GoaNet Admin wrote:
Annual Goanetters Meet - 2007
Date: December 27, 2007
Time: 4:30pm
Venue: Foodland Restaurant & Bar
Miramar Residency
Panaji - Goa
Phone: +91 (832) 3292803, 2462326
For those not familiar with the location, the Foodland Restaurant is located
within the premises of the Miramar Residency, on the North side (right hand
side) of Dayanand Bandodkar Marg when headed towards Miramar from Panaji. It
is just before the Miramar traffic circle near Clube Gaspar Dias.
Cecil:
I suggest that maybe Frederick (or someone representing the GoaNet Admin
Team) meet the Foodland management in advance and sort of put together some
tables and chairs aside for the GoaNetters. Last time at the same venue we
all formed a circle of chairs in the adjoining lawn but soon had to shift
to the restaurant proper because they had to clear the lawn for some party.
Also it would help if the security guard at the entrance was informed about
the meeting so he could direct enquiries. Last time the boorish brothers
from Australia complained that they had difficulty finding the place as
there was no banner put up to welcome them. Some people?
----------------
GoaNet Admin:
All Goanetters are welcome to attend. Suggested items for the agenda
(subject to change):
* Feedback and suggestions regarding Goanet.
* What you like, and what you don't, on Goanet.
* Suggestions to take the Goanet project forward.
* A raising of hands on initiatives you could volunteer on (for Goanet).
* Brainstorming on how Goanet could more actively interact with the overall
community of residents in Goa and also its diaspora.
Please make further suggestions whether you plan to attend or not.
Cecil:
All that is fine but there has to be one person, maybe Fred again, who
takes charge of the meeting and sort of moderates. Last time the same
boorish and boring Australian brothers almost hijacked the meeting with
their aggressive attitudes and pre-historic opinions. One of them was not
even a GoaNetter and was extremely critical of GoaNet. Why exactly he
attended the meeting is beyond me. Fortunately there were sober, practical
and knowledgeable people like Kevin, Vivian, Ariosto and Miguel to steer
the meeting away from the petty fight the Australian duo wanted to turn it
into. It also helped that Herman and Viviana were there directly
representing GoaNet Admin.
I quite understanding wanting to bring along an interested non-GoaNetter.
It could be a spouse or a relative or friend or someone supportive of the
cause. But I can't understand the logic of bringing along someone who is
vehemently anti-GoaNet. We have enough troublemakers among ourselves and
don't need self declared 'outsiders' (outside of GoaNet) to rake trouble.
Especially not I-have-my-agenda-to-shove-down-your-throat uncouth boors
from Down Under.
--------------
GoaNet Admin:
We each buy our own drinks and/or food and go around introducing ourselves
to the group. In the past we have enjoyed meeting Goanetters - putting faces
to names, some of whom have been our cyber adversarial debaters and members
of Goanet Admin/Moderators/Volunteers.
Cecil:
In fact that's the main reason I have been attending these meetings
recently - putting faces to names. Here, off the top of my mind, are some
people I met first time face to face at a GoaNet annual meeting. Four years
back I met Edward Verdes who I had corresponded with extensively earlier.
Three years back I met the elusive VM, the vibrant Melinda, and Vincent
from Bangalore. Two years back I met Anibel, my fellow Aldonkar, and also
the fantastic writer Veena Patwardhan. Last year I met Kevin Saldanha. So
many wonderful people. It's always a pleasure meeting in real life someone
you have only known as a name and e-mail address.
Since the GoaNet Admin Team cannot set up rules for the meeting I think we
should take it upon ourselves to make sure we bring along people who know
of GoaNet and want to be 'insiders' instead of critical 'outsiders' looking
in - like the crude Australian Goan siblings last year.
Cheers!
Cecil
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