(posted by Ben, June 2009)
Dear Homeschooling Friends,
Your writing this past month - as always - has been good, challenging, funny, and unique. It will be a sad day when apricotpie dies. Hopefully it has many years ahead.
One thing I am doing that will help keep apricotpie running for the long run is to set limits to the number of posts and comments we can make in a week. As the title of this post suggests, I am limiting us to 2 posts and 12 comments per week.
About two months ago I brought up to the monthly writers this idea of setting limits. Not all of the writers were in favor of it. After some discussion and a vote (none of it entirely democratic) we ended up with the plan to limit apricotpie members to 1 post per week and 7 comments per week. Now I have almost doubled the numbers. There are several reasons why I proposed limits. Here is what I wrote then:
"One thing I like about apricotpie is that writing for apricotpie I can feel safe saying things that are serious and important to me. Not my inmost thoughts, but things that touch upon them. There are many things I personally would never dream about saying on my Facebook profile. Things that would appear ridiculous if they were dragged out into the street. apricotpie, in its design and through its writing, has been a good place for me to talk.
"On Facebook no one has time to pay attention. There are too many things to keep up with and too many social connections to make. Time is an important element to apricotpie. It takes time to write something meaningful. It takes time to be authentic. I trust and believe in quality far more than quantity. When the two are together (Mozart, Bach!) it is hard to believe such good things can emerge so quickly from one person.
"I think apricotpie could be a better place if we had limits to the number of posts and comments we make. 1 post per week, and 7 comments per week. The comments could be made at any time, but you would know that you only had 7 so you would want to spend them well."
For the reasons above, and because it puts less of a burden on apricotpie's system, I like limits. I am also aware that many of the great novelists wrote for periodicals that came out once a month or maybe once every three months. Dickens and Dostoyevsky especially come to mind. Traditionally, storytelling has always involved pauses in-between.
Any thoughts?
-Ben
PS I just made it so that you can post unlimited comments on pages like this one without it affecting your overall comments count. apricotpie may be somewhat quiet for this week until people's numbers recharge.
Comments
What is the newsletter thing
What is the newsletter thing I saw recently? That's a new thing, isn't it?
"It is man's inherent nature to scare himself silly for no good reason." - Calvin and Hobbes
I might revive an old
I might revive an old tradition called "The Weekly Apricot" (but call it "The Monthly Apricot" instead). It's an email newsletter that goes out to all of us members, giving an update on what happened this month on the apricotpie. We shall see if it actually happens!
:D
Sounds chummy, Benji!
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"To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme. No great and enduring volume can ever be written on the flea, though many there be that have tried it." -- Herman Melville
Benji?
Benji?
Katie:-)
"Are all humans like this? So much bigger on the inside?"
-Idris/TARDIS
:P
It started out as a typo but it made me laugh so hard I just had to leave it! lol
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"To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme. No great and enduring volume can ever be written on the flea, though many there be that have tried it." -- Herman Melville
?
What's up with this? http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt48/Allyson17_56/321penguins/wassup.png
That has been showing up a lot when I try to click on posts. Especially when I click on them from the comments board
hmmmm
Don't like the sound of that at all! I just changed passwords for apricotpie which may prevent it from happening again. Let me know if it continues... and don't click any suspicious links!
-Ben
approving a new member
How long will it take for a new member to be approved? My brother (Paul Thomas) signed up two days ago but he hasn't been approved yet... Not to rush you or anything.
"Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach? / I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk along the beach." ~TS Eliot
Hey Ben, can you delete one
Hey Ben, can you delete one of my comments on The Nightmare Tree?
"It is man's inherent nature to scare himself silly for no good reason." - Calvin and Hobbes
gone!
gone!
Thanks!
Thanks!
"It is man's inherent nature to scare himself silly for no good reason." - Calvin and Hobbes
Delate
Could you delate one of my comments on Love Victorious: Part Five? Thanks
---
The Word is alive/and it cuts like a sword through the darkness
With a message of life to the hopeless/and afraid...
~"The Word is Alive' by Casting Crowns
May my words be a light that guides others to the True Light and Word.
Well
You can edit, but not delete.
---
The Word is alive/and it cuts like a sword through the darkness
With a message of life to the hopeless/and afraid...
~"The Word is Alive' by Casting Crowns
May my words be a light that guides others to the True Light and Word.
Hey, Ben could you delete my
Hey, Ben could you delete my first post on LoriAnn's Clef-Cat song?
---
The Word is alive/and it cuts like a sword through the darkness
With a message of life to the hopeless/and afraid...
~"The Word is Alive' by Casting Crowns
May my words be a light that guides others to the True Light and Word.
