chat on Saturday?

[janice]

Hey, do you guys want to chat (via AIM) this Saturday?  How does 11am CST sound? (that means the same time as last week.  It worked out well for most, but not all )So that would be 5pm GMT, right?

[bitus]

Saturday is good.

I think i'm not the only one who would suggest that our "chats" should be more organized as far as topic goes. Many people have a busy schedule and it's really cool to have everybody together; we should take advantage and talk about piano-related stuff. I'm a big fan of religious debates, but during a chat session, they are a "waste of time" in many people's oppinion, and i'm starting to agree with them
So... how about a piano-related topic? For example... a lot of people were mentioning Janice's chili... how about a relationship between chili, music and fries?!  
I'm lacking inspiration now, but i'll think of one by tomorrow...
Just wondering,
The Bitus.

[janice]

That's a great idea, Bitus!  How about if people throw out ideas and list what piano-related chat topics you would like to discuss.  And then we can pick one a week (assuming that we will chat once a week).  You are correct, Bitus--we need to take advantage of time.  So......what do the rest of you think?  Also, shall we chat at 5pm GMT again?  (In the US, that would be noon Eastern time, 11 central, etc)

PS--Due to popular demand, I will provide the chili!!

[Peachy_Keen]

That's a great idea, Bitus!  How about if people throw out ideas and list what piano-related chat topics you would like to discuss.  And then we can pick one a week (assuming that we will chat once a week).  You are correct, Bitus--we need to take advantage of time.  So......what do the rest of you think?  Also, shall we chat at 5pm GMT again?  (In the US, that would be noon Eastern time, 11 central, etc)

PS--Due to popular demand, I will provide the chili!!

I would like to exchange chili recipes. As far as topics go, maybe we could talk about modern advances in car wash technology (as you can see I don't have any inspiration either!).

Sorry I couldn't make it to the last chat, something urgent came up. I'll be able to make it this Saturday.  

[janice]

so what should our topic be on saturday chat?  Do I have everyone's AIM screen names?  Due to popular demand, I will provide the chili!  LOL

[Tash]

oh boo again that's my 2am isn't it? stupid time differences. i would come but that'd be like goodbye to me sleeping at all and my parents would be like what the h*ll are you doing so have fun without me

[janice]

 Sorry!! I feel bad!  We need to come up with TWO times, maybe.  We could think about that for next time

[janice]

So who is going to be there on Saturday morning?  11 Central/noon Eastern, etc.  Is there a chance that we can make it a half-hour LATER than last week? So then the time would be 11:30am Central/12:30pm Eastern.  That would help me out alot.  Saturn, you get an extra half-hour or sleep (yippee skippy!) so maybe you could join us?? (hopefully)

Also,  what should our topic be? Let's have some discussion here!!  There is a little over 24 hours until chat, and we should throw out ideas here so people can plan their day (Bernie, you coming again?)

[Spatula]

Sorry, I'm out chasing the bulls.
Maybe next time when the office quites down.

[bernhard]

I would like to exchange chili recipes. As far as topics go, maybe we could talk about modern advances in car wash technology (as you can see I don't have any inspiration either!).

Sorry I couldn't make it to the last chat, something urgent came up. I'll be able to make it this Saturday.  

Dropped the chili in the car again?

Here is a subject: Do you think the song/piece situation has visibly deteriorated since Ed left the forum?

[bernhard]

 Sorry!! I feel bad!  We need to come up with TWO times, maybe.  We could think about that for next time

What is wrong with 9pm (GMT)? This would mean 7am for Tash. Anytime between 3pm – 11 pm (GMT) is fine with me.

[Bob]

Possible topics?

Your Top 5 ____________
    - strengths and weaknesses maybe?

Challenges you face in your playing


Something everyone could get/give advice on, something useful to everyone

Favorite piece?  Favorite composer?

How to prepare a piece of music

Discussing a certain piece of music -- But, is there a way everyone could view/hear something online (legally)?


Something that everyone, novice to expert, could get something from and feel comfortable contributing to

[janice]

Here is a subject: Do you think the song/piece situation has visibly deteriorated since Ed left the forum?

