Mainsheet

Joe,

Please calm down.  I think you've jumped on Sheila too hard, when
she was only trying to help.  Calling her names certainly steps
over the line.  If you go back and reread her message, you'll see
that she had complimentary things to say about you.  Her negative
comments were about the Mainsheet, not you.

I'm sure Sheila understands the difficulty of getting good material
for the Mainsheet.  She also understands the difficulty of getting
the standard articles in on time.  Everyone who's held the office
of Secretary has faced these problems.  Everyone's dealt with them
in their own way, some better than others.  The most recent issue
is, to my mind, rather ho-hum.  Not bad, just not as interesting as
I would expect from you.  I think that's what Sheila's trying to 
say, too.

I certainly understand how a monthly Association job can turn into
a chore, especially when no one seems to offer any words of appreciation
but they do offer criticisms.  I don't have any answer for that; I
deal with it the best I can, but sometimes that's not very well.

In spite of problems and circumstances beyond your control, the format
and contents of the Mainsheet is ultimately the responsibility of the 
Secretary.  Yes, officers will procrastinate and not get their articles
delivered in time.  Leaving the article out, though, should be a very
last resort.  If emailing the offender isn't working, maybe you could
email someone who could call him on the phone.  Direct one-on-one 
communication works best.  Phone calls have more immediacy than email,
and some people don't check their email very frequently.  Asking
Roberta, as Commodore, for her help would be a natural first step.
You can also call on quite a few of the members who are not current
officers.  If you need a local phone call made, or an errand run,
let someone know.  Send me an email; I'll do what I can.  If I don't
respond in a few days, it may be that I'm out-of-town or have a 
problem with my email, so try someone else.  The point is, let's
try to work through the problems.

As for the photos, the printer has pictures from the front of the
Handbook.  They should be able to insert them in at printing time.
It's good to put the schedule of upcoming events (for the next
month and a half) at the top of the front page as a reminder to
people.  The web page and email lists aren't meant as a replacement
for the Mainsheet.

Motivating people to write articles is hard.  Here, again, though, 
one-on-one appeals work much better than general calls for articles.
When someone mentions a job they've done, perhaps send them a 
personal email asking them to write it up a bit more formally for
the Mainsheet.  If they have photos or sketches that need scanning,
have them send it to me.  I know you had good intentions in offering
hats for articles, but I think you'll get better participation using
guilt than bribes.  Let people know that they owe their Association
an article.

I hope this feedback helps, Joe.  And, please do apologize to Sheila.
I know she made you angry, but your response isn't going to help the
situation.  A prompt apology for your outburst may patch things up
and even bring some unexpected help.