I removed what I think was
I removed what I think was the first one. It's odd there is no way for you to delete your own comments. Are you sure? Or can you edit once you have posted? It would be far too much work for me to go in to edit/delete all of the apricotpie comments whenever anyone needs a change made.
Thank you
Thank you !!!!!
for publishing my post that I put up!
“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.”
~ Albert Einstein.
---
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
~Oscar Wilde
A question
i was wondering how exactly the approval process works. I know that we submit something but then what? Is the Ben the only person that approves or does he have other people that help him? Is the reason tfor things getting approved so slowly sometimes and so quickly other times because Ben is the only person approving? or do all the writers approve. Or just certain people? or the mysterious approver of nowhere?????
Hello
Hello My name is Kassady,
I am very excited to be here And cant wait to meet new people!. I do not know how to say who I am on my accont page . If you dont mind do you think You can tell me how it works? I have liked a lot of the storys on here . And it makes me realize There are a lot more people out there that share my same dream and talent ( If I have any, LOL). I do not know how everything works so please if you have time Please Tell Me!
How do you publish post for people to look at them? Are some of you really published authors? Or does the site publish things for people to see them? Is everyone here Homschoolers? How do you type about your self in the ' who are you'? Do you have to be on for a weil for you to be aloud to type about yourself?
Sorry for all the Questions but I really am interested in this site And I want to be in the middle of all the stuf!
I am just a young Author in the word of big Authors nothing more nothing leese.
Kassady
“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.”
~ Albert Einstein.
---
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
~Oscar Wilde
CRAZY
Thank you for arroving me to Apricotpie. I know I am new here . But I think Two post !PER! week is CRAZY!
Sorry for being so rud.
Kassady
“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.”
~ Albert Einstein.
---
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
~Oscar Wilde
Please Approve me.
Hello,
I am very interested in joining apricotpie, but I have not had an email telling me I was approved. I signed-up on Jan 20th, and would like to join soon, if thats ok.
Thank you,
Kassady
Ditto to Annabel
I said this before, but I'll say it again: I like the picture on the top of the site. It gives me a sense of adventure in strange lands. I hope you don't change it for a while, and when you do, you'll have your work cut out to find a better one.
<><~~~~~~~~~~~~><>
"Moderation is fine, if it's not carried to extremes." -- Thomas Sowell
I like the idea of changing
I like the idea of changing pictures every once and awhile. This is my favorite so far--it suits the fantasy-and-grandeur-loving natures of most us. Good idea, Mr. Ben!
Whom the god loves dies young-
Menander
I love the new picture! It's
I love the new picture! It's absolutely gorgeous. KEEP IT!!!!!!!!!!
"It is man's inherent nature to scare himself silly for no good reason." - Calvin and Hobbes
Oooo! Pretty.
Oooo! Pretty.
^ditto
^ditto
<>/\<>/\<>/\<>/\<>/\<>/\<>/\<>/\<>/\<>/\<>/\<>/\
"Are you sure this water is sanitary? It looks questionable to me! But what about bacteria?"--Tantor the elephant from Tarzan.
Is it just me...
or does AP seem to be dying? I don't think it's because of school either.
*****************************************
"To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme. No great and enduring volume can ever be written on the flea, though many there be that have tried it." -- Herman Melville
Dying? How do you mean?
Dying? How do you mean? If you mean that there haven't been as many posts lately, I suppose that's true, but I don't think that there's more of a decline than school would make ineveitable. Or did you mean something else?
p.s. I'll try and get the email to you either today or tomorrow. I just can't believe how late I am...I'm so sorry! I've been kind of busy, but still.
p.s.s. I like your profile pic. How did you do that?
Whom the god loves dies young-
Menander
I (and other people) have
I (and other people) have just noticed that there seems to be much less activity on the site. There used to be a new piece just about everyday and there just hasn't seemed to be anything. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have complained :)
PS -- Don't worry about it :) No hurry!
PSS -- Oh the wonders of photoshop :D
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"To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme. No great and enduring volume can ever be written on the flea, though many there be that have tried it." -- Herman Melville
Oh, I see. Yes, I've noticed
Oh, I see. Yes, I've noticed that myself. Maybe we should run *virtually, of course* about the site and hector everybody who hasn't posted for awhile. Hmmm...it might even be time to break out the legendary pitchforks!
Whom the god loves dies young-
Menander
I hope this isn't the start of worse
I don't know why it did that. It seems to be working now that I refreshed the site. Post more here if you can't find pages.
Yeah, something is definitely
Yeah, something is definitely weird. I haven't tried the home page yet, but none of the other pages are even up there.
???????????? HUH?????
