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IHEN Wednesday Brunch CHAT LOG 030813 11:00am

[This is a raw copy chat log from the IHEN Wednesday Brunch Chat with
IHEN.org Web Project Coordinator, Benjamin (Ben) Bennett. Copyright (c)2003,
Indiana Home Educators' Network, All Rights Reserved. This is an
unedited document.]

[Pam] I can't believe I remembered!

[B. Bennett] Where's the crowd?

[Ang] Good morning, Benjamin

[B. Bennett] LOL

[Ang] doesn't the old saying go, "Two's company...three's a crowd?"

[B. Bennett] You guys been talking behind my back? My ears were
burning.

[B. Bennett] ;-0

[Ang] 3 people...sounds like a crowd to me...lol

[Ang] nope, sorry, maybe you need some q-tips?

[Pam] okay, so I'm not quite awake yet

[B. Bennett] Like an old show from the 80's

[B. Bennett] Oh well... here's the situation...

[B. Bennett] Got the kids playing on the trampoline out back...

[Ang] not quite awake yet, eh? can't offer you any coffee, but I've
got some great brownies :)

[B. Bennett] Got Jennifer grouching in the swing set next to me...

[B. Bennett] we'll see how this goes.

[Ang] where's Batman?

[B. Bennett] I was thinking about calling Lora Miller to invite her
to this chat, then invite her to be a guest... but didn't get to it.

[Ang] well, if you get in touch with her & schedule her...

[Pam] Pam: This is my 1st chat. Your names appear on my screen, but
mine doesn't. Should I be doing something differently?

[Ang] let me know & I'll swing around to all the libraries around
here to promote

[B. Bennett] I'll bet she didn't want to get any of the spotlight...
setting Robin out on his own to fly ... or die...

[B. Bennett] :-)

[Ang] no, Pam...it's that way so you can tell your posts from ours :)

[Ang] I'm still recovering from staying up all night watching the
meteors

[Ang] *yawn*

[B. Bennett] Hey Pam... you want to ask the questions about IHEN that
everyone wants to know... so they can read this later?

[B. Bennett] You can be my FAQ contributor for this chat.

[Ang] I have a question...

[B. Bennett] Hit me

[Ang] now that Rebecca's gone, are we giving up on her science fair
idea?

[B. Bennett] I haven't heard of it since she first proposed it. Maybe
we should ask. You want to?

[Ang] um...er...well, I guess I could do that

[B. Bennett] Just send her e-mail and ask if she's dropping out of
all stuff, or just IHEN stuff, then what happened to the fair.

[Pam] Well, you might explain some of the volunteer positions at IHEN.

[Ang] okay...I'll try to do that later today

[B. Bennett] What's open, or what certain people do?

[Pam] yes, I'm new to hsing, don't have alot of money to donate, so
what can I do?

[B. Bennett] If you think you have some tim to devote to
corresponding with other Web Project Volunteers, then joining the
Web Project list is the first thing.

[B. Bennett] IHEN-Org-Subscribe@yahoogroups.com

[Pam] Okay, explain what a Web Project is, please :)

[B. Bennett] You will be sent a short questionaire (sp) from Deb
Harbeson, asking how you would like to help, among other things.

[Pam] Sorry if I seem distracted, I'm at work and am being interupted.

[B. Bennett] The Web Project idea came about after we decided that
making IHEN a membership organization would take up too much...

[Ang] yes, Ben...how do you explain what "web project" means...

[B. Bennett] energy from too many people... and we don't have that
many people.

[Ang] ooooh...a multitasker

[Pam] aren't all moms (& some dads) multi-taskers?

[Ang] lol...I suppose, some are much better at it than others...lol

[B. Bennett] I used to be a production coordinator for photo studios
in Chicago, in life BC (Before Children)... and we decided that
approaching this idea from a production angle, might be better
for getting things done.

[Ang] when folks ask me what in the world "web project" means, I
usually tell them we do everything over the 'Net

[B. Bennett] In other words, I help coordinate and communicate the
ideas that need to be done, to keep people Helping Hoosiers
Homeschool.

[Pam] well, what kinds of things do you do...

[B. Bennett] Helping Hoosiers Homeschool is the total motto of IHEN
by the way.

[Pam] I know you have speakers, but what else?

[B. Bennett] Ang... that's another point. EVERYTHING you see today
that's IHEN... was done totally ONLINE and without personal contact
for the most part.

[B. Bennett] this is a unique aspect of the project.

[Ang] what else...let's see...there's the Web site, the
IndianaHomeschoolers list...

