Survivor Connections Zoom Chat Session #1 - Art Show & Tell

[Capulet]

Hello, everyone.  Happy Sunday!

I am here to announce that we are ready to announce our first topic.  

In reviewing the votes, we saw that we had a tie between Art Show & Tell and Coping Skills: Triggers & Grounding Exercises.  

We wanted to start off with something a bit lighter to start with, so we have chosen to launch our Zoom Gathering sessions with Art Show & Tell as our first topic!  We will likely do Coping Skills next, as that was also a popular choice made by the community.

Our first session, should be one hour long (we may run over).

We invite you to bring:

• Something you have made, painted, drawn, colored, designed, sewn, sculpted, built, or photographed.  This can be any form of art that you have created and are proud of.
   
• Another artist's work that you relate to. Please be prepared to tell us where this artwork came from, and to properly credit the creator.  Real names are fine if the artwork is published/released to the public. 
   
• If the artwork is triggering, please let us know beforehand - but know that it is a possibility that some of the pieces shown/discussed may be 'dark.'  We just ask that any pieces including blood or nudity be excluded.  

For those of you who are uncomfortable with showing your faces on camera when it is your turn to share - we have a potential solution for you.  

If you send a photo of your masterpiece(s) to aftersilence.moderators@gmail.com, we will show your piece(s) via screen share, and you will be able to discuss your piece and what it means to you via the chat widget or by speaking via microphone when it is your turn.  In order to preserve your privacy and anonymity, only a moderator will be able to screen share.  (Believe me, this is for the best, as many desktops may have pictures or other bits of information on it that folks don't want seen by accident! 😉)

We are hoping to do the session on the weekend of August 26th and 27th.  The time is still being worked on.

If you are interested in joining this session, please send a PM to me @Capulet or to @MeBeMary.  Let us know what time zone you are in and all availability during the weekend of August 26th-27th.  We are looking for complete time frames, so that we may accommodate to fit everyone's schedules as best as we can - and to schedule a second session (same topic) if there is need for it.  Please let us know what you will be showing, and whether you would like for us to show it for you (if you choose to remain visually anonymous).

We will work on everything on our end and update with the time as soon as possible.  

The Zoom links/invitations will be sent to your PM a few days before the scheduled meeting.  Please do NOT share these links or invitations with anybody, even with other AS members.  We MUST know who is attending ahead of time and we will not be allowing anyone in who has not pre-registered appropriately.  Two weeks is hopefully ample time to register and to make your intended attendance known.   Apologies, but there are no exceptions to this.  

In order to ensure that there is adequate time for everyone to speak/present, we are limiting the number of participants to this session to fifteen.  We will be first come, first serve.  If you have registered but find that you cannot attend, please let us know beforehand, so that we can allow someone else in.  We will be keeping everyone informed on how many spaces we have left or if there are any cancellations.

Any questions, comments, thoughts, please post 'em here.  

I hope everyone is excited!   I know I am!

❤️

- Cap

[Capulet]

Terms of Service/Rules

• This is an After Silence site feature that is member exclusive.  Only registered, ACTIVE members who are in the 'survivor' member group may participate.  In addition, member accounts must be in good standing (no warnings or restrictions imposed) and at least 60 days old, with a post count of 50 or more. There are absolutely no exceptions to this rule.  If you do not currently qualify for the 60 days/50 post count this time, please do not worry - there will be opportunities in the future to participate, as long as we maintain interest in these chat sessions. 
   
• The After Silence forum rules will apply to any After Silence sanctioned meetings.  Two AS staff members will be present at all scheduled meetings.  Any rule-breaking or disrespect to other meeting participants will result in immediate ejection from the meeting and a ban from future meetings.
   
• We will need a minimum of five people to 'gather.'  For now, we will set the maximum number of occupants to fifteen.  We will be operating on a first come, first serve basis, and if there are any cancelations prior to our scheduled meeting, we will indicate that a spot has opened up, in case anyone else would like to last-minute register.  To register to attend an event, you will need to send a PM to @Capulet or @MeBeMary with a request to join a scheduled gathering.  Within this PM, please state you have read and understand the Terms of Service. Please ask any questions beforehand, as we do not want to take time away from these sessions to address potential problems or concerns. We would like the to spend the session time interacting about the topic chosen.  If approved for attendance, you will receive a link to the gathering in your PMs. 
   
• You will be responsible for joining meetings you choose to attend with your After Silence username.  Please take care to protect your personal information by ensuring that if you use Zoom for other reasons (work, school, etc), you change your display name to your AS username and remove any avatars or photographs with identifying information before signing into the meeting.  Face pictures are okay, but please do not reveal your location or publish your email address as a username.
   
• As with other online support groups, privacy is of paramount importance.  Please ensure you are in a safe place, and that distractions are minimal (with no children, significant others, housemates, parents, friends, etc present) and that you respect the privacy and safety of other participants and leave the meeting if you are not alone or your/others’ privacy is not guaranteed.
   
• You are NOT required to put your camera on.  You may opt to put on your camera only when speaking, or not at all.  The choice is completely yours - we want you to feel comfortable.  Zoom has a chat box feature that can be utilized if you would like to speak to everyone using the chat feature.  
   
• In order to help others to feel safe, you may not enter the meeting if you are at present in crisis, intoxicated, or under the influence of recreational drugs. 
   
• As stated in our board rules, DID alters are, unfortunately, also unable to participate in these gatherings.
   
• These Terms of Service may be revised as needed - for now, these are what we would like for participants to become familiar with.  

[Capulet]

We are still accepting registrants for our first Zoom gathering!!  

We are still working on putting together a time.  A time will be set by Sunday night, August 20th.  (For some of you, this may be Monday morning!) Links to our scheduled meeting will be sent in PM by Thursday, August 24th.  Remember, the link you receive is ONLY for you - please do not share it with anybody, regardless of whether they are AS members.

Please send a PM:

• Acknowledging you have read the Terms of Service
• Whether you will be sharing your own or someone else's artwork
• What your time zone is, as well as your full availability for the two dates provided (August 26-27)
• Whether you would like for us to present your artwork or you will show it

Thank you,

- Cap

[WannaMoveOn]

Is the time set yet?

[Capulet]

1 minute ago, WannaMoveOn said:

Is the time set yet?

It will be established tonight, so you should have an answer first thing tomorrow.

[Capulet]

Hello, everyone! 

We now have a time for our scheduled Zoom Chat Session "Art Show and Tell!"

We will be meeting on Saturday, August 26th at 4pm EST.  At this time, we do not have enough interested participants to host more than one meeting.

This makes it 10pm GMT+2, 9pm GMT+1, 3pm Central Time, 2pm Mountain Time and 1pm Pacific Time.  

We still have room for more registrants, so please let us know if you might be interested in joining us and you'd be available during this time frame.  Additionally, please let us know if you will be displaying some of your own artwork or someone else's, or you'd like for us to display for you.  We will accept art submissions through email (aftersilence.moderators@gmail.com) up until Thursday night, August 24th. Those planning to show their own art will be able to register up until Friday, August 25th at the end of the day.

Those who have pre-registered will be receiving links/access information in their PM.   Please do not share it with anybody.  

Can't wait to see you all then!

- Cap