Year-End Wrap-Up

Please note the updated location for the January 4 Leadership Team meeting highlighted below:

It has been just over a year since I took on the job of Coordinator of Time Trader. Some of you already know this, but it's worth mentioning that I was a member of Time Trader for just over 2 years before I got this job. I signed up when TT was just a week old, and traded things like Car Detailing, Mending, Dog sitting, and Carpet Cleaning, all of which are still offered in Time Trader.

I thought this would be a good time to look back at the past year and ahead to 2012. I have a vision of where I'd like to see Time Trader go, but my vision is meaningless without input and help from the members. Ultimately, Time Trader is about building community, and community input and involvement are the most important building tools.

So, first -- a quick look back at 2011. The year, for me, can be summed up in 3 points:

Learning

Wow. There was a LOT of learning. As a member, I had a vague sense of what the Coordinator's job was. Once on the job I spent a lot of time learning the daily routine of managing the timebank, the structure and scope of TimeBanks USA, and, most important, the membership. Of course I knew a number of members because I had participated in exchanges with them and/or met them at events sponsored by Time Trader, but there were many members I had never met. Getting to know members has been my favorite part of this job. Time Traders are an amazing community of smart, funny, talented people who are all dedicated, in one way or another, to making the world a better place to live. This community inspires me, and I continue to learn from its members every day!

Technology

Wow. Facebook, a blog, PowerPoint, and new open-source software in the form of Community Weaver 2.0 -- that is a LOT of technology to harness. I try to post a blog entry once or twice a month, and I hope that this will become a place members will come to for answers. I'd also like it to be a place to spotlight members and services that are offered. As always, if you have a skill  you'd like featured, a story of a transaction, or any other blog-appropriate content, submit it to timetrader@familyservicerochester.org and you will earn 1TD$ when it is published on the blog. You can connect with our Facebook page by clicking the Facebook button on the right, and of course, our new software can be found here. That was the biggest challenge for me this year; it was truly a lesson in "rolling with the punches," and for this Type A planning girl, it was sometimes hard. The good news is that it is up and running, the rollout was not *too* difficult, and the software continues to improve as the technology gurus at TimeBanks USA respond to the needs of the over 250 affiliated timebanks worldwide. A HUGE thank you goes out to Time Traders who assisted with the software testing and transition, especially the amazing Christina. The many hours she spent in testing and reporting, compiling a FAQ, and offering her service as the Time Trader Help Desk are so very appreciated!

Leadership

In my first year as Coordinator I spent a lot of time learning how the timebank works; how daily operations go, how orientations are managed, how transactions and membership are tracked. I streamlined some of the processes that I saw as cumbersome, and I reorganized a number of things so that they made sense to me. Isn't it funny how each of us has our own particular sense of organization? As I reorganized files and documents, I learned more about how the timebank functions and how to lead it. I worked closely with the Leadership Team, which has served as a sounding board, provided motivation and encouragement to me, and has planned events for members like the Free Stuff Event, the Really Really Free Market and the Share Your Skills night. My sincerest thanks to the people who have taken time from their busy schedules to work on this team, including Sandy K., Jonathan, Angie R., Jaben, Aleea, Mike, Abra, Carol B., David and Don.

Goals for 2012 
Using the same 3 categories, here is a brief overview of my vision for the coming year:


Learning

One of the great things about timebanking is that it provides continuous opportunities for learning. In 2012 I look forward to learning Drupal, the platform upon which our new software is built. I am not a programmer but I do enjoy a challenge, and learning Drupal will allow me to customize the timebank specifically for Time Trader. If you have expertise in Drupal and an interest in assisting with customizing our website, please contact me. Of course you will earn TD$ for your time, and it will be an opportunity to become more involved in the timebank from the inside. Of course there are still some members I haven't met yet, and I look forward to seeing you at events and perhaps in a transaction, so that I can end 2012 saying I know each of the timebank members.
 
Technology

This ties in directly with Learning, obviously. We have a lot of ideas in the timebank for adding features and functions to Time Trader, and much of the implementation of those ideas will involve technology. I hope to improve the use of social media like our blog and Facebook to get the word out about Time Trader and to grow the membership and the level of activity in the timebank. Again, if you are interested in helping with social media, please contact me at timetrader@familyservicerochester.org. Your ideas are welcome, and you will earn TD$ for helping.


Leadership 

Leadership is the biggest challenge I face in 2012. The ultimate goal for Time Trader is to have a timebank that is basically run by members with a Coordinator whose primary job is oversight and community outreach. That means that YOU, the members, have the biggest task in front of you. While I learn more about effective leadership and  running a timebank, I want to begin transferring some of the daily tasks to you. Those tasks include:

• matching service offers and requests and sending emails to notify members there is a possible match
• writing blog entries (topics of your choice or suggested by me)
• performing orientations (this is a very HIGH PRIORITY need) 
• writing Service Updates
• increasing timebank activity, simply by participating in more exchanges
• bringing NEW MEMBERS into the timebank (most in-demand skills are massage therapy and handyman)

If you are interested in learning more about any of these tasks, or perhaps in taking one on, please contact me timetrader@familyservicerochester.org. You will earn TD$ for your time [and of course, a great sense of personal satisfaction :-) ].In addition, I would like to see more events that bring members together. If you have ideas or suggestions about those, please contact me or join us at a Leadership Team event. The next Leadership Team meeting is Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at 6:30 PM at the Family Service Rochester building, 1110 6th St. NW, on the corner of 11th Ave. NW and Civic Center Drive near Hy-Vee Barlow. Just stop at the front desk, tell them you are there for a Time Trader meeting, and staff will direct you. You will receive TD$ for attending the meeting as well.
I have said it before, but it's the truth; this is YOUR timebank. What you want for it, what you  want FROM it -- it's all up to you. I look forward to the coming year and to working with all of you to help Time Trader become an even more active, vibrant force for good in our community.