 Fair winds,
   George

> alberg30 at mindspring.com said:
> 
> This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
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> 
> Dear Sheila:=20
> 
> I am not sure whether you are joking or totally serious. In any case, I =
> have read your comments. Please let me point out the following, so there =
> is no confusion:
> 
> First, in my tenure as Editor of Mainsheet, I have not received one =
> article from you as a contribution to the Mainsheet. Nor have I heard =
> you volunteer to assist with my ideas, or do anything to assist in =
> making it a great newsletter.
> 
> Second, since 1996 when I joined the Assciation, I have contributed =
> approximately 20 articles, some of them up to four pages in length, and =
> many of them with numerous photographs. During the time period when  you =
> where editor of the Mainsheet I think I contributed a half-dozen =
> articles alone.
> 
> I began this year by actively soliciting the membership for articles, =
> and even offered a "reward" for those people who contribute two "items", =
> any items to the Mainsheet. When the Commodore frowned on the idea, I =
> then offered to provide the incentive to contributors at my own expense. =
> Only one member has earned this incentive, Towney, and  he will soon get =
> his own embrodiered hat.
> 
> I think is unfair and unwise to expect me to continue to contribute =
> articles to the Newsletter, while I am the editor. This should not be =
> the Joe Tokarz show, where I send in the majority  of articles and =
> photos and even cartoons. The membership at large should contribute to =
> the newsletter, not me or less than a handful of regulars. We have more =
> than 200 members, afterall. One persecpective on maintenance, and other =
> topics is simply not healthy, and I didn't join the association just to =
> read what I think----and I am sure you didn't either.While I have some =
> of my articles/cartoons in reserve, I have refrained from publishing =
> them for these reasons. I have no articles from anyone, especially you, =
> for anything. We are out of artciles and have been since March 2001. I =
> have been announcing this for several months now. I do not beleive in =
> begging.
> 
> I am not sure how you handled your duties as Editor, but I publish what =
> is contributed. And frankly, people are not contributing very much. The =
> past maintenance articles for this year have largely been created by =
> myself from information  posted in the A30 Onelist. I have collected the =
> photos, and I have cut and pasted the various emails to try and make a =
> maintenance article. The articles you see in the January thru June =
> issues have largely not been contributed by members. I have created =
> them. I cannot print articles which I do not have. And I will not write =
> artcles just to keep everyone entertained. That is not my job.=20
> 
> David Cooper gets whatever he writes published because he is the only =
> member making regular contributions to the Mainsheet. If you don't like =
> it, write something.
> 
> You should also know that at the start of my term as Editor I emailed =
> the officers and proposed what I thought were some ambitious goals. I =
> wanted to digitize the Maintenance Manual and also improve the Handbook =
> as well continue your hard work and make the Mainsheet even better. I =
> also asked people to try and write interesting, informative pieces =
> rather than pages of gossip and name-dropping. Pandering to the =
> membership, I do not think, is the goal and purpose of the Mainsheet. =
> Some people were probably offended, but I'd rather have quality not =
> quantity. In any case--No one offered to help with my plans.=20
> 
> To my proposals for the Mainsheet, I received a stale response from =
> many, and was cautioned about the expense of Mainsheet relative to its =
> value to the Association. I have articulated the importance of the =
> Mainsheet to its long-distance members/national press to the Commodore =
> and others. But I it appears to me that people would rather spend =
> ridiculous amounts of money on the Annual dinner and other =
> Annapolis-centric events--rather than a few bucks on our newsletter. =
> (People would also rather that I wrote everything.)=20
> 
> My impression was that the Commodore and others did not share my =
> enthusiasm, and there were some disagreements---resulting, I admit, in  =
> a lack of enthusiasm on my part thereafter. I do not share many of the =
> views of the Commodore, and in fact, I am quite insulted by the way some =
> people percieve the Association, it membership, function, ambitions, =
> etc. I will do the job of Editor to the best of my ability, with the =
> tools at my disposal, but I will not, and  I am not going to kill myself =
> for something no one else seems to want to lift a finger to accomplish. =
> If you or anyone else does not like the Mainsheet the way it is, then =
> send in a article, or keep your mouth shut.
> 
> For your information, I have asked repeatedly for a calendar of events =
> from the officers and the Commodore which they want me to announce, but =
> no one has responded. Therefore I cannot print upcoming events because I =
> really don't know about them. I have been relagated to reading the =
> officer's columns to try and determine what is happening next---but this =
> not very successful. However, you will note that I have high-lighted in =
> several issues the fact that the Association Schedule (in general terms) =
> is now on line. Surf on over---print it out. Enjoy yourself.
> 
> I have asked officers to get a photo for their columns, but no one has =
> sent one in, and the publisher has had to make due with what is on hand. =
> This is unfortunate, but I can't believe you expect me to fly to the US =