What makes you think that Ed left?

[janice]

How to prepare a piece of music

YES!!!!  Do you guys have a certain "routine" that you have? Do you play it straight thru for a few weeks first, THEN tackle problem spots?  Anybody ever memorize the piece BEFORE learning it?  These are ideas to talk about.

[Saturn]

So who is going to be there on Saturday morning?  11 Central/noon Eastern, etc.  Is there a chance that we can make it a half-hour LATER than last week? So then the time would be 11:30am Central/12:30pm Eastern.  That would help me out alot.  Saturn, you get an extra half-hour or sleep (yippee skippy!) so maybe you could join us?? (hopefully)

Also,  what should our topic be? Let's have some discussion here!!  There is a little over 24 hours until chat, and we should throw out ideas here so people can plan their day (Bernie, you coming again?)

Hmm, I'll be there if I'm awake.  6:30 am is still early for me (I'm a late sleeper).  Thanks for being accommodating though!

As for topics, we should try to stay away from things that have been discussed a thousand times on the forum.  If we run out of topics, we could always log on to yahoo and play scrabble!

- Saturn

[janice]

Ok, since it is now 8:30 on Friday nite as I am writing this, I think that we should go ahead and have chat tomorrow at noon EST/11am CST, etc.  That would be 5pm GMT.  Althought this is difficult for the Australians, like Tash, and also for Saturn, let's post ideas this week for a time that would be better for you guys.  Maybe we could alternate on every other Saturday--so that tomorrow would be the noon EST/11amCST, etc. time, and the following week we could do a time that is more accommodating to those who dont live in the US (or far corners of US).  What do you think?

[f0bul0us]

Comme Le Vent is the reason Ed's not here!  

[Tash]

What is wrong with 9pm (GMT)? This would mean 7am for Tash. Anytime between 3pm – 11 pm (GMT) is fine with me.

yeah i can do 7am it'll help me to start waking up early in preperation for the uni semester about to start!

[donjuan]

well janice, what is the time?  its coming down to the wire...

(oh, and give it in CST please...)
donjuan

[janice]

well janice, what is the time?  its coming down to the wire...

(oh, and give it in CST please...)
donjuan

Saturday 11amCST

[Motrax]

AIM is screwing up! After lots of problems, blah blah blah, I'm using a different screen name:

SirMotrax2021

I don't have a buddy list, so please IM me so please invite me into the chat! Thanks.

[janice]

Chat was great this morning!  Ok, we need a whole week here to work this out--some forum members are unintentionally excluded from the chat, due to time zone difference.  This is a problem, because we would all love to have you at chat but it just doesn't seem possible if we keep the Saturday 11am(CST) time.  So.....I thought maybe we could do this--we could alternate weeks.  On one Saturday, we could do the 11amCST time, and the following week, set a time that would be convenient for the Europeans and Australians.  If you can come to BOTH, that would be great!  The downside of this is that if you can only make one of those times, you would only be able to chat every other week.  

Did I just make sense?

Feedback!!

[Shagdac]

Yes, you made sense!
I think that is only fair. We did have fun this morning!!!
But everyone should have a chance to participate. Unless someone has a better suggestion, I think that is fine.

S

[janice]

Oh, I totally forgot to bring my chili!  Next time!

[nerd]

But everyone should have a chance to participate. Unless someone has a better suggestion, I think that is fine.

Well, IRC doesn't solve these problems, but it makes them less limiting; mainly because it doesn't require inviting and it's open 24/7 (if the server isn't down, which rarely happens). So, give it a try. It's just as easy as AIM, maybe even easier. Read my instructions. They might look complicated at the first glance because they're a bit long but they are long only because I wanted to make them as clear as possible.

--
DDN

[Tash]

what bernhard before- 9pm GMT time so it's 7am for me and then it's 10pm in london (BST) and 5pm EST.

