NEC Convention, Membership issues

["Jack O'Leary" <jdo@world.std.com>]

Hi, folks!

Just a couple of discussion items:

The Northeast Council of Aquarium Societies Convention is coming up
soon.  In past years, the AGA had a Friday afternoon meeting and set up
a display table.  This year, neither Karen nor I plan on attending the
whole thing.  I don't know if Neil or Dorothy, or any other MCM member
plans to attend.  Does the AGA intend to have a presence there?  I would
be willing to set up an unattended membership display there on Friday,
and take it down on Sunday, if the MCM thinks that it is worth it.
Let's discuss.

The idea of an introductory kit being sent out to new members is getting
more appealing.  Most communications with members have been positive,
but I do get a never-ending stream of letters and email from
recently-joined members wondering if I received their application and
where the first issue is.  Sometimes they get a little testy.  If anyone
wants to volunteer to make up a mailing (even just a postcard will do),
I'll try to handle the rest.

And just so you all know, I'm handling most of the membership duties on
a "batch"-style basis.  I am sending out renewal notices on a bimonthly
basis, and I am processing incoming memberships on a roughly bimonthly
basis as well.  What I do is wait until I get word from Neil that labels
are needed, and then process all of the applications received by that
time in one mad rush.  This is done partly to make sure that anyone who
sends in their application will definitely get the next issue.  I would
rather do the membership stuff on a daily or weekly basis, but it just
hasn't happened yet.

Everything is going fairly smoothly except in one area - email.  I
apologize for being a terrible correspondent.  My excuse is that I have
an enormous flood of email daily, from a number of sources, and it's a
lot of work to keep up with it.   If you must reach me in a hurry, then
it's best to use my alternate email address, joleary@col-col.com.
Please don't give this out to anyone else, though.  My personal email
address is already being flooded by a lot of "annoyance" AGA membership
questions.

- Jack