And folks showed up...

[Migoi]

Not just any ordinary folks either. The gold standard proof of the truthfulness of the statement in my signature block...AN's only affect the smartest, most interesting people in a population. Marie and Lynette are certainly confirmation that I've got that connection figured out.

At the second meeting of the ANA Support Group - Arkansas, we tripled the attendance from the first meeting. I count it a resounding success and look forward to our next meeting.

As happy as I am, there is a touch of sadness. The attendance was about 10% of the ANA membership in Arkansas, which means that 90% of the membership missed out on meeting and talking with these two wonderful women. Very sad for that 90%.

..take care.. tim b

[ppearl214]

Tim, like you, I believe in the glass being 1/2 full. Now, you just started this support group meeting.... and in time, the attendance, I have faith, will grow, esp. with "word of mouth".  As you know, I do the local brunches (see the apple dumplin gang brunch thread). First brunch I did, we had 6-8 folks.... and next week, we have over 30... so, have faith. I know you are going to do a great job out there.. and have a sneaky feeling that as folks learn that there is now a local support group (since there wasn't one before), it will grow...



Phyl

[Kaybo]

Tim~
if I could swing it - I would have been there, just b/c I like YOU so much!!

K   

[Jim Scott]

Tim ~

Congratulations on your initiative.  Time will likely add more members to the support group you've organized in Arkansas.  You're on the right track; sticking with it and valuing the few folks who take the time and make the effort to show up. 

As Phyl noted, these types of meetings tend to begin slowly but eventually, you'll be wondering how you'll handle the crowd.  That may take a few years to happen, but even if it never does, you've done a very worthwhile thing by organizing an AN support group and whatever time you spend on it is definitely not wasted - but I think you already knew that.   

Jim

[saralynn143]

Hi Tim, my husband is going to Arkansas tomorrow for a business meeting, but I'm staying home to tend the fort. I enjoyed meeting you in Chicago and I'm glad your support group is growing.

Sara

[Keri]

I'm glad your support group grew in attendance too! I know the first time must have been kind of discouraging. Anyway, sometimes a rather small group is pretty good for sharing. Too big can be kind of tough (esp for hearing!)

Keri

[leapyrtwins]

Tim -

sometimes things take time - and 10% is better than last time 

Kudos to you - and to the two women.  Like K, I'd be there if I could.  I enjoyed meeting you (and Cyrilee) in Chicago, and can't think of a better group leader.

Hang in there!

Jan

[Migoi]

Thank you all for the kind and encouraging thoughts. I'm very happy and excited about this last meeting. Truthfully, I wasn't really discouraged at all with the last meeting even though no one showed up...maybe I'm not smart enough to actually 'get it' enough to be discouraged.

It seems like I was told at one point only a certain percentage of ANA members in a give area will ever attend a support group meeting. I don't remember the exact percentage I was told but it seems like that 10% isn't too awful far from that percentage.

My philosophical bearing on this is to give it a try. I think one of the worst things in life would be to get toward the end of it and have to spend time wondering how things would have been if only one had tried this or that thing. I plan on being around another 50 or so years, so I've got 49.5 at least to work on building attendance. That's doable.

Phyl - Thank you. I more see it as a glass of air and water...now let's see what we can do with it. Doesn't really matter if it's half full or half empty, if you just leave it sitting on the table then you've wasted your glass of life.

Kay - Thanks...understandable...a 12 or so hour drive each way would be a bit much to attend a 2 hour or so meeting. I'm very grateful for your friendship.

Jim - Thank you. I've always been more of a quality over quantity type of person. As long as I'm reaching those that need it...very happy.

Sara - Thank you. Cyrilee and I very much enjoyed meeting you in Chicago. I also enjoy that every time your avatar pops up in a thread I get to think "I was there when that picture was taken." Gives me a bit of a chuckle. Hope your husband enjoys his trip to Arkansas..which part, the various areas have vastly different environments.

Keri - Thank you. Actually, I wasn't much discouraged with the first meeting. Starting something new can take time. Do you know anything about Geocaching? It's a game where people hide stuff, post the GPS coordinates at geocaching.com, and then other folks use their GPS to go find. I discovered the game not long after it was born and had the good luck to hide the very first geocache in the state of Hawaii. I waited 7 months before anyone found it, then two people found it on the very same day. I went from zero to two for this endeavor in a lot less time than that.

Jan - Thank you. Yes, the growth was good. I was fully prepared to have zero attendance again...had my kindle with me, right in the middle of the saga of K129, a Russian submarine that sank in the Pacific in the 60's. We also enjoyed meeting you in Chicago. Can't wait for Cincinnati.

Thank you all again for the encouraging words and thoughts. I much appreciate your support.

..take care... tim b

[saralynn143]

Tim - He is visiting a surgery center in Fayetteville that is using a data product that the medical group he works for is interested in.

Sara

[Migoi]

Fayetteville is the closest real town (so defined by the presence of a Walmart and a Sonic) to us. The leaves are just starting to turn, so it's taking on a rather fallish hue.

..take care... tim b