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bigorangevol

MTPS is now on Facebook

bigorangevol
15 years ago

Guys I just added us a page on Facebook. It looks like crap now but I'll get it pumped-up. Right now I've got roof jobs running out the yazoo so it may a few days.

http://www.facebook.com/groups/create.php?customize&gid=64785223352#/group.php?gid=64785223352

Comments (30)

  • conniemcghee
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Got it! On my way.

  • tngreenthumb
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have successfully avoided Facebook, MySpace and their ilk up to this point. Can't see any need to break my streak, Dude.

  • cannahavana
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have a facebook page, but have yet to know what the heck to do with it.

    Rebecca

  • columbiajen
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    So cool, I love facebook. Great way to keep in touch with people.

  • bigorangevol
    Original Author
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks Connie!

    We already have five new members on Facebook.

    Get with the program Bec; it ain't brain surgery or else I couldn't do it.!

    C'mon Zig don't be such a killjoy.

  • Amazindirt (7a TN)
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    OMG. And you thought that newspaper article was bad news?? Just wait til you see who shows up from a facebook page!!

  • Jan_Hobbs
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Amazing dirt is right...you will be sssssooooooooooooooorrry, Jeff....I'm glad its your problem this time and not mine!Everyone tie down what you don't want to disappear....lock them in your cars. Hope you can all bring enough FOOD for the crowd.

    Jeff I can't believe you really did it after the other fiascial! (SP?)

    Hope you enjoy yourselves!

    Jan

  • cottagegirl_tn
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Jeff I support you! I don't think it's going to be any more public than it already is on the world wide web. That's how I found it in the first place. I have a facebook page just recently and I think it's fun...just like the swap is fun. Besides our numbers seemed way down in the fall and I think we need some new garden friends. We have to be open to new people and keep this thing alive...they just have to know up front how to behave.
    Jen

  • cannahavana
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I don't think it will be too much more exposure than the website like Jen said.

    Now if it were on Craigslist....

    BOV, are you getting my reply emails? I sent you one back about the pictures. Knology has been having difficulties (again) communicating with Comicast.

    Hi Jan! Say hello to Jim from us!

    Rebecca

  • bigorangevol
    Original Author
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    There are only 7 people who have found it so far so I'm not worried. It's rather obscure anyway, not like the Saturday circulation of The Tennessean with a front page and two full pages in the Living section! Thanks Jen!

    Bec I got it but there seems to only be about a third of the pictures left on that page that we had.

    Jan is there anyway that you could make it? Mona said that she and David are going to try. How's your Mom? How's Jim? How are you?

    I've been slammed with roof jobs the last few weeks (18-20 hour days) so I'm kinda slow in getting out replies. Plus, we're supposed to be having big storms today. I ain't complaining though, it's better than no work at all! Ya'll be patient with me. I'm working on a speaker that will be completely different from any subject matter we've had so far. I think ya'll will dig it.

  • ladybug37091
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Jeff you are such a trooper! I don't do facebook but I support you for giving it a try. I got to give you credit for always being on the lookout for new ideas. Stay safe on those roofs. Rhonda

  • lambsnob
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    i think its great, posting on facebook. personally, this is my opinion only- the mtps could use some new blood. the more familiar members could be a little more rreceptive to the newbies, otherwise the more familiar members will just continue to swap the same ole plants with one another. as the story goes, there are always a few rude members that come to mind. you know who you are- the barefoot woman with mud oozing between her toes, the older lady that could not dare part with her lenten roses, but ended up abandoning them at the hhsp riverbank, and the younger lady that wanted to pick & choose who got what of her common everyday bearded irises. jeff, i thank you for dedicating your time & energy so we can all enjoy the mtps, as we all know there are a few killjoys in every group. bless your heart, & may you continue to do the good works, here or elsewhere.

  • ladybug37091
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lambnob, I am so sorry you did not enjoy the swap. As one of the familiar members who has introduced several newbies I can honestly say I have never heard a similiar response. Every person I have brought to the swap has been overwhelmed by the generosity of the group. Generally people like to trade before they give up for grabs anything on their table. There are some members who will give without trades right from the start but that should be appreciated not expected. Please read the swap faqs. I hope your next experience is more in line with the true nature of the wonderful people there I have come to know.

