Online Tea Event - Planning

DanielDaniel
edited February 2014 in Sandman Book Club
It was suggested that it would be a fun thing to do to try to have an online tea party. I love this idea, so I thought I would start things rolling with some thoughts on what that would be.

A formal high tea?
A random gathering, with tea, and maybe some food?

Would we want to try to to video? Audio? Just a meeting through some form of writing? Do we all try to meet at the same time, or have an experience at the same time and share that experience after the fact?

Additional thoughts?


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Comments

  • Joi_the_ArtistJoi_the_Artist
    I like the idea of trying to do video. It might be a small enough group that a Google Hangout would work. I'd vote for less formal, since formal high teas are INSANELY complicated (and expensive!) Just people hanging out with tea and snacks for an hour or two?
  • MarianCallMarianCall
    Totally into it. I propose a Saturday, having done a lot of online streaming events -- afternoon on the East Coast, late morning on the West Coast, late night in Europe is the optimal time frame to include the most people.

    How about a try at it on March 8th?  Let's try something smaller before we do any promo -- Google hangouts are best, but it's hard to have a good conversation with a ton of people, and we would want to see right away what the logistical issues are.

    If it works though it would be fun to repeat periodically!
  • Joi_the_ArtistJoi_the_Artist
    Sounds good to me!! YAY!
  • twodogs9twodogs9
    Sounds like a fun idea.
  • neuronflickerneuronflicker
    Sounds a good plan. I think Google Hangouts allow up to 10 in a video conference, but I think more than 3 or 4 sides to a video meet can be awkward. Text is easier to follow both a main thread and side conversations when more people are involved. However, if you're looking to try it out on the 8th, I'm happy to be there whatever the media of choice, even if it may go on past my bedtime! :-)
  • ejr_loejr_lo
    A great idea. Mentally I always link comics to tea (albeit the drink vice 'high') as they always strike me as the perfect 'comfort' items to curl up with at the end of the long day.

    Anyway, if this goes ahead I'd probably be interested. It's always nice to put a face to a name - and particularly being at the beginning of the journey through dreams we've got ahead.
  • numindannumindan
    I love this idea but have such technical challenges when it comes to video anything. If a non-video option is tested out later (chat or forum), I'll be there with bells on. 
  • MarianCallMarianCall
    @neuronflicker That's exactly the issue, with more than 3-4 people talking it's difficult. But maybe we could develop a format so that people can talk in turns, and put up a text note when they want to respond to something?  I've imagined ways to have an effective hangout, but never quite managed it.  This is a good chance to try!
  • AK_BeckyAK_Becky
    I think this a great plan, but my connection is NOT fast enough or reliable enough for video, either. Will keep my eyes open for other options!
  • DanielDaniel
    There's an idea that I've been tossing around in my head for work purposes, of a way to have a video conference that has multiple rooms, like how at a physical gathering, some people are in the kitchen, some are in the main room, etc... Not sure I can get the full idea in practice in a week, but maybe a part or two would be helpful.


    Just for clarity, Marian, are you hosting the event, or are you looking for someone else to do it? Just trying to avoid one of those somebody/everybody/nobody situations here.
  • MarianCallMarianCall
    @Daniel, I would love to host the event, but it would be good if I could partner with somebody.  There are two sides to an event like this: the tech side of the hosting and the promo side.  When I try to do both, especially in the last hour before we begin, things get unwieldy and minor technical difficulties become more of an emergency.

    If we have more than a couple attendees, it's also good to have a couple chat moderators, people answering questions and providing links so that the live conversation can continue.

    So if someone would be willing to co-host with me and we could split up responsibilities, that would be awesome!
  • DanielDaniel
    Actually, it's the promo side that I tend to have trouble with, so if you have that, I'll get the tech.


  • neuronflickerneuronflicker
    @Daniel, @MarianCall, I envisage something more like a group of friends around a table as opposed to being in different rooms. Being able to hold a conversation with one or two (or more) of the group, but able to overhear the other conversations simultaneously. Basically able to push some video feeds to the background (lower volume, maybe, as well as the option to mute) while you have others more dominant. Then you could join in other conversations if you heard something interesting. The usual visual cue of looking at somebody while talking to them would have to be replaced with some sort of greying out, maybe. When somebody 'looks at you', then their volume would increase and they would become ungreyed (if there were such a word). It's just an idea based on my natural curiosity (nosiness) and the fact that sometimes I like to just sit back and listen to all the conversations around me. An ideal group video chat for me. :-)

    I don't have the time to implement such an idea at the moment, but I think it would be interesting to try one day, if just to test its efficacy. :-)
  • DanielDaniel
    @neuronflicker Yeah, that's something like what I'm going for. Unfortunately, I'm more of a network tech than a coder, so I don't think my solution will be as elegant.

