a thought on responses

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

This is just a thought that I want to see if anyone (or everyone) has an

opinion on: It seems to me, that those of us who've been here for a while,

each with our separate experience of this disease, all respond individually

to each and every one of the newbies who come our way. Our stories get

repeated again and again, and they are all very, very compelling stories.

BUT for me at least, I am realizing that I will eventually get tired of

rerunning with a tiny change in orientation (adjusted for each new person's

new circumstances) and that it takes a lot of time. Perhaps because right

now, I don't have a lot of time because of work, I am feeling this pressure.

I WANT to respond so many times...but I just feel like I just did it last

week! I wonder how many great responders have simply stopped because the

repetition is too much for them.

So here's my thought (all you organized people and professional writers are

you listening???): Could we as a group, with somebody (NOT ME) who might

want to take charge of it, put together a little " manual " of questions with

different people's responses, like a big interview thingy, you know the

kind, where the question is asked and then they have multiple responses from

everybody?--that we could simply call up and re-post again and again as the

'_welcome to the group, here's some stuff to digest, and then come back with

questions_' automatic response to new joiners?

It might just save someone who happens to join at a low moment in group

energy from making quick decisions...and it certainly would have been

something I would have liked to have read, back when I joined. I remember

being quite timid, lurking for a long time trying to get the hang of the

group, before I got courage to speak up and ask questions--and feeling SO

vulnerable when I did (first group I ever joined).

So what do you think, group? Could we do this? Is there someone who wants to

put it together? How would one go about it? And finally, there is a small

thought lurking here that this *might actually be a valuable and

publish-able item down the road*! So the work might get a reward, so to

speak.

Terry