  • lambsnob
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    please don't get me wrong. i had a blast at the mtps. for the most part, the majority of the group was extremely pleasant, gracious, & generous. i swapped, gave away, as well as received. overall, the day was wonderful. the weather was great, the group was welcoming, and the food was good. as i have mentioned before, everyone has their own personality & quirks. these things will not change, this is who they are. i am speaking of my experience, at previous mtp swaps. i will continue to participate, and you will continue to see my smiling face. i just thought i would share my opinion & past experiences. i have spoken with other newbies that felt the same way about certain members, and if you have never gotten feedback that wasn't 100% positive, you may be the offender. please remember to treat fellow gardeners, as you would like to be treated. also, if you don't participate at the new location, don't worry about the chaos, or how much of a fiasco it will be.

  • bigorangevol
    Original Author
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Since it's illegal to carry an assault rifle but evidently ok to have a flame thrower, I'll just torch anyone that shows up who didn't register and anyone that steps out of line. This is my new MTPS tough love policy. Ya'll cool with that? :-)

  • Amazindirt (7a TN)
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Jeez, now I don't know whether I'll come or not. I wouldn't want to displease lambsnob!

  • ladybug37091
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I apologize Jeff. I should be nice. I certainly try to be nice. Sometimes when the wrong button is pushed it is just too hard to swallow. I am so glad that lambsnob finally acknowledged the kindness and generousity of the group as a whole. I just found her original post extremely rude. No I do not think I am one of the offenders. I think this lady wants a free for all. If she enjoys the event so much why was the worst she could think of posted? I realize that I am probably playing right into this persons plans to get an angry response but here it goes. I don't give a lambs nob if her face smiles or not! I am sorry fellow swappers I know you are all probably wincing and disappointed in me but man I feel better.

  • Amazindirt (7a TN)
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oh btw, Jeff --

    I did invite two people to the swap off of Craigslist. One of em posted asking to trade plants, and the other is a cancer survivor whose plants died while she was in treatment. I dunno whether either one will end up coming, but I'll let you know if/when they get serious about it.

    Of course, we'd better check first to make sure that Lamb Snob approves of em! ;-)

  • lambsnob
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    no angry response here. it's o.k. the truth hurts, so go ahead- kill the messenger. just remember, "a hit dog always hollers".

  • ladybug37091
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lambs nob your critter references make me shudder. I will not acknowledge you any further. Now be gone before someone drops a house on you.

  • Amazindirt (7a TN)
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hey, maybe that's why Lamb Snob is hollering. Maybe somebody hit her!

  • cannahavana
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Yeesh, Doc! Who knew your feet could be so offensive! :)

    I love going to the MTPS...let me count the ways:

    1. The food
    2. Norm's coffee
    3. The food
    4. Watching Marianne pack her truck
    5. The food
    6. Giving my plants away
    7. The food
    8. Getting a few neat goodies to take home
    9. Did I mention the food?

    See ya'll at the river!

  • brandon7 TN_zone7
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hey Doc, are we gonna have to make a track pit (mud puddle) for you at the ETPS? If so, let me know early, and I'm sure we can arrange something. Just no mud wrestling! (-;

  • Amazindirt (7a TN)
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oooo, I love mud puddles! :-)

    Now, now, Lamb Snob, no snarky comments about pigs and mud.....LOL!

  • cottagegirl_tn
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have been to 3 plant swaps so far and it seems like the "rules" on the FAQ page are followed loosely at times. I know we need guidelines to avoid chaos so I have tried to "do as the Roman's do when in Rome." I understand that people do pre-trades and special trades and maybe have thought that my plants were too "common" or maybe already had them. I wish the special trade plants were put out of sight to keep folks like me from wanting to swap for them. Or maybe labeled special trades only. My biggest problem (and maybe yours too) is trying to identify the swapper with their table when we're all milling about. I totally agree that the swap is the best but I think we should all work on making it even better.
    Jen

  • Amazindirt (7a TN)
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good suggestions, Jen!