[B. Bennett] I also like to jokingly say that, "We've been Helping
Hoosiers Homeschool since the turn of the Century!" :-)

[Ang] County Contacts...the newsletter...

[B. Bennett] Ang is my spokesperson. LOL! Yes, all those things.

[Ang] there was some talk about trying to get a statewide science
fair (could use some help getting that together) ..

[B. Bennett] What really happens, is that either Jane Casey, or Deb
Harbeson or myself get an idea that we think...

[B. Bennett] IndianaHomeschoolers would like, or something that would
help new homeschoolers, then we try to...

[B. Bennett] impliment that idea, either using the web site, or the
IndianaHomeschoolers list, or both.

[Ang] and that's where the volunteers come into play

[Ang] for instance, we're trying to design our own T-shirts, bumper
stickers, etc...

[Pam] Seems like we get a lot of questions from new hsers about
curriculum ...

[Ang] we're all tossing ideas around, some are doing the
designing...etc.

[Pam] does the IHEN website discuss this at all?

[Pam] My memory is very short lol

[B. Bennett] Curricula? Not the website per se... but the
IndianaHomeschoolers list does.

[Ang] not yet, but I think that a section with curriclum reviews
would benefit many...

[Ang] and that would be another area someone could volunteer to help
with

[B. Bennett] The site has a FORUM component that's available for
specific topics, but it's seldom used.

[B. Bennett] http://www.ihen.org/forum

[Pam] I know there are emails in the archives, but a link to some
specifics might be nice

[B. Bennett] Yes... this is one of the major reasons for the Web
Project. To archive and put together information that is...

[B. Bennett] published on the IndianaHomeschoolers list, but tends to
get lost in the ether once posted.

[Ang] hmm...Pam's giving me an idea...

[Pam] uh oh

[B. Bennett] A web site is good for archiving ideas, threads, links,
etc. so they can be searched or accessed later.

[Ang] but it probably would've been better a month or two ago

[B. Bennett] Back to the Web Project Volunteers list....

[Ang] since it is the beginning of many hsers school years, either in
the newsletter or on the site somewhere...

[B. Bennett] it was once called the ORG list, for Organizational
Committee. It is a WORKING list which means...

[Ang] we should have put up some information about particular
curricula

[B. Bennett] that everyone is expected to contribute at LEAST posts
of comments or ideas that forward the project.

[B. Bennett] It's from there that we find volunteers for various
projects, lIke Ang mentioned, graphics, design, web site
content ideas...

[B. Bennett] That is the beginning level of participation in the Web
Project and it's open to everyone who can spare the time.

[Ang] or the sanity...LOL

[B. Bennett] Time, by the way, is the big factor that causes a large
turnover rate, I'm afraid.

[B. Bennett] It's why things seem to go so slow sometimes.

[B. Bennett] Curricula rating is a tough cat to corral.

[Ang] true, whatever happened to the product testing that was
mentioned earlier this year?

[B. Bennett] CONTENT is the oxygen of web developers, and providing
content seems to be the last thing people think they can do.

[Ang] and it wouldn't be rating so much as people who have used the
curricula giving their opinions & tips

[B. Bennett] Some of that happens on the IndianaHomeschoolers list.

[Ang] for those lucky stiffs who get their posts answered :(

[B. Bennett] What might be a good volunteer position would be for
someone to scan the list every day, and kind of make...

[B. Bennett] news clips and catagorize them by topic for the web
editor.

[B. Bennett] For example: When someone writes in something nice about
the project or the list...

[B. Bennett] the list monitor would clip out that post, clean it up a
little, and forward it to the site editor for...

[B. Bennett] inclusion in a "what people say about us" page, or
promotion. Maybe for inclusion in the newsletter if it relates to the
newsletter.

[Ang] and, of course, Ben is always looking for folks to "adopt" an
area of the Web site & develop content

[Pam] Isn't that what Deb H does, to a degree?

[B. Bennett] That goes the same for links, thoughts about curricula,
etc.

[B. Bennett] No. Deb does not "monitor" the list. She "manages" it,
approving subscribers, moderating newbies so we don't get
porn spam... etc.

[Pam] ah...

[B. Bennett] She also does the same for the Web Project (Org) list.
] She also is "owner" of all the other IHEN related lists. As is Jane
Casey.

[Ang] well, she does sort of...she kind of keeps track of interesting
threads for inclusion in the newsletter, doesn't she?

[Ang] or did she find someone to finally take that over?

[B. Bennett] Oh! Yes. That she does for the newsletter, but that's a
different kind of "chunking" process, and she doesn't have time to...

[Pam] That was my thought, Ang

[B. Bennett] monitor and parce the list every day.

