can expect our ORG mailings to come out every 1-2 weeks as
needed for most of the rest of 2012. We usually hold off mailings
in December due to the holidays unless there are pressing items
at the time.

JoAnn and Annie will moderate the mailings, all of you are encouraged
to actively participate in the discussion and planning.

For those who are new to the DLV volunteer scene, please feel free
to jump right in, add to the discussions, propose ideas for activities,
etc.

Almost everything we have done, currently do, or will do is open
for discussion. Your input on about anything is appropriate and
appreciated.

We try to make decisions by consensus, but if there's no consensus,
we make a motion and vote, using a kind of modified "Roberts"
on-line method. Those eligible to vote are those who are on record
as coordinating or assisting with at least one activity during the
last two DLVs. An updated list of those of voting status appears
below. Check it! Are you supposed to be on it but are not?

All of you here, regardless of voting status, may fully participate
in the discussions and are free to propose activities, raise or
second motions, etc., and, of course, volunteer for specific
functions. :)

One important thing to remember in the ORG group here is that it's
ok to agree to disagree. We do have quite a diverse group here,
representing all points on the TG spectrum and then some.
Differing views are encouraged, and playing devil's advocate is
cool. Just remember to respect each individual as a person and
their point of view as being valid from their perspective.

New and different ideas are always welcome. If you have something
in mind that you think DLV people would enjoy, put it on the table,
even if it's something really out in left field. As all of you
know, some of our activities are most certainly atypical for a
TG gathering.

In most all cases, those who volunteer to plan and implement a DLV
activity are the decision makers regarding that activity. Of course
the group as a whole has the final say on what activities will and
will not appear on the schedule. We work as a group to combine the
activities into the most effective format and schedule.

Please read the following items, think about them, and please don't
be shy about making your thoughts and feelings known.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
JoAnn's Words:

As we go forward in 2013, I believe, there should have a confirmation
from the Org Group regarding my co-project managing with Annie.

It is important that if there are others who might like to do this have
the opportunity to do such. I'm very open to coordinating a couple of
activities and let another do the co- project management assignments.

So if you are interested in doing such, please let us know. There should
be no voting, just whomever is interested letting us know they wish to
make the commitment, and then, be welcomed by a consensus.

As we move forward to 2013 -- a couple of needed "thrusts" I would like
to see happen ---

(1) As Annie addresses below those who are joining us for the DIVA
Gathering or the first or second time new and different designation is
needed to reflect them as a "welcome equal". This needs to be
designated in terms other than "newcomer or beginner". So let the
dialog begin !!!!!! New designation, expanded activities, shared
luncheons, and...... Which leads me to.....

(2) The buffet lunches are excellent events, however, I suggest "Lunch
Foursomes" as a concept that might be an "add-on" while continuing the
Buffets. Let's hear how that might get implemented.

(3) The Queens live and there are no Kings, so what would you like to
have happen for the Diva Gathering- 2013?

Hugs... JoAnn
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Annie's Words:

First of all, I would like to thank all volunteers who made DLV 2012
what it was!

I would like to welcome our new volunteers to the crew! Our response
to the Call For Volunteers was very good this year, and we now have
several new volunteers on the roster this year. I would like to
encourage all new volunteers to actively join in on the discussion
and, of course, to take an active role in the planning of the
activities which will make up our 2013 event.
. . . . .

Yes, our attendance was down, and yes, there were a few snags, but
overall it was a highly-rated and well-enjoyed event.

We are planning to step up active promotion for our 2013 event,
which is something we've held off on over the past few years. Wheels
are already turning along that line. We can't do much about the
economy, but we can do what we can to let those who can attend know
about our event and what it is all about!

Among the things I would like to see us concentrate upon in
preparation for the 2013 event are hospitality to newcomers
and encouraging a greater degree of participation in our activities.

I am introducing the hospitality topic below.

One area in which I think we can improve is in getting our people
out and doing things with the group, particularly in the daytime.

An example is the daily lunch. When we have over 100 in town, all of
whom need to eat, we should be able to capture more of them than we
did last year at our daily lunch sessions.

I know that JoAnn has some thoughts about the lunch strategy and if
anyone else has some thoughts, please make them known.

I'm anticipating that this coming year we'll also have an earlier
recurring coffee and rolls session as well. We'll have to wait until
DLV 2013 to see how this will catch on.

Another area in which I think we can improve is overall attention to
detail. We had valid feedback requesting such things as more detail
on parking instructions, more specific pricing info, more explicit
instructions on where to meet the group, etc. We also had a few
cases where our schedule did not accurately reflect the schedule of
the venue.
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Things in the immediate future:

Here are the items which are currently on our plate, which we will
be covering in the near future.

1. Final review, rehash, analysis, etc. of the 2012 event. Currently
in progress. Your comments and feedback are most welcome. The floor
is open!

2. Personnel items, see items immediately below.

3. Strategic discussion regarding the DLV 2013 event. This is
ongoing for most of the rest of 2012. If we agree that there are
any major changes to be made, we need to do those sooner rather
than later in the process.

