{"id":37,"date":"2022-07-28T20:28:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-28T20:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.tops.org\/tops-of-mind\/?p=37"},"modified":"2022-08-02T15:40:56","modified_gmt":"2022-08-02T15:40:56","slug":"answering-your-questions-a-quick-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.tops.org\/tops-of-mind\/answering-your-questions-a-quick-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Answering your questions: A quick review!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Computer\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

You know, we\u2019re still chatting about that first \u201cCommunity Corner\u201d email we sent to you, our TOPS members and friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I said it in my first blog<\/a>, but a major THANK YOU (again!) for opening the email and taking a few minutes out of your day to interact with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The whole thing got me thinking \u2026 so many of you had similar questions and comments. There were most definitely some patterns I picked up on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should I do a quick \u201cfrequently asked questions\u201d blog?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think so — so with that said, here we are!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcome to “TOPS FAQs.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s just like you heard back in school (which, for a lot of us, myself included, I know that was quite<\/em> some time ago!), but if you have a question, you\u2019re probably not the only one wondering. So let\u2019s take a moment and address the class, shall we?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First FAQ: Are in-person meetings back in session?<\/strong>
Answer: YES, many of them most certainly are! (This does depend on your location).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know, I know, it was quite a disappointment for many of us when the pandemic really took hold of our globe, and put chapter meetings on hold. That in-person support and accountability is incredibly<\/em> important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the good news is, we\u2019re largely up and running again, face-to-face, so if you\u2019d like to resume your membership or you were waiting on this news, this is your sign \u2013 join or rejoin us! We\u2019re (mostly!) back, especially if you’re in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s a little bit more of a “mixed bag” type of situation in Canada, service program administrator Carol Harper told me, but she added, “For the most part, although slow, most of the chapters are back — not to full swing, some just weigh-ins, some doing full meetings, but it is starting to roll out.<\/em>“<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That’s great news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And of course, if COVID numbers are spiking again where you live or you\u2019re concerned about group gatherings, then you do what feels safe, in your best judgment. Keep that \u201csocial distance\u201d in place, or your masks on, and of course, we just want you to make the decision that feels best and smartest to you. Which leads me to our next question \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: Can I join online? How does that work?<\/strong>
A: Please do come online! If you live far from a meeting or if, for any reason at all, the online model is what would work best for you, please, join this way! I attended my first online meeting several weeks ago, with facilitator Carol Holtz, and it was such a welcoming atmosphere with important discussions and a relevant program discussion. It didn\u2019t feel like \u201chomework\u201d or anything like that \u2013 just a great gathering place with lovely (new!) friends, and of course, zero judgment. Go to our homepage<\/a> to sign up for the online program, and I\u2019m sure we can find a meeting that fits in with your schedule. There are a LOT of options here!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: Where do I find more resources?<\/strong>
A: I received quite a few emails from members, field staffers, etc., looking for recipes, guides and general help online. I get it \u2013 things are pretty spread out on tops.org.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just know this: We do hear and see your feedback, and we\u2019re working toward implementing some improvements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the meantime, here\u2019s what I would suggest:<\/p>\n\n\n\n