[beth]

Some ponderings:

I was looking around admiring our progress so far, nice new logo, optional chestnut skin and many forums starting to develop that "family" feel, things rollin' along nicely.

Then I clicked on Home, which simply takes you to the full list of forums, (where I just was). I'd kind of like to see a home page with a larger logo, a welcome to all who find us, a short statement about who we are and maybe an invite for first-time visitors to stop first at a forum just for newbies. That forum could include the FAQ's, TOU, Meet the Staff and How to Register, Post Threads and Reply to Threads. Maybe ?'s for the Mods, whatever makes newbies more comfortable.

So many of us are comfortable here because this format is the same as OBT, and we have a lot of experience with it. But for newcomers it can be intimidating to join in, especially when it seems like everyone has a long history together, it can feel risky to post a query. So I feel NeuroTalk should in every way possible welcome and reassure people this IS a safe and supportive atmosphere for those with neurological or other related or undiagnosed conditions (and parents/caregivers!). NeuroTalk's form of administration, moderation and participation is unique, and something we can be very proud of, and should talk up? shamelessly promote? flaunt? Oh what is the word I want?

I think we have something special here, maybe the NEXT new thing in on-line patient-led support communities, and if we want this to become the place we once knew and loved, only better, we have to grow, and we have to attract attention. What we are doing is WORTH taking notice of, but ain't nobody but us gonna do the braggin'! Am I making any sense at all?

There's a need to rebuild the databases too, w/ a plan for how to make that happen. Work to be done...not overnight, but we can't neglect it, either. We all made it clear how much we care about this community, and can be proud of what we have done so far, with the invaluable aid of Doc John, Kimmie Dawn and the Mod Squad, but we're not done yet,are we? I see NeuroTalk becoming more than OBT at it's best, our admin, mods and member input can't help but make it so, if we keep on keepin' on.

Thoughts or suggestions? Doc J? Kimmie? Is there a "master plan" of some kind in a secret vault? Any new word on the database recovery?

Proud to be a "NeuroTalkie",
beth