My wishes for health, happiness and all things good go out to you as we welcome 2012. Let's work together to make it a great year!
Jennifer 

Community Weaver 2.0

Well, it is here. We have been using Community Weaver 2.0 for about 2 months now and I want to take a moment to address some of the changes that have occurred.

I think the new look is a good change. It seems that people are happy with the way the site is organized and that it functions pretty well for them. I would love more feedback from people, though. Not everyone has logged in to the new system. It would be very helpful if everyone would take a few moments to do so and look at the information that is listed in their profile.

Some of the changes that happened are not readily apparent to general users but are having a large effect on how Coordinators are using the system. We are having some difficulty because while we gained a number of great features, we actually lost some functions that were available to us in CW 1.0. The technical team is working on these problems, but in the interim I may be less efficient at helping you or taking care of what used to be routine tasks. I apologize in advance, and ask that you be patient as we work through the problems and come up with solutions.

Right now it would be very helpful to me to have everyone log in, take care of the housekeeping details outlined below, and (and this is most important to me) let me know what they think. Do you like it? Find it difficult? Think it looks pretty but functions poorly? Think it looks good and is a huge improvement over the previous version? Any comments or suggestions you have will be welcome, and I will share them with the developers as they continue to make changes to make it more functional for everyone. So: in a nutshell, I am asking you to PLEASE visit the new site and look around.

I sent the instructions via email but we are still experiencing some technical difficulties and many emails are being grabbed by spam filters. To avoid this, I have added a step right at the beginning. If you log in and follow the step-by-step directions below it should only take about 5 minutes for you to be up and running with all of the correct information available to other Time Traders. If you have more time, please look around at the Requests that are out there and see if there is anything you can do to help people get what they need.

First, add timetrader@community.timebanks.org to your address book or list of safe senders. Then follow the directions below.

This is long; I apologize, but it is important that you read the entire thing and follow the directions below. The new URL for Time Trader is www.timetrader.timebanks.org and you should be able to log in just as you did in the previous version.

Once you log in you will notice that there are a number of new features and some changes from the old version of the software. The appearance of the home page will continue to change over the next few weeks as I get acclimated to it and take advantage of some of the features the new platform allows. The general function of the site will remain the same. As I said, there are some known bugs, and we anticipate there will be others we discover as we use the new system. Please let me know of problems you encounter and I will either address them at this level, or, if necessary, I'll forward to the tech support team so they can address them. As far as the immediate changes you'll notice, I'll hit the high points here and point you to several methods for finding additional information or getting help at the end of this note.

Expiration Dates - All service ads (offers and requests) are automatically set to expire in 3 months from the day they are created in Community Weaver 2.0.  You can change the expiration date of an ad at any time. 

Member Roster - You may be accustomed to finding members through the Community Weaver 1.0 Member Directory or Member Search.  You can still find members by any of the search criteria you used in Community Weaver 1.0 in Community Weaver 2.0, but you may need to accustom yourself with how to perform these searches in Community Weaver 2.0.  The Member Roster in Community Weaver 2.0 automatically sorts by most recent members, not an "A-Z" directory.  You can still quickly find any member by their name, username, or email address. Learn how to find members here http://actionhub.timebanks.org/help/find-members.

Tabs - Even though they do not appear to be links, the titles in the tabs on the right ARE links. So, for example, as you move your mouse over the "My Account" tab, the words "My Account" will turn white and additional tabs will appear below. You may choose to click on any of the tabs OR on the words "My Account."

When you log in, there are a couple of housekeeping issues for you to take care of. For some reason, birthdates did not transfer from the old software, so you'll need to enter yours. To do so, login using the same email address and password you used in CW 1.0. Go to the "My Account" tab on the far right. Click on the words "My Account" in white. This will bring up your account page. Please look over the data on the left under your profile picture and use the "Edit User Account" link to make any necessary changes.

Next, scroll further down in that box on the left and click on "Edit Profile Details." Scroll down the page that comes up, making sure that information is correct, including neighborhood and affiliations. There are no options under "County" right now, so you can just ignore it. Continue scrolling down, again making sure that information is correct, and enter your birthdate in the box, month/day/year format.

As you scroll further there is an "About Me" box where you may enter things like your hobbies or interests, your education, or anything else you may want other Time Traders to know about you. This is a great place to give more detail about the services you offer. You can leave it blank if you prefer. Again, scroll down and make sure your availability calendar is accurate (a green box with a check mark indicates you are available at that time) and below that add any links you want to share, such as a personal website or blog, Facebook page, or Twitter account.

