Mookse discussion on Zoom?

[Debra]

Great! It sounds like February 21st at 6 PM GMT will work for most or all of us. I will work with Hugh on the logistics and send out (or post) a Zoom link as we get closer to the 21st.

[peg]

Sounds great! Will look forward to seeing you all “in person”!

[Marcus]

6pm GMT works well for me, that will be 7am on Sunday morning over here in New Zealand. I can be the man from the future!

[Hugh, Active moderator]

Debra and I have been discussing how we invite you, and we think the best way is to send out the links using GR private messages. So if you have not yet already expressed your interest here and would like to participate, either post a comment here or send me a PM at least 2 hours before the start time.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

I would like to join

[Margaret]

Please send me an invite. It's unlikely that I can attend (of course it's the only time all week I have another meeting scheduled) but I'll be there if I can. Thanks, and hope it could become a semi-regular occurrence.

[Ella]

I won't be able to attend, but I wish you all the very best - and I will host the next one!

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

That’s a real shame Ella.

[Hugh, Active moderator]

I will send the link to everyone who has already participated in the discussion other than those who have said they definitely can't make it.

[Hugh, Active moderator]

You'll have to choose the date and time for the next one Ella - it would have been good to see you!

[Declan]

That date and time suit me very well. I look forward very much to 'meeting' everyone.

[Vesna]

That weekend doesn't work for me right now, but some things may change by then so I still hope I'll be able to join.

[Irene]

That weekend works for me as well, please also send me a link. I would love to put faces to all of the nicknames.

[Karen Michele]

Yes, I would like to be invited.

[Emmeline]

Please invite me. I may drop in only briefly (home alone with the toddlers that day) but would like to try.

[LindaJ^]

This is quite exciting! Looking forward to it.

[WndyJW]

The day and time are perfect for me and I look forward to meeting everyone in as close to person as we are likely to meet.

This is one of the silver linings of covid!

[Areeb]

Ooh it would be February 21st 11:30 PM Indian Standard Time for me which works. I do have an endsem exam on the 22nd but depending on how prepared I am feeling for it, I will definitely try my best to join.

[Robert]

For those on CET that would be 7pm, which is perfect for me

[Jen]

So glad I caught this thread. I'd love to join! I find these things a bit awkward but also fun to put faces and voices to names. 2pm AST for me which should work. I can't be certain this far in advance, Hugh, but could you kindly send the link to me?

At least Wendy's won't be a new face to me! Wendy please bring Brutus.

[WndyJW]

Brutus will be there, but you will only be aware of him if he rings his bell. He’s an exceptionally good boy. I don’t mean good as in yummy, Paul!

Jen, do what I do, one shot of whiskey pre-zoom will relax you just a bit and set your zoom settings to softening. At least I heard that’s setting. I’ll check again with my friend.

[Tracy]

Or you could set your zoom setting to cat filter, like that lawyer in Texas:
https://youtu.be/TDNP-SWgn2w

I’ve been laughing at this for 2 days now.

[Hugh, Active moderator]

Just in case any of you think I have forgotten you, I have not sent any links out yet - I plan to do that on Saturday 20th. Given the likely numbers, I think we will need to impose some sort of structure so that everybody gets a little time to speak.

[Irene]

WndyJW wrote: "Jen, do what I do, one shot of whiskey pre-zoom will relax you just a bit ..."

I have often thought to do this before my online French class to give me a bit of courage to speak French, maybe I should do it this week...

[WndyJW]

Now that I’ve done a few zoom meets for other reasons I’ve found it’s not bad at all.

I was thinking the same thing, Hugh. With a lot of people and no topic it could become a few people talking to each other while the others listen. I think the initial idea of a topic or topics is a good idea.

How does everyone feel about having a facilitator to guide the meeting, to draw the less confident people out, like a class when the facilitator asks a direct question, “Irene, what do you think of the literary awards?” “Jen, have your reading interests changed over the year?” Then if we are all polite, which we are we, can comment on replies, then the facilitator picks up the reigns again and refocuses the group?

Just an idea...

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Great idea.

[Margaret]

Irene wrote: "WndyJW wrote: "Jen, do what I do, one shot of whiskey pre-zoom will relax you just a bit ..."

I have often thought to do this before my online French class to give me a bit of courage to speak Fre..."
Irene, I'd definitely recommend a shot prior to language class. I'm much more fluent in Spanish after a wee dram...🥃

[WndyJW]

I think you mean un pequeño trago, Margaret.