> mainland to snap a photo of someone just so you have a picture to look =
> at.
> 
> I rarely if ever receive all the officers columns on time. I did not =
> receive an article from Lanny this month. He is chronically late and =
> sometimes provides nothing at all. I remind people every month of the =
> upcoming deadlines, usually several weeks out, and then again days =
> before the 15th of every month.=20
> 
> I have created Member's Spotlight, and personally solicited more than a =
> dozen people to write articles. Only two replied. Where's your =
> contribution?  The Commodore has recently taken it upon herself to =
> solicite more of our members and she is having some sucess.
> 
> I have offered to print anything and everything that comes my way, but =
> my mailbox remains empty. I have offered writing guidelines, =
> suggestions, topics for articles, and I have even offered to help "ghost =
> write " for any member. But only three people have asked what they can =
> do to help out or come to me with ideas. Count them: =
> one...two...three----and you are not one of them.=20
> 
> Sheila, you and the rest of the membership have taken the Mainsheet and =
> turned it into nothing. You are lazy, ungratefull, snobish, and just =
> downright rude. You should be ashamed with yourself. Rather than =
> pointing the finger and running your uninformed mouth, you should sit =
> down with a paper and pencil and write an artcile.
> 
> Further, I think, in light of the fact that I moved my family 2000 miles =
> to a remote island in the Caribbean during my tour as Editor, I have =
> done a good job. But everyone is entitled to their opinion. And you know =
> what they say about opinions.
> 
> Yours stinks.
> 
> Joe #499
> "One Less Traveled"
> 
> 
>   ----- Original Message -----=20
>   From: Trident Yacht Sales=20
>   To: alberg30=20
>   Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2001 1:55 AM
>   Subject: Mainsheet
> 
> 
>   Dear Joe,
>   =20
>   For the past few months, I have wanted to send you a note about this =
> year's Mainsheet. I have put off doing because I simply did not want to =
> hurt your feelings.  I can't put it off any longer.  I had such high =
> hopes for your year as secretary/editor.  You kept telling me you had so =
> many ideas for livening up the Mainsheet.  Where are those ideas?  All I =
> see is a lack luster publication - I can't even call it a newsletter.  =
> The most recent issue just sent me over the edge.
>   =20
>   After all the lovely articles you sent to me last year complete with =
> drawings and photographs, I thought for sure you would make one hell of =
> an editor.  The Mainsheet was in good hands.  What happened?  I know you =
> realize that this is the main means of communication for the Alberg 30 =
> Association?  It is extremely important not only for those of us who =
> live in the Chesapeake Bay area, but more so for those who are farther =
> away and unable to physically participate in group activities.  You have =
> taken a publication that the editors of magazines such as "Chesapeake =
> Bay Magazine", "Sailing" and "Spin Sheet"  called one of the finest =
> organizational newsletters they have ever seen into NOTHING.  They used =
> the Mainsheet for articles about us in their own publications.  There is =
> nothing there to use any longer.
>   =20
>   Where are the pictures of the cruise and race commodores?  Members =
> should be able to recognize their officers and be able to put a face to =
> those articles they read every month. That is if there are articles to =
> read.  What happened to racing this month?  You can't tell me there are =
> no races or that Lanny had nothing to say.  Instead we get 3 1/2 pages =
> of Cookin' news.  David's articles have been extremely interesting over =
> the past year, but, to take up 3 1/2 pages out of an 8 page publication =
> for that and to leave out racing news is a disservice to the membership. =
>  (I still haven't heard how we did in Canada.  Did we win?  It would =
> have been nice to at least get that information in the racing column.)
>   =20
>   Speaking of news - where is the schedule of events for the upcoming =
> months? Did the A30 One Design Association dry up for the rest of the =
> year.  No upcoming events?  Funny I thought there were still lots of =
> things scheduled for the remainder of 2001.  Upcoming events should be =
> right there on page one every month to remind people.  No excuse for not =
> having it there !!=20
>   (Not in a little box at the bottom of the page either. Get it up on =
> top where it belongs.)
>   =20
>   This year one can read the Mainsheet in about 10 minutes and then put =
> it aside.  Articles can't have dried up.  Surely you have more than 8 =
> pages to print every month.  How about surprising us next month with 12 =
> pages of "news".  That would be welcomed.
>   =20
>   You can turn this around Joe.  You have 5 issues yet to be done during =
> your tenure as Secretary/Editor.  How about making those issues =
> something we can all be proud of, something we will all enjoy and look =
> forward to getting every month.  Most important to you - something we =
> can all look back at and say that Joe Tokarz was one hell of an =
> editor/secretary.  He did a better job than any of the previous editors =
> we ever had.  Come forth with some of those grand ideas you had last =
> year.  I don't know what happened to make you lay down on the job, but =
> deep inside of me I know you are not a quitter.  Go for it!!! =20
>   =20
>   Sheila Maroldy
>   =20

-- 
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  George Dinwiddie                             gdinwiddie at alberg30.org
  The gods do not deduct from man's allotted span those hours spent in
  sailing.                                    http://www.Alberg30.org/
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