[ProgSoc] Reflective plea by a new ProgSoc member directed squarely towards the Thursday night regulars

Michael Lamont michael.montey.lamont at gmail.com
Fri Dec 12 19:28:11 EST 2008


No It isn't possible to I heart UTS that much.....especially not when they
threaten hostile takeovers of other clubs.

I to preferred the Old Engsoc Acronym, but that was in the days before we
had every engineering degree under our banner......

Progsoc is not per se a social club not that that is an excuse....and to be
honest I have generally found them a pleasant bunch.

I don't often turn up these days but I'm no longer at uni even though I live
and work nearby, but then I'm usually late on those evenings when beer & or
pizza is consumed, maybe this is why everyone is friendly.

Anyway my advice perhaps be a little more forward and join engsoc as well
;-)

2008/12/12 Tom Bozic <tomchristmas at progsoc.org>

> Hi all,
>
> I'm writing this email to get a few things off my chest - a few
> grievances, if you will - and I feel that doing it in this fashion is the
> best approach.
>
> A quick note: as this email is intended for those members that regularly
> attend the Thursday night gatherings - in particular, those that were
> there on the 4th of December from about 17:30 to 19:00 - non-regulars can
> cheerfully ignore the rest of the message (or continue to read it - be my
> guest).
>
> On the 2nd of October this year, I joined your 'society' with the intent
> of meeting individuals who shared my interest in programming and also just
> to make friends in a semi-structured environment that a university club
> such as this one ought to provide. For reasons beyond the scope of this
> email, I did not attend another gathering until the 4th of December, where
> I hoped to sort out issues with my server account (which I did), and
> perhaps hang out a little bit with everyone in the room. However, on both
> occasions, I didn't stay long.
>
> Now, I could attribute my hasty departure on both occasions to petty
> excuses such as "It'll be dark when I get home" or "My parents will worry
> about me", however, all of those reasons simply obscure the real reason
> why I left. I was not, for the most part, made to feel welcome by those
> present.
>
> In fact, I felt as if I was intruding upon the activities of a close-knit
> circle of friends, invading their private space, and consuming some of the
> precious, little oxygen in that tiny, little room. That's not to say that
> there was any hostility - expressed or implied - directed towards me (far
> from it). It was more of a sense of apathy, which I believe runs contrary
> to a core tenet of all properly functioning societies; to care for its
> members, old and new.
>
> I wonder - did any of you even notice that I was in the room that day? I
> even gave a simple "hi" to everyone as they entered the room, but no-one
> bothered to at least say "hi" back.
>
> It was because of this that I decided against attending the following
> week's meeting. I was planning to go, and I even made my way to Building
> 10 on that day, but at the last minute, I thought "What's the point? They
> don't want me there" and just went home.
>
> There was one commendable exception, however. John Elliot (if I'm not
> mistaken - he's the one that's usually there first, isn't he? Not this
> week, though...) was nice enough on my first visit to greet me and to have
> a little chat with me in order to learn a little bit about me and vice
> versa....and he even remembered me the second time round, two months
> later. A true gentleman, he is! It's not good enough, however. Why
> couldn't the rest of you make the same (or similar) effort as he did?
>
> Alright, I understand. Generally speaking, programmers are anti-social
> creatures by nature (*). I'm no exception. In fact, I might've behaved in
> much the same way if our roles were reversed. It's just not in your nature
> to be all bubbly and to fervently greet every new person you come across.
> If I wanted ebullience, then I should've joined a club such as I Heart UTS
> (**) or even the Engsoc (***). I wasn't exactly expecting a raucous rave.
> But I was expecting some common courtesy along the lines of a hand-shake
> and perhaps the exchange of a few pleasantries and a brief introduction
> from each of you.
>
> ...and I readily admit that you're all not entirely to blame. Perhaps it
> was *I* who should've been a bit more open, take the lead, and shake
> everyone's hand. Just one problem - I find that sort of thing incredibly
> difficult. I'm quite shy by nature and I don't make friends easily. I was
> hoping that being amongst like-minded (to an extent) individuals that this
> would be a few degrees easier. But alas, it wasn't.
>
> ...and, yes, if John wasn't there, someone else would've given me a
> welcome, so maybe I was being a tad harsh in that respect.  But my main
> point stands.
>
> So, I don't know - should I or should I not attend future gatherings? It's
> up to me, of course. But if I do decide to attend, there will definitely
> be a need for all parties concerned (myself included) to put in a bit more
> effort to make each other known and for everyone in the room to feel
> welcome and to be a part of the proceedings. I really would like to be a
> regular, and to get to know you and perhaps become actively involved.
>
> I do apologise if I sounded a bit abrasive. I guess I just wanted to
> condense all of my thoughts and feelings into an organised and logical
> form and to make them known to all of you, so that you know a little bit
> about me and where I stand.
>
> Yours in good faith,
>
> Tom
>
> (*) ...so it follows that a "Programmer's *Society*" may very well be a
> contradiction in terms.
>
> (**) Is it really possible to 'heart UTS' that much!? Honestly...
>
> (***) Sounds disturbingly Orwellian this new name of theirs. I liked their
> old name (SECSME) better - a lot more fun and cheeky.
>
>
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>



-- 
Michael "Montey" Lamont
Antiquis temporibus, nati tibi similes in rupibus ventosissimis exponebantur
ad necem
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