Once it all looks the way you want it to, click SAVE at the bottom. If you miss that step, it will all be lost.

You're almost ready to start exploring the new software! Go back to the tabs on the right and mouse over "My Account" until you see the menu pop up. Click on "My Services." This will bring up your current Service Offers and Requests, as well as your expired ads. Click on an ad to view it, then "Edit" to make changes. Make sure the ads you want displayed are correct and enter an expiration date (the default is 3 months). Click SAVE.

That's it! You are ready to start trading. To learn more about the changes and how to use CW 2.0, check out the Member Guide at http://actionhub.timebanks.org/node/713 , where you will find links to a video demonstration and a number of basic 'how-to' instructions.

Please share your feedback with me. It will be very helpful to hear how the software is working for everyday users. As always you can email me at jharveland@familyservicerochester.org. Use the subject line SOFTWARE ISSUES to help me address those quickly, please.

Thanks for your patience in the switchover, and as we all learn to use the new software. Change is not easy, but I think these changes will help us to make Time Trader a more vibrant community. I welcome your comments and suggestions.

Really Really Free Market

We have had 2 of these events so far at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church, just off Marion Road at 2810 40th Ave. SE in Rochester. Check back here for more information about the next one, tentatively set for a Saturday in January, 2012.

How does it work? Simple!

Bring clean, usable items to give away. Take usable items for free. It's that easy! If you have old clothes, CDs, electronics, household items, food...etc. bring them down to the Free Market. Once the event is over, any remaining items are donated to one of the local second-hand outlets.

This is the type of event that brings communities together, and ultimately shows us that we can move beyond the need for money to obtain the things we need.

**PLEASE DO NOT BRING BROKEN, UNUSABLE JUNK**

This event is cosponsored by <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z9WVZddH9w">The Zeitgeist Movement</a>, <a href="http://home.vigr.org/">VIGOR</a> and <a href="http://familyservicerochester.org/timetrader.html">Time Trader</a>.

Transition Help Desk - Jennifer

This blog entry has been modified from its original appearance. The Coordinator's email address has been changed. If you have questions please contact the Coordinator at the email address below.

If you need assistance, feel free to email the Coordinator anytime using the subject line SOFTWARE ISSUES at timetrader@familyservicerochester.org and I will respond as soon as I can. Please do also check the FAQs posted here on the blog. You may call my direct line at 287-2040 extension 3022 at the following times for assistance.

Thursday 11/3 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Tuesday 11/8 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

At other times you may leave a message and I will return your call as soon as I can. Time Trader Christina is also doing help desk hours.

Community Weaver 2.0 FAQs

Where is the marketplace?

The “marketplace” is found by clicking on the “Give and Receive” tab, found in between “home” and “my account”.  Click on the tab itself, not the dropdown.  You can also follow this url: http://timetrader.timebanks.org/give_receive

Why are there (0) service ads for each main category when there are service ads in the subcategories?

The ads are all there, but there is a counting bug that is still being corrected.  http://timetrader.timebanks.org/give_receive

How do I record hours for a service that doesn’t have an ad?

Go to the “Give and Receive” tab’s dropdown.  Choose “record an exchange”.  Most exchanges will be one-to-one.  Enter the information for the exchange and click the “record an exchange” button.

http://timetrader.timebanks.org/exchange

When I record hours for a service, who gives the hours?

When you record an exchange, you will use the text box “Recipient of service” for the person who received the service.  This person receives services so he or she will GIVE hours. http://timetrader.timebanks.org/exchange

When I record hours for a service, who gets the hours?

When you record an exchange, you will use the text box “Provider of service” for the person who provided the service.  This person provides services so he or she will GET hours. http://timetrader.timebanks.org/exchange

I thought I was recording hours for a service I performed, but I ended up deducting hours from my own account. What happened?

When you record an exchange and you performed the service, you will use the text box “Provider of service” for yourself.  You will GET hours.  You probably misread the labels as provider of hours or recipient of hours instead of provider of service.  To correct this, send an email to the timebanks coordinator using this link:  http://timetrader.timebanks.org/contact  The coordinator will respond to the problem when in the office.

How do I record the actual hours?

There are two boxes needed to record hours.  One is for the integer, or whole number, of hours.  The other is a drop down for increments, or parts, of an hour.  So, to enter an exchange of 1 ½ hours, you would type 1 in the text box and choose .5 from the drop down menu. http://timetrader.timebanks.org/exchange

How do I record hours for a specific service ad?

Go to the service ad and click “record a transaction”.  This will take you to the “record an exchange” screen, but some data will already be autofilled: the service category, your name as either the recipient of service or provider of service, and the description of service.

I clicked on the tab “My Account” and then in the dropdown “My hours”, but I can’t seem to record hours here.  How do I record hours?

There are two ways.  You can either enter an exchange with an ad or without an ad.  To enter an exchange with an ad, search for the ad click “record a transaction”.   Or, go to the “Give and Receive” tab’s dropdown and choose “record an exchange”. 

http://timetrader.timebanks.org/exchange

I just want to browse the ads.  How can I do that?