    Thinking about some of the ideas from the founding of this forum - is there a desire to avoid any particular online services?

    @MarianCall Have you ever used the voice chat program Ventrilo?
     


  • MarianCallMarianCall
    Nope on Ventrilo -- but I have learned from experience that when you can't see people and more than one human is on the line, you interrupt one another constantly, and it's very hard to discuss things.  Video helps you to know when someone else is about to speak.

    I'm in favor of a G+ hangout, just because nearly everyone would have access to it -- it's fairly universal if not very hip, I've used it before and found it to be very reliable and familiar to users.

    We could make an RSVP list of folks who are very excited about the chat, and if that list exceeds 8 or so, we can ask people to rotate in and out periodically with one person acting as moderator (I would at first, then maybe turn it over to someone else for a change of pace).

    So I know it's not so cool to use Google, but it is pretty reliable and if a number of people want to participate it will be no mystery how they can view it.  What say you?
  • Joi_the_ArtistJoi_the_Artist
    Sounds good to me!
  • DanielDaniel
    edited March 2014
    I'm cool with google, it was actually what I was thinking of in the first place - I just didn't want to push it on people.

    I can see lync/skype as an option as well. It does require a paid account for multi-chat, but only requires one member to have a paid account, so that isn't a problem.

    I haven't tried ooVoo , but I've heard interesting things about it.

     The ideal package for me would be a single server payment system that didn't require users to sign up for an account just to join. That seems to be a software model out of the past, though.

  • DanielDaniel
    Ok, anyone would like to sign up, please do so here:
    http://mariancall.com/vanilla/discussion/22/online-tea-event-march-8th-rsvp-list
  • DanielDaniel
    Sorry, that wasn't the clearest of post - It was supposed to be "Yeah, lets use google, but if there's something there that just doesn't work, some things we could explore for the next attempt"
  • MarianCallMarianCall
    I think I should watch and learn from the "Vaginal Fantasy" crew.  Though they sort of have a few celebrity hosts, and we just have us.  Still, they are smart people and may have solved some logistical problems in advance.
  • DanielDaniel
    Yeah, I still have a few of those to watch. <checks the site> OR maybe 25? Ok, so I'm a little behind. <sigh>

    I'm assuming that we are doing this one publicly, even though it's just a test, correct?  Warts and all, as they say?

  • MarianCallMarianCall
    Warts and all, I think. In the notes about the video people will see on Youtube we can note that this is sort of a trial run, but we welcome them to join us.
  • neuronflickerneuronflicker
    @Daniel I will think about an implementation of the discussed multi-chat, but it'll be a few weeks before I get to it. I'll keep you informed... :-)
  • SusSus
    How late at night in Europe are we talking? (We're 5 hours behind the east coast and 8 hours behind the west coast.) I'd love to help with the test event but can't sign up until I know roughly what time you're looking at. :)
  • MarianCallMarianCall
    It might be on the late side in Europe, Sus, 8pm perhaps? 11am shouldn't be too early for Alaskans.  :)
  • MarianCallMarianCall
    That would be 12pm Pacific and 3pm Eastern, BTW, for everybody else. Those in between will have to do math.
  • Joi_the_ArtistJoi_the_Artist
    No math needed!! http://xkcd.com/1335/
  • SusSus

    8pm is awesome! I may substitute tea with wine at some point. :) Will go and sign up.

    Also, that xkcd is brilliant. Like all the others.

  • GordMcLeodGordMcLeod
    Hangouts are becoming pretty popular for this sort of thing. In addition to the VF crew, This Week in Science uses them, as does Daily Tech News Show and a number of others. It's probably worth a try to see how things go. If it works out well, it can always be repeated. If not, at least the attempt was made.
  • DanielDaniel
    I've been thinking about the problems that other groups have mentioned about user limits and post limits for google hangouts. I don't know if out "viewer" base (better than "lurkers") is high enough to worry about this, I think streaming the hangout over a service like twitch.tv would work. 

    Of course, twitch is supposed to be for video games only. So we could either pretend that we are talking about Wayward Manor, or find a similar service

  • MarianCallMarianCall
    You can have hangouts "on air," it's a built-in feature allowing any number of people to view the hangout on Youtube.  I use it when I stream concerts.  It works well.  You can still text chat with people watching, but you don't have to deal with video from more than 8 people (which is too many for everyone to talk at once anyway).

