I couldn't bring myself to vote on this one but did want to throw my two cents worth in. I would like to see what the community as a whole would like to see for clubs, so maybe more involvement in the meetings can take place. (For example- see what people would like to see, not a poll of chosen items but them posting instead their ideas).

I can also see the problem with some of the times, I have also fallen into the trap of having to make dinner while missing a meeting. Or trying to multi-task through it and end up lost in the conversation.

It would be nice if there could be two meetings that meet as opposed to the just one. Something like one during the day and one at night to make it more convient to attend. That could happen with a simple "what is the best time for everyone" question and possibly having two different hosts.

It would be nice to have the "meetings" be active after the fact as well. There usually are ones that miss the initial meeting and post questions or ideas, that go unread and unresponded to.

Feel free to tell me to shut my yap, I have been thinking and posting my thoughts way to much today. less

Well, everyone is welcome to attend a CEC meeting OR leave feedback on the CEC thread regarding their input on the clubs.

I think one of the biggest problems with this is that most people don't feel that they can attend or give input on the CEC and that's simply not the case. You don't even have to attend every week. Simply come when you have an idea you'd like feedback on.

I could easily hold two meetings a month (one daytime and one evening) since I'm a SAHM. Not everyone has that freedom though. I also don't know how EF feels about that. less

That is true I have been to one, I think, and had to ask before it started if I could attend. I wonder what might be giving the impression that it is not open to all, when it actually is.

I am fairly new to the site, so even when I did attend, I did not contribute to the discussion. I think it is a bit intimidating to some, when most attending on already know each other and have a connection. Add that to the fact that they also seem to know how everything works, new people might feel like they would be intruding (not sure that is the right word).

I am eager to hear some of the ideas that come out of this. less

I never asked whether I could attend the CEC meetings. As far as I know, they are open to everyone (if not, then I seriously crashed the party). It took me a few times before I felt comfortable at the CEC meetings and felt that I had much to add to the discussion. I know when I first started attending, everyone there made me feel welcome already, although I did feel like an outsider for the reasons you mentioned. I guess all I can say is that if you do have the interest in attending, please do, and it shouldn't be too long before you start feeling comfortable. less

I think more clubs and workshops would be wonderful!! Of course we don't want to use up all the workshop ideas too quickly! :p

I voted 4 - 10 pm every day, but it really just depends what shift I get scheduled for. right now I'm on days so those times work best for me, but I switch back and forth between days and nights ever few weeks.

I'm so glad I can go back and read through the posts when I don't make it though I think for workshops that have passed it wouldn't hurt to mention them on facebook or twitter a week or two after they've gone by... "Did you miss our ____ workshop/meeting?" No worries, you can check out what happened here" Maybe you guys already do that and I've just managed not to notice (which wouldn't be the first time )

Annnnyways, I think everyone's doing a great job with all the clubs and workshops, but I wouldn't say no to more! less

I'm going to bite the bullet and say that I voted on 'too many clubs'. I definitely feel overwhelmed, and while many of the clubs are interesting and appeal to me, I don't have as much initiative to participate as I once did. Perhaps it is not the number of clubs I have issue with, but the way they are conducted.

It annoys me that I always seem to make it to the meetings just a moment too late--I don't get home from work in time, and I work normal business hours! That leaves a bad taste in my mouth and kind of ruins the idea of clubs for me altogether. It would be nice if there were threads that I could follow and be a part of that weren't based on 'meetings'. Part of why I like online forums in the first place is because I can read them on my own time. :\
The rare holiday party? Awesome! The only option I have to participate? Nah, I'll have to pass.

Meetings can be fun, I know they can. For example, I used to enjoy the Naked Readers Club immensely, but I now feel like the discussions are hardly about the books or topics at hand, are dominated with 'hi/bye/congrats on yr GC' posts and the bigger they get, the harder they are to keep up with. I find it to be a true shame that the 'hello everyone!' posts can so easily drown out and divert the honest and passionate post another member may have made just moments beforehand.

20 people talking at once is hard enough to keep up with when its verbal; it just becomes a headache when its threaded. That type of discussion seems best for chatrooms--particularl y when members' post contributions consist of 10 words or less. In this way, the twitter parties ROCKED.

This is only my initial reaction to the request for feedback; I'm not actually an ogre. Diatribe over and out! less