Hi Alphas,
Welcome to Alphaday 12, Season XI. This is the penultimate Alphaday of the season; do make the most of it. The last Alphaday is in only two weeks’ time, 28th May. By then we’ll have done a good job of summing up praise and criticism of this season and we’ll already be waiting impatiently for the start of the 12th season.
The agenda has shrunk – as you’d expect. All the same there are still some not to be sneezed at items, as follows:
- This bulletin from me (the unmissable!)
- The Log edited by me
- The results of the love letter challenge from Geoff
- A final showcase item (perhaps; if you’re lucky!) from Suzanne
These four items actually cover all our basic Alphaday activities; the only difference being that the challenges take up only one point instead of the usual three. Once I’ve digested the results, I shall announce the name of the winner of our battered, much coveted, virtual Alpha Cup for Season XI. The highlight of the season!
Looking ahead to next season I’m pleased to say that I’ve received many encouraging offers of help. I’ve also had some helpful suggestions from members and I feel very optimistic about our future activities.
Membership news:
You’ll all be aware that the membership list had 18 names on it. Some of these members were ‘sleeping partners’ who for some reason were unable to take part in this season’s activities and they’ll be unfamiliar to some of our newer members.
On the whole, as an Alpha member, you’ll want to be actively involved in everything. Our ‘sleeping partners’ were given that status for a while to allow them to keep up with events and slip in smoothly as soon as they were ready to continue.
Sally has been an active member since we started. She set up the web site in the very early days. She’s a busy garden writer and she missed the whole of Season XI because there simply wasn’t time. She’s decided to make Alpha time next season, and I’m sure those of us who know her are very happy to welcome her back.
Zena has also been with the group from the start. A combination of circumstances kept her away for most of this season. She’s now ready to join in again and we look forward to her input.
Geoff will announce his departure (as you all know by now) and he’ll be very sorely missed. A lot of us have enjoyed his wry take on challenges, his lively anecdotes about this and that over the years, his great sense of humour… and so on. I don’t think he’s ever missed a challenge since day one, and they’ve all been so memorable that the famous Alpha (virtual) Cup has spent a couple of seasons adorning his mantelpiece.
Rachael has informed me that unfortunately she’s unable to take part in Alpha next season. We’re sorry she can’t stay, but her work takes priority and that’s understandable.
I’m still waiting to hear from three members about next season.
So far we’ve got twelve Alphas, all of whom are now seasoned members well past their newby infancy. That’s a good, solid basis to start with and we’ll easily make any newcomers feel at home.
We’ve had lively email exchanges since last Alphaday. Please keep your comments coming about what you wouldn’t or definitely would like to change. I’ve jotted down a lot of useful suggestions and all your input is really helpful. I expect we’re in for a very busy fortnight.
Then we got started on fairytales. Some of us love them in all their shapes and implications, and then they leave others cold. I find them fascinating.
Finally,
I keep thinking about the film The Artist. He was so lovable even while he insisted on sticking to the glory of the past and refused to accept that things change. The silence was beautiful, but it turned into a nightmare of failure of communication. He wanted everyone to change to his outdated views. He nearly killed himself with all the pathos of melodrama, farce and slapstick that accompanies so many ordinary and extraordinary events… like elections where people promise to eat their hats and sulk and resign when they lose, or continue the battle for values that belong to past glory and ignore present troubles when they win.
That Jack Russell was the real star, though, wasn’t he?
Christine