Re: [TCP] STC Conference this past week
Sean just about covered my reasons. I did the STC thing for 10 years - served as Editor, Secretary, Vice President and Acting President of the local branch. Helped coordinate the first STC convention here - basically my idea with two other people and I was a major driving force. Started coordinating the second one and somewhere in the middle of the process...decided "if it ain't fun anymore, it ain't worth doing." Friends in the organization asked why I let them treat me like that...and I decided they were right. I took a walk and have been walking away from STC ever since. I decided not to renew my membership last year and don't feel any difference at all this year...actually, the opposite. I have gotten more involved in the local community, helped put on a conference in Jerusalem in January and plan another for February of this coming year; I host regular events - and am free from the petty politics and by-laws that were twisted right and left anyway. Why didn't I attend? 1. Money 2. Time 3. A deep-seated anger that STC national took years and burned many people by refusing to respect international members while using thousands of our dollars and our membership to be able to call itself an international organization. It finally recognized some of its mistakes...but has done nothing to undo the damage that was caused to local groups. 4. Politics - I can't stand the pettiness I have seen in the past and the fact that almost every past leader here is burned out, fed up, and disgusted. I've seen the local council go against key membership opinions to benefit the council members and bend by-laws so far that it is a joke. I believe STC national (and local) lost the interest of the ordinary international technical writer when all it could see was itself in the mirror. There are some small efforts it has taken to rectify this - but for me it is a case of too little and too late. Paula -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Brierley, Sean Sent: Friday, May 18, 2007 5:17 PM To: tcp@techcommpros.com Subject: Re: [TCP] STC Conference this past week Thanks for the report. Why wasn't I there, in order: 1) Cash. I don't have any to spare, and it would have been my dime, not my employer's. 2) Time. I get a whopping two weeks of vacation and already used one going to the house of mouse with my family. Taking time off without pay is forbidden. 3) Am a little torqued off at the national STC [EMAIL PROTECTED]@[EMAIL PROTECTED]@#s right now. Was thinking this morning that I might be done renewing. We'll see what this year brings, fails to bring, or how it annoys. 4) Timing was off. The class I teach at uni wasn't over; the semester ended Tuesday. Cheers, Sean -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For those of you who weren't at the STC conference, I'm just curious why. Was it a money thing? A time away from work thing? A total lack of interest in STC thing? For me the last several years, it was a family thing. My kids were young enough that it was difficult for me to go. Although my mother-in-law (my primary babysitter while I was gone) would probably disagree, it was fairly easy for me to attend this year. (Now if this message doesn't give everyone out there a chance to reply with something, I don't know what would!) :-) DISCLAIMER: Important Notice * This e-mail may contain information that is confidential, privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure. If you are not an intended recipient of this e-mail, do not duplicate or redistribute it by any means. Please delete it and any attachments and notify the sender that you have received it in error. Unintended recipients are prohibited from taking action on the basis of information in this e-mail.E-mail messages may contain computer viruses or other defects, may not be accurately replicated on other systems, or may be intercepted, deleted or interfered with without the knowledge of the sender or the intended recipient. If you are not comfortable with the risks associated with e-mail messages, you may decide not to use e-mail to communicate with IPC. IPC reserves the right, to the extent and under circumstances permitted by applicable law, to retain, monitor and intercept e-mail messages to and from its systems. __ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. DOCUMENTATION & TRAINING WEST 07: THE USER EXPERIENCE April 18-21, 2007 ~ Vancouver BC ~ Marriott Pinnacle ~ free city tour 40+ sessions * free workshops * free iPod offer * www.doctrain.com ___ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options
Re: [TCP] STC Conference this past week
Oh yeah. And I refuse to rejoin until the person who is Region 8 Director (or is it sponsor now?) is no longer acting in that position! Because of him, it was "no longer fun" to be an active leader, let alone member, in the organization. And although I could join any other community I wanted (say, Boston! ), if I wanted to attend any local meetings, I'd have to pay. (Although not sure I'd want to since their agenda is lousy, but that is itself a whole other issue!) STC didn't just disrespect international members. They did a real good job if disrespecting national members, who were active leaders in chapters and communities. ...sue On 5/26/07, Paula Stern (WritePoint) <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > 3. A deep-seated anger that STC national took years and burned many people > by refusing to respect international members while using thousands of our > dollars and our membership to be able to call itself an international > organization. It finally recognized some of its mistakes...but has done > nothing to undo the damage that was caused to local groups. > 4. Politics - I can't stand the pettiness I have seen in the past and the > fact that almost every past leader here is burned out, fed up, and > disgusted. I've seen the local council go against key membership opinions > to > benefit the council members and bend by-laws so far that it is a joke. > > I believe STC national (and local) lost the interest of the ordinary > international technical writer when all it could see was itself in the > mirror. There are some small efforts it has taken to rectify this - but > for > me it is a case of too little and too late. > __ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. DOCUMENTATION & TRAINING WEST 07: THE USER EXPERIENCE April 18-21, 2007 ~ Vancouver BC ~ Marriott Pinnacle ~ free city tour 40+ sessions * free workshops * free iPod offer * www.doctrain.com ___ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com
Re: [TCP] STC Conference this past week
I had the same feeling. After 10 years of donating my time to STC (they wouldn't even pay for the gas for the extra car I brought to one convention solely for the purpose of helping bring 6 more people to the convention from a long distance away...that was on top of my car going earlier and taking a bunch of others...for which I didn't ask reimbursement) - I can't stomach having to pay to attend an event now. Of course, I didn't get reimbursed because the membership had a loud meeting protesting that the then-president had traveled two times to Europe at STC expense, been reimbursed regularly for Internet and telephone, etc. and cut all reimbursements of that type. I actually didn't mind it at the time - until this past year when the new President took a trip to London and they've apparently reinstated the STC-will-pay rule (without bothering to check with the membership). Then I was called a liar when I mentioned this had happened - I did get a public apology when the person (a very active member), found out I was telling the truth. All in all, it was better for everyone that I was done with STC and I have yet to see a reason to go back. Locally, we don't need STC to run events - there are at least 3 local groups doing that far better and far more extensively. We don't need STC to run conventions - we proved that this past January, and we don't need the elitest attitude. STC's local website claims that their members earn about $400-$500 more per month than non-STC members. This is pathetic because while it is true in the strictest sense, there is no connection between the facts. You could say STC members have an average of 5 years more experience than non-members or whatever - but they don't have experience and they don't earn more BECAUSE they are members of STC - it is likely because more experienced writers are going to be able to get their companies to pay for the membership - and since they have more experience, they earn more money. This was even pointed out after the "survey" was taken - but it didn't stop them from putting this "fact" plainly on their website. I come from the old school of membership - where the members drive the organization and that the popularity of the organization isn't what is holy. Anyway - yeah, STC national and international has a way of driving good people away. P _ From: Sue Heim [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2007 5:15 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: tcp@techcommpros.com Subject: Re: [TCP] STC Conference this past week Oh yeah. And I refuse to rejoin until the person who is Region 8 Director (or is it sponsor now?) is no longer acting in that position! Because of him, it was "no longer fun" to be an active leader, let alone member, in the organization. And although I could join any other community I wanted (say, Boston! ), if I wanted to attend any local meetings, I'd have to pay. (Although not sure I'd want to since their agenda is lousy, but that is itself a whole other issue!) STC didn't just disrespect international members. They did a real good job if disrespecting national members, who were active leaders in chapters and communities. ...sue On 5/26/07, Paula Stern (WritePoint) <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: 3. A deep-seated anger that STC national took years and burned many people by refusing to respect international members while using thousands of our dollars and our membership to be able to call itself an international organization. It finally recognized some of its mistakes...but has done nothing to undo the damage that was caused to local groups. 4. Politics - I can't stand the pettiness I have seen in the past and the fact that almost every past leader here is burned out, fed up, and disgusted. I've seen the local council go against key membership opinions to benefit the council members and bend by-laws so far that it is a joke. I believe STC national (and local) lost the interest of the ordinary international technical writer when all it could see was itself in the mirror. There are some small efforts it has taken to rectify this - but for me it is a case of too little and too late. __ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. DOCUMENTATION & TRAINING WEST 07: THE USER EXPERIENCE April 18-21, 2007 ~ Vancouver BC ~ Marriott Pinnacle ~ free city tour 40+ sessions * free workshops * free iPod offer * www.doctrain.com ___ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Ne
