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Subject line says it all
second year running the club and I need ideas on how to boost membership
we already have incoming freshman interest...
but I need more Ideas and I need you guys to help me out here
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13796
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Because it is an alliance of gay and str8 students, not so much a "look, we're gay" organisation, you need events and causes that ALL students will find appealing.
Examples might be a fund raising exercise for something the school needs, or for a local children's hospice, or anything to prove that gayness and meeting common human objectives are congruent.
Maybe something that focusses on a different minority such as disabled kids of all creeds and colours, and build this "good citizenship" into the charter. Then ensure a freshman representative is elected whatever orientation in order to represent freshman interests, etc.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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But thats the thing tim...
we've put up posters put out announcements on the pa system on the school tv channel...
anything grand would need administration approval
and that takes alot of bureaucracy so we need small but uber effective advertising campaigns
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13796
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Understood. The thing is, building membership, even with a transient population such as school students, takes time and grand things. And, to be able to join, I need to feel that I am not either making myself stick out like a sore thumb as gay, or that I am just going to support gay students.
What I need is a genuinely worthy human objective congruent with the needs of the human race, not gay and not str8. I can cope with joining that because the organisation shows how gay and str8 students can work together to achieve something that, yes they may have been able to do apart, but that they do well or better together.
I can't think of a short acting advert campaign, but my forte is marketing, not advertising.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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marc
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Needs to get a life! |
Registered: March 2003
Messages: 4729
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There are two ways to approach this....
One is the easy way and just expect your scintilating personality to attract new members....
The second way is to wade through the bureaucracy and get the interested parties interested through effort and results....
I think the second way has a shot....
The first.... well....
Life is great for me... Most of the time... But then I meet people online... Very few are real friends... Many say they are but know nothing of what it means... Some say they are, but are so shallow...
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haha timmy...
you and I are alike then we both are the type that sees an objective and will not stop till its done...
This year will again be more for out reach doing things lie walk a thons, dances movies
but those big things need to be fought through and *isnt in the mood to fight yet*
oh and Marc... how's the canonization process coming?
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marc
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Needs to get a life! |
Registered: March 2003
Messages: 4729
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Jordan.....
You asked the question....
If you can not handle the answer then you can just go to hell!
Life is great for me... Most of the time... But then I meet people online... Very few are real friends... Many say they are but know nothing of what it means... Some say they are, but are so shallow...
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13796
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I seem to recall it was an American who said "I have not yet begun to fight"?
Even when desperate for more members you always have to look at the bigger picture: that of the relationship of the GSA with society as a whole.
Win my heart with a project and you show me how gay and str8 do not threaten each other. Win the bureaucracy's heart and any threat of authoritative disbandment of the GSA is nipped in the bud.
But give me a "Come and look at the queer kids, they are really nice when you get to know them" style of advert and you lose my attention and support. I am not for a moment suggesting that this is what you are doing, by the way, I am just being extreme to make a point.
You have to decide "Am I building for today or am I laying firm foundations for tomorrow?"
I submit that building for today is building upon sand, but building for tomorrow provides a firm foundation.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13796
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I rate that as one decent insult each. And yes, Jordan did throw the first stone here. In the boxing ring at 6pm, boys, and with gloves on and a referee. I know there is some awkwardness between you guys, but please can we leave that outside?
[Updated on: Sat, 30 August 2008 14:14]
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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Admiral John Paul Jones of the Continental Navy during the American War for Independence
and i already have the foundation in just forming the gsa
atleast thats what my faculty advisor/former english teacher says
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13796
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You've dug the trenches, you've started to pour the concrete, but there's a couple of courses of bricks to lay before the groundwork's done.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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Above all, make it seem *FUN*, as well as serious.
Off-the-wall ideas for publicity are always good.
Like (may be difficult to get permission) going round the classrooms during classes, and blocking the doorways with masses of pink balloons which have to be broken to get out. Like, cut-out publicity cards in different shapes (like jigsaw puzzles) that have to be fitted together to make a big card with the full message and pretty artwork - half the fun is in finding enough other people to make the full thing. Yup, I've used both these, at Uni. Imagination is good!