Ummmm? What is going on here? Where did all the pages go? Is it just my computer being weird or are you working on the site or what? I can't even get to the home page.
Just a little weirded out...
-Hannah
"Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach? / I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk along the beach." ~TS Eliot
Yes, thank you Ben.
Yes, thank you Ben.
Nate-Dude
Yes, thank you Ben. Our lives
Yes, thank you Ben. Our lives are the happier for it.
...
...Thanks Ben. :)
_________________________
"Sweet is the love that never knew a wound, but deeper that which died and rose again." - Mother Mary Francis
moderating your writing
I just approved all the writing up to this week. I am sorry you had to wait for me to do it. Currently I am the main person moderating.
Yeah, is there something
Yeah, is there something wrong?
hmm
Looking at other users' pages, it seems that there are a lot of things that have been submitted, but haven't been accepted yet. Why is that? (if you're too busy to look at things, I understand entirely.)
Whom the god loves dies young-
Menander
I totally agree with the
I totally agree with the Facebook allusion. Lately I've had trouble finding time to read everything here that I'd like to. Thanks!
I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right. --The Book Thief
??
When does the "week" start? Sunday? Monday?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I remember when trust went forth free
Sold for a smile on the face of a fantasy
Truth found a home in the pages of fairy-tales
Decadent words born from phrases in dreams that failed."
Granted, it does not seem
Granted, it does not seem to have much to do with apricots or pies, but I like the lamb. And you could say that there's symbolism involved--new-born lamb, new school year.
On a darker note, it seems that it's taking longer than usual for my latest post to be accepted. Is there anything wrong?
Whom the god loves dies young-
Menander
Well it is cute. My little
Well it is cute. My little sister loves it. (She 2 and says it's Jesus' lamb.) But I do miss sidney or how ever you spell it
Nate-Dude
I kind of have to agree with
I kind of have to agree with Nate-Dude. It would be cute somewhere else, but what happened to the apricots, and Sidney, and that cool picture up in the corner with the ship and everything?
"It is man's inherent nature to scare himself silly for no good reason." - Calvin and Hobbes
Whoa! Sorry, this isn't a
Whoa! Sorry, this isn't a good place to put this, but what the heck!? A bloody sheep? It's cute ok, but gross and not very appetizing. (AP anyone?) Sorry Ben, I know I may be annoying and pushy (pighead perhaps,) but really, please, ether wash the sheep, or at lest put up something like an...uh...AP?
P.S. It is cute though.
Nate-Dude
Hey!
I can't comment on LoriAnn's beautiful poem "Flight!"
---
The Word is alive/and it cuts like a sword through the darkness
With a message of life to the hopeless/and afraid...
~"The Word is Alive' by Casting Crowns
May my words be a light that guides others to the True Light and Word.
Hey, Ben
I tried updating Three Dark Roses, but the font styles didn't show up.
Also, could you open Chapter Two of The Captain of Chi-Lung by LoriAnn? Chapters 1&3 are up, but not two.
---
The Word is alive/and it cuts like a sword through the darkness
With a message of life to the hopeless/and afraid...
~"The Word is Alive' by Casting Crowns
May my words be a light that guides others to the True Light and Word.
new rules
Hi! Ben, this is Emily's Mom. I really like your idea of limiting post and comments. I was beginning to feel that the integrity of AP was being compromised. (My child being one of those who took advantage.) I am glad that we are going back to the roots of AP and we can leave the social networking to facebook. Thank you for everything you do.
Emily's Mom (Corrie)
Yikes!
So I sent in a couple things to be approved almost two weeks ago and I still haven't heard anything! Did I do something wrong? Did I hit the wrong button? Are you only doing a certain amount of approving during the week? Just wondering....let me know.
*****************************************
"To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme. No great and enduring volume can ever be written on the flea, though many there be that have tried it." -- Herman Melville
Problem solving...
Ok, the poetry -> fiction problem is fixed. I will change the database to fix your poetry posts that went into fiction.
Let me know if you continue to have trouble with the limits (such as the numbers showing up wrong or preventing you from posting when you should be able to. Email me if you can't comment!)
I am fixing some of the workflow problems. When you set your piece to "draft" or "submit for review" the piece will not appear anywhere except in "My account". There, it will say "[not published"], but you can click it and work on it.
That's all for now!
okay...
my number thingys are wrong, but that's not too big of a deal right now. what i'm wonderin about is i did write a poem, saved it to drafts. then i clicked submit to review or whatever and now it isnt anywhere. so how do i post stuff on here where everyone can read it now?
~All men were created equal, then some became Marines~
*Death smiles at everyone, Marines smile back*
gotta love the Marines!!