Reflections on a challenging OST event (long)

[Peggy Holman]

Elena,

Just so you know, even if the list starts very slowly, it's okay.  The OS list started in mid-December, 1996.  It came into existence because Murli Nagasandaram, who still administers the list, took the initiative and just set it up.  I remember during the first months wondering if I should think up topics just to keep some traffic going.  I did that once or twice but because they didn't have much passion, it all felt forced.  Eventually, people just started finding it a good place to talk.

I still have all the messages, so I'm looking back at how it grew.  There were 
10 messages from 5 people in December, 1996.
22 messages from 10 people in January, 1997.
15 messages from 7 people in February, 1997.
60 messages from 11 people in March, 1997.
34 messages in April, 1997.  

I'd say it was probably about October when it seemed to have sufficient momentum that the idea would work.  I think the volume was a message or 2 a week.


On April 2, 1997, we had 34 subscribers.
October, 1997, there were 55 members.
By August, 1998, the number was 114.  
By January, 2000, the number was 218.  
June, 2000 - 292.  
August, 2000 it dropped to 268.  That's the last number I've seen.

Anyway, you get the picture.  It may start slowy and it will move in its own time.

Peggy

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Elena A. Marchuk 
  To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU 
  Sent: Friday, June 15, 2001 4:38 AM
  Subject: Re: Reflections on a challenging OST event (long)


  Wouw, Harrison!


  Especiallly drums... we should think about this when WE CHANGED the room with Birgitt. How do you think, Birgitt? Actually when neally all left, the administrator came to me and said, if we know you are working here, we would find the place for musical band.... but all were already left and we we fine with Birgitt's words - IT IS OPEN SPACE... we can do everything...

  I don't think we have some loses, at least I did not see them. May be Birgitt can add something?

  we just worked on them smoothly, coming back to the room in which we worked the previous days and which was rented beforehand for the press conference for the day 3 of our training, but up to 4 o'clock, nearly the same time we were asked if we could move to the other room...

  if not to make a tragedy, does it work always like this. but we have all walls which we could find the spare place.

  ok
  thank you for your idea. I will think on this next time. I have one more musical instrument except tibetian bells and simply bells. the comus - the altay musical instrument which you can play with your mouth and throat...

  best wishes to you

  we were talking about you, Harrison, saying that you is always the one of the first people answering our questions on the list, what we can not say in our Intertraining list - just no answers - not from members, not from Board... not from friends, so we decided to make OS-Russian list to talk on Russian for people who doesn't know English... don't know yet if it will work the same way...

  elena


  ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Harrison Owen 
    To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU 
    Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2001 7:13 PM
    Subject: Re: Reflections on a challenging OST event (long)


    At 01:03 AM 6/14/01 -0700, CHRIS CORRIGAN wrote:

      Just to answer Artur's question....I have had to change meeting rooms
      and transport a whole bulletin board....it worked fine, but then the new
      room had walls and so on but it was a lot smaller than the old room.

    Room change is a nuisance, but in my experience, it is not fatal. In fact it can add. Once in a two day Open Space we changed rooms three times! But by the second time we had the operation down pat. Instead of grumbling about the idiocy of the hotel (which was considerable) we organized a massive parade (300 folks) carrying everything we needed. The fact that we went right through the lobby made something of a point. And by the time we made the third change we had added fifes and drums to the entourage. I can't say the hotel management was pleased, but Open Space was alive and well for sure. And everybody got the point that it is not so much the destinations as the journey which counts. I suppose there was another lesson as well -- it is always all about Spirit. Keep that moving and the practical details seem to fall into place -- or change.

    Harrison



    Harrison Owen
    7808 River Falls Drive
    Potomac, MD 20854 USA
    phone 301-469-9269
    fax 301-983-9314
    Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com 
    Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
    Personal website www.mindspring.com/~owenhh

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