[Margaret]

WndyJW wrote: "I think you mean un pequeño trago, Margaret."

Necesario en cualquier idioma 😄

[WndyJW]

Taingeil airson google eadar-theangachadh !

[Trevor]

I hope those of you who made it will let us know how it went :-)

[WndyJW]

I hope you make it, Trevor, I hope everyone makes it!

[Adina]

Hi, I will try to drop by for 30 min or more. It depends on the level of annoyance/tiredness of my toddlers.

[Cindy]

WndyJW wrote: "I hope you make it, Trevor, I hope everyone makes it!"

Really looking forward to it!

[WndyJW]

I remember toddlers, Adina. If memory serves they will want your attention the most as soon as you find something you’re interested in!

[Stuart]

Please invite me too... 10 am in California. Thanks.

[Adina]

WndyJW wrote: "I remember toddlers, Adina. If memory serves they will want your attention the most as soon as you find something you’re interested in!" Exactly, you remember quite well! I think I found a solution so I should be available for the whole meeting.

[Trevor]

Oh, for some reason I thought it was last weekend, not this coming weekend! Good to hear!

[Hugh, Active moderator]

I think we are expecting somewhere between 15 and 30 people, depending on which of the maybes can actually attend. So if we are initially aiming for an hour or so as a meeting duration, that gives us between 2 and 4 minutes each, so we may need to limit the number of discussion topics or leave some of them for a less formal discussion continuing for longer.

We had a similar discussion in the Newest Literary Fiction group at the start of the year, and in that one each member got two questions, and the order was determined by when they joined the meeting - I think that worked quite well, and at least three of us were in that meeting.

Maybe we should allow members to choose a question to answer from a list, just to avoid making it too repetitive. Some of those might be useful to the moderators, for example what you like about the group and what could be done better, and what else we could cover, maybe a writer who deserves a Book Chat page. I like Wendy and Debra's questions too, but we probably won't have time for everyone to answer all of them. Still time for more ideas.

[Hugh, Active moderator]

Just a quick reminder - if you want to attend the the meeting, and you have not yet posted a comment here or sent me a private message, please do so before 1600 GMT on Sunday, i.e. two hours before we start, so that I have plenty of time to send out your invitation with the Zoom details. I plan to send most of the invitations out on Saturday.

[Debra]

If you are new to Zoom, here are a few useful tutorials.


How to join a Zoom Meeting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFhAE...

Gallery vs. Speaker View (confusing to many)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee62L...

About that cat filter :-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDNP-... (I can't stop laughing at this)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kK66... (a how to guide)

[Adina]

This might be useful as well :))
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACNGh... (how to look good on zoom meetings).

[WndyJW]

Thanks for doing this, Hugh and Debra!

[Sam]

I have chosen not to participate and hope you will excuse my rudeness. It is not directed at the group in any way. Goodreads is the only social media I do beside an old forum for wargaming that I have visited for years. And for me that is enough. I don't twitter, Facebook, selfie, or tik-tok, and in truth don't want to learn. I have pretty much stopped socializing in real life as well and I think it best to avoid some awkward social faux pas, rather than attempt to make the meeting. I have all the faith in the world that I could match the cat video or something worse. You all have my best wishes for a great time though.

[Debra]

Looking forward to it!

[Debra]

Sam wrote: "I have chosen not to participate and hope you will excuse my rudeness. It is not directed at the group in any way. Goodreads is the only social media I do beside an old forum for wargaming that I h..."

I didn't see your post when I replied. I don't see it as rude at all, and completely understand avoiding social media right now. I am half tempted to deactivate my Facebook account. This group is a refreshing change from all the ugliness out there.

[WndyJW]

I understand too, Sam. This forum is an escape from the chaos of the world and we each need to use it in whatever way works best for us. You aren’t being rude, you’re being honest and doing what’s best for you.

[Declan]

Adina wrote: "This might be useful as well :))
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACNGh... (how to look good on zoom meetings)."

Thanks for the link, Adina, but only a head transplant would make me look good on Zoom.

[Hugh, Active moderator]

OK, I think I have now sent the invitation messages to everyone on my list. It is not too late to join us - just comment here or send me a private message.

Sam - I respect your decision and your honesty!

[Declan]

Thanks a lot for all your work, Hugh. I look forward to meeting those who are able to take part tomorrow night. People like Sam who don't want to actively participate can, I'm sure, express their unwillingness to contribute but be there in a muted, no-video format, with no pressure to say anything, if that is what they wish.