I'm sure that most people will know the serious side of it - you simply have to get talked about (in a positive way)to make joining seem attractive.
[Updated on: Sat, 30 August 2008 14:45]
"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. ... Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night devoid of stars." Martin Luther King
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Very good NW those types of ideas fit beautifully
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OK, here's another one ...
a trail of multi-coloured cut-out sticky-back footprints(perhaps one in ten is pink) on the floor, leading to your first meeting. Or in the carpark, if that's easier for permission, leading to a poster about it. And perhaps intermediate signs "what have you noticed about the footprints?" "are you counting them" "one in ten ?" ...
Play with all these ideas, and lots more. Make them your own, then sell them to other people. Best of luck !
"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. ... Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night devoid of stars." Martin Luther King
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Benji
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Likes it here |
Location: USA
Registered: August 2007
Messages: 297
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Actually I found that to be quite funny, given history there wasn't much malice in the pleasantry exchange.
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13796
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I very much like NW's ideas, too.
So, you've got their interest or at least their curiosity. That's cool. I like that. Now, I'm following the footprints. I'm at the door, and I'm in the room.
What am I going to see? What am I going to do? What will make me join and come to the next meeting? Why am I there?
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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You'd see myself or the president leading a meeting they usually go
1. gsa pledge
2.recap of last weeks minutes
3.new ideas discussion
4.check status of other plans that need admin approval
5.personal discussions of issues or things going on in our lives
6. close meeting
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13796
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I fear I would turn and walk right out again. You would not catch me in that environment. It's just a warm place to go after school and be gay. All that environment does is marks attendees out as weirdos.
You have to DO something. This is "Come and look at the queer kid!" And this explains why you are struggling for members.
[Updated on: Sat, 30 August 2008 22:10]
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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marc
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Needs to get a life! |
Registered: March 2003
Messages: 4729
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Sounds about as interesting as watching mud crack in the hot sun.
Life is great for me... Most of the time... But then I meet people online... Very few are real friends... Many say they are but know nothing of what it means... Some say they are, but are so shallow...
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13796
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Never underestimate the wonders of nature.
Mud drying in sun is interesting. This meeting is less so. But we can go to it and laugh at the queer kids. It does have that small virtue.
What does it DO? What is it FOR? The pledge? "I pledge allegiance to the fag"?
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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marc
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Needs to get a life! |
Registered: March 2003
Messages: 4729
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timmy wrote:
"I pledge allegiance to the fag"?
LOL.....
Now that IS FUNNY.....
Life is great for me... Most of the time... But then I meet people online... Very few are real friends... Many say they are but know nothing of what it means... Some say they are, but are so shallow...
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Okay timmy
ball in your court I understand your criticisms
so beyond what you have suggested for member gathering{thanks by the way}
suggest a way or two to spice the meetings up
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The two of you fit in real well with the other gay bashers at Jordan's school. Now how about some constructive ideas rather than juvenile put downs?
Youth crisis hot-line 866-488-7386, 24 hr (U.S.A.)
There are people who want to help you cope with being you.
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marc
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Needs to get a life! |
Registered: March 2003
Messages: 4729
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Message deleted by the Moderator.
[Updated on: Sun, 31 August 2008 02:49] by Moderator
Life is great for me... Most of the time... But then I meet people online... Very few are real friends... Many say they are but know nothing of what it means... Some say they are, but are so shallow...
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unsui
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Likes it here |
Registered: September 2007
Messages: 338
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No Message Body
[Updated on: Fri, 24 October 2008 17:43] |
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marc
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Needs to get a life! |
Registered: March 2003
Messages: 4729
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Nevertheless.... I still believe that the best thing for that particular GSa would stand a better chance if he joined another club.
Life is great for me... Most of the time... But then I meet people online... Very few are real friends... Many say they are but know nothing of what it means... Some say they are, but are so shallow...
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Marc, please let it go. I find this personal feud most unpleasant - and I am not the only one who has commented on this. Not only is it rude, but I think it is against the whole ethos of this forum. The original question asked was a legitimate question and this forum exists for such questions. You have turned an interesting thread into a personal vendetta. As I said, I find this very unpleasant. And, for what it's worth, I commend Jordan for his mature forbearance.