[Ang] yes, but Ben is looking for positive little comments folks
might make about the e-list of the Web site...

[B. Bennett] And that info stays on the newsletter, and the links are
only available by going to the specific posts on the list.

[Ang] to collect & stick up somewhere

[B. Bennett] Of course... you have to be a subscriber to
IndianaHomeschoolers to see the archives. :-)

[Pam] how about a group of students doing that as part of their
English/Lang Art credit?

[Ang] I'm wondering...if we were to use someone's comment, would we
need their permission to post it on the site?

[B. Bennett] Hmmmmmm. Maybe as an "internish" project.

[Pam] of course ,the student monitors would need to be monitored lol

[B. Bennett] It's my policy to ask permission for everything that
gets used for a different purpose... this is why it's hard to find
help. They'd have to do a little more leg work than cut and
pasting. ...

[B. Bennett] That said ...

[Pam] Is there a general "permission to use posts" as part of the
sign up process?

[B. Bennett] It should be generally known that any post to a PUBLIC
discussion list, is like talking in public where...

[B. Bennett] EVERYONE definately hears your words (reads them
actually) and once it's out there, they can be used.

[B. Bennett] If one worries about their words being used out of
context, then they need to include a copyright symbol with every
post.

[B. Bennett] I know of people who do that. But they're professional
writers, and it makes sense to do that.

[Ang] LOL...hmm

[B. Bennett] There is no fine print regarding public posting for
several reasons. A couple of them are:

[B. Bennett] Most people don't read the fine print anyway, and if
they are inclined to get ticked... they'll dispute the fine print
and sue you anyway.

[Ang] sue!? in this country?! surely you jest...lol

[B. Bennett] My policy of asking first when at all possible
precludes confusion. If someone gets testy about their words,
I say, "Fine. Later."

[B. Bennett] I don't have time for attitude. :-)

[B. Bennett] If someone doesn't want their words "out there" then
they shouldn't be posting to a public discussion list.

[Pam] but Ben, last week about this time, weren't you lounging aroung
in your pjs?

[Ang] ROFL

[B. Bennett] Who said that? ;-) Show me the text.... I could certinly
dispute that... LOL!

[B. Bennett] Yes. I was... or rather... I "said" I was. No one really
knows for sure.

[Ang] and I quote..."everyday is pj day in our house"

[B. Bennett] that's the amazing yet frustrating thing about online
communications, of which I'm becoming an expert -- autodidacticly of
course.

[B. Bennett] Ask Ang about "alias'" in the chat room sometime.... ;-)

[Pam] I stay out of chat rooms. lol

[B. Bennett] Except this one... of course.

[Pam] well, I've been pretty successful at staying out of this one,
cuz I usually forget :)

[B. Bennett] Just like anything, they can be used for good, and for
evil. Mostly, they're just a waste of time...

[Ang] LOL

[B. Bennett] except this one, of course.

[B. Bennett] Well, for people like you, we're logging these chats for
those who are interested in NOT PARTICIPATING but fear missing something
just the same. ;-)

[Ang] so, Pam...did Ben manage to clear up the IHEN mystery for you
or are you now completely confused?

[Ang] I wonder how many folks are unable to participate because of
the Java factor

[B. Bennett] 11:47am - Pay no attention to the timer... I put that in
the log for my own reasons.... -the man behind the curtain.

[Ang] you mean the man behind the polyester

[B. Bennett] Java is pretty ubiquitous. I think it's more likely the
"time" and little promotion factor.

[B. Bennett] Yeah, the polyester. See? People are missing all kinds
of inside jokes because they miss these chats!

[B. Bennett] Anyway... there were several people interested in
reading the logs from Gary Mason's chat...

[Ang] yes, inside jokes & mental pictures that might scar them for
life...LOL

[B. Bennett] And putting them on the site (maybe today?) will be a
service that we Web Project Volunteers would says is Helping
Hoosiers Homeschool.

[Ang] yes, the one chat that no one had a full log for...there was a
whole slew of info that never got logged!

[B. Bennett] I haven't had time to scan my computer... I just may
have it somewhere. Sherlock on a Mac... awesome.

[B. Bennett] Just havent' gotten to it but will try today if kids
allow.

[B. Bennett] Any more questions? This is good.

[Ang] if you're Sherlock on a Mac, does that make you a
"Holmes-schooler?"...hehehehe

[Ang] yeah...where in the world is Miss Jane Casey?

[Wed Aug 13 16:52:53 GMT 2003] Debbie Harbeson: Hourglass (I wish)

[B. Bennett] Ugh..... good one. jane is out of town for awhile.

