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| 26 Jul 2007 12:32:33 am |
 How it came to be "New Bee" |
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Several people have commented on the name of this new group/program saying "New Bee - that's really cute and a fun play on the (not always positive) term 'newbie'." Well, yes, I'd have to agree with that. But that isn't exactly how this name came into being. The real story is actually a lot more fun and deserves to be told.
At the very, very beginning of 2007, I was teaching a clerking school in conjunction with a show. The school was on a Friday, and the show that Saturday and Sunday. During the course of the show a few brand new exhibitors came up to me (some independently of each other). They all asked "When is the next clerking school? I'm new and I want to learn how to show." This isn't that unusual, believe it or not - in fact, it happens at almost every clerking school. Two factors suddenly came together. One was that I realized that at every school I taught, I kept repeating "every single exhibitor in CFA should take a clerking school just so that they will be a better exhibitor." The other was that I had always wanted to teach a class just for new exhibitors - not about how to clerk, but what the show rules really say and how to navigate through the waters of your typical showhall. So, I made a deal with this group of new exhibitors.....I'll put together a class for new exhibitors and they could be the guinea pigs. The only fee would be feedback to me.
And so it started.
In the course of making arrangements for this class, one of the exhibitors emailed me with the subject line "New Bee." Now, anyone who knows me knows that I have a real appreciation for wordplay and this one really tickled me. I emailed the the exhibitor back telling her how much I loved that line and in so many words said "I am so stealing that line!" Her reply was "that's what I feel like right now...flitting around from flower to flower trying to figure out where to land!"
And you know, that's a pretty accurate description of what it feels like to be a new exhibitor. Everything is so new, that you can't possibly think of where to start first. Or in what order. And afraid that in the process of it all that you will miss something - and without some direction, probably will.
So here's hoping that this will at least point some New Bees in the direction of the best flowers to land on. However, if you are hoping to see me do the "The Flowers are Over Here!" dance that a bee does when it reports back to other worker bees at the hive, you are going to be sadly disappointed! |
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Category : General
| Posted By : tkeiger |  Comments[0] |  Trackbacks [0] |
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| 10 Jul 2007 01:10:02 am |
| New Bee Yahoo Group up and running |
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http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/cfanewbee/
The link and basic info is also on the "Links and Resources" page of this site.
This is a closed group and all memberships ("Voices of Experience" and "New Bees" alike) must be approved. If you are interested in joining, submit an application through the group opening page. |
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Category : General
| Posted By : tkeiger | Comments[0] | Trackbacks [0] |
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| 04 Jul 2007 06:21:47 pm |
| Site redesign |
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I was never quite pleased with the original site design. But, with a site such as this the focus really has to be on developing content - especially in the initial stages. But with most of that done, I was able to go back and produce a new design template.
Refresh your browser window if you're still seeing the old site |
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Category : General
| Posted By : tkeiger | Comments[1] | Trackbacks [0] |
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| 03 Jul 2007 12:24:02 pm |
| "New Bee" course presented at CFA Mentor Meeting |
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The "New Bee" course was formally launched at the CFA Mentor Committee meeting on Friday, June 29th. A small but very enthusiastic group was in attendance. It was comprised of both experienced exhibitors and "New Bees," as well as the core members of the Mentor Committee.
I am very thankful that we had so many enthusiastic people show up! (I'm also thankful that I was not speaking after Jodelle's exciting presentation - she's a tough act to follow!)
Some relatively new exhibitors related some rather negative experiences about their initial 'mentor' (not someone from the mentor committee, but either someone close to them or the person from whom they got the cat from). I would liken their experiences to that of learning to swim by being pushed off the end of a dock and being told "you'll eventually learn."
That is exactly the type of experience that this program is trying to prevent.
New Exhibitors - please know that most experienced exhibitors really will help you. Usually all you have to do is ask...and listen...and be willing to show that you are interested in learning.
Experienced Exhibitors - please be willing to help these newer folks take their first steps and don't let your knowledge die with you. They may stumble and fall, and their style might differ from yours, but that is how we all learn.
"Be an opener of doors for such as come after thee."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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Category : General
| Posted By : tkeiger | Comments[0] | Trackbacks [0] |
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