Challenge to the ASGPP3

[Adam Blatner]

Dear Ed, okay, you are beginning to come up with some specifics! Great!
    1. I agree with you about the awards banquet. Speaking only for myself, I would 
actually prefer not to have that modality, and instead have an awards ceremony as an 
additional plenary session.  That would save money and include more people.

    2.  Your "Why do we think or why do we have?  is easy to answer: Because no one has 
thought of a better idea and worked out its major component considerations.  Other options 
aren't so easy to find. Jeanne's cruise ship may work, but it might more likely (for the 
USA) involve even more expense than a hotel, be harder to get to, etc.

    3. Kate indirectly hinted at other factors: Are there less expensive places to stay? 
Might some be able to stay with friends or relatives? Do some prospective attendees live 
in the area and can commute?

    4. Your complaints seem to expect that we (others) could come up with workable 
alterntatives, but instead of shaming us by calling us stuck in a conserve---akin to a 
therapist accusing the patient of being "resistant"--- how about recognizing the 
insufficiency of warm-up and the possibility that we just don't know what else to do? Your 
specific suggestions may help!

   5. For example, present to us the IAGP academy structure and explain why you think it 
would work. Note also that there may be some disadvantages or elements that don't 
translate well and how you'd get around it. I don't know what that alternative is about, 
but I'm open.

    6. Please don't reify (make a thing out of) the "conserve." And please don't accuse 
others of being stuck in a conserve just because they haven't been able to come up with 
compelling alternatives. Actually, most folks I know are willing to think about creative 
alternatives---just haven't been able to find one yet.
       Your approach sounds to me like "Why hasn't Obama fixed things yet?" (someone 
actually wrote this in a letter to the editor of a local newspaper); or why haven't they 
found a cure for cancer after all the money we've spent on research?

    Anyway, I like and agree with your first specific alternative. Please continue to 
"prime the pump" and come up with some other ideas.
           Finally, to the Grouptalk (American members): Are any people on the exec 
council reading any of these emails or will there be a summary going to the forum and 
forwarded to some of these people?    Warmly, Adam


.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Edward Schreiber" <edwschreiber at earthlink.net>
To: "Group talk Listserv" <list at grouptalkweb.org>
Sent: Monday, March 16, 2009 7:59 AM
Subject: A Challenge to the ASGPP


> Why do we think only 150 people will be at our annual conference?
> Why do we have an awards banquet that costs so much and excludes so
> many?
> Why do we have the same format, for so many years, when the IAGP has
> advanced a model
>   of providing training series within the conference format?
> Why do we continue to have the conference at hotels, with costs that
> exclude students?
> Why do we continue to have the conference at hotels, with costs that
> exclude members?
> Why don't we consider a new structure?   Why don't we consider
> adapting the IAGP Academy structure
>   that offers in-depth training within a conference experience, in a
> "new" format?
> Why don't we have an awards event to honor our members that all
> attendees can attend?  One that does
>   not require great expense to our organization or to attendees?
> Why don't we consider many options that are new to us and tried by
> others?
> Why do we defend a conserve that is falling or failing?
> Why don't we take this moment - and begin to recreate ourselves with
> courage and vitality?
>
> I for the last line, anyone interested?
>
> Warmly,
>
> Ed
>
> Grouptalk mailing list
> List at grouptalkweb.org
> http://grouptalkweb.org/mailman/listinfo/list_grouptalkweb.org


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