H's

[twelveoone]

Recently I saw a spate of H's
In this case I think it means healthy.
A rich, varied involvement. None of that cluster fuckery of so many years ago. (well maybe 1, at the first of the month, 2 comments and 10 "friends")
I think we all deserve a collective pat on the back.

I am impressed with the fact that some of you have taken some of the new writers under their wings.

I am impressed with the attitudes of the new writers. (i.e. I want to write better)

You give, you get, you grow.

Hopefully not weeds, like some of the old tired thread whores. I'm sorry that was a cliche, is this better: "thistle butts"?

I guess I'm just easily impressed with people trying to learn, "pandering" it may be called by some. "whacking the shit out poems" by others. A tough balancing act. Not anywhere as tough as writing well.

So to those over at new poems, a collective

and a special to the chipster right on the ass.

 

[butters]

Recently I saw a spate of H's
In this case I think it means healthy.
A rich, varied involvement. None of that cluster fuckery of so many years ago. (well maybe 1, at the first of the month, 2 comments and 10 "friends")
I think we all deserve a collective pat on the back.

I am impressed with the fact that some of you have taken some of the new writers under their wings.

I am impressed with the attitudes of the new writers. (i.e. I want to write better)

You give, you get, you grow.

Hopefully not weeds, like some of the old tired thread whores. I'm sorry that was a cliche, is this better: "thistle butts"?

I guess I'm just easily impressed with people trying to learn, "pandering" it may be called by some. "whacking the shit out poems" by others. A tough balancing act. Not anywhere as tough as writing well.

So to those over at new poems, a collective

and a special to the chipster right on the ass.

yeah, what he said ^



*turns other cheek*

 

[butters]

one more thing, while we're about it: now i'm not going to tell anyone how they should quantify what constitutes a 5 - that's entirely up to the individual

BUT

if the 5 is to remain valuable to us as something to chase after and feel achievement upon its receipt, then maybe we need to think a little harder first before dishing them out like cadbury's buttons. that's not to say plenty are worth every 5 awarded, more a case of if we score 5's for writes that have room for improvement, how do we then score the revised, improved versions?

only a thought - personally, i'd rather get a 5 for a piece someone felt was flawless than one for a write where they've pointed out where improvements can be made

 

[theognis]

one more thing, while we're about it: now i'm not going to tell anyone how they should quantify what constitutes a 5 - that's entirely up to the individual

BUT

if the 5 is to remain valuable to us as something to chase after and feel achievement upon its receipt, then maybe we need to think a little harder first before dishing them out like cadbury's buttons. that's not to say plenty are worth every 5 awarded, more a case of if we score 5's for writes that have room for improvement, how do we then score the revised, improved versions?

only a thought - personally, i'd rather get a 5 for a piece someone felt was flawless than one for a write where they've pointed out where improvements can be made

I have mixed feelings about this. As I've indicated elsewhere, I generally vote five or I don't vote, because I know what a single low vote can do to a rating, especially here, where votes are generally few and far between. Stories on the site often attract hundreds of votes, but poems seem to attract only a handful, at best. I understand your concern. I wish Literotica used ten stars instead of five. It would be so much easier for me to vote a nine than it is to vote a four.

 

[twelveoone]

one more thing, while we're about it: now i'm not going to tell anyone how they should quantify what constitutes a 5 - that's entirely up to the individual

BUT

if the 5 is to remain valuable to us as something to chase after and feel achievement upon its receipt, then maybe we need to think a little harder first before dishing them out like cadbury's buttons. that's not to say plenty are worth every 5 awarded, more a case of if we score 5's for writes that have room for improvement, how do we then score the revised, improved versions?

only a thought - personally, i'd rather get a 5 for a piece someone felt was flawless than one for a write where they've pointed out where improvements can be made

Right now I don't think critical mass is there. So, I'm stickin with the buttons, for most. I think I handed out a 75 to the Ph.D that persisted after the "mongolid mental midgets" poem.
Plus I gave out some well deserved 5's on poems I perceived had errors, and stated the errors, because what poem doesn't? Plus, I could be wrong.

the revised, improved versions should have more readers!
Now don't make me feel guilty.

 

[bronzeage]

one more thing, while we're about it: now i'm not going to tell anyone how they should quantify what constitutes a 5 - that's entirely up to the individual

BUT

if the 5 is to remain valuable to us as something to chase after and feel achievement upon its receipt, then maybe we need to think a little harder first before dishing them out like cadbury's buttons. that's not to say plenty are worth every 5 awarded, more a case of if we score 5's for writes that have room for improvement, how do we then score the revised, improved versions?

only a thought - personally, i'd rather get a 5 for a piece someone felt was flawless than one for a write where they've pointed out where improvements can be made

It's nice to get a five and it's very nice to get an actual comment, but when the reads to votes ratio is considered, very few people make the effort. If every read without a vote is considered a zero, few poems would score much about 1/10.

The comments left by people who actually read the entire poem and posted something relevant, mean much more than any score.

