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Author	Topic: [ALL COMMENTS WELCOME] FF-UK North: The future.....
suzijedi Title: FF-UK: North CR Registered: Jul '06	Date Posted: 10/28/07 2:19pm Subject: [ALL COMMENTS WELCOME] FF-UK North: The future..... - Date Edited: 10/29/07 9:28am (3 edits total) Edited By: Spike2002
	Here's your chance to say what you'd like to see in FF-UK North. It'd be good for us to chat about where we want to see ourselves going. How can we keep existing members and attract new people to the boards? What do people want from this site? What ideas do you have? What social aspects do you enjoy? Would you like to have threads about more general discussion topics, such as films/music? The only way we can move forward is to discuss this in an open and constructive manner, so the floor's open... -----signature----- Put that thing away or you're gonna get us all killed! Every girl loves a 'winning smile' You shall fetch me your universes ultimate cup of coffee...black...you have 5 earth minutes....make it perfect! Holy moly, it's Star Wars!
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darth_frared Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 11/1/07 3:29pm Subject: RE: [ALL COMMENTS WELCOME] FF-UK North: The future.....
	i like what i do with people here and i enjoy hanging out with you a lot. the things i enjoy the most is wandering around places and chatting, so i'm a very basic person what i find very annoying and completely futile is the obsession with titles and positions and the powers these things allegedly hold. i cannot fathom what fun it would be to have more colours to my name (red, please!) or funny edit buttons at my disposal and frankly i don't care. it is merely my wish that we would spend less time fretting over this stuff. maybe this won't work for various reasons to do with the spell the boards can sometimes hold over us, but maybe, if we all made an effort etc etc, it'll just go away. c'est ca! -----signature----- illegalise stupidity.
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Spike2002 Title: FF-UK RSA Arena Manager Registered: Feb '02	Date Posted: 11/1/07 3:52pm Subject: RE: [ALL COMMENTS WELCOME] FF-UK North: The future..... - Date Edited: 11/1/07 3:59pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Spike2002
	what i find very annoying and completely futile is the obsession with titles and positions and the powers these things allegedly hold. i cannot fathom what fun it would be to have more colours to my name (red, please!) or funny edit buttons at my disposal and frankly i don't care. it is merely my wish that we would spend less time fretting over this stuff. The titles and positions aren't important. It's who holds them that is. If people care about FanForce and want to take us further, then they're good for the job. It's not about fancy colours or edit buttons (to be honest, the CR gets nothing except a VIP title and the chance to colour themselves blue, which they have to do, because they're not allowed any other colour). With it they have to added responsibility of looking after their chapter and are held doubly accountable for their actions on the board. What you mistake for "fretting over titles and positions" is in fact people showing they care about the chapter and the desire to see the right person take it in the direction that it needs to go. -----signature----- "It may be that our role on this planet is not to worship God, but to create him." - Arthur C. Clarke I agree with halibut Master to Louis_Skywalker
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darth_frared Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 11/1/07 4:22pm Subject: RE: [ALL COMMENTS WELCOME] FF-UK North: The future.....
	i got that bit. i wasn't after specifics, i have been told about the specifics some time ago. i merely wonder what it is that is being presented as 'pushing FF further'. i wonder what competition we are in and where it's meant to be going. maybe i'm boring and easy to satisfy but i just don't see why any of it is necessary. i get a lot of that talk from members, directions and aims and progress and for me it's just inexplicable, it looks like we're having to fulfill something only we know (only we kinda don't and then hold long conversations over what it is we might be wanting as that purpose of us hanging out together). maybe we'll be wanting to collect money in the future (please count me out for that one) or we'll be doing more meets. i don't know. i'm very happy there are people here to geek out with and that's the extent of my enthusiasm. everything else seems very pompous to me. all MY opinion. maybe it's too simple and uninvolved to say that the future of the fanforce in the north is what it IS and that we are there already and we could now sit back and enjoy it. -----signature----- illegalise stupidity.