J F R
The paradox has often been noted that the United States, founded in secularism, is now the most religiose country in Christendom, while England, with an established church headed by its constitutional monarch, is among the least. (Richard Dawkins, 2006)
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Jordon, Timmy is correct, your GSA needs to be involved in something that has social meaning for both gay and straight students. At the university where I taught we had a GSA that was involved in a lot of activities around campus and the community. They planted new trees for arbor day. They would plant a new tree in someones yard for 3 dollars, the persons name was taken and the proffet from the sales was donated to St Judes in the name of all who had purchased trees. They collected litter around the campus. they were always doing something and getting involved with something. A lot of str8t kids joined because they were involved in community projects that made a difference.
If you stand for Freedom, but you wont stand for war, then you dont stand for anything worth fighting for.
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marc
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Needs to get a life! |
Registered: March 2003
Messages: 4729
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There are many things I find unpleasant...
Life is great for me... Most of the time... But then I meet people online... Very few are real friends... Many say they are but know nothing of what it means... Some say they are, but are so shallow...
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I am sure you do, just like everyone else. No one else on this forum, however, airs their personal feelings towards others here as you do. I beg of you to desist. It can't be pleasant for you always to be at centre (and more often than not the cause) of harsh altercations. Leave it, drop it, let it go - as I do now.
J F R
The paradox has often been noted that the United States, founded in secularism, is now the most religiose country in Christendom, while England, with an established church headed by its constitutional monarch, is among the least. (Richard Dawkins, 2006)
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13796
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While I understand how my comments could be mistaken for bashing, they are not.
Jordan has asked, quite reasonably, for thoughts on improving membership and attracting members. We've now found out what happens at a meeting. A little levity is not inappropriate, and the meetings do not look particularly exciting. I would run like hell from such a gathering.
Jordan has done some awesome work in creating this thing at all. It's important not to lose sight of that. And he wants to make it better. It's vital not to lose sight of that. What he has started is a great start, a foundation. It is present, and, unless it fails, cannot be taken away.
He's wiser than many folk. He sees that he is standing too close to what was his baby to see what needs help clearly. He sees THAT it needs help but can;t yet see what to do to make it better. That's fine.
One of the things we have done looks negative. It shows him that the current format is unattractive. That's the FORMAT, not the concept. And changing the format requires two things:
1) Ideas
2) The school allowing the format to change
At present the format is comfy for the school. It creates a self ghettoised group of gay kids out of the way of trouble, and it meets the needs of first amendment free speech.
What we need to give him are ideas that are not gay nor str8 ideas, but ideas that show the community how gay and str8 kids work in harmony to achieve something special (and I know that ANY group of kids could achieve this, that IS the whole point). And ideas that ensure that orientation is not the issue.
Certainly part of a meeting, but not every meeting, could handle school issues where attitudes need to be influenced. But this should not be a major goal of the alliance.
Alliances group together against something. Allies are allies against a current or future oppressor. Allies do things together.
Jordan has put the ball in my court (not got to that post yet, I may even have answered it here) to give him ideas. I'm challenging us all to give him ideas, and I'm challenging him to implement some of the best.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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Michael makes a good point about knowing a bit more about what your GSA is "for". So some of these comments are going to be pretty general and may not apply.
First meeting of the year? Yes, you'll probably have formal stuff that has to be done, but it's a bit of a turn-off for new people. Keep it very short ... and outline how long the meeting will be and the way you're going to structure it in two sentences!
You, the president and the committee are the hosts - it's up to you to make everyone else feel welcome and cherished. Watch out for scared people on the fringes ... YOU (collectively) have to make sure there are clear ground-rules and a clear feeling of it being a "safe space"
"Icebreaker" activities at the start of a meeting are a bit of a cliche, but they can help. You probably want one centred around the theme of "trust" or "diversity". Google is your friend here - but you could try "the company you keep" from http://lessonplans.btskinner.com/iceteam.html for example.
