How can we improve SL? A public discussion open to all.

[Jabberwocky]

A comments struck me earlier today, got me thinking it might be useful to ask our little community what ideas anyone might have on how we could improve SL.

1. What do you think is going right in SL as of late?
2. And what hasn't been going as well as it could be around here?
3. How could we improve our stickies?
4. How could we improve the still new Directory?
5. Ideas for useful new stickies or megathreads or updates to currently existing ones?

Recently I have been thinking about having a prefix system proposed to administrative staff, similar to that used in OD. I am thinking of having an option for each new thread to specify one of the following topics:

• <no prefix>
• <Recovery Journal>
• <Withdrawal>
• <Detoxification>
• <Tapering>
• <Treatment>
• <Sober Housing>
• <Recruitment>

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We have some outstanding BLers here in SL. Every day I am struck with how insightful, strong, compassionate and intelligent we are as people around these parts. Particularly as those who have come face to face with our suffering, perhaps we understand the extremities of the joys and the misery in life so intimately, I believe we have perhaps more wisdom and capacity for success than any of us, especially in our times of need or on our own, could even begin to understand.

Deep down somewhere, though we are not always aware of it, we do seem to intuitive know this truth. It leads to a craving, a desire to find meaning and make life qualitatively better, for ourselves and for one another. In times of need, however, we are so much more capable working together than we are alone.

Together, however, we so easily seem to be able to support one another and bring out the best in each other, as well as ourselves. And this is the basis for adult relationships: to allow one's self to depend on another and in turn be there to provide them with a mutually supportive safety net.

---

All comments and feedback is appreciated. Thank you for being a part of BL and SL

and if you're applying for the moderator position(s) that recently opened up for SL, with the deadline of January 31st, suggesting something useful here, not matter how large or small, would be looked upon as favorable* indeed

*(not required of course, just encouraged - by myself %))​

 

[cj]

a radical change could be a specific thread for each individual poster. I have noticed with the marathon thread I am currently engaged in about my benzo problem people have been able to ask deeper questions and give better advice because they have a better idea of the full picture going on with me. I am not saying every thread would have to be connected to a person we could still have general questions. but a person in a situation like mine who has multiple issues it could be a better solution then 6 different threads by the same poster all relating back to the same macro issue.

 

[starting_over]

Yes the single thread per "individual story" is a good idea, it helps us get a better idea of the person. I'm sure it's good for the OP to reflect and see how far they have come in their recovery... 3 months, 1 year, etc

 

[Jabberwocky]

a radical change could be a specific thread for each individual poster. I have noticed with the marathon thread I am currently engaged in about my benzo problem people have been able to ask deeper questions and give better advice because they have a better idea of the full picture going on with me. I am not saying every thread would have to be connected to a person we could still have general questions. but a person in a situation like mine who has multiple issues it could be a better solution then 6 different threads by the same poster all relating back to the same macro issue.

Yes the single thread per "individual story" is a good idea, it helps us get a better idea of the person. I'm sure it's good for the OP to reflect and see how far they have come in their recovery... 3 months, 1 year, etc

Would one of you explain this idea a bit more. I like it, and I think I understand what you're talking about, but I'm not entirely sure what specific changes you're proposing. Like, some new policy that each individual have their own recovery journal instead of posting in someone else's recovery journal, in order to avoid creating a mega clusterfuck?

I guess my question is: How do you imagine that being implemented? I do like the idea as I said, I'm just not entirely sure how it would end up happening.

Great ideas regardless! Please keep theming coming you two (and any others!). I truly value the feedback.

 

[starting_over]

Would one of you explain this idea a bit more. I like it, and I think I understand what you're talking about, but I'm not entirely sure what specific changes you're proposing. Like, some new policy that each individual have their own recovery journal instead of posting in someone else's recovery journal, in order to avoid creating a mega clusterfuck?

I guess my question is: How do you imagine that being implemented? I do like the idea as I said, I'm just not entirely sure how it would end up happening.

Great ideas regardless! Please keep theming coming you two (and any others!). I truly value the feedback.

I think what we're trying to say here is each person can create their own thread / journal and talk about their story. People can join in and offer advice etc like what's always been happening.

If OP wants to offer advice in someone else's thread of course they can.

Pretty much just encouraging what's been happening for the past little while, it doesn't have to be an official policy per se.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Likes it

 

[simco]

I really like the idea of encouraging folks to maintain a thread of their own as they're involved with active recovery (or whenever, really). Having recently started such a thread after years on SL, I've found the experience to be hugely satisfying. And I agree that it makes it easy for other BL'ers to support each other.

In terms of implementation, I agree that is should operate by suggestion only...I think it's obvious that we wouldn't want to compel anyone to get married to a thread of his or her own.