    I've asked a couple more than 8 people to come to our Hangout, so we can try shifting people in and out of the group, and also see what the viewing is like from outside the group.  For some, text interaction might be just as nice or nicer.
  • DanielDaniel
    Ok, I knew there was problems with chat and hangouts when it first came out, glad to hear they got that straightened out.
  • MarianCallMarianCall
    Yeah. They can still be sticky, especially if someone's internet gets snarly in their location, but I've had several successful Hangouts On Air.

    And this one will be a test run for all of us!
  • MarianCallMarianCall
    OK, I was going to email us, but again, it's the end of such a long day and I'm bushed.  So glad I read vol. III early this week!

    Here is the location of our future hangout event:

    https://plus.google.com/events/ci7io5gcora0ol1t331aqsmeb44?authkey=CILEss_B7Mzp_AE

    RSVP or sign up if you would!

    Here is where our hangout will air on Youtube, you guys and anyone else can watch without actually being in the room.  We can read their comments there in real time, facilitating chatter with a larger group: 



    I'll try to begin it at about 10:45 my time, 11:45 Pacific, 2:44pm Eastern, 7:45pm UK.  I think.

    The first 15 minutes or so will probably be me staring around my screen trying to make everything work and post all the links in the right places though.  So you may use that time to warm tea and make scones.

    If you have trouble RSVP-ing to participate, let me know!
  • MarianCallMarianCall
    Oh geez, it embedded the Youtube link.  The link is youtube . com/watch?v=p5kNY2d3jUc -- though there's nothing there yet.

    Please don't promote these links too much for this first one, I'm ok if it's a smallish affair the first time around as we play with the format!
  • MarianCallMarianCall
    ****NEWS:  new event time ONE HOUR LATER***

    Noon in Alaska, 1pm PST, 4pm EST, 9pm UK.

    I'm so sorry, I'm an idiot and I double-booked myself!  I really and truly apologize, hopefully having tea an hour later won't ruin anyone's day.  Or feel free to begin without me, I am not required as host!

    I'll be there around 11:50, at least that's the plan.

    So sorry guys!
  • DanielDaniel
    edited March 2014
    There's some software and hardware I want to experiment with, so I'm going to take the vacated time slot. 
    11:45 Pacific, 2:44pm Eastern, 7:45pm UK.


    Nothing super planned, but if you want to swing by, ask some tech questions, or just chill, you can join in.
  • Joi_the_ArtistJoi_the_Artist
    I decided to wear my new dress, just for the occasion. Wheee!
  • DanielDaniel
    Ok, I just posted two more rsvp lists - I'm curious to know how often people are interested in this, so please don't feel forced to sign up for anything. 

    Also, I would like to hear from anyone that would like to attend one, but the times are impossible.

    Thanks
  • DanielDaniel
    I will run another online event on the 29th, but I will not be available to do one on the 5th of April.

    Assuming there is still interest, would someone be interested in running one on the 5th, or should we just skip that week?


  • DanielDaniel
    Wow, it's Friday already - I wanted to get this out sooner.

    Is there interest in another online meeting? I Know folks are a little behind most of the time, so lets call it a recap of the first 5 books.  

    Do we want to keep it at 2pm EDT? or is that becoming a bad time?
  • MarianCallMarianCall
    Maybe let's do one closer to the end of everything? I think we'll have a bit of a surge of interest and so on approaching the end, let's have a big wrap party!
  • SvithrirSvithrir
    Is there still interest in one last hangout? Or shall we just fade quietly back into reality as we finish?
  • MarianCallMarianCall
    I would certainly be there, as always.
  • SvithrirSvithrir
    And would this weekend work, or is that too short notice for people who are interested?
  • MarianCallMarianCall
    I think very few people are actually caught up. Maybe give it one more week and I can encourage some key players to finish up for that?
  • SvithrirSvithrir
    Yeah, I was afraid of that. I might be able to join next weekend... I'll have just arrived in Tokyo, so it won't be the most convenient thing in the world, but it should theoretically be feasible. Getting more people involved trumps my convenience, of course!
  • MarianCallMarianCall
    Ha! Tokyo? Awesome!
  • DanielDaniel
    I would love to do this again. I will be out of town this Sat. but I can still call in - I just can't promise the quality of the connection. It should be fine though.

    Just to toss this idea out there, would Memorial Day weekend be easier or harder for people?
  • SvithrirSvithrir
    I know, right? I'm very excited and nervous.

    I don't think I could do Saturday or Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, personally. (I get back to the States early on Memorial Day Monday, but that probably isn't an ideal hangout time.)

    I'd be super available for a hangout the *following* weekend (Sat 31 May), if that happens to be convenient for others, but I also don't want to put it off too long, lest the experience lose its freshness.
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