So, I'm very excited about what we're doing and what we're going to do next year, but I'm feeling a little cautious about how we are going to get these things done.

I think we can do them, but I don't quite know how.  What we're doing now, sustains what we currently do.  To do more, would require more and/or different....

Less obliquely, I feel like what we'd need to do is to bring the projects to the people.  We'd need to research, get the materials, create a project timeline, create roles and jobs pertaining to the maintenance and facilitation of the project and to access progress.  

Hmmmm.  I said LESS obliquely, huh.  What I'm trying to say is this:  if we want to do fuel cells and windmills and bridges, let's do that.  How would it be if the meetings were like this:
we begin the year with describing the (3-5) projects that we have ready to go.  Then we create teams/groups/etc.  At each of the monthly meetings we get updates and/or brief lectures on some interesting aspect of what we're creating.  If we have enough projects this could be really interesting.  We could talk about all sorts of things, they'd be comparable to the math mini-sessions only shorter, student-led and less instructional more informational.  Then at the end of the year....we do a big show, perhaps incorporated into an energy theme since all of our projects can be tailored to be presented in such a fashion.  

I feel like this might be a way for us to 1) work on projects we feel passionately about; 2) to take some heat off of meeting planning so we've got more time to work on said projects and 3) to incorporate a public/campus involvement component to act as a motivator (ie: we have a really big deal deadline) and a recruitment/teaching/sharing/celebration of science occasion.

Occasionally, maybe as many as three times throughout the year we'd have a meeting that wasn't the same 'ole same 'ole project updates & we could do the panel discussion on transferring and what not.  

I feel like this is what we wanted the club to be in the beginning, it's just taking awhile for it to naturally occur.  I know I could handle just working on one project for the year, preparing something for each meeting once a month and having that all gear up for the year-end.  It's somewhat stressful for me to have to come up with some random topic every month.  

The only thing I'm worried about is getting more of a time commitment from people.  If we each could become satellites and amateur project managers, I think it could work.  We'd each need to asses how many people we'd need to make a go of it and then just really plan it well.  If we could get this going soon, waaaaaaaaaay before finals this semester and could get all the materials for the summer (to work with, tweak, make proto-types, etc.) this could be something to work with in the fall.

In light of this I propose a spring break mini-science club officer's retreat. Let's go somewhere, look at the stars, get drunk, and plan shit.

Love,
Jenny.

Sounds good!  Especially the last part...

Thats a great idea if the people go for it.  Unfortunately we would ostracize some.  Of course no one is preventing them from doing their own project.  

It is difficult to have time lines and organize and motivate people to do things.  How do you propose we do this?  Just see who is interested and go from there?

Have we heard from Ben about the pots?

I emailed Ben on Friday afternoon about the pots.  I have not heard back from him as of yet.  I get the feeling he is insanely busy...kinda like the rest of us, but a little more so.  :-)
If I don't hear from him soon, I'll track him down at school and lay the smackdown.  As nicely as possible.  :-)

Ya know, I still don't know quite how we're going to accomplish what we want to accomplish next year.  I got so excited by figuring out the "what" I didn't even think about the "how."  
I definitely want our club to appear open.  And it's vital that we have small pockets of consistency in attendance if for nothing else then for our own sense of sanity.  
There are lots of things that motivate people....there are ways for us to appeal to that I s'pose.  
I think the biggest difficulty is the intrinsic nature of our school.  It's just a two-year school, a weigh-station by definition.  Most folks I see have mctc plus multiple other places where they actualize and socialize and cavort.  And most of my friends just go to gain a skill and leave, and never participate on "campus life" in any way more meaningfully than traversing the grounds.  
In light of this, I fully expect our numbers to be small and to fluctuate.  I think the best we can do is to be so dynamic and full of so much integrity that people will find value in coming.  Whether the projects are just so cool, or because it'll look good on a college resume, or because they can exercise their inner-dork, we should motivate by being relevant to the people that show up.  
I guess I'm suggesting a "give 'em what they want."
And I think they want amazing science.

Y'alls turn.

Jenny the return.