[bernhard]

If the chat is anytime between 3pm and 11pm GMT (forum clock), I will be there.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[janice]

Let's have 2 chats (for now).  Let's keep the 11am (CST) one (the same time that we have had for the last 2 or 3 times).  Then, let's have one at a different time, like maybe 8 hours later(or whatever) so that Tash and Saturn and some of the others can come.  Maybe some of us can go to both.  I'll let you guys figure that out, ok?  So Tash, how about if you pick times(on Saturday probably) that are good for you, post them and make sure you post in GMT.  This might take all week to figure out, so why don't you post today!

OR......would you guys want to alternate between two times on Saturday?  Meaning, that the group that chatted last Saturday, wouldn't be able to chat again for 2 weeks .  We can alternate weekly between the 11amCST time and the time that Tash and Saturn pick.  What does everyone want to do?

[Tash]

9pm GST! make me wake up at 7 so then i can get used to having to wake up for uni soon or i won't make it to my 9am lectures!

[janice]

Tash, you probably meant GMT rather than GST, right?  How do the rest of you want to work this?  Shall we keep the Saturday 11amCST chat (on a saturday), and then the following week maybe hold it on Friday nite (Tash, you were able to make those first ones we had), or shall we have two in one week (Friday nite and Sat morn) and people can pick what is best.  What do you guys wanna do?  Saturn, you were also able to make those first couple (Friday nites).  What do you think?

[Tash]

oh yeah GMT i'm thinking about the wrong thing lol. yeah your friday nights were fine for me

[Saturn]

Tash, you probably meant GMT rather than GST, right?  How do the rest of you want to work this?  Shall we keep the Saturday 11amCST chat (on a saturday), and then the following week maybe hold it on Friday nite (Tash, you were able to make those first ones we had), or shall we have two in one week (Friday nite and Sat morn) and people can pick what is best.  What do you guys wanna do?  Saturn, you were also able to make those first couple (Friday nites).  What do you think?

I think the time that tash suggested (9 PM GMT) would work fine for me.

Friday night would be okay.  But if you have a chat on Saturday morning, and the next week have one on Friday night, then the people who can't make it to both will only get to chat once every two weeks.  That might suck for them.

How many other people would come to a Friday night chat, besides Tash and me?

- Saturn

[janice]

I think the time that tash suggested (9 PM GMT) would work fine for me.

Friday night would be okay.  But if you have a chat on Saturday morning, and the next week have one on Friday night, then the people who can't make it to both will only get to chat once every two weeks.  That might suck for them.

How many other people would come to a Friday night chat, besides Tash and me?

- Saturn

Ok, let's go back to having the Friday nite chat (9pmCST) and then on the following morning, have the 11mCST one that we have had for the last few weeks.  So that would be two chats a week. Because you are right, it would suck to have to wait two weeks(if we alternated the chat time every week).  Plus we had quite a few at the Friday nite one to begin with, and I bet that they would eventually come back to that also.  Like I said, people can come to both, if they want!

[janice]

ok,we have two issues that need to be addressed:  1) what is our topic of the week?  2) are we going to have 2 chat times, then? One being the original time of Fri nite at 9pmCST and the other being the more recent chat time of Saturday morn at 11CST.

Feedback!!!

Also, does anybody want to join the chat who hasn't been chatting previously?  If so, please send me your AIM screen name.  I already got one new one, but that person has never logged on, or else has IMs blocked.

[Tash]

agh now i can't remember if that's 11am or 12pm saturday (on your friday nights) for me! can you remember which one it was janice?

chat topics ahhh i dunno what has already been discussed...

[goalevan]

how we prepare pieces would be an interesting topic.

[janice]

it seems like we've touched on that a little bit the last couple of chats.  maybe it was just a few people who were discussing it, because there are always several conversations going on at the same time (just like a literal room-full of people).  This is sorta the same idea--if we all talk about what we are working on right now and ask advice from the others (what do u guys think?)

So there are two chats: Friday nite at 9CST and Saturday morning at 11CST, which is always (-6 hours from the forum clock, which is set at GMT).  Try to come to both if you can!  Even if you can't sit in front of your puter for the entire chat, log in anyway and join us!  Again, it's on AIM.  All you need to do is send me your AIM screen name via private message here at the forum.  And then make sure that you are logged into AIM at chattime.

