If it's a discussion of principles, then it is best to have a nice calming break before doing it, but that's unrelated to fall schedules and the like.

Yep, I should have said "plus", and not "because" here:

Longer might be good too, because then people would know more about the shows and the schedule etc.

I just feel like we want a vote to be tabled because the people that don't want what is being voted for, are upset. But, the upset of the people that do want a new thread seems to be being disregarded, somehow.

I disagree with this. While I think a Network Drama thread isn't the best solution, it would generally work for me, though I would rather have more genre-y bucket threads according to show type. So for me, I'd like five new threads or something. My feeling on the proposal Connie put forth has nothing to do with the reasons I would like to table discussion at this point. I think we have raised issues that are larger than the Network Drama proposal itself, and I think it would behoove us to collect out thoughts and our feelings and remember that we are a community of people, not antagonists, who generally do care about what this board does and how it does it. Unfortunately, we mostly all seem to be at cross-purposes at the moment, and I think a breather would beneficial not only on an individual basis, but also on a community health basis. I don't think I'm wrong when saying we all generally care about each other and our collective community--I don't think we would be raising hackles, such as they are, if we didn't. But I personally would like some down time from talking in Lightbulbs and B'crazy about these thread creation issues. Two weeks sounds right to me.

Also, whatever our longer, bigger discussion turns out to be, I think it's going to need longer than four days for us to really hash some things out, but it probably shouldn't be completely open-ended, either.

I agree. Some parameters should be set, by a poll, I think.

Such a poll would have to have many choices, and possibly also a "my preferences are not adequately represented by this poll" button. I think a poll is the only way to get everyone's input without someone going through all the posts and trying to tabulate what everyone said they wanted.

Oh, of course. I mean, the number of people who are lurking through this discussion--understandably--should be able to voice their opinion through the poll.

So, something like:

Do you want to table discussion of new thread creation at this time?

Yes, No, No Preference

How long should discussion be tabled?

One week

Two weeks

Until Labour Day

No Preference

Unless other time frames are suggested.

Of course, I do think this hinges also on Connie choosing to withdraw her proposal at this time; it is worth adhering to our own protocol here.

Of course, I do think this hinges also on Connie choosing to withdraw her proposal at this time; it is worth adhering to our own protocol here.

Yes. This. I'm not so sure that she's going to want to withdraw it. I think that we should wait for her to come back and table all discussion of tabling, until she has.

Edit: Above was not meant to sound as sarcastic as it came out. I just meant that it has to be Connie's decision to table or not. Poll could determine for how long.

Oh, I guess I thought you meant a poll to figure out a better way to have this discussion.

Whatever happens with the current proposal, we can just not propose new threads, not second them, or not discuss and vote on them. I don't object to a poll for something we haven't considered, but I do feel kind of leery about it when there are options within the established framework.

Since I don’t really have a horse in this race, I’ve been reading this discussion a bit like an anthropologist watching video of an unknown culture. I’ve been part of the Buffistas since TT, and while I’ve not always been an active poster, I have always been, at worst, a semi-lurker. The Board has always moved at a pace that was just impossible for me to keep up with because of work and Life stuff. I’d be reading and think of things I’d want to say and by the time I got to the end of the thread, the conversation was over. I’ve been a rabid fan of the John H. Natter Diet for years. Even now, I read that Natter has slowed down due to moving some of the conversation of TV to the Experimentals or other threads. I’ll take y’alls words that that’s true, but I still need the Natter Diet most days.

The reason I started on the board was to discuss Buffy. I was a regular at Salon and stumbled across TT a couple of months after I started watching Buffy. I fell for the show in a way I never had, and TT offered me a place to talk about it with people who are articulate and can spell.

The reason I stayed? The people. The varied conversations. The good grammar. But, mostly, the people. I feel like I know a lot of you and I care about what happens in your lives. I cried the day Consuela had to put her dog to sleep and the day tommyrot had to say goodbye to his beloved Senor Sock. I sobbed when Beverly lost her son. I’m not a parent and can’t understand the pain she experienced, but I knew she hurt. I fretted over our NYCistas on 9/11. I rejoiced when our babies were born. And, yes, I mean OUR babies. I laughed over “it looked like a tooth” and gasped every time Owen took a dash. I smiled over Allyson taking in ita and the Bayistas caring for juliana during their life moves. I celebrated raises, promotions, new jobs, birthdays, and anniversaries. You all are my people.

That being said, I think B.org is a tough culture to break in to. Even though I’ve been around for a long time, and I feel like I know y’all and care about y’all, I still feel like I’m the second cousin at a family reunion who belongs but not really. Maybe that’s because I don’t have time to contribute with the frequency others do. I’m not sure why.

The current board culture, to me, seems to have Natter and Bitches at the center with the other threads coming off like spokes on a wheel. Most people participate in Natter and/or Bitches as well as select spokes. BUT, there are still people who don’t really participate in Natter or Bitches, but stay on the spokes of their liking.

This current discussion is, I believe, a lot more about board culture and the movement/possible changes of the board more than the creation of one thread. If I am interpreting correctly, one side (of the multi-sided discussion) is concerned that by creating more threads, the board with splinter and, at worst, will not interact with each other preferring to stay in the specific threads that they choose to participate in.

While I understand that this is a fear for some, I doubt that adding more spokes will take away from Natter and Bitches in a significant way. I have no concrete evidence of this, of course, it’s just my gut feeling which, admittedly, could be wrong. I just think that Buffistas are chatty by nature and while there may be some different places to chat, Natter/Bitches will go on.

Most of the TV threads don’t work for me because of spoiling issues, and while I would like to talk about some TV here, I’m okay with the fact that I don’t. Talking about TV isn’t my main reason for coming here.

People come in and out of b.org. The board changes because people change and our interests change/grow/etc. But, I honestly don’t think the board has changed dramatically since the move from TT to WX. Even the move to B.org from WX didn’t change the culture much. Again, we lost some folks and gained some others, but the basic culture didn’t change. Even when Buffy went off the air (sob!), it didn’t change dramatically because by that time, Natter was the most active (continued...)

( continues...) thread.

Ummm…okay….for a lurker in this thread, I guess I had a lot to say.