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timbolton Title: Assistant CR FF-UK: North Registered: Mar '03	Date Posted: 11/3/07 2:11am Subject: RE: [ALL COMMENTS WELCOME] FF-UK North: The future..... - Date Edited: 11/3/07 2:56am (5 edits total) Edited By: timbolton
	Hey darth_frared. No, your opinion is valued and your comments are appreciated. Like you said, at our core (where we come from, what brought a lot of members here) is a group of like-minded people who have decided to do a little more than just sit at computers, posting towards faceless and sometimes anonymous people posting back. We've formed friendships from that, some will be lifelong, some come and go. And they get involved with local (and sometimes larger meets) which are more about visiting local places as a group than being organised in the wider community. That's our grass roots level, and many people want that level of participation. That's great, and you are not alone with that, and you are a big part of us. Then there are the people who came here, had all the above, but also wanted to make Fan Force something that is part of the wider community of fans out there, and Fan Force had been set up a long time before North came along. Personally, my experiences and desire to do more (not necessarily "better, bigger", there is NO competition that we are set against) is based on what I had experienced with Fan Force NYC. I appreciated what they were achieving, where they saw their group heading. And it's something I share with them. In the US the Fan Force is part of the wider community (not fan community now), they are fans who do all of what we do, but also because most are costumers they like to help out (yeah that means charity) with local organisations via events. They attend local conventions and hold tables, in fact my very first convention was Empire Fan Fest, New Jersey US, in 2004 and it was being organised by members of FF NYC along with other groups. It was a great experience. So for me, I feel this side of Fan Force is quite important, not as important as the forming friendships tbh since that is our foundations, but still to me, it's why I am here as well. I have always promoted fan creativity (done a little fic and art myself in the past, when I had time) and Fan Force has that opportunity to help promote the fans who are doing hard work. I don't see any of that as pompous though. I see it as different aspirations for our group. You are a good friend, and it's great to have you at meets, and I'd love to do more meets in NW, but I also have another side to Fan Force for me. And talking with others, people share that. We won't push ourselves into a breakdown, that has happened in the past in other groups. There are limits, and I hope that both Suzi and I, along with communication from members, can make sure we never get anywhere near that kind of limit. But I firmly believe that FF deserves promotion in whatever creative ways we can. It's made me realise what is worth fighting for, that being a fan alone isn't what I wanted, though like many people here it's what happened because around us in real life are people who don't share the same interests or hobbies. But all of this FF stuff needs organisation. It needs people working on it, and good communication between them. We have a number of members who have always promoted FF and organised FF-UK North meets. Very active members, who do a hell of a lot of work behind the scenes. And do a lot more than the casual member will see or know about. Those members are willing to give up their own time to do it, and they happily do it. We have the CR position to co-ordinate those people, someone who can see the bigger picture, and make sure that the casual and pro-active members are ok. It's a tough job in some ways, because the people putting more time and effort in do deserve a little more respect than I have seen them get. And that isn't to say the casual members get less, but there has been a spate of comments and issues where people who did put (a lot of) effort in at events have had their efforts besmirched. And I think that really needs to end now. I won't personally tolerate any more nasty remarks about my own hard work at Celebration Europe, where I worked my ass off to make sure people had choice and were happy. That nastiness towards me ends now. This thread was started for a reason. Members have been given the opportunity to open their mouths (as it were) and make your needs/desires for what you want from FF known to the people who will then work behind the scenes to "make it so". We have had way too many side comments or parting comments that have come out of the blue. There had been NO communication to the people who needed to know beforehand. So please, if you have an issue, communicate it sooner rather than issue. Don't let it lie and then blow up on us. It's neither fair, respectful nor pleasant. And it won't be appreciated nor tolerated. We are all adults, and supposedly all friends who can talk to one another. You don't need to post it, you can PM it. But I will say the worst side of this chapter has always been the poor communication from the members when they have not been happy. When I was RSA I tried to direct you to the CR to discuss issues, I also on occasion talked to the CR at the time about your concerns. But as adults you should be able to go straight to them. It's not necessarily a chain of command, it's respect to your fellow fan, who happens to be the nominated head of the organisational side of our little band. So please, talk to the CR. Let them know what you need. NW people can talk to the Assistant CR, since that position was allowed by the JC admin so the NW could have a voice and local organiser without splitting the North boards. Because we didn't split the boards, the assistant CR doesn't get the access to the private forums, but they