Because I can’t keep up with the constant bubbling of (good?) ideas I have, I wanted to set up a group that met weekly to brainstorm and stuff. I’m not exactly sure how the group would work and what meeting format would be best, but worst case senario would be showing up a my place, eating food, drinking beer and playing video games (or watching a movie perhaps).
I was reading about “Success teams”, maybe that’s the way to go, I don’t know (maybe you do, tell me). Anyway, I’ll be putting together a small group of people with the main focus of the group being generating ideas and seeing the good ones through to fruitation.
I plan on meeting Saturday’s (not sure about the time, but definitely after 3pm) once a week and having small groups. I’m starting this Saturday, so uh…
I’d like to see those go somewhere, but they haven’t for a while. Mine will be going on every week, even if it’s just me, a notepad and pen. It seems like I could turn it into something like a success team, but I still have more reading to do on those (I think).
Structure will probably be good, but right now it’s going to be kind of lose and open. To get an idea, here’s a short list of things I have going on upstairs:
[ul][li]http://www.supermemo.com/
Developing more databases, redoing the Advanced English DVD and selling it on the Taiwan market, making a Chinese Supermemo website
[/li]
[li]Getting a Local Exchange Trading System (of some sort) setup in Taiwan. I figure it could be a cool way to teach English and get something cool back (instead of just money, but that’s pretty cool too I suppose).
[/li]
[li]Continue efforts on setting up the Teaching network that was discussed over in the Teaching English forum. The first meeting only had 2 in attendance, but it could be so much more (I think).
[/li]
[li]Setup an English summer camp thing where I take a group of kids/adults (whatever) back to the US every summer for fun and English (kind of like a paid trip home if it works right). I’d also like to work with people back home to get highschool aged kids out here to study Chinese (I so wish there was a program like that when I was in highschool).[/li][/ul]
etc. etc.
I guess these are all business things, but don’t want the focus to be on (just) maknig money.
There’s also thing like:
[ul][li]Getting VOIP (Voice Over IP) working with a regular telephone so I can make cheap phone calls back home and friends can call me.
[/li]
[li]Getting a healty diet hooked up.
[/li]
[li]Make some more silly web sites [/li][/ul]
That should paint a picture (of some kind). I figured the people interested could bring things like this to the table and kick around ideas for each other, help each other make them work. It seems like that’s what a success team is, but I didn’t want to call it that just yet.
Glad to see that someone else is willing to organise something. The Boiler Room was a good-ish idea but this is just as good if not better and - glory of glories - someone else is going to organise it.
I can’t come this weekend, due to my being required on a boat, but would be up for it a couple of times a month. At Miltown Towers or one of Taipei’s many fine hostelries?? Perhaps we should avoid the pub format, much as some of us like it?
I talked with the lady that runs success teams, and the one thing she stressed to me was that these events need to be positive. Pointing out why things won’t work is apparently not conducive to success.
Why not call it the positive thinking club?
Taipei Optimists?
The Can Do Association?
Brainstorming question one: What am I going to do with TaipeiManWhores.com, which I own but have never developed?
[quote=“Loretta”]Why not call it the positive thinking club?
Taipei Optimists?
The Can Do Association?[/quote]
Yeah, I figure figuring out a name will be something to do too. I always planned on getting a better name for Game Club, than Game Club, but Game Club stuck and there you have it.
I can definitely help out there. We could have lots of fun with that.
I just say my place because I can comfortably seat enough people and it’s a pretty easy location to get to (especially for me ). I do want to stay away from bars/restaurants unless they won’t be a distraction.
One thing I noticed about the “Success Team” thing is that it wants/needs people to come to EVERY session. I think because of the nature of us foreigners in Taiwan/Taipei that might be hard. It’s different back home, where you work a 9-5 and do the same shit every week. Finding a time that works for everyone is easy(er).
Here, Coolio might do a free show on Saturday and you can’t come. Or you need to sail a ship from A to B. Or whatever.
So it’ll be a structured sort of group with flexibility. I mean, we have email, Skype, forums, etc. The physical meeting will be important, but there’s other ways to stay connected.
Anyhow, for now I’m just going to be at home Saturday’s brainstorming things. It’s something more fun to do with other people (I think).
Great idea, but I think my attendance at them would be unfortaunately futile as I need help/ideas for a non-English busiess I am setting up. Whilst the stuff you guys are doing is awesome I dont think I could contribute as I have no idea of the English language industry in Taiwan. I could however help with marketing if needed.
It’s better if you don’t have ideas about the same things others do (I think). It’ll make for better brainstorming to hear things from a different point of view (for you and me, again IMO).
[quote=“Loretta”]Why not call it the positive thinking club?
Taipei Optimists?
The Can Do Association?
[/quote]
The Can Do Club!
The Can Do Connection!
I once had a source for those machines that seal tin cans… I was going to pop gifts, advertising specialties, party favors into tin cans with pop tops, with a plastic lid with slot so you could turn it into a change holder after taking the goodies out. Very low startup expense with lots of creative potential. Bet those things are made right here in Taiwan.
There was only 2 (well, 3) of us, but it sure was fun. I’m still go for next Saturday. Someone else was suppose to come, and got washed out by the rain so didn’t make it. But he also suggested a Sunday (night?) meeting would be good for him, so I’ll be considering that. What time would/should a Sunday night one start?
I’m still on for next Saturday. We talked about IRAs, websites, and… some other really important stuff
Could you help me complete my doctorate, finish my novel, and find another praying mantis kung fu class? I’m too lazy to do those, so I think I’ll be too lazy to get to your meetings. I would appreciate it if you could send a posse to my house with baseball bats. I need the motivation. By the way, getting me to take out the trash will be cool, too.
How about this Miltown (serious, real request), could you help me find an english speaking teacher of either:
Traditional Yang style taiji
the “wushu” Simplified 24 Posture Yang taiji or
Cheng Man Ching’s short form
thanks, you really are helpful.
take care,
Brian
p.s. good luck with the Brazilian media today
You have to be honest, open, and critical, otherwise this would turn into a big pat on the back, I’m OK, you’re OK club.
Not sure if I can make it this Saturday. How about making it on Sundays, before GC, like over lunch?[/quote]
I think anyone who has had an idea yet uncertain about how to go about it has enough honest, open and criticism running thru their brains, and around them. It would be good to be in a club that focused on the possiblities of things. Even if it were unrealistic, I think we all could benifit from a bit of time practicing believing in possiblities again. It ruled most of our childhood…
[/li][/ul]
). I do want to stay away from bars/restaurants unless they won’t be a distraction.