There are lots of ways to filter ads while browsing.  For an overview of all ads, click directly on the “Give and Receive” tab, and then choose the “search all service ads” link in the upper right corner.  From here you can see how many ads are listed under each main and sub category. You can search for ads by main category, sub category, or use the links on the upper right to narrow your search by offers or requests.  After clicking on one of these links, you can narrow your search even more.  http://timetrader.timebanks.org/give_receive

But there are there (0) service ads for each main category even though there are service ads in the subcategories.  So are there ads in the main categories or not?

The ads are all there, but there is a counting bug that is still being corrected.  If you click on the main category, you will see all ads listed in the subcategory of the heading.  All ads are accounted for and organized as timebanks users have specified.  http://timetrader.timebanks.org/give_receive

I’m looking for a specific ad.  How do I find it?

The easiest way to search for a specific ad is to click directly on the “Give and Receive” tab, and then choose the “search all service ads” link. From here you can search using keywords, category, neighborhood, or affiliations.  http://timetrader.timebanks.org/all_services

I want to search for an ad by a member.  Can I do that?

Yes, you can do a search for a specific person or several persons.  There are two ways: you can either search by members or filter a search for ads by members. 

How can I search for a member?

For an overview of all members, click on the “Give and Receive” tab, and then choose the “view all members” link in the dropdown menu.  From here you can narrow your search using member name, neighborhood, or affiliations.  http://timetrader.timebanks.org/members

But I don’t know the member’s last name.  How can I search?

You can search using a single letter in a person’s first or last name, but the more of the name you use the better your search will be.  http://timetrader.timebanks.org/members

How can I filter an ad search by a member?

To filter an ad search by member, you will need to be searching for either offers or requests.  Click on the “Give and Receive” tab, and then choose the “view all requests” or “view all offers” link in the dropdown menu.  From here you can narrow the results by using a member’s FIRST name.  If you type slowly, a dropdown menu of members will be offered. 

I forgot the name of the person I exchanged with and I’d like to arrange another exchange.  Also, the ad isn’t posted anymore.

Go to the “My Account” tab.  Choose “My Hours” in the dropdown menu.  This will show your history of time dollars exchanges.  From here you can choose either a member name or an ad and find what you are looking for.

http://timetrader.timebanks.org/user/me/hours

How do I create a service ad?

Click on the “Give and Receive” tab, and then choose the “post a service ad” link in the dropdown menu.  Enter your ad information and click the “Save” button.

http://timetrader.timebanks.org/node/add/ad

Can I include my ad in more than one category?

Yes, and including your ad in several categories is easier to manage than creating several ads.  To see all the subcategories, click the green circle with the white arrow next to the category heading.  Since service categories and sub categories are checkboxes, you can check more than one.

How do I use bold and other fun stuff in my ad?

The ad description box is rich text enabled, so you can use bold, indents, cut and paste, and more.  You can also turn off rich text if you want.

How can I see my own ads?

Go to the “My Account” tab.  Choose “My Services” in the dropdown menu.  This will show your offers, requests, and expired ads. http://timetrader.timebanks.org/user/me/services

How do I suspend an ad?

You need to change the expiration date.  It will not suspend immediately.  Go to the “My Account” tab.  Choose “My Services” in the dropdown menu.  This will show your offers, requests, and expired ads.  Click on the ad you want to suspend.   When you view the ad, choose EDIT.  Change the expiration date to at least one day in the future.

How do I reactivate an ad?

You need to change the expiration date. It will activate immediately.  Go to the “My Account” tab.  Choose “My Services” in the dropdown menu.  This will show your expired ads.  Click on the ad you want to reactiveate.   When you view the ad, choose EDIT.  Change the expiration date.

How do I see my profile?

Click directly on the “My Account” tab.  Click on the tab itself, not the dropdown.  From here you can see your picture, contact info, ads, availability, exchange history, and more.

http://timetrader.timebanks.org/user

How do I change my personal information?

Click directly on the “My Account” tab.  Click on the tab itself, not the dropdown.  From here you can change your picture, contact info, ads, availability, exchange history, and more.  Editing your biography, user account, profile information, and service ads can all be done by clicking links on this main page.

http://timetrader.timebanks.org/user

From my profile page, how do I see my messages?

Your profile page only shows that you have new messages.  To see older messages, you need to go to “my messages”.

How do I find my messages?

Click on the “My Account” tab, and then choose “my messages”.  http://timetrader.timebanks.org/messages  

It looks like the same message is repeated over and over.

Each new message thread that started with a response to an ad begins with some of the original ad.  The newest message will be closest to the top of the list, if they are sorted in descending order.  So, even though they look the same at first, that is just because they started with the same conversation. 

There is no “my messages” in the “My Account” dropdown.

It disappears sometimes.  It’s a bug.  Click directly on the “My Account” tab.  “My Messages” will reappear.  http://timetrader.timebanks.org/messages  

Transition Help Desk - Christina

This blog post has been edited from its original appearance. The email for Christina has been replaced with the email address for Time Trader. If you have questions please use that email.