The membership have to own and direct the club - but probably won't be in a position to contribute to activity ideas right from the first meeting. So have an assortment of "possible" things lined up and see what people like, what they are prepared to join in on, and what they are prepared to work at. And if anyone has any extra ideas, add them to the list!
World AIDS day is 1st December. Will you be doing anything for it? remember that HIV affects gay and straight, old and young. What ideas can your group come up with/ can you buy ribbons, will you have to order them, can you make/sell them?
Resources that I'm sure you investigated when setting out the club, but might not spring to mind at once, include http://www.gsanetwork.org/resources/activities.html and the rest of the pages on that site, and http://www.glsen.org/binary-data/GLSEN_ATTACHMENTS/file/000/000/978-1.pdf and the some other stuff on that site.
Some/many of these may not be appropriate: I've never run a GSA (though I have served on the committee for both a GaySoc and for a student advice/help phoneline ... both nearly 3 decades ago and I know that things change!). But if the GSA builds up any kind of head of steam, the problem ought to be keeping focussed on a few good ideas that everyone is into, 'cos exciting new ideas will keep cropping up and it's difficult not to get diverted.
This isn't a list of things you ought to do. It's a kick-off for a brainstorming session for you, your friends, and the committee of the GSA. Hope it helps.
NW
"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. ... Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night devoid of stars." Martin Luther King
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Morning all...
5:54 am
I wish i had our mission statement but since my computer crashed most recently I lost everything, it is backed up on the school system which doesnt open till sept 2nd however
As I see it now we are a support group for people
on that subject what i wanted to do is actually see if i could form a sub committee for the sole purpose of a support group for anyone's issues{example: suicide, depression, just wanting to vent in secrecy}
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13796
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If you were just a support group, and support is a part of your function, you would be called "Gay Support Group" (or GLBT etc).
But you are an Alliance of Gay and Straight people. That is not a support group. That is a thing which goes out and does things, big things, as an alliance.
Have a sub-group with pleasure that is a support group. That is excellent. Just make sure that support is not the whole group's main function.
What do the other members of the committee think?
[Updated on: Sun, 31 August 2008 10:11]
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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last year we did sell baked goods which we made{made like 80 USD in two days
plus whatever we had from a "donation drive"
Ive had alot of ideas over the summer that I cant solely just carry out i need group input and that will come september 2nd
we are fine financially something like 246 dollars
our problem is how the hell to use it...
I have an idea to put on a play{which was written by a friend in England}
I've badgered the administration over an open forum for us to talk to people and their parents{so far denied}
We {the club} are part of Ally week October 13 – 17, 2008
and what we are doing there is having people sign a petitionagreeing not to discriminate and to intervene where discrimination is present
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13796
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What are you allowed to do with the money you have in the bank? Can you use it in the community or must you use it for direct benefit of the membership?
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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the money is whatever we want it to go towards...
our open house last year we had pizza and cookies and snacks{we dont usually do that}
drew 40 people and some were faculty and they grilled me on who we are what we're doing here to learn for themselves...
Again timmy these are just ideas that i've had and bounced off my teacher advisor...
nothing has gone by other members because we havent been in school yet
I think however it is time that we start having snacks with a meeting
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marc
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Needs to get a life! |
Registered: March 2003
Messages: 4729
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No one else?
It seems you've been doing selective reading.
Life is great for me... Most of the time... But then I meet people online... Very few are real friends... Many say they are but know nothing of what it means... Some say they are, but are so shallow...
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Marc wrote:
No one else? It seems you've been doing selective reading.
Don't you just wish.
J F R
The paradox has often been noted that the United States, founded in secularism, is now the most religiose country in Christendom, while England, with an established church headed by its constitutional monarch, is among the least. (Richard Dawkins, 2006)
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marc
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Needs to get a life! |
Registered: March 2003
Messages: 4729
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Now that sounds like a challenge to me...
Life is great for me... Most of the time... But then I meet people online... Very few are real friends... Many say they are but know nothing of what it means... Some say they are, but are so shallow...
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Re: GSA membership boost? 
