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Congrats Becca; you’ll be at 1,510 in no time! 8)
When people say “I could care less” when they meant “I could NOT care less.”
“I could care less” means you do care.
1. The item that the virtual was highlighting has been moved or is gone
2. The question(s) one must answer can no longer be answered, most likely because of point #1 listed above
3. The area is now off limits/not accessible
4. The CO no longer wishes to receive emails regarding the virtual cacheI don’t send a picture of the log sheet to the CO; but since I take a picture of every cache I find (that’s my way of taking field notes), sometimes the best or only non-spoiler picture I have is of the log sheet. So if that’s the case that’s the one I’ll post! 😉
@Mister Greenthumb wrote:
On occasion? – you have an album full of log photos
Here’s my best log photo…
😆 😆 😆 😆
On occasion I actually post a picture of the log sheet I’ve found (usually when any other picture would be a spoiler) – I’ve noticed that sometimes there are signatures missing when comparing them to the online logs. Maybe signing the log is considered by some to be an ALR. 😉
Although the choice is yours, I would advise for it to be unactivated. That way the prize is something they can keep as an FTF reward, rather than a coin like any other that they have to move along.
@Team Black-Cat wrote:
You can complete the authorization by clicking here, or selecting “GCOAuth” from the Modules menu at the top of the page.
Clicking on the link doesn’t work – it states it’s a restricted area. The Modules menu worked just fine, thanks!
I’ve always believed that the attribute literally means “available in winter” rather than “winter-friendly.” I wish it were the other way around. “Available in winter” might mean it’s buried under the snow, unfortunately. With my own caches, however, I only use the attribute if the cache is winter-friendly, and always hope that others will do the same. I also like to state that it’s winter-friendly in my hint or cache description.
This would perhaps ruffle a few feathers, but I would advocate initially sending a newsletter to all members (probably 1,000+ members) who have not unsubscribed, rather than only to those who have intentionally subscribed. That may be what we did last time, I don’t know.
I recognize that a newsletter may not ever be sent out again – it’s a lot of work, and based on the numbers above there were a lot of people that didn’t read it. But it sounds like some weren’t even aware of it. If newsletters are indeed sent out, here’s what I think can help make it a newsletter that rocks:
– Make it something that is entertaining and of value to the reader (those are two separate things). What benefit is in it for them to read it?
– Make it an engaging (interactive) newsletter, with fun content and links to interact with, or topics with links to reply to. Offering some type of challenge can be fun, and generate buzz among the membership.
– Offer free stuff if people reply (such as a PDF on geocaching tips, or scanned docs of log sheets, a tutorial on whatever, etc.). People respond to free stuff offers (even if it’s already buried somewhere in the WGA site).
– Pictures, puzzles, quiz contests, graphics, riddles, quotes, and jokes can be fun.
– Offer not only news, but relevant educational topics (tips, tutorials)
– Give the readers numerous opportunities to interact/respond (“click here to submit pictures of ___,” “click here to submit a story about ___,” etc.).Essentially it boils down to providing content that people will want to read, or at least skim through. If the content is entertaining and useful, hopefully it will generate buzz and increased awareness of or involvement in the WGA.
If we don’t offer a newsletter as an organization, I’m at peace with that, but thought I’d put this on the table. It might be tough to produce consistent, effective newsletters, and finding a superman or superwoman to produce them is no easy task as well.
Thanks for listening; I think I’m done on the subject!
This message is interactive – here’s a link to click on. See? Isn’t that enticing? 8) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGSPj4CyOMQ
Wow, cool stats!
The following are the newsletter comments from the drivel thread: @hack1of2 wrote:
@Todd300 wrote:
I didn’t want to start a thread but wanted to comment on this from the Candidates Corner…
@hack1of2 wrote:
I was hesitant to present this topic in the Candidates Corner Forum because it restricts who can answer to only those currently running for the BOD positions, but one has to start somewhere.
Why doesn’t the WGA have a newsletter anymore, and what are your thoughts of having one once again? It’s been I think almost a year since last receiving one. I would guess that most of the WGA membership does not frequent the WGA website, and therefore miss out on WGA news and opportunities. I haven’t noticed anyone, including current and the prospective BOD members, address this issue in quite some time. If it wasn’t for receiving the WGA newsletter early in my caching career, I don’t think I would have had much awareness of the WGA and its activities and goals.
I admit that when we did have the e-mail newsletter, I did not subscribe to it so I did not notice it was stopped. Also, I admit not reading any news on the WGA main page though I did read Jim’s latest post on the main page and only because of a Facebook post promoting it.
If a newsletter is considered again, keep in mind there might be others that are like me who basically ignore the newsletter too. Is the effort worth it?
Hell, I don’t even read Groundspeak’s newsletter except to check for upcoming events and new caches.
JMHO.
I’m guessing there’s several hundred members of the WGA, but maybe only 40 or so that actually frequent the WGA website and post messages. (?) How many of those nominal members might have their minds open to new possibilities, an expanded awareness of the whole state rather than their relatively small corner of the state, an appreciation of the WGA organization, if 2 or 4 times/year (or whatever frequency) they received some communication from the WGA regarding events, tips, stories, tutorials, etc. If it is published only 2-4 times/year, it can’t adequately address time-sensitive events as much because the events would potentially have happened before it was sent, but the other items I just mentioned would be a bit less time-sensitive.
I think recently a number of people have been brought into a greater WGA-awareness thanks to FaceBook (Yay Chris), but as social media only reaches a portion of the WGA membership, the newsletter, it seems to me, is the one vehicle that can reach every member. Of course, they may not read it, but just the act of receiving it will hopefully affect some measure of awareness, (cue the inspirational music…) and maybe, just maybe, they’ll eventually read a newsletter and take that next step toward greater involvement. And for those who used to be active in the WGA but have refocused their attention elsewhere, who knows, all it may take is a communication from the WGA to rekindle an interest in an organization that either they lost interest in or thought that the organization lost interest in them.
Some potential topics: Events, tech tips, tutorials, outdoors tips, equipment tips and reviews, photos of unique cache containers, photos of cache experiences, member stories, quotes from member’s logs, GPS news, Groundspeak news, Wisconsin geocaching news, geocaching challenges, member profile, surveys, cache of the month, LCG info, feedback from members section, president’s message, relavent cartoons, editorials, milestones, soundbites (one-sentence zingers), advice column (“ask the board”), historical insights, puzzle solving tip of the month, etc. We’re missing out on so great an opportunity! I wish I had time to help put one together but I’m pretty booked already.
Just my thoughts. 🙂
P.S. – Should this be moved to a new thread?
Thanks we just subscribed too. Charter subscribers get a special reduced rate. One year @9.98 sounds pretty good to me! Since they welcome stories from subscribers, I look forward to seeing Beccaday’s next article (but she has to write one for them first, since she’s already been published in FTF magazine).
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