Monday, February 29, 2016

SCANNERS ONLINE! THE NEW FACEBOOK COMMUNITY!!!

Some remarkable things have been going on for Scanners lately. And everything that happens makes this Scanner community (and Mutual Admiration Society) warmer, funnier and more helpful.

For instance, someone just discovered a French village for sale - cheap - with old buildings for artists studios and living quarters, and it's making everyone's mouth water. What's keeping us from jumping totally off this cliff to certain demise are the restoration costs - something like 20 million euros or dollars or something none of us have or be able to imagine.

But you can see the impulse.

So I'm changing this post around. If you're a Scanner, the first place you should come is to a -- well, to four or five Facebook groups full of Scanners in full play mode! It's wonderful. Be prepared to get no more work done the day you look these folks up:

You can start with the Facebook page of my book (I always think of it as your book, because I wrote it for you), Refuse To Choose:  https://www.facebook.com/RefuseToChoose/
I'd go there first because I posted something you may have read already but still need reminding of. Take a look. I've pinned it to the top so you'll find it.

Then, if you're a Scanner who makes things and you wish you had someone to show them to - someone who wouldn't give you a hard time because you're doing something new again! you should go to this very lovable group someone requested I open: Scanners, Look What I Just Made!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/196971620653609/

To my astonishment, it caught fire! Within a few days 1000 enthusiastic people had signed up! And many of them were saying that is was the best place for them on Facebook, and they felt they'd finally found their tribe!

Scanners feel like they've come home on this page. It's not just a great place to see (and show) gorgeous paintings, drawings, photos - and to hear original songs, and wonderful stories about creating new things. It's more than that. Our need to share our enthusiasm with others shows up when we're little kids and it never goes away. It's painful to keep all our favorite things to ourselves to avoid criticism. Praise makes us brave. It makes us know we're seen.

A man took a photo of himself with his wheelbarrow full of freshly picked vegetables he'd grown in his garden, not sure if that counted but posting his photo anyway, and he was roundly cheered. (If planting and doing the work of growing vegetables isn't creative, I'd like to know what is?!)

Then some new headings started showing up in that group that make it even more fascinating to visit: "Scanners! Look What I Just Learned!" and "Scanners! Look What I Just Found!" and I think there will soon be this one: "Scanners! Steal This Idea!" coming from Scanners who have more ideas than they can possibly use. So you'll find lots of vitamins here for the well-being of every Scanner.



How about the things that you're *going* to do? The ones you might like to talk about, and get some cheers and encouragement for, kind of like in your Scanner Daybook, but with human support? I know we all need that, so what could I do? I opened another Facebook group called Scanners, Look What I'm Going to Do! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1676570485934576/

 One of the members of that group has been plowing her way through a book of writing prompts and everyone is cheering her on, as excited as she is as she gets close to her target: 100 prompts. That's where you go when you want people who know what you're doing, and who care about you, to help be the wind beneath your wings.

Then a lot of people started worrying about careers. What can a Scanner do that he or she won't be bored with in no time at all? I knew some answers, and put a whole bunch of them in Refuse to Choose, but I wanted to know what Scanners had to say. Who would know better what jobs wouldn't drive a Scanner crazy. So I set up another Facebook group where I could ask! Great Careers for Scanners! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1692037641082321/


And that was amazing! It was so amazing that I decided to put together an eBook with 20 great careers for Scanners and it's coming out next week! A kindle book. Just look up my name and you'll find it. (Haven't got the title tied down yet.) As soon as it's published, I'll come back here and bring the link.

Whew.

So you'd think I was finished, but this is addictive. It's a little confusing to go to all those new pages but when you want something special - like to show what you've made, or to get some help creating something, or to find a job that won't fill you with despair - you don't want to go fishing through comments, you need a dedicated Facebook page with the right gang already there!

Everyone was starting to see that, and when one of my brilliant coach training grads suggested maybe the best Facebook group for Scanners of all, I told her to go ahead and create it. Wait til you see this one!  Scanners, look what I didn't finish (or even start)! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1147463201955058/


This page is more fun than a bucket of ants! Here's where you come to laugh at yourself, and realize you're surrounded with lots of people who are just like you. The commiserating is hilarious, and the blame and shame are washing out to sea, never to be seen again. Head over and enjoy yourself.

So I thought I was through. And then somebody said "Why don't we share our 'Rewards?' Our 'Nectar?' That's what I'd like to know about my fellow Scanners! And then, just tonight,  somebody said something so moving and important to Scanners - maybe to everybody - that there was no way to survive it except to put up yet another group. And it's also about Scanner Rewards and Nectar! So I couldn't help it. I'm in love with this one. Big time:
Why I love doing this thing https://www.facebook.com/groups/815126418591544/

And that is what has happened to us Scanners on Facebook! I am blown away. And I'm moving all the other stuff that used to be here to another post because this is really all the fun one person can splash around in at one time.

I didn't even bother to tell you about all the 'old' Scanner pages. They're great - general, about everything if you prefer that kind of group and they've been here for a very long time, especially this one, where you'll find things you won't find anywhere else:

Scanner Tribe Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/88437140171/

And also Scanners & Renaissance Souls:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/45588180550/


And all together it's just grand. It's a warm, friendly, helpful community you can drop into any time, day or night (someone's always awake and looking) and find other multi-talented people who get you because they're like you: interested in lots of things, creative, adventurous and kind-hearted.

Can't do much better than that.

Go take a look. :-)








                                         



16 comments:

  1. So handy to have it all in one place!

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    1. Thanks, Doret. (No one comes here for the links more often than I do!)
      :-)

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  2. Barbara, What a fun weekend I will have perusing all of these sites! Thanks!

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    1. Hi Karla! Great to hear from you. Hope you like them!

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  3. Yes, it will be wonderful)) let's start.. My name is Yulia, I am living now in Melbourne.

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  4. Yes, it will be wonderful)) let's start.. My name is Yulia, I am living now in Melbourne.

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  5. My best-ever reference guide! Thanks, Barbara.

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  6. Look what I did today. I joined a few more FB Scanner groups. Thank you, Barbara.

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  7. You are so right about how much (joyful) time you can spend on these Facebook groups. It's the best use of Facebook I have yet to see! Every visit is like coming home. Just wonderful!

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  8. thank you for putting this together barbara! i got carried away and joined all the groups last night. planning to read your book soon! i discovered your book through emilie wapnick.

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  9. Absolutely love the "Look what I've made" group. In relation to the Scanners, Steal my Idea group - here's my main idea which I would love us all to steal. For a while have been thinking that if we the Scanner community could get connected with communities of makers that would be even better than asking Scanners to steal our ideas. Makers - be they physical tradespeople makers, software makers or business makers - might be interested to steal and produce our ideas.
    I am one of those Scanners who totally gets my joy from imagining fantastical new things. I have much less interest in building and creating (perhaps because it takes soooooo long) and would love to partner with makers who do love the work.
    How do we get makers to the site?

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  10. OMG!! I am super excited to have a name (besides Jack of all trades master of none) to put to what I am! And to find so many others who are this, too! Who knew?
    Thank you! I am excitedly waiting for all of my new FB group requests to be accepted so that I can check out the awesomeness. I have no doubt that I will fit right in!

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  11. Which one of those groups would be best for someone with a business goal I am working hard on and still trying to find a job so I can get money. Along with getting a teaching certificate so I can teach and trying to create a blog for income website topic :) I love that I found your book, and I have to say I do not remember at all where I got it and how long it sat on my computer before I read it and looked you up.

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