 

[Angeline]

I have mixed feelings about this. As I've indicated elsewhere, I generally vote five or I don't vote, because I know what a single low vote can do to a rating, especially here, where votes are generally few and far between. Stories on the site often attract hundreds of votes, but poems seem to attract only a handful, at best. I understand your concern. I wish Literotica used ten stars instead of five. It would be so much easier for me to vote a nine than it is to vote a four.

That's usually true for me as well though I occasionally give a four. If I'm not commenting it's for one of two reasons: 1) I don't think the poem is worth the investment of my time or 2) I don't feel I have anything helpful to say. Sometimes I don't comment out of lack of time but that's not typically the reason--if it is I likely won't be commenting on anything on a given day.

We used to have a thermometer here where you could rate a poem between 1 and 100 in increments of 25. I actually think that's more helpful than the 1-5 system of voting. The thermometer was a good visual aid, I thought, to say your poem hit the nail on the head (100), isn't quite there yet (75) and so on. And people had started using it in lieu of voting which I thought was a healthy way to give feedback. Unlike story authors, poets don't win monthy contests that provide a monetary prize so why even bother with the 1-5 system? But that's me.

 

[twelveoone]

We used to have a thermometer here where you could rate a poem between 1 and 100 in increments of 25. I actually think that's more helpful than the 1-5 system of voting. The thermometer was a good visual aid, I thought, to say your poem hit the nail on the head (100), isn't quite there yet (75) and so on.

Bring the thermometer back!

Bring the thermometer back!

Bring the thermometer back!
Because now you have to tell them, I gave you a....
And I can retaliate oh, a 75? I will find something wrong. Easy to do, since it can be viewed more than one way. Well, it is superb, innovative, etc., etc.,etc., it is just that one comma-75, upsets me terribly. Actually, it did start a war once, somebody didn't like the subject, didn't understand what I was doing, 75, poem wasn't that good NBD. But then they do what I did. Look God Damn it, if it worth lifting from, it should have been 100.
Plus I always regretted that one 75, that screwed somebody out of that dumb ass contest, the better poet lost, because I never bothered to vote on the other.

 

[Angeline]

Bring the thermometer back!

Bring the thermometer back!

Bring the thermometer back!
Because now you have to tell them, I gave you a....
And I can retaliate oh, a 75? I will find something wrong. Easy to do, since it can be viewed more than one way. Well, it is superb, innovative, etc., etc.,etc., it is just that one comma-75, upsets me terribly. Actually, it did start a war once, somebody didn't like the subject, didn't understand what I was doing, 75, poem wasn't that good NBD. But then they do what I did. Look God Damn it, if it worth lifting from, it should have been 100.
Plus I always regretted that one 75, that screwed somebody out of that dumb ass contest, the better poet lost, because I never bothered to vote on the other.

I don't think it can be brought back because all the voting devices are tilted toward story suthors, not poets. And we know why that is: stories are what draw most people in the first place. Who the hell comes here for poetry except a few of us crazies on this forum?

On the other hand, you never know with Laurel. She is very fair and has always been supportive of what people here on the pobo want as long as it's reasonable.

 

[twelveoone]

I don't think it can be brought back because all the voting devices are tilted toward story suthors, not poets. And we know why that is: stories are what draw most people in the first place. Who the hell comes here for poetry except a few of us crazies on this forum?

On the other hand, you never know with Laurel. She is very fair and has always been supportive of what people here on the pobo want as long as it's reasonable.

Ah, I just like to rant.
Better here than writing rant poems. Like Milton. I'm still pissed at those Presbyterians. Even though I don't know if I know any. But Damn You, pissing Milton off like that.

On The New Forcers Of Conscience Under The Long Parliament by John Milton
Because you have thrown of your Prelate Lord,
And with stiff Vowes renounc'd his Liturgie
To seise the widdow'd whore Pluralitie
From them whose sin ye envi'd, not abhor'd,
Dare ye for this adjure the Civill Sword
To force our Consciences that Christ set free,
And ride us with a classic Hierarchy
Taught ye by meer A. S. and Rotherford?
Men whose Life, Learning, Faith and pure intent
Would have been held in high esteem with Paul
Must now he nam'd and printed Hereticks
By shallow Edwards and Scotch what d'ye call:
But we do hope to find out all your tricks,
Your plots and packing wors then those of Trent,
That so the Parliament
May with their wholsom and preventive Shears
Clip your Phylacteries, though bauk your Ears,
And succour our just Fears
When they shall read this clearly in your charge
New Presbyter is but Old Priest Writ Large.

75, everyone knows sonnets only have 14 lines, oh you are blind? You Can't be a Poet.

 

[theognis]

I don't think it can be brought back because all the voting devices are tilted toward story suthors, not poets. And we know why that is: stories are what draw most people in the first place. Who the hell comes here for poetry except a few of us crazies on this forum?

On the other hand, you never know with Laurel. She is very fair and has always been supportive of what people here on the pobo want as long as it's reasonable.