A Time Trader has offered to serve as Help Desk personnel as we transition. Please check the FAQs posted here on the blog first. If that doesn't answer your question, you may email it to timetrader@familyservicerochester.org anytime and she will respond as quickly as possible, or you may call her at 398-2143 at the following times:

Tuesday 11/1 2:00pm - 7:30pm
Wednesday 11/2 2:00pm-4:00pm
Thursday 11/3 2:00pm - 4:00pm

Thanks Christina, for helping as we get acclimated to the new system. If she is unavailable you may also contact the Coordinator.

Is Time Trader a barter system?

In a word? No.

Bartering is a system of exchange where no money changes hands, but the goods and services are assigned a value; a monetary equivalent. So if a haircut is worth $5 in the economy, and getting your dog walked is also worth $5, you can barter with someone to exchange those services. Generally, barter is a direct reciprocity kind of exchange, too; you exchange one-on-one with the person receiving your service, or in some cases, a third person's services can be brought into the equation, but it is difficult to broaden the transaction beyond 3 people.

In a time bank, it is the time that is the currency; every person has exactly the same 24 hours in a day and there is no correlation between the monetary value of the service and the time. You simply are compensated for the time it takes you to perform a particular service. And one of the major benefits of a time bank is that direct reciprocity is not a requirement; Time Trader Sharon can earn TD$ for giving guitar lessons to Time Trader Joe. She can then spend her TD$ on yardwork, pet sitting, or massage from any other Time Trader.

Barter transactions are taxable because there is monetary equivalency; timebank transactions have been ruled tax-exempt by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

Time Trader is a time bank. It is free and open to anyone who lives in Rochester, Minnesota or the surrounding area. For more information click on the links at right, visit our Facebook page, or our website at www.familyservicerochester.org/timetrader.html.

You are invited

If you're not a member of Time Trader yet, please consider this your invitation.

You are cordially invited

to become a part of

the Time Trader community.

To share your skills,

to build community,

to make life better for yourself

and the people around you.

If you are already a Time Trader, who do you know that you can personally invite to our community? There must be people you know -- in your neighborhood, in your faith community, in your workplace -- who are good at something. Could we use their talents at Time Trader? Can we offer them a benefit as well?

Right now there are many offers: for pet care, for snowblower repair, for jewelry making, for scrapbooking and paper crafts, and many more.
And there are requests: for carpet laying, for painting, for drywall work, for baking, for clerical and computer work, as well as many others.

Do you know someone with "mad skills" as Napoleon Dynamite would say? Invite them! Research tells us that people need to be presented with the concept of Time Trader 7 times before they take action and sign up. Seven times. So keep mentioning it.

Please note that we really need "handyman" type people; people who can do minor repairs, simple home improvement projects, and general home maintenance tasks. Remind them that they need only take on the jobs that fit into their lives and schedules -- we don't want to overwhelm people but we do need more people who can do these tasks in our community. I would like to have at least 3 people with these skills become members of the time bank before the end of 2011. If you know someone who fits the description, please put them in touch with me, and remember, you can earn TD$ for each person you refer who becomes a member!

Issuing an invitation is a form of welcoming, a formal way to introduce someone to our community, and a vital method of growing our community.

So, you are invited. Now who can YOU invite?

I feel guilty receiving TD$ for this!

Sometimes the "artificial" connections made through Time Trader become friendships. A Time Trader takes on a project for someone and they like each other. They decide to spend time together outside of Time Trader activities; they go out for coffee, they attend social events together, they go shopping.
This is EXACTLY what we want in Time Trader; people making connections and building community.

However, when a friendship develops, I am seeing a trend: people don't want to accept TD$ for things they enjoy doing, or for things they do for someone they consider a friend.

Please rethink this if you are one of those people. Some Time Traders receive services such as companionship or transportation to medical appointments. If you provide those services, even if you consider the recipient a friend, please record the transaction!

Part of the reason is here; the numbers tell our story. But there is more. We need those TD$ moving through our economy.

If you really don't want those TD$ because you feel guilty about accepting TD$ for something you enjoy doing, you can donate them. We have a Community Fund for just that purpose. You also may donate to one of our partner organizations such as the Rochester Area Family Y.

The most important thing is that we WANT you to accept the TD$. We want you to have fun while doing the service you provide for other Time Traders -- that's why we encourage people who love baking to offer baking, and people who love to do crafts to offer to do those crafts or teach them to others.

It's one of Time Banking's Core Values:

Social Networks

We need each other.

Networks are stronger than individuals. People helping each other reweave communities of support, strength & trust. Community is built upon sinking roots, building trust, creating networks. Special relationships are built on commitment.

So, please record those transactions. the numbers tell our story and if you don't wish to keep the TD$ you earn you can donate them.This adds currency to our TD$ economy and keeps those TD$ circulating through our community.

Hello? Hello? Anybody out there?

It's the most common complaint I receive:


People don't respond when I contact them through Community Weaver.

It's like I sent an email into a black hole.

I set up a time to meet them but they never showed up.

Yep. It's a common problem. But it has a simple solution:

Common Courtesy

Which, sadly, is not all that common anymore.

