MetaChat - MeCha Homecoming Weekend

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20 August 2020

MeCha Homecoming Weekend Let me run an idea by you. →[More:]So, MetaChat has shared the fate of many a web community in the age of Facebook and many other competing social medias. We don't have much traffic any more.

Yet, people still remember it fondly, still care about the other folks that formed close bonds here, and still value the role it played in their lives. From the admin view, I notice that people check back in here semi-regularly. Since there aren't a lot of new posts most just move on.

But what if we designated a "Homecoming Weekend" of sorts to check in and have some social interaction here? That way, it's not like a place you have to look at every day. It's just like an online meetup, scheduled, something you plan to attend. Like we could designate a weekend in October or November as "Homecoming" and see if we can try to get a lot of former users to check back in for a hello.

I dunno, I just think it would be nice in this age of social isolation, and in recognition that so many of our other online venues just don't deliver the same experience. A way to concentrate our visiting on one weekend instead of trying to sustain a community 24.7.365.

Thoughts, ideas?

post by: Miko at: 23:23 | 23 comments

I have some. Busy at this moment but I'll be back.

posted by arse_hat 20 August | 23:54

I think that's a great idea. I'd love to see people come back. But how would we do this? Invite the people we know from MeCha to pop in and say hello? Advertise it on MeTa?

posted by Senyar 21 August | 07:59

Good idea. I'd enjoy meeting everyone once more.
I guess we oould send out a one time email....

posted by jouke 22 August | 09:26

Something like that.
Emails + MetaFilter mention + pinned post here.

posted by Miko 22 August | 12:17

I like the idea. I think it would be most effective if we send email to people we have lost contact with and invite them personally and ask that they forward it to anyone they would like to see come back. I also think the Metafilter mention is a really bad idea. Mecha moved away from MF long ago and with all that appears to be going on there I think mentioning it there is just opening up potential problems for everyone.

In the mid 90s the town I grew up in did a homecoming week with people asked to call or write or email people who had moved away and ask them to come. It was a huge success.

posted by arse_hat 22 August | 14:45

:waves:

Don't know why I thought to stop by today but this seems like a great idea. The blue mothership seems to be winding down in the same way that Mecha did which is maybe why this site was on my mind.

Anyway, hi.

posted by octothorpe 22 August | 16:48

👋

posted by arse_hat 22 August | 17:25

So are we talking about a Zoom meetup or something?

posted by Doohickie 22 August | 23:21

That is an idea. It's all open at this point.

posted by arse_hat 22 August | 23:27

October/November seems a long way away. Why not sooner?

Would prefer no zoom meeting -- I've had quite enough of that this year. Besides, I hardly ever saw any of you in person anyway.

posted by JanetLand 23 August | 08:00

Last weekend of September?

posted by arse_hat 23 August | 11:38

I'm in. Not so much Zoom, but would be happy to make a post, local or connected to me, and check in with other Mechazens. Good idea and sooner is better, since CovidTime is so weird. could be posted to MeTa, as a related thing.

posted by theora55 24 August | 19:03

Is there some easy chat room we could use?

posted by theora55 24 August | 19:03

We could have a get-together with tea or beer, or whatever, Maybe people would take pictures of their house, pets, village, sky, to share. on the Internet, no one know what you're drinking or if that's really your house or even your dog, so violation of privacy not required.

posted by theora55 24 August | 19:05

I think this is a wonderful idea, Miko.

With people being in such different time zones, trying to find a 'live' time seems inopportune. Maybe everyone can just focus on life updates in a dedicated thread on the site.

posted by mightshould 25 August | 06:28

Yeah, no, not Zoom. I like the idea of a running thread with people sharing pics and chatting.

posted by Senyar 25 August | 10:37

I think it will come down to - You pick a date and format, and we can riff off it.

posted by theora55 26 August | 12:25

I don't think a live time would work.

What I'd suggest is designating a particular weekend and inviting the members to come and post/comment. We could seed some threads for general check-in - SHOUTING, 3 point weekend, food, etc. And then people could post whatever they want. It would be fine if people wanted to spin off and chat/Zoom, but not necessary. Too hard and too much Zoome fatique.

So it wouldn't be one thread, either - it would be a timeframe, say Fri-Sun, where everyone's invited to check in and do whatever their thing is.

September doesn't feel good to me. People are dealing with a lot, especially parents of young kids. October/November felt good in part because of tradition...that's when "homecoming' in the US has traditionally been. We also have enough time to share the info and enjoy the anticipation.

So maybe mid-October.

posted by Miko 01 September | 21:50

I think the idea of a designated weekend is great. I'd love that. SHOUTING, 3-pointers, &c. And I agree that mid-October sounds about right. Thanks, Miko.

posted by tangerine 03 September | 20:41

I really like this idea. Mid-October works for me.

posted by initapplette 15 September | 14:30

Mid-October has come and gone . . . .

posted by JanetLand 29 October | 09:17

Ummm, what is it that Colbert had said while hosting the white house's correspondent's dinner for Bush that year?

"this isn't sinking, this is soaring"

Yeah, I know... things might seem bad right now, but jokes aside--maybe we can do a few things to spruce this place up a bit??

Okay, I'm just spit-balling here so you guys can add whatever you want and hopefully we can get some kind of momentum going as far as this thread is concerned. I'm sure it's not gonna be easy, good things never are, so I'm hoping it doesn't receive the same fate that JanetLand just hinted at.

posted by hadjiboy 26 April | 13:25

I failed on this but will try again next fall.

posted by Miko 29 March | 21:27

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