4. Dates for the DLV 2013 event. We'll open up this topic for
discussion in August, plan to have a one-month Call For Comments
period, and vote on the dates in the later part of September.

5. Our overall hotel strategy and suggested hotels for DLV 2013.
We'll open up this topic in October or November.

If there are any other items we should be covering prior to our
actual programming efforts, please say so.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Project Manager(s) for DLV 2013:

We, JoAnn and Annie, have agreed to continue as Project Managers
for the DLV 2013 event.

If anyone would like to arm-wrestle either or both of us for the
positions, please feel free to put your hats into the ring.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Administrative Committee vacancy:

The term of the "even year" Administrative Committee seat, currently
held by Gina, expires in July. Gina has expressed willingness to
continue in this position, and I (Annie) will nominate her for the
subsequent term. The floor is open for a second.

The floor is also open for additional nominations, should anyone
else wish to hold this seat. Self-nominations are appropriate.

Info on what the Administrative Committee is and does appears here:

http://www.geekbabe.com/dlv/administ/admcom.html

Do we have a second? Other nominations?
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Thoughts on hospitality:

Annie writes:

I do think we're converging on some effective hospitality practices
with our Beginner Open House sessions. I don't think we're really
there yet, however.

I would like to see this concept expanded and refined.

First of all, I think that the term "Beginner" should not be used
in this context. JoAnn has been thinking a bit about the terminology
and I am trying to as well.

IMAO, I think the Beginner Open House sessions (at least the two
that I did not sleep through, that is) worked well last year. They
were very low-key and were most definitely conducive to the type of
interaction we want to see.

The returnees and volunteers who attended were also very attentive
to the newcomers, and that is a practice we want to encourage.

However, I don't think we reached all of those who desired to be
reached. :(

The needs of the newcomers, in particular the needs which were not
met, can be seen by reading the lines, and reading between the lines
of survey comments such as these:

+This was my first time at DLV, I had a big sister but recieved no
+help from her at all. Everything that I did was on my own,
. . .

+Seems like so many gurls who are repeat-timers went off and did
+their own thing instead of doing the scheduled events.
. . .

+You need some more organization to the opening mixer. There wasn't
+any real mixing going on, just people talking with who they knew
+allready.
. . .

+This group was hard to understand and Im not sure I fit in.
. . .

+First, you need something more formal or structured to introduce
+new girls to the group. It took me 3-4 days just to get in the
+swing of things and meet others.
. . .

+Need more of an introduction or orientation event.
. . . . .

What I'm hearing in the above remarks is that (some of) the
newcomers did not feel truly welcome and did not feel like they
were truly part of the group. They felt excluded, in one way or
another, and they desired some kind of method by which they, the
newcomers, could be better assimilated in the overall community
of DLV.

As I was thinking to myself about why the daily lunch was not as
well attended as we thought it should be, and as it has been in the
past, the answer came as a whack-with-a-ton-of-bricks ah-ha moment.

Where was everybody during our daily lunch?

They (the returnees) were having lunch! They were having lunch with
those they knew, but not with the newcomers!

Why weren't the newcomers at our daily lunch then?

They did not feel truly welcome. Add that to the general feelings
of anxiety and unfamiliarity with DLV and Las Vegas in general,
and we have a poor newcomer turnout.

Let's brainstorm about what we can do to address this, to welcome
the newcomers more effectively and get them integrated.

I think part of the solution is to expand our (beginner) Open House
sessions, but with a name that implies absolutely no lessitude and
includes returnees and volunteers who are willing to spend a few
hours actively attending to the newbees.

Thoughts and comments, gang?
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Our 2013 electorate:

Volunteers of voting status are those who are on record as
coordinating or assisting with at least one DLV activity during
the past two yearly events.

Please take a look at the following list. If you coordinated or
assisted with at least one activity during either DLV 2011 or DLV
2012 and do NOT see your name listed, please write in and let us
know.

Alanna
Annie R
Beverly W
Bob
Cami
Crystal
Cynthia P
Danielle
Darlene
Delaney
Dennis
Densie
Eileen
Gabi
Gina
Ginger
Holli (NJ)
Holly (NV)
Jane
Jill
JoAnn
Katie
Laura T
Marilyn
Marisa
Nikki
Norma
Rosada
Sabrina
Sara (CA)
Sarah (UT)
Sarona
Sue (UT)
Susan (NY)
Tony
Valorie
Vanessa
Vivian C
Walter

Anyone missing?
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Administrivia:

This is the Diva Las Vegas 2013 organizational list.

This mailing was addressed to: annie_at_annie.net

One address for all items regarding this list, additions, removals,
changes, submissions, questions, etc.:

dlvorg_at_geekbabe.com <--- NOTE: all lower case

Diva Las Vegas 2013
(dates to be announced)
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

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Received on Fri Jun 22 2012 - 07:48:06 CDT