I thought it fitting to introduce myself to the board "formally", as it seems I'm already making waves with some of my posts. *g*
When I make suggestions or comments on how things "should" be handled, it's based on a few years of dealing with different agency management styles, different SP service levels, and having dealt with no shortage of the "usual" issues that crop up in this hobby.
I do not base my suggestions on any one "way" as being correct, but rather try to pick and choose what I consider to be the "best of breed" approaches to handling some of the issues.
In particular, the review sections of certain boards provides useful opinions and information about the SPs and agencies in the areas served by the board. Some boards do better than others at this, so I'm sorry that a few of you find it offensive for me to point to examples on PERB's sister-sites TERB and MERB, but that doesn't mean I'll change my opinion or retract my statements.
I speak my mind, I try to stay on-topic (though I periodically dive over the cliff into the ocean of irrelevancy), and I do my best to be objective and fair with any reviews I post.
PERB is a young board that hasn't solidified a personality yet. I invite those of you with ideas and suggestions on using the board to enhance the SP/client experience to do so. Neither SPs nor agencies can hope to address issues they don't know about, and it's to our benefit as clients/members to flag our issues and wish-lists so they can be addressed if possible.
Those of you involved in the bickering, name-calling, and perpetual slamming of others posts and reviews -- lets just say that I hope this board matures rapidly enough to kill the "weeds" that are already infesting it.
If all the members sit back and allow the childish behavior to continue unchecked, we'll get exactly what we've allowed: an uncivilized mess where no one can find useful information because of all the irrelevant "noise".
As I live out west while periodically working elsewhere, I have a vested interest in seeing this board mature to the point where the posts and reviews are useful. My motivations are very selfish: I want to maximize the good sessions and minimize the disappointments.
For those who think my opinions are those of a typical "easterner", I think you've allowed prejudice and stereotyping to override your common sense. Good suggestions and ideas are valid no matter where I first encountered them, and I'd hope you all have the good sense to set aside your prejudice and think about the ideas.
After all, depending on which you hate the most, you can easily slam me as being a westerner, a farm boy, a city slicker, a texan, a floridian, an east-coast inner-city jerk, a slack-jawed north carolinian, toronto snob, or whatever else you like. Take your pick -- it's your prejudice being exposed, not some flaw in my arguments or ideas.
So, there is a new opinionated self-confident a-hole on the board. *g* I look forward to having fun over the years with all of you -- particularly the occasional one-on-one sessions with the more intriguing SPs.
When I make suggestions or comments on how things "should" be handled, it's based on a few years of dealing with different agency management styles, different SP service levels, and having dealt with no shortage of the "usual" issues that crop up in this hobby.
I do not base my suggestions on any one "way" as being correct, but rather try to pick and choose what I consider to be the "best of breed" approaches to handling some of the issues.
In particular, the review sections of certain boards provides useful opinions and information about the SPs and agencies in the areas served by the board. Some boards do better than others at this, so I'm sorry that a few of you find it offensive for me to point to examples on PERB's sister-sites TERB and MERB, but that doesn't mean I'll change my opinion or retract my statements.
I speak my mind, I try to stay on-topic (though I periodically dive over the cliff into the ocean of irrelevancy), and I do my best to be objective and fair with any reviews I post.
PERB is a young board that hasn't solidified a personality yet. I invite those of you with ideas and suggestions on using the board to enhance the SP/client experience to do so. Neither SPs nor agencies can hope to address issues they don't know about, and it's to our benefit as clients/members to flag our issues and wish-lists so they can be addressed if possible.
Those of you involved in the bickering, name-calling, and perpetual slamming of others posts and reviews -- lets just say that I hope this board matures rapidly enough to kill the "weeds" that are already infesting it.
If all the members sit back and allow the childish behavior to continue unchecked, we'll get exactly what we've allowed: an uncivilized mess where no one can find useful information because of all the irrelevant "noise".
As I live out west while periodically working elsewhere, I have a vested interest in seeing this board mature to the point where the posts and reviews are useful. My motivations are very selfish: I want to maximize the good sessions and minimize the disappointments.
For those who think my opinions are those of a typical "easterner", I think you've allowed prejudice and stereotyping to override your common sense. Good suggestions and ideas are valid no matter where I first encountered them, and I'd hope you all have the good sense to set aside your prejudice and think about the ideas.
After all, depending on which you hate the most, you can easily slam me as being a westerner, a farm boy, a city slicker, a texan, a floridian, an east-coast inner-city jerk, a slack-jawed north carolinian, toronto snob, or whatever else you like. Take your pick -- it's your prejudice being exposed, not some flaw in my arguments or ideas.
So, there is a new opinionated self-confident a-hole on the board. *g* I look forward to having fun over the years with all of you -- particularly the occasional one-on-one sessions with the more intriguing SPs.