    I always try to put my "pre trade" plants behind or under my trade table, and one year I had two tables -- one for plants to trade, the other for plants to give away. But the more clearly we can mark the plants, the better!

    And it's always a problem to match table to person. I think one year we talked about having large matching numbers to tag both table and person -- maybe we'll do it this year!

  • bigorangevol
    Original Author
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    First of all, let's please chill on the drama and sarcasm; it's childish and accomplishes nothing except to create bitter feelings. Let's stop it now before it turns into...well a lot of you remember unhappier times. (Yeah I know, this is coming from the King of Childish Sarcasm himself.)

    1.) Everyone who has a pre-trade worked out shouldn't have those plants on their table.

    2.) The plants that we have swapped for shouldn't be on our table.

    3.) If it ain't on the table then it's off limits to swapping.

    4.) If it's on our table then it is available for swapping.

    5.) If we can't follow and comprehend 1-4 then we shouldn't be there.

    6.) If someone gets caught nabbing something from under or behind someone's table - they will be asked to leave and I'll help them load their stuff so they can go.

    7.) No one is obligated to swap a plant simply because someone offers another plant to swap for it. Your items are your property and you decide what you want to swap it for regardless of whether it is common or unique. You swap your items at your own discretion. If you want to sit there all day and not swap a single thing from your table - well it was probably a wasted day for you but that's your prerogative.

    8.) Everyone is supposed to be wearing their name tag with their GW screen name and their real name AT ALL TIMES. If you lose it then ask me for another - I have plenty. This is how we are supposed to get to know each other; DUH! The new folks don't know me; Joe; Bec; Doc or Marianne from Adam and we don't know them either. I don't give a rip who #38 is, I want to know your name and get to know you personally. If we lose that then I'm done and ya'll can have it.

    9.) I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer but I can, with my extremely limited intelligence, match up the name on your chest to the name on your table. I even bring notepads and pens to every swap so we can all have something to keep track of this stuff with.

    10.) I'll bring materials to use for signage, tape and markers so we can all have our names on our tables.

    11.) If you would like a big honking corresponding number taped on your back or hanging around your neck that matches a table number... have at it. That's going to be your own responsibility. I'm not going to mandate something like that.

    12.) Folks this ain't quantum physics; it's PLANT SWAP. We bring plants and swap them for other plants. We bring food and eat. We sit and listen to lectures and ask questions. How many rules do you need for that? Common courtesy and common sense should get us through this without a need for the 2009 Edition of 1,001 Things To Do And Not To Do At A Plant Swap.

    I have always INTENTIONALLY tried to run the MTPS loosely. I want everyone to have fun and for the MTPS to be a relaxed atmosphere that we all can enjoy. This is a plant swap not the military. If your in love with forms in triplicate and someone telling you every move to make then get a job with the IRS. I make the assumption that we are all adults and mature enough to do this without being regimented out the yazoo and controlled like adolescents or pets on a leash. When I have tried in the past to bring greater organization - nobody pays me any attention anyway. I beg and plead endlessly but still can't even get 20% of you to cooperate in taking two minutes to register on the website that Bec has been so gracious to build and supply for us (AT HER PERSONAL EXPENSE). Trying to organize this group and and get marginal help or response is like trying to herd 150 cats! I'm always dependent on the same three or four people for assistance. So if you would like the MTPS run differently then by all means be my guest and volunteer to become the MTPS Director; you will have all of my most heartfelt blessings.

    Like Jan and Mona before me, it sure would be nice if someone would volunteer to become the new Director of the MTPS. This is a position that should be turned over every 3-5 years so no one gets burned-out. I believe that I've more than put in my time and would like to just show up like all of you do and enjoy the day without a shred of responsibility. I have my own business to run which takes a minimum 60-80 hours a week of my time. Lavonne works 50-60 hours a week at her job. She is a Type I Diabetic and we BOTH struggle 24 hours a day to try and keep her healthy. The Spring MTPS is ALWAYS the same weekend as our Wedding Anniversary when means we usually have no chance and are too fatigued to celebrate our own Wedding Anniversary! If I changed the date then I guarantee that I'd get a ton of complaints because I'd broken tradition.