are as much a part of the organisation team as the CR. We just have fought long and hard to keep North together, and lost members in the process. Some very active NW members I'll add, and that was regretable and not a pleasant situation. And then a few people will say, why has Tim got such a big gob? Well quite frankly because I give more of a damn about FF than I do any other one group, it's the place I have called home, the place I have found some lifelong friends, who share similar aspirations as myself. If I were interested in power I'd have kept my admin title and access to the hidden admin areas. When I stepped down I asked for that to be removed, because I didn't feel I had a right to them. If I wanted power I'd be pushing for the assistant role to have access to the private CR area. I don't need it. All I personally want to do is help organise some enjoyable meets, see everyone happy at those meets, and feel like I have done something for fandom, because pre-FF it was a life of being a SW and no one else around interested. But I'll help and support other groups if any way I personally can, because it actually makes me feel happier to help than hinder. I don't want or need power. I want to see an organised FF-UK North that has activity, and I'll get off my arse and do that. I'll put the money where my mouth is. And I'll not gripe about putting in hard graft. What do I see for the future of FF-UK North? I see both causal and pro-active (in terms of promotion) members carry on working together. I see us doing bloody brillant under Suzi's stewardship, and I'll back her every step of the way. I am tired of people supposedly speaking for her about my actions, if I EVER overstep my mark she would tell me. We have that good a relationship she'd kick my ass without blinking if I was out of line but still with a smile on her face. So don't assume to know how Suzi and I work. I can tell you we work hard as a team, and we bounce ideas and issues back and forth, we try and see all sides, and we actually balance out in the end, especially when we are on the two extremes of an opinion. I think it'd very similar to the Sie and Hal partnership, one will hopefully kick the other's butt when they push the wrong way. It's all about good communication. I personally think as a group everyone needs to work on that communication, and some really need to work on it harder than others. FF-UK North will continue as it has done for the past two years. People will come and go, but the core will be there, and we will fight tooth and claw to keep this club active and open. And no D-F, there will NEVER be membership fees, if that was what you were asking -----signature----- Where have all the meets gone? Good old days are far far away
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darth_frared Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 11/3/07 9:41am Subject: RE: [ALL COMMENTS WELCOME] FF-UK North: The future.....
	thanks for that. i'll keep it short and say that it wasn't about membership fees but charity. and that my point is that the group is made by the group in any case. so yeah anyway, carry on, don't mind me. -----signature----- illegalise stupidity.
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timbolton Title: Assistant CR FF-UK: North Registered: Mar '03	Date Posted: 11/3/07 10:09am Subject: RE: [ALL COMMENTS WELCOME] FF-UK North: The future.....
	Ah, so you mean charity then? Wasn't 100% sure. I personally don't see the FF-UK:N doing charity on the same basis as the costuming groups do. Individuals may do stuff, like myself doing the coast to coast (and I'm doing that for plenty of other reasons), but not FF-UK:N "does a weekend of charity events". So yeah, like you say, we are mainly here for the people, but some people are gonna do a little more than the straight forward social stuff we do, and thoroughly enjoy. -----signature----- Where have all the meets gone? Good old days are far far away
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christmas-cozmic Registered: Dec '04	Date Posted: 12/12/07 5:43am Subject: RE: [ALL COMMENTS WELCOME] FF-UK North: The future.....
	Are we still planning on twining our chapter with another? -----signature----- ForceGhostOfCozmic's Christmas Sock War Is Over (If You Want It) My fanart: http://boards.theforce.net/fan_art/b10020/27139494/p1 My new fanfic: http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=27665405&brd=10476&replies
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Spike2002 Title: FF-UK RSA Arena Manager Registered: Feb '02	Date Posted: 12/12/07 8:20am Subject: RE: [ALL COMMENTS WELCOME] FF-UK North: The future.....
	Nobody seems to be bothering on the other side, so I guess that's a no. -----signature----- "It may be that our role on this planet is not to worship God, but to create him." - Arthur C. Clarke I agree with halibut Master to Louis_Skywalker
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christmas-cozmic Registered: Dec '04	Date Posted: 12/14/07 6:08am Subject: RE: [ALL COMMENTS WELCOME] FF-UK North: The future.....
	Guess so -----signature----- ForceGhostOfCozmic's Christmas Sock War Is Over (If You Want It) My fanart: http://boards.theforce.net/fan_art/b10020/27139494/p1 My new fanfic: http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=27665405&brd=10476&replies
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timbolton Title: Assistant CR FF-UK: North Registered: Mar '03	Date Posted: 12/29/07 12:40pm Subject: RE: [ALL COMMENTS WELCOME] FF-UK North: The future.....
	I'll look into it, since it's an idea that can carry till it works. -----signature----- Where have all the meets gone? Good old days are far far away
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ForceGhostOfCozmic Registered: Apr '05	Date Posted: 5/13 6:04am Subject: RE: [ALL COMMENTS WELCOME] FF-UK North: The future.....
