[Nfbmt] late breaking news -- phone conference with seniorblind guest

[Rebecca Stewart]

Hi Rick.   Some very good points regarding conference call etiquette.  I
would have enjoyed calling in  yesterday and I actually tried to but there
were only about 15 minutes of the hour left when I found out about it but I
tried to anyway but trying to key in the number while Jaws was speed
speaking it wasn't working for me.  Our regular conference call I have on my
contact list on my cell so that works much better for me.  Like I said
though, with more notice, I would really like to sit in on the meeting of
another state's affiliate some time.  If you hear about another one in the
future, please let me know again:)

-----Original Message-----
From: Nfbmt [mailto:nfbmt-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rik James
Sent: Monday, November 18, 2013 8:53 AM
To: NFB of Montana Discussion List
Cc: James Karen
Subject: Re: [Nfbmt] late breaking news -- phone conference with seniorblind
guest

I actually did call in to that Nebraska affiliate of NFB's Senior Blind
division meeting last night.
Turned out that the guest was not able to attend. No one knew why. But we
wondered if it might have been the bad storms back east.
But they had a very good talk.
And as it happened Nebraska had their state convention on the same weekend
as we did in Montana.
So some of their time they talked about that.

And the topic of how old is a Senior was actually mentioned.
We all had a bit of a chuckle about how many of us are now more senior than
junior.
And how we each may have a pre-conceived notion about being an elder person.
But no. There is no age requirement, no specific age.

I turned 61 on November 10, just a Sunday ago.
Working my way into another decade of wonderment, and still much to learn.
I have come from a young know it all, to an older I will never know enough
guy, you might say.

But the national division does exist of Senior Blind. And many affiliates
have a division of their own. And this Nebraska affiliate are pretty active,
and they discuss any kind of things they wish to. So Robert asked me, does
Montana have a Senior Blind division. I said I did not think so. The only
division I remember I don't want to remember any more. We are now a unified 
and fortified, certified, group. Are we not?   (grinning proudly here.)

But yes, we could have a division. If we wanted to, I would bet.

At last night's meeting, they started off with what they called Brags and
Drags.
Really like a round robin check-in to start the meeting.

What would you like to brag about recently? A personal success, or
something. Or a recent addition to the family. Stuff like that.

Or what is a drag for you recently. What is preventing you from getting some
traction on a personal goal?  Or what misconception of blindness have you
run into lately? Stuff like that.

There were a couple other guests from other states and all were welcome.
But it is a local state group, really. I had gotten the announcement because
it came from Robert Leslie Newman of Nebraska. He is President of another
division of NFB of which I am a long time member, the Writers Division. And
Robert also is in the Nebraska senior division and had sent the announcement
to me and other Wrter division members by accident so he just officially
invited us if we wanted. There was a fellow from Mississippi who called in,
too.

One other quick thing. The conference call has that cross talk problem. 
People can be talking all at once.
I think everyone has to adopt an etiquette about that.
There has to be a moderator. And a person needs to say their name first to
get the moderator's attention.
And then when the moderator acknowledges the person then they have the
floor.
That does not mean that some deviation can exist. But some attempts at that
I think really does help it to get more easy to listen and to participate.

Blurting out, while I am guilty of this is probably a pretty ineffective way
to conduct a conversation on these conference calls.
And I think also perhaps if the moderator has not heard from one of the
participants who is online, they might want to regularly call on him or her.
Just some thoughts, and observations from last night. Kind of interesting
listening in as a guest with another group.

Okay.
I have already talked too long.
I really need an oven timer to use when I start off typing these emails.
Do you think?
Anyway...

Happy Monday.
What else is on your minds today?

Rik 


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