If perchance the thermometer comes back, I hope it shows increments of ten, not twenty-five. I'm constantly caught midway between four and five, so either give the five, or don't vote at all. It would be virtually the same if the choice were between seventy-five and a hundred.

 

[Angeline]

Wonder what the use of Phylacteries is intended to mean. A metaphor for taking away someone's objects of faith? A larger comment about Judaism or a particular group of Jews?

My grandmother used to strain all of life's questions, sublime to ridiculous, into "Is it good for the Jews or bad for the Jews?" I think I just felt my gene pool wash over me.

 

[bronzeage]

Wonder what the use of Phylacteries is intended to mean. A metaphor for taking away someone's objects of faith? A larger comment about Judaism or a particular group of Jews?

My grandmother used to strain all of life's questions, sublime to ridiculous, into "Is it good for the Jews or bad for the Jews?" I think I just felt my gene pool wash over me.

You just reminded me of a Lenny Bruce one liner, "A mezuzah is Jewish chap stick. That's why Jews are always kissing it when they go out. ..."

 

[Angeline]

You just reminded me of a Lenny Bruce one liner, "A mezuzah is Jewish chap stick. That's why Jews are always kissing it when they go out. ..."

How to Talk Dirty and Influence People, one of the funniest and most honest books, ever.

 

[twelveoone]

Wonder what the use of Phylacteries is intended to mean. A metaphor for taking away someone's objects of faith? A larger comment about Judaism or a particular group of Jews?

My grandmother used to strain all of life's questions, sublime to ridiculous, into "Is it good for the Jews or bad for the Jews?" I think I just felt my gene pool wash over me.

He may have just went for the sound
Alright Milton gets a 50 then.
Which I swear I will do, the next time I see a haiku about Chinese New Years.
No,no,no...
http://www.chinese-poems.com/

Speaking thereof:
huáng hé èr shǒu

huáng hé běi àn hǎi xī jūn
zhuī gǔ míng zhōng tiān xià wén
tiě mǎ cháng míng bù zhī shù
hú rén gāo bí dòng chéng qún
huáng hé xī àn shì wú shǔ
yù xū gōng jǐ jiā wú sù
yuàn qū zhòng shù dài jūn wáng
hùn yī chē shū qì jīn yù

it does lose something in the translation.

 

[Angeline]

He may have just went for the sound
Alright Milton gets a 50 then.
Which I swear I will do, the next time I see a haiku about Chinese New Years.
No,no,no...
http://www.chinese-poems.com/

Speaking thereof:
huáng hé èr shǒu

huáng hé běi àn hǎi xī jūn
zhuī gǔ míng zhōng tiān xià wén
tiě mǎ cháng míng bù zhī shù
hú rén gāo bí dòng chéng qún
huáng hé xī àn shì wú shǔ
yù xū gōng jǐ jiā wú sù
yuàn qū zhòng shù dài jūn wáng
hùn yī chē shū qì jīn yù

it does lose something in the translation.

I once helped my son with a term paper on Chinese history and philosophy that had a lot of Mandarin in it. And it was a long paper. And I didn't understand any of it. And I had a headache then, too.

 

[MikeIvy]

I for one, would much rather get a response with comments both good and bad then a "Rate", I think that rating a poem is pretty subjective, some overlook form and just grade on flow and content, some just look at the form and not content and of course some look at both

I don't think any writing is perfect, or at least very few are, and I know that my writing is flawed both in form and content, but I try to express a idea in my poems and stories. the trick is to express an idea that lies strictly in the mind.

 

[Angeline]

I for one, would much rather get a response with comments both good and bad then a "Rate", I think that rating a poem is pretty subjective, some overlook form and just grade on flow and content, some just look at the form and not content and of course some look at both

I don't think any writing is perfect, or at least very few are, and I know that my writing is flawed both in form and content, but I try to express a idea in my poems and stories. the trick is to express an idea that lies strictly in the mind.

I couldn't agree more. People get so hung up on those numbers and they don't really mean much. People vote for all sorts of reasons, many of which have nothing to do with the posted poem. Let's say for example that my Literotica bff submits a poem. I then one-bomb everyone else's and get all our friends to do it, too. Then her poem goes on the top list! Yays! That happens here all the time. But a comment in someone's own words tells me what they thought. And even if what they thought is "this is awful," well maybe they'll say why. Maybe they'll be right! And if they say "you're an idiot" or whatever Literotica-fied way they want to say that, well what do I care? Someone else will be more constructive.

The ratings are meaningful if you write stories here because there are the monthly contests where you can win money. Actually I don't know if they still have the monthy contest but they did for years. But poems? Poems almost never win anything here uless we have a contest on the forum with a prize or your poem wins an annual award. Even with those Readers' Choice annual awards, the votes (or nominations in the case of Most Influential Poet) only get you to the preliminaries and then people vote all over again.

What I've earned from this place over the years is invaluable and very little of it (I'm talking miniscule) has been tangible.

 

[MikeIvy]