It is really important that, as a Time Trader, you respond quickly to messages you receive through Community Weaver. Really important.

We all want instant gratification. When we decide to do something, we are almost always in a hurry. So when someone contacts you through Community Weaver because you fix widgets and their widget is broken, they want to know right away if you can fix it for them or if they need to look for another widget-fixer.

As a Time Trader, one always has the right to refuse to participate in a transaction. No need to offer a reason, just please respond.

If one cannot participate in a transaction, here are some phrases that could be used in a response:

• No.
• I'm sorry, that won't work with my current schedule.
• Actually, I was going to delete that offer because I am very busy right now.
• I can't do it until ______. You can either wait until then or find someone else.
• I am unavailable.
• That is not convenient for me.
• I can't accommodate your request at this time.

Please, please, please -- respond as soon as possible to messages in Community Weaver. In fact, if you haven't visited CW in some time, perhaps today would be a good day to go look around. Check your profile and make sure it is up-to-date. Make sure your email is correct. Sweep any cobwebs away and update those offers and requests.
Your profile in Community Weaver is your responsibility -- check your messages regularly, and be sure your
contact information is correct. If you never check the email address where your Time Trader mail goes, think about changing it to a more convenient account -- or forward it to your primary account. Ask people to contact you via phone if you rarely check email.
It really is the complaint I hear most on a daily basis. Reply to your messages -- it is the most important thing in keeping our community active and healthy.

Time Trader Testimonial #1: A

Time Trader has been a great part of why I enjoy living in Rochester.
When I first came to Rochester, it was hard to meet people and feel like I belonged. Through Time Trader, I was able to feel more tied to the community. It gave me the opportunity to meet more folks through community events and individual projects.  I also had a chance to learn about existing organizations, including the Rochester Area Family YMCA, Family Service Rochester, and the Farmer’s Market. A couple of the folks I’ve met through Time Trader are now friends.  I got great project help assembling a swing set, gardening, and with child care among other projects.  I was able to assist with event planning, which I knew was an actual skill that I had.  I also learned that things I didn’t consider to be especially useful were valuable for others. For example, I was able to help someone out by sprouting seeds. It’s been a great resource. -A.




Thank you for your testimonial, A. It is great to know that one of our main goals, building community, is happening and making life more enjoyable in Rochester!

Please record ALL transactions. Here's why:

Recently a number of Time Traders have recorded multiple transactions that took place over a month or two in one day.

This doesn't seem like a big deal, but it is. Why?

Because Time Trader is dependent on those numbers, and it helps that they are recorded in a timely fashion.

Each month, around the 8th, I sit down and run a report in Community Weaver. The report details the transactions for the previous month. Every TD$ exchanged is recorded, along with the people or groups involved in the transaction. The numbers are then entered into a spreadsheet and provided to my supervisors at Family Service Rochester and, ultimately, the Board of Directors.

The numbers tell the board how many new members have joined Time Trader. Board members can see not only how many TD$ were exchanged in transactions, but how many people participated in a transaction that month. They can see how many transactions involved Family Service Rochester, FSR Meals on Wheels, or FSR Right at Home Solutions. They also can see how Time Trader builds community by bringing together people who need services (like Meals on Wheels) and people who can provide those services.

In the future, we hope to use those reports and the numbers in them to help us demonstrate growth in the program, to show the impact Time Trader has had on programs FSR runs, and possibly in grant applications.

If you have transactions to record, it's ok to record them all at once; just be sure to record each individual transaction (not 8 TD$ for a "miscellaneous" transaction, but 2TD$ for gardening and 6TD$ for home organizing, for example), and try to have them recorded by the 7th of the following month.

And if you have developed a friendship or relationship with someone through Time Trader and you used to record TD$ but now you just watch each other's children or do mending for each other informally, it is still important to record those transactions. While it is wonderful that we have friendships which have grown out of Time Trader, it is ultimately the numbers that tell our story, and the numbers which can help us grow and flourish as a community.

I got an email recording 0 hours. Why?

This scenario occurred in our old software, Community Weaver 1.0. As of November 1, 2011 we are operating on Community Weaver 2.0 and this scenario should not occur, as there is a delete function for messages in CW 2.0. If you have questions about this or are experiencing difficulties, please contact the Coordinator.
-Jennifer

Our software, Community Weaver, is a little picky. If I request a service and you respond to it but no TD$ are exchanged, your message stays in my inbox. Forever.

As the Coordinator of Time Trader, I get a lot of emails in my regular Inbox and in My Messages in Community Weaver. Periodically I need to clean out the CW messages so that I have less to wade through. To do that, I simply click "log hours" in the message, and I log it as 0. This triggers an automatic email to you but does not require you to take any further action.

Some reasons TD$ are not exchanged:

• multiple people replied to an offer but only one person was needed
• we exchanged messages but for whatever reason the transaction was not completed
• the service was provided but TD$ were not credited from the My Messages section using the "log hours" button
• multiple or similar offers/requests exist and the TD$ were credited on a different offer/request than originally specified

All of these scenarios are fine; as long as TD$ are credited to the right person for the right task, there is no problem. Using a 0TD$ transaction simply clears out the message.