    That being said, I do this as a labor of love; really! I wouldn't still be doing this after all these years if it didn't mean so much to me and I didn't care about you guys so much. I can't begin to tell you what a special place in my heart our people and this event occupies and what it has meant to my life. I love you guys and I love the MTPS but it's time for me to pass the torch and for someone to step up to the plate and assume this responsibility!

  • Amazindirt (7a TN)
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Chill, dude. We all love ya. :-)

    "8.) Everyone is supposed to be wearing their name tag with their GW screen name and their real name AT ALL TIMES. If you lose it then ask me for another - I have plenty. This is how we are supposed to get to know each other; DUH! The new folks don't know me; Joe; Bec; Doc or Marianne from Adam and we don't know them either. I don't give a rip who #38 is, I want to know your name and get to know you personally. If we lose that then I'm done and ya'll can have it."

    Maybe we can expand on this idea. Those little sticky name tags are small and hard to read. How about if we make humongous big name tags to put either on our fronts or backs, and match those with humongous big name tags on the tables? I'll be happy to supply the materials. I can even make them up ahead of time, based on who registers at the web site. :-)

    And Jeff, who cares if a few people complain about a change in date? I think you're the one who set the date originally -- if you want to change it go ahead and change it! It won't be the end of the world. Some people may be unhappy, but other people will probably like it better. Everything balances out!

  • ladybug37091
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Jeff, I apologize for being sarcastic. Change the date and celebrate your anniversary! Rhonda

  • bigorangevol
    Original Author
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm not mad or upset with any one of you.

    Guys I try and put on an event for you that is fun; with informative lectures that everyone can benefit from; where you can exchange a multitude of plants; where you can eat a great meal; where you can hang-out with the nicest, most knowledgeable and most generous group of people that it has ever been my pleasure to meet in my entire life...AND IT'S FREAKIN' FREE FOR YOU ! ! ! Do you have the opportunity ANYWHERE in your life for something comparable to this that is free and you have absolutely no obligation or responsibility in order to receive it?

    All I ask is that you to do 5 very simple things and evidently 1 monumental enormous incredibly difficult thing (I'll take care of everything else all by myself):

    1.) Show up on time. (Except for Marianne who we all know will be late to her own funeral and probably get a ticket on the way.)
    2.) Bring some plants and food so you can swap and eat.
    3.) Be courteous to others.
    4.) Give me a little bit of help on swap day if I ask you to.
    5.) Relax, enjoy and have fun.

    Then there's the awful and inexcusable thing:
    6.) Take 1 minute of your life to R E G I S T E R ! ! !

    Personally, I couldn't care less if I ever bring home another plant; for me it's all about spending the day with you guys! It's about renewing acquaintances, hanging out with dear friends, making wonderful new friends and seeing all the smiles on your faces.

    I relate it to being Santa at Christmas; I get to watch all the kids open their presents and see the joy in their hearts and the sparkle in their eyes. That's not to say that when some kids don't get the present they wanted that they always act as they should.

    But after all these years, if somebody is complaining about having to do nothing other than show up for this event then I'm amazed. I'm not pointing fingers at anyone but in general...if you don't enjoy the MTPS and feel the need to complain about a free event put on for your benefit then PLEASE just stay home.

    Should I start charging an entrance fee, dinner fee, lecture fee and a both set-up fee so you can raise your expectations? Hey, if you're paying through the nose then you have every right to expect to get your money's worth and I'll be the first to champion your cause! How about we just do that and the MTPS will become The Middle Tennessee Plant Sale?

    Needless to say, I'm stressed and frustrated. Not all of that is attributable to this thread or the MTPS but...

    YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GET A NEW MTPS DIRECTOR!

    Plain and simple, that's all there is to it. I can't make it any more clearer than that.

    If the MTPS is to continue then one or more of you are going to have to volunteer to take it over. I've paid my dues and done my time so now it's going to be up to one of you to carry on this event if you want it to go on.

    Again, I'm not mad or upset with any of you (other than the ones that just refuse to register - ya'll are killing me)! I realize that I'm having less and less patience and desire to do this; that's not fair to you or the MTPS. You guys mean more to me than words can ever express but it's time for me to be put out to the old MTPS pasture.

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