[B. Bennett] I gave her some "instructions" to write something
though. Homework.   

[Ang] greetings, Batman

[Debbie Harbeson] Hi, guys and girls

[Ang] well, that figures

[B. Bennett] Hey Deb! You missed some great questions.

[B. Bennett] Log looks good so far though.

[Debbie Harbeson] Rats

[Ang] and some great puns

[Pam] I'm back. Had another question.

[B. Bennett] go

[Pam] Ben did answer some questions

[Pam] I guess the first step in answering that survey

[B. Bennett] Ready for more... kids are quiet... too quiet, so I can
go longer.

[B. Bennett] survey?

[Pam] 1st step IS answering the survey... I need typing remediation
lol

[Ang] LOL

[B. Bennett] the one when you join the Web Project list?

[Ang] the survey folks get when they join the Org list

[Pam] questionaire from Deb

[B. Bennett] Ah... Well Deb is now here, and she's the one that sends
that out. All you have to do is subscribe, and she knows you're
interested...

[B. Bennett] then she sends it, then you reply.

[Debbie Harbeson] ooooh, we have someone interested in helping IHEN?

[Pam] did I say that? lol

[B. Bennett] I have to admit, that one reason we do that is to see if
people are really interested in helping out...

[B. Bennett] if they can't send an e-mail reply... then they would
likely be dissapointed with the Web Project lis.

[B. Bennett] lsit

[B. Bennett] list

[B. Bennett] geeze

[Pam] it's a matter of time and priorities as far as helping

[Debbie Harbeson] Pam, we need a good typist for IHEN as you can see

[Ang] ROFL

[B. Bennett] And we have realized that over the years.

[Pam] Ben, when I 'm done with my typing remediation book, I'll
forward it to you :)

[B. Bennett] I think many people think we get mad at people who think
they can help, but then can't and don't.

[Ang] then I'll have nothing to bug him about :(

[Debbie Harbeson] wow, it's working you spelled remediation perfectly
:)

[Pam] lol

[B. Bennett] that's not true. It's only frustrating for all concerned,
which is why we try to doublecheck that people can really help.

[Pam] if only things could stay that way

[Ang] and it's not like Ben's asking for much...what is it, 1 or 2
posts a month?

[B. Bennett] Organizing online is not the easiest thing to do. But
we're on the leading edge of this trend. It hurts on the edge.

[Pam] Well, Deb I guess I'm ready for the questionaire

[B. Bennett] Yes. We just want to know you're there, thinking about
how to help IHEN grow, and not just lurking to see when and if we're
going to fail.

[Debbie Harbeson] Ok, send an email to subscribe to the org list, and
I'll send it....

[Debbie Harbeson] ben, what's that org list address?

[B. Bennett] Just send an e-mail to
IHEN-Org-subscribe@yahoogroups.com to get the ball rolling.

[Pam] IHEN can't fail. They're my best source of hs info!

[Debbie Harbeson] Pam! You are now the official cheerleader.....

[Debbie Harbeson] we have a cute little uniform and everything

[B. Bennett] SEE! SEE! We need an info chunker to package that up for
me and get it onto the web site so everyone can see how happy Pam is
with us!!

[Pam] no thanks, just spent 2 yrs as hs cheer coach ..

[Pam] I want to stay far away!!

[Debbie Harbeson] well, alright, forget the uniform :)

[Debbie Harbeson] But Ben, you still have to wear the tights :)

[Pam] that would be best for all concerned lol

[Ang] lol

[B. Bennett] That's okay Pam. I was just illustrating how someone can
help, and not really know much about web stuff.

[Pam] that is if we can get him out of the pjs :)

[Debbie Harbeson] At least his pj's have batman and robin on them

[Pam] sponge bob is better :)

[B. Bennett] Uh....Hulk this week.

[Pam] oooohhhh

[B. Bennett] It's still a DC Comics property! So it's cool.

[B. Bennett] Any other technical questions about IHEN or the Web
Project?

[Pam] no, I just learn a little at a time

[Ang] none that I can think of right now

[B. Bennett] How about services? Are you aware of the following?

[B. Bennett] Links Database

[B. Bennett] FAQ's Database

[B. Bennett] Classified Ads pages

[Pam] My computer probs are calling. Bye and see y'all next week! :)

[B. Bennett] Okay....

[Ang] have a good one, Pam :)

[Debbie Harbeson] I have to go too. See ya.

[B. Bennett] Darn... the grilling starts and then the probs call.

[Pam] Thanks.

[B. Bennett] See y'all on the IndianaHomeschoolers list... and thanks
for stopping by.

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Updated: 07-07-09