Once a transaction is recorded and TD$ credited, even if the number of TD$ is 0, the messages automatically move to your archives. This means you can still access them and may refer back to them at any time in the future.

Remember that if you have any problems or questions about how to credit yourself or someone else for TD$ you can always contact me and I am happy to help make sure it is correct.

Thanks Time Traders!

But I don't have any skills people will find useful. What can I offer?

I get that question all the time as coordinator of Time Trader. So often we sell ourselves short, not recognizing the skills and talents we possess.

In the last couple of months several items in Community Weaver have surprised me; things that I never would have thought to ask for or to offer, yet were brought to my attention because TD$ were exchanged for those items.

Case in point: a Service Request asking for someone to teach them how to eat with chopsticks. The requester offered to provide a take-out Chinese meal and invited a Time Trader to come and teach them how to use chopsticks. Now, I have to confess that as fabulous as I think Time Trader is, and as talented as I know our members are, I would not have thought to put that request out there. The request was fulfilled and our adventurous eaters learned a new skill.

Second case: a Time Trader has an offer out there titled "Nit Picker." This was something that surprised me; it isn't a skill one would think of looking for on Time Trader. However, it turned out our intrepid Nit Picker was called upon to offer her services. A Time Trader had a case of head lice in the household and needed help. What to do? How to get rid of them both on the head in question but also in the house? And could it be done without using those awful, toxic shampoos sold commercially?

It turns out it could, and the advice offered by the Nit Picker helped to calm fears (is your head itching yet?) and provided websites with additional information as well as follow-up emails to make sure all was well.

What does any of this have to do with YOU, you may ask. Well. Maybe you learned how to home can pickles from your mother or grandmother. Now you may not look at this as a special skill, but there are many people out there interested in growing and preserving their own vegetables. You might be just the person they need to get started.

Perhaps you enjoy gardening. Again, people might be able to use your help in choosing appropriate plants for a flower bed, planning a vegetable garden, or caring for those lovely but oh-so-fussy roses. Or maybe someone just needs help in weeding a garden. Perhaps it would be a way for you to get to know another Time Trader, get a little time in the sun, and dig in the dirt, even if you live in an apartment or have no space in which to garden yourself.

In choosing what to offer, think of things you enjoy doing and things that people compliment you on. Maybe you are a great party planner. Perhaps you can make beautiful and delicious appetizers. Maybe you just like to putter around outside and wouldn't mind picking up all of the dog "land mines" left in someone's yard after the winter before taking a rake to it.

Oftentimes people get stuck thinking they must be an expert in things they offer. That is not the case -- explain yourself in your Service Offer, that you love to plan parties or want the exercise of raking someone's yard -- and let other Time Traders know you're available. You may be posting a service someone needs but that they would not have thought to ask for.

On the other hand, if you need help with something you think is just a little too odd or "out there" for Time Trader, consider posting a Service Request. You just never know who might have the skill and time to get the job done for you, and you could make a new friend in the process!

We have a Wordle!

Free Stuff Event

We tried a small-scale experiment on Sunday -- a Free Stuff Event at the UU Church in Rochester.

The concept was simple -- bring stuff you don't need anymore, like clothing in good condition, household goods or toys, and take what you need from the piles of others' unwanted items. It was the ultimate expression of "One person's trash is another person's treasure."

So how did it go? Well, we had some great stuff there. There were some brand-new brushed nickel table lamps with the tags still on them, a floor lamp still in the box, lots of books, some toys and games, kitchen items like Tupperware and margarita glasses, shoes, clothes, and much more.

There were snacks and drinks, and the people who attended had a chance to meet other Time Traders, chat, and make some connections in our community. Since COMMUNITY is really what Time Trader is all about, the event was a success.

At the end, all of the items were dropped off at Goodwill so everyone only took home the things they wanted and needed.

We'd like to do it again, but we need YOUR input. What would make you come out for an event like this? What would make you invite your friends (or better yet, bring them along)? What kinds of social and community events do you want to see that would motivate you to participate more actively in Time Trader? This community is only as strong as its members' relationships.

As Coordinator, it's my job to strengthen those relationships. But it is also YOUR job as a member of the group. Successful TimeBanks are often run by their members, some with a Coordinator who does marketing and community outreach. This is YOUR TimeBank. What do you want from it? If you want a specific feature, service or event, chances are someone else is looking for the same thing.

What can you do to help our TimeBank grow and continue to find new ways of serving its members?

Can you:
*help to plan events
*recruit someone who can perform services that are in high demand (like massage)
* help do orientations to bring new members in
*do a presentation about Time Trader at your church, community group, or to your friends
*come up with a creative idea to help that isn't listed here

Contact me at 287-2040 ext. 3022 and let's work together to find ways to strengthen our community and serve our members better.

It's up to YOU.

Writing Effective Service Offers

by Debi Neville, Freelance Writer and Time Trader, January 2011

Four basic items need to be addressed in each offering:

1)   identify the problem or need

2)   offer a solution to the problem

3)   explain how YOU can provide the solution

4)   call to action

Example:

1) Dream of cinnamon rolls like Mom used to bake?

