Spanner
Spanner can usually be found moderating the health & fitness forum while managing the editorial team. We caught up with her inbetween meetings and found out about her enthusiasm for green issues and Jonathan Ross.
What's been your most memorable experience as a moderator?
There are often some really serious problems being dealt with in the health forum - I'll never forget the first time I responded to a suicidal post. It took me a long time to word it right and I remember thinking about it all night at home. Thankfully, the person in question got the help she needed. It's never nice to read those kind of posts, but there are always people feeling this way, so it's good that talking on our boards can help them.
Do you ever have any difficulty balancing TheSite.org's editorial line with your own personal beliefs, how do you deal with this?
No, not at all; I firmly believe in all that TheSite.org stands for. It's great that young people can get such frank, open information and talk to one another without being told the topic's off limits.
What do you do other than moderating?
At work I manage the Editorial Team, shaping and developing the content you find on TheSite.org and our other website, do-it.org.uk. I research, write and commission new content and record and edit audio content. I also project manage new projects - at the moment I'm looking into introducing video onto TheSite.org. I also spend my time in lots of meetings!
If you had to be locked in a lift with another person who would it be and why?
Ooh, Jonathan Ross, definitely. I know he's a bit of a man of the moment, but I've been laughing at him for years! Can I have two? If so, David Bowie would be in there too - he could provide some musical entertainment and he's good mates with Wossy so it should make for a fun few hours.
If you could change people's opinions on one subject, what would it be and why?
I'm always banging on about green issues at work, with much eye-rolling from certain members of the team! I just don't understand how much evidence people need in order to make a teeny bit of effort to unplug their phone charger or print on both sides of the paper.
Do you learn from the posters' experiences?
Absolutely. I often read through a thread and think "I'll say such-and-such when I get to the end", but then I don't need to respond as other posts are giving such spot-on advice. There's such a wealth of experience on our boards, too - lots of users have been through times that I can only imagine - just because I'm a mod, doesn't mean I've got first-hand experience of every issue!
If you could set up one new forum what would it be?
I always wanted an Eco forum and a Food forum, but we have both of those now so I'm a bit stumped!
What's your favourite thread?
I loved the thread in food and drink about perfect food combinations. Starting the food and drink forum also meant I finally had an excuse to start a thread of my favourite game: 'Red or Brown?' It's very simple - you come up with loads of different types of food and ask people if they prefer it with red or brown sauce - a great game for long car journeys!
Please fill in the blanks -
If I was a fruit I'd be an orange - bright, cheerful and usually sweet, but occasionally sharp and sour if you get it on a bad day. Oh, and orange is my favourite colour.
Spanner
Spanner can usually be found moderating the health & fitness forum while managing the editorial team. We caught up with her inbetween meetings and found out about her enthusiasm for green issues and Jonathan Ross.
What's been your most memorable experience as a moderator?
There are often some really serious problems being dealt with in the health forum - I'll never forget the first time I responded to a suicidal post. It took me a long time to word it right and I remember thinking about it all night at home. Thankfully, the person in question got the help she needed. It's never nice to read those kind of posts, but there are always people feeling this way, so it's good that talking on our boards can help them.
Do you ever have any difficulty balancing TheSite.org's editorial line with your own personal beliefs, how do you deal with this?
No, not at all; I firmly believe in all that TheSite.org stands for. It's great that young people can get such frank, open information and talk to one another without being told the topic's off limits.
What do you do other than moderating?
At work I manage the Editorial Team, shaping and developing the content you find on TheSite.org and our other website, do-it.org.uk. I research, write and commission new content and record and edit audio content. I also project manage new projects - at the moment I'm looking into introducing video onto TheSite.org. I also spend my time in lots of meetings!
If you had to be locked in a lift with another person who would it be and why?
Ooh, Jonathan Ross, definitely. I know he's a bit of a man of the moment, but I've been laughing at him for years! Can I have two? If so, David Bowie would be in there too - he could provide some musical entertainment and he's good mates with Wossy so it should make for a fun few hours.
If you could change people's opinions on one subject, what would it be and why?
I'm always banging on about green issues at work, with much eye-rolling from certain members of the team! I just don't understand how much evidence people need in order to make a teeny bit of effort to unplug their phone charger or print on both sides of the paper.
Do you learn from the posters' experiences?
Absolutely. I often read through a thread and think "I'll say such-and-such when I get to the end", but then I don't need to respond as other posts are giving such spot-on advice. There's such a wealth of experience on our boards, too - lots of users have been through times that I can only imagine - just because I'm a mod, doesn't mean I've got first-hand experience of every issue!
If you could set up one new forum what would it be?
I always wanted an Eco forum and a Food forum, but we have both of those now so I'm a bit stumped!
What's your favourite thread?
I loved the thread in food and drink about perfect food combinations. Starting the food and drink forum also meant I finally had an excuse to start a thread of my favourite game: 'Red or Brown?' It's very simple - you come up with loads of different types of food and ask people if they prefer it with red or brown sauce - a great game for long car journeys!
Please fill in the blanks -
If I was a fruit I'd be an orange - bright, cheerful and usually sweet, but occasionally sharp and sour if you get it on a bad day. Oh, and orange is my favourite colour.