[janice]

agh now i can't remember if that's 11am or 12pm saturday (on your friday nights) for me! can you remember which one it was janice?

chat topics ahhh i dunno what has already been discussed...

I think that I'm a little unclear on your question, Tash.  Sorry! The forum  clock is 6 hours ahead of me (I'm in CST), if that helps.  I guess better early than late!  So why dont you check in at your 11amSaturday--if I'm understanding you correctly--and see who is on.  Sorry I can't be of more help.

[Tash]

it's ok i think it's 12 cos i remember i had just done a piano prac before it and was eating lunch. cool talk to you then!!

[janice]

here it is folks.  chat times this weekend are:


Friday nite--9pm(CST--US)
Saturday morning--11am(CST--US)

See you there!

[Bob]

We could have someone be the moderator for the chat.  Change topics every 20-30 minutes.  That would mean more work from one person though.

[squinchy]

Question: How long do chats usually last? If they last longer than 2 hours (which I doubt, unfortunately), I might be able to come at the end of the Saturday chats; My piano lesson is at  the same time (12 EST or 11 CST) and I get back from it usually around 1:30.

Otherwise, I shall try to be at the Friday night ones. Will we ever have ones earlier in the evening?

[janice]

Question: How long do chats usually last? If they last longer than 2 hours (which I doubt, unfortunately), I might be able to come at the end of the Saturday chats; My piano lesson is at  the same time (12 EST or 11 CST) and I get back from it usually around 1:30.

Otherwise, I shall try to be at the Friday night ones. Will we ever have ones earlier in the evening?

Saturday chats have been lasting more than 2 hours!  So try and see if we are still there!  I'm not sure if we are going to chat at an earlier time on Fri nite or not.  Tash, you will have to answer that, because I always get confused when I think about what time it is in Australia--lol.

[Tash]

yes earlier is totally fine- you can go as early as 4hrs before the set time that we normally do (that's 10pm for you isn't it janice?) so anytime after 6pm EST, but then i guess you're all having dinner sometime around/after that, so even like 2hrs after that, like 8pm EST? that's 10am for me so that is perfectly fine on this side of the world

[Tash]

oh something i forgot to mention, can we please switch to MSN cos AIM is crazy, not seeing other people and all that blah. that was nuts. and msn you get to choose your own coloured writing so you don't have to be bright yellow!!! haha if you don't have msn, then go to www.msn.com and click on 'messenger' and you can download it from there. we just have to get everyone's email, net passport thingy's, but we could start on AIM and get all that info there and then switch, provided everyone has msn as well...just a suggestion...

[janice]

yes earlier is totally fine- you can go as early as 4hrs before the set time that we normally do (that's 10pm for you isn't it janice?) so anytime after 6pm EST, but then i guess you're all having dinner sometime around/after that, so even like 2hrs after that, like 8pm EST? that's 10am for me so that is perfectly fine on this side of the world

I'm an hour behind EST, I'm in CST, so I am 6 hours behind the forum clock (-6GMT). Tash, I'm still confused on what time it is in Australia.  Look up at the top of this thing. How many hours difference is your time compared to the time here (which is set at GMT).  Make sure you take note of what day it says it is, so you know if it is a + or a - however many hours.  Maybe you and I should private message each other to get this figured out.

[Tash]

ok well i changed the clock time in the forum for me so it reads sydney time instead of GMT so that's no help! but in order to see time differences, when we chatted on your friday night at 9CST it was saturday 12pm so i'm 15hrs ahead of you.

[janice]

ok well i changed the clock time in the forum for me so it reads sydney time instead of GMT so that's no help! but in order to see time differences, when we chatted on your friday night at 9CST it was saturday 12pm so i'm 15hrs ahead of you.

Thanks, that helps!  Maybe we should keep chat times the same.  Unfortunately, there is not way that EVERYONE will be able to get together at the same time, because somebody will have to get up in the middle of the night!  LOL  So what does everyone think about keeping the times the same?(at least for now)

Friday nite at 9:00pm (CST--USA)
Saturday at 11:00am(CST--USA)

If you would like to participate in these chats, send me your screen name for AIM via private message here at the forum, and I will add you to the list.

Is there any feedback out there?