2) A dozen can be delivered fresh to your door

3) I have 20 years baking experience and a wonderful old fashioned recipe, can be made with whole wheat and fruits if you want to try something a bit new, will deliver same day!

4) This weekend curl up with a good book, a cup of coffee and delicious, warm sweet rolls; call to order today!

Words to use which conjure up emotions, wants, answers, memories, needs, etc. which are more likely to get a response:

Warm                                                     Depend

Organized                                              Memory(ies)

Clean                                                     Creative

Spic-span                                               Unique

At your fingertips                                  Experience

Solution                                                 Fun

Finally                                                    Quality

Friendly help                                          Searching

Desire                                                     Direct

New                                                        Now

Vision                                                   This is the year

Worry free                                           Recycle, reuse

Express yourself                                    Thoughtful

Cross off your to do list                           Dessert

Problem solver                                          Do!

Time Trader Spotlight: Mike's Pumpkin Creations

Time Traders often ask to see photographs of the work people offer in Community Weaver. It makes sense -- if someone is offering to make something, seeing a photo of their past work can help you decide if they are the right person for the job.

Periodically we will feature Time Traders here, offering descriptions of their Service Offers along with photos of their past creations. If you are a Time Trader with a talent you'd like to see in the Spotlight, email your photos to timetrader@familyservicerochester.org along with any descriptive information you'd like included. If you have been happy with a service provided by a Time Trader, please feel free to email the same address and any photos you may have along with a request that they be Spotlighted. We will be happy to post these items to encourage the community to take advantage of all the amazing talent Time Trader has to offer!

That said, let's get to our Spotlight:

Have you ever seen those amazing portrait pumpkins on the national televised morning shows? The ones where people's likenesses are carved into the pumpkin? Or the beautiful Martha Stewart styled monogrammed pumpkins? Believe it or not, we have a very talented Time Trader who can do pumpkin carving like that!

This pumpkin has carvings on both sides. One image glows eerily while the reverse side of the pumpkin casts a shadow on the wall.

Mike can also carve watermelons for events in the summer time, with words:

Or images:

Or even creating a 3D stroller/fruit bowl for a baby shower.

He does lovely portraits. This animation shows the process from photograph to completed project. Amazing!

As you can see his portraits are spot on.

The pumpkins above and below are actually the artificial ones that are available at most craft stores in the fall, so they can be saved and used year after year. The pumpkin below is black but as you can see the inside is light colored and it looks amazing when lit from inside.

Mike says, "A 3 sided birthday pumpkin (cake, balloons, photo) takes about 1 to 1.5 hours per side for a total of 3 to 4 hours. A Welcome pumpkin using a previous design took 3.5 hours to cover the full surface.  (New designs and photos take a little longer.)

"In 1998 I used my young daughter as an excuse to carve a couple of non-standard pumpkins.  (She didn't really care and did not understand anything about what was different.)  Who cared that where we lived we had no trick-or-treaters that year!  I just had an excuse to do something that sounded fun.  From there it has been growing to more complicated creations.

"I have figured out that over the years creative things tended to leak out of me at times.  I finally realized how much skill and real interest I have over the last 8 to 10 years.  Looking back, I can see some of it was going on as far back as high school and even grade school.  Some of those old items included carved candles - one of which took more than 10 hours for just the carving.

"I find that I end up doing many things that are ephemeral.  Food carvings, pumpkins, window murals will all be gone after a small amount of time.  Like life, they are to be enjoyed while there and hopefully remembered fondly afterwards."

And here's a photo of Mike so you can say hello to him when you see him at a Time Trader event:

Thanks Mike, for sharing these great photos with us and for sharing your tremendous talent with our community.

New Year's Cleanup Project in Community Weaver!

Hello Time Traders,

It's that time of year when many of us are busy cleaning, organizing, and purging -- something about that whole year stretching out in front of us makes people want to get all aspects of their lives in order.

I am feeling that way about Community Weaver right now. There are a lot of Service Requests and Offers that are very outdated. Please take a moment this month to visit Community Weaver. Once you log in, you'll see a tab on the left that says "My Account." Click on that. Click on the "My Services" tab. Under that there are buttons for "My Services" and "My Requests." You can look over the things you have listed and choose to either "stop" or "edit" them.  If you don't need that service any longer, click stop. The item will be deactivated but it won't disappear. You will still be able to find it by clicking the "Inactive Ads" button at the top. From there you can re-activate it at any time.

That option is great for seasonal ads like offers for lawn mowing. Take it down now, put it back up in the spring. An added bonus is that the ad will look fresh to other Time Traders and will probably get more interest.

If the ad is still valid, click on "edit" and jazz it up. Change the title, add more description, and make it more appealing. One of our Time Traders came up with a handout with writing tips. Feel free to email me and I will send you a copy so that you have some more ideas.

Last, please take the opportunity to add an expiration date to your offer or request. Again, this will not automatically delete the ad, it will simply move it to your "Inactive" tab where you can edit before re-posting. This will help us all keep up to date.

Keep an eye out -- about every 6 months I will put out a note reminding you to do a CW Cleanup -- that will be your cue to check your ads in Community Weaver and update them as needed.

Thanks, Time Traders, for helping to make our community even better.