To help the process, perhaps we could make a sticky that could include, at a minimum:
* A description of how we envision these "journals." i.e. Give people some help in understanding possible topics and structures for such a project.
* Links to several, hopefully quite different/unique, examples of threads people have already started.
* Possibly provide people with either templates or prompts to help them get started. I'm less sure about this idea. But it might help folks who don't know how to begin
such an undertaking.

 

[mrsnowygrainius]

some kind of instant chat or chatroom for the sober people on this site that may need instant responses from other people in recovery, I know this is asking a lot but its just an idea I wanted to put out there.

 

[simco]

I've had an idea for SL for a while... from time to time, I've seen folks on the forum ask if anyone else is in a situation similar to theirs, and if they might like to "buddy up," offering support to each other during recovery. Maybe we could try to facilitate this kind of support.

There are lots of ways this could run. Ideally, I'd like to allow peers to match up for fairly intensive, mutually supportive correspondence (probably via PM, though who knows?). However, I see an immediate problem with this vision: this would easily lead to situations where Person A really needs to talk to her buddy, but her buddy, Person B, has gone awol. Or maybe it just turns out that Person B is a troll who winds up undercutting Person A's needs. To minimize situations like these, we might alter the model a little. I don't think we want to get into the business of facilitating "sponsorship" in the traditional sense. But maybe we could split the difference... i.e. we could aim to help new members of the community get to know a slightly more senior SL'er. That way, the new member could vet possible buddies by reading their post histories, while the more senior folk would have been around long enough to know that realistic expectations and precautions are in order in such a relationship.

Would these relationships always work? No. But maybe they'd work often enough to be worth trying.

To play the devil's advocate, I have to admit that part of what makes SL great is that it lets us talk to a fantastic community. Pairing up would obviously encourage a lot more discussion outside of the view of the whole group, which could be a shame (lost opportunities for suggestions or for serendipity to assert itself). If others think this is a deal-breaker, I'd be cool with that. But I will say that some of the conversations I have had via PM have been very different (in a good way) from what I read/discuss on the forum in general...they supplement my more visible interaction with the community nicely. All I'm really after is a way to facilitate these kinds of 'off-line' interactions, especially for folks who are new to the group.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Thank you sim and mrsnowy! Great suggestions

I will write more on my thoughts when I have more time. To all have contributed so far, these are some stellar ideas all around. The chat room is definitely asking a lot, but I do have an idea or two. We shall see what happens.

I'm glad I start this thread.

 

[simco]

Sorry to bogart this thread, but I wanted to say a couple things about TPD's suggestion regarding prefixes for threads, a la OD. I'm a little conflicted about this. On one hand, I do find the system that the OD mods put together to be really helpful. When I was a more regular reader/poster over on OD, the prefixes really helped to tame the otherwise enormous scope of the forum.

My only concern with implementing a similar system on SL lies in a sort of subtle difference between OD and SL... Namely, the categories on OD are fairly cut and dried. i.e. Most folks know when they're starting a thread whether it's about, say, research chems, stims, opioids, etc. On SL, however, I think that there are quite a few cases where at the outset, a poster doesn't know exactly what the category of a thread is going to be. And sometimes, threads' topics change, or they come to include many subjects over time, as the thread grows.

This ambiguity/fluidity doesn't mean we shouldn't have a prefix system. I think it just means that it's going to be a matter of some art to devise a system that works well. But I don't doubt that our wonderful mods are up to that task .

 

[Jabberwocky]

Regarding the chatroom idea, the mods and senior staff are going to be discussing it. There is another staff member has generously decided to volunteer his time to creating our own chat engine tailored specifically to our needs, which is AMAZING (well, I'd think nothing less of him, he's a pretty outstanding dude). Just needs to get discussed by the higher ups and to see what everyone thinks.

The proposal I have made is to have a chat dedicated to BL's Recovery Support forums, with individual chatrooms for TDS, SL and MH. Due the useful nature of real time responses for many of the issues discussed in Recovery Support threads, have a chat feature could be particularly useful. A fuckton more work for the mods, but I have volunteered to help moderate the thing.

I'll let you all know when we come to some conclusion and will forward any feedback here through the appropriate channels. It is policy that staff does not leak info regarding current topics under consideration and deliberation to the general BL community until they are resolved, but I will keep you all informed as is appropriate.

Sorry to bogart this thread, but I wanted to say a couple things about TPD's suggestion regarding prefixes for threads, a la OD. I'm a little conflicted about this. On one hand, I do find the system that the OD mods put together to be really helpful. When I was a more regular reader/poster over on OD, the prefixes really helped to tame the otherwise enormous scope of the forum.

My only concern with implementing a similar system on SL lies in a sort of subtle difference between OD and SL... Namely, the categories on OD are fairly cut and dried. i.e. Most folks know when they're starting a thread whether it's about, say, research chems, stims, opioids, etc. On SL, however, I think that there are quite a few cases where at the outset, a poster doesn't know exactly what the category of a thread is going to be. And sometimes, threads' topics change, or they come to include many subjects over time, as the thread grows.