	Theres been a few rumblings lately about the North and it seems a few people are not happy. To be honest, I'm one of them. I'm really losing interest in this place and my heart isn't in it any longer, the only thng that keeps me here is the great friendships I've made through this site. But it seem those great bonds are slowing falling apart. Too much bull and politics are getting int the way, plus a lack of interest going to museums at every meet. We need to get back to what we're about, we need to go back to small meets. We need to stop we all these over the top ideas and just go back to siting in a pub or a cafe and enjoy each others company and enjoy our fandom as a group. Why we join this place in the first place, to meet like minded fans? We didn't join for the costumes, we didn't join for the museums, we join to make friends and have fun. Turth be told, we should just stop trying to be as big as the FF's outside of the UK. Lets stop trying to better ourselves. It's like at the next Collectormania, I really think we shouldn't bother with a table, lets just go as fans see what we need to see buy what we want to buy and then go and have fun in and around Manchester the rest fo the day. I really didn't have fun on the table and thought it was a waste of time, I had more fun in the evening then in the day. We need to go back to enjoying ourselves or this place will die, cos the sad thing is I think it is already doing so -----signature----- Come and join us at the FF-UK: North: http://boards.theforce.net/north/b10739/p1 My fan art: http://boards.theforce.net/fan_art/b10020/27139494/p1 Please check out my new Fanfic ~Updated: 05/04/08~ VV http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/27665405/
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suzijedi Title: FF-UK: North CR Registered: Jul '06	Date Posted: 5/13 6:23am Subject: RE: [ALL COMMENTS WELCOME] FF-UK North: The future..... - Date Edited: 5/13 6:25am (1 edits total) Edited By: suzijedi
	Thanks for your comments, Coz. If only more people would actually say what's on their minds and put it in writing. We're one of the more active chapters in the UK, I think we should remember that and acknowledge that it's pretty good going. I'd certainly like to hear more people's opinions on having a table and whether we should continue trying to have one at future Collectormania's. If I'm honest, I don't see how having the table has pulled in any more members. We had bundles of info/leaflets at the table, which people picked up and it hasn't made much of a difference. Also, if anyone would like to comment on my CR-ship, I'll gladly listen, 'cos at the moment I'm not entirely sure that I'm doing a great job. PM me if you want. -----signature----- Put that thing away or you're gonna get us all killed! Every girl loves a 'winning smile' You shall fetch me your universes ultimate cup of coffee...black...you have 5 earth minutes....make it perfect! Holy moly, it's Star Wars!
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Spike2002 Title: FF-UK RSA Arena Manager Registered: Feb '02	Date Posted: 5/13 6:52am Subject: RE: [ALL COMMENTS WELCOME] FF-UK North: The future..... - Date Edited: 5/13 9:16am (1 edits total) Edited By: Spike2002
	This is me speaking mostly as a member, not as an RSA. I'm going to expand on what Cozmic has said because he's made some very good points. Theres been a few rumblings lately about the North and it seems a few people are not happy. To be honest, I'm one of them. I don't think any of us are truly happy with the North at the moment, mate. I think it's a damn shame too, because we used to be vibrant and had loads of meet-ups that were great fun. I know something has been lost along the way, and I'd really like to know what it was because I'd like to get us back to the days when we all enjoyed ourselves. I'm really losing interest in this place and my heart isn't in it any longer, the only thing that keeps me here is the great friendships I've made through this site. But it seem those great bonds are slowing falling apart. Too much bull and politics are getting in the way, plus a lack of interest going to museums at every meet. Very true, Cozmic. For me it's not about the venues of where we meet, it's about the people and the friends we've made. I do agree with the whole museums thing there. I'm going to be really frank here, and just say that the Edinburgh trip didn't particularly interest me in the slightest. I went to see people in the Scottish FanForce, and could have happily sat in Subway or a pub all day with them chatting. Museums have frankly held little interest to me, and I've gone along with visiting to them for the sake of the group, but now the group is telling me they're not interested in them either. We need to get back to what we're about, we need to go back to small meets. We need to stop we all these over the top ideas and just go back to siting in a pub or a cafe and enjoy each others company and enjoy our fandom as a group. Why we join this place in the first place, to meet like minded fans? We didn't join for the costumes, we didn't join for the museums, we join to make friends and have fun. Again, spot on mate. One of the reasons we've said we want to get back to small local meets is because we've overextended ourselves and that has turned members off joining in our meet-ups. I started off FanForce doing local meets in Middlesbrough. Hell, we did most of our meets in the Tavern (a pub) and nobody complained. I really have to say, the meets I enjoy the most are the meets in which we all get together, in large groups, and have fun. The Grand Day Out 2006, Ogli's Birthday Curry and DVD meet, Celebration Europe, the BBQ@Suzi's, Gmex when a few of us went to Jilly's post-meal, those were the types of meets we need to expand on. I look at some ideas like beach parties and camping trips and wonder just who this appeals to? We're Star Wars geeks, not beach ravers. If I want to go to a beach, I'll go with my Surfing Club at uni, if I want to go camping, I'll go with the people in the Festivals Forum I'm a member of. When I think of FanForce, I think of pubs and pizza with games of pool, a curry and some DVDs later, some trivial pursuit and a summer BBQ with a laugh on the Nintendo Wii. Let's at least engage in some geekery and have some fun along with it. Can we also please have no more expensive trips to restaurants like at Gmex and the Xmas meet in York? At both respectively we could've spent half the price at the Buffet place Spike T and others went to on the Saturday night at Manchester, and at York we had to buy more food again at one of the pubs the lads visited during the evening trip. I don't see a problem with winging it when it concerns food venues. Truth be told, we should just stop trying to be as big as the FF's outside of the UK. Lets stop trying to better ourselves. It's like at the next Collectormania, I really think we shouldn't bother with a table, lets just go as fans see what we need to see buy what we want to buy and then go and have fun in and around Manchester the rest of the day. I really didn't have fun on the table and thought it was a waste of time, I had more fun in the evening then in the day. With Collectormania, I'll disagree with the table thing, though I know how you feel about being bored. I would like us to expand and get more members, but we're going about it wrong way at times. Hell, halibut and I went to the effort of creating and maintaining a website for us to use in promoting ourselves, yet we still have leaflets telling people to join http://boards.theforce.net/board.asp?brd=10739 instead of http://www.fanforce.co.uk/north.html . We need to get that website updated, but that isn't a North issue, it's something for we RSAs and the CRs to get sorted out. Though I agree with giving up trying to make us like the FFs outside the UK. The British psyche is entirely different from the US one, and our fandom is very different to theirs. We need to do something that appeals not only to the SW fans in us, but the British in us. We need our own identity, not an identity latched onto another one. We need to go back to enjoying ourselves or this place will die, cos the sad thing is I think it is already doing so. I agree, and I think the way we're trying to approach the future, with cinema and pub meets is exactly the way to go to get us back to enjoying ourselves. Back to Basics guys. Pub meets, cinema meets, trivial pursuit and computer games, barbecues, occasional curry - this is the way to go forward. We've overextended ourselves and gone in a direction that has driven several valued members away because they've lost interest. -----signature----- "It may be that our role on this planet is not to worship God, but to create him." - Arthur C. Clarke I agree with halibut Master to Louis_Skywalker
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Spike2002 Title: FF-UK RSA Arena Manager Registered: Feb '02	Date Posted: 5/13 6:55am Subject: RE: [ALL COMMENTS WELCOME] FF-UK North: The future.....
	Also, if anyone would like to comment on my CR-ship, I'll gladly listen, 'cos at the moment I'm not entirely sure that I'm doing a great job. PM me if you want. Suzi, I think you're doing fine with the CR job. And I'm speaking both as RSA and member, here. We're on the right track with meet proposals, it's just getting the people back to meet-ups that is the problem, and I think if we continue with what I've said about getting Back to Basics, we'll overcome that and get us back to where we used to be. -----signature----- "It may be that our role on this planet is not to worship God, but to create him." - Arthur C. Clarke I agree with halibut Master to Louis_Skywalker
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halibut Title: RSA RICHARDSON/Forum Feud Champion Registered: Aug '00	Date Posted: 5/13 7:33am Subject: RE: [ALL COMMENTS WELCOME] FF-UK North: The future.....
	I'm very much on the side of those who say that meet-ups are for meeting and socialising. I can't stand cinema meets. To me sitting in a dark room for 2 hours is the total opposite of what a meet should be. Pub lunches are great. BBQs are great. chatting and playing Wii is great. Trivial Pursuit is great. I'm not going to travel miles and miles to see a film I could see down the road. I will travel miles and miles to have a fun time "hanging" and "chilling" with a bunch of great guys and gals. -----signature----- Don't you know about the bird? Everybody knows that the bird is the word!
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