MIA sock pals: idea for future Sockapaloozas
As one of the (apparently many) people who haven't heard from their pals, I'm wondering if there's a way to address this issue along with the problem of folks never receiving socks at the end.
For future Sockapaloozas, maybe there could be a requirement that you look up and contact your sock pal within a certain amount of time and that the sock pal has to at least respond and say, "Yes I'm out here" . . . and people who don't do this get removed from the group. Then all of the waiting folks could get reassigned to other waiting folks. The idea is not intended to be at all mean or ruin anybody's fun, but just provide some reassurance that socks will materialize (pun intended) and appreciated. I don't want to invent more work for Alison, but I imagine that it's work to try to find knitters to knit extra socks for those who didn't get any when August 2 has come and gone, so this might actually be easier in the long run.
I realize that communication between pals doesn't guarantee that socks will be made. I think it does demonstrate some level of commitment to the project, though, as well as creating a level of accountability to an actual person.
What do folks (especially Alison, who has to manage the logistics after all) think?
I'm also thinking that suggesting that people create an "anonymous" e-mail address for Palooza purposes might be part of the problem, since if people don't remember to check this (possibly new) account, they won't be notified of the availability of their pal assignments and then it's "out of sight, out of mind". I'm not sure what the solution to this problem is - maybe suggesting that people provide their usual email address for messages from Sockapalooza and the pal who is knitting for them, and reserving the "anonymous" address for communications to the pal they are knitting for.
Sorry if this isn't clear. It feels like it may appear more complicated in writing than the concept that's floating around in my mind. These are just ideas, but it feels like they might head off some bigger problems now that Sockapalooza is getting so big! I'd love to hear others' comments.