This ambiguity/fluidity doesn't mean we shouldn't have a prefix system. I think it just means that it's going to be a matter of some art to devise a system that works well. But I don't doubt that our wonderful mods are up to that task .

You're not bogarting anything sim

But what you're highlight is actually our primary concern as mods: how unlike OD the nature of many SL threads doesn't necessarily lend itself to this. Basically what it comes down to is more work for the mods, such as updating thread prefixes depending on where the person is at, but I am no opposed to having to be primarily responsible for doing that.

Still, I do worry a little about the specifics of what I've proposed. At the least I think we would benefit from an option for labeling threads official as <Recovery Journal>, for a number of reasons. I would like to allow for other prefixes for common topics like withdrawal, detoxing and treatment, but exactly how to do this without leading to people feeling like their more roped into their often harsh, overly self critical understanding of what "progress" and "success" should look like in their recovery is the question you are (rightly) drawing our attention to.

I think on thing we could do is be very, very clear in how we officially discuss the use of the prefixes, including an explanation about what more accurate conceptualization of progress and success in early recovery really look like. That would at least address common misconceptions related to how we all tend to be so hard on ourselves in early recovery (and perhaps more generally).

Beyond that though, I'm not entirely sure. Perhaps we should just start with the <no prefix>, <Recovery Journal>, <Withdrawal> and <Treatment> prefixes? Tapering and detoxing being the processes that they are, rarely representing an entirely linear process, perhaps excluding them would made my proposal less problematic? Then again, I see so many thread specifically on their topics I feel their ultimate inclusion in the schema would be useful.

[mention]Captain.Heroin[/mention]
[mention]neversickanymore[/mention]

 

[cj]

I just don't think SL gets enough traffic to make the prefixes necessary. It helps save time in Od so you don't have to read every thread title SL has maybe at max 5 new threads a day so reading the thread titles shouldn't be too hard.

 

[Jabberwocky]

What got me thinking is when I was going through pages of threads in SL looking for worthwhile recovery journals to add to the directory. It's a huge PITA without being able to clearly see what is what. Having the any kind of prefix system would make the moderator's job much easier when it comes to finding worthwhile threads to add on certain topics to the directory.

That at least is why, at the end of the day, I would be happy just having an option to indicate recovery journals if nothing else.

Of course, people would still have to select it, and that may be as unlikely to happen as having people actually indicate their thread is a recovery journal manually in the title.

 

[cj]

Good point. I certainly don't think it will be a detriment.

 

[VastEmpty]

What got me thinking is when I was going through pages of threads in SL looking for worthwhile recovery journals to add to the directory. It's a huge PITA without being able to clearly see what is what.

Absolutely! It is a pain in the ass - I did it too. for weeks and weeks. I finally settled on the ones having the most pages being the best bet. But even that was hit and miss. That's actually what I started mine with Recovery Journal, haha.

Some awesome suggestions. I think the chat room is a brilliant idea! And the buddy system!

- VE

 

[Jabberwocky]

What are your thoughts on the buddy system?

There is a program like that in the New Member Introductions forum, or was if it doesn't exist anymore. BL ambassadors or something. That is something of a possibility for SL, though if it is like the NMI programme it is on the lower end of my personal priorities for SL.

But please do explain VE And BTW you having actually labeled your recovery journal Recovery Journal was very pleasing to me indeed :D

 

[Captain.Heroin]

I just don't think SL gets enough traffic to make the prefixes necessary.

This is what I was thinking.

 

[simco]

With respect to a prefix system, so long as it's clear to members that the prefixes are optional, then I can't see much problem with giving it a try.

While I totally get it about less traffic on SL than OD, I do think that prefixes could help the kind of browsing that VE mentions. That is, for day-to-day operations, yeah, it's pretty easy to keep up with new threads on SL. But I think a lot of community members, from time to time, browse the forum retrospectively, looking for interesting/helpful/inspiring stuff to read. And in these cases, prefixes can be nice. A good prefix system could certainly make the search engine more helpful in these kinds of cases.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

With respect to a prefix system, so long as it's clear to members that the prefixes are optional, then I can't see much problem with giving it a try.

While I totally get the about less traffic on SL than OD, I do think that prefixes could help the kind of browsing that VE mentions. That is, for day-to-day operations, yeah, it's pretty easy to keep up with new threads on SL. But I think a lot of community members, from time to time, browse the forum retrospectively, looking for interesting/helpful/inspiring stuff to read. And in these cases, prefixes can be nice. A good prefix system could certainly make the search engine more helpful in these kinds of cases.

That's actually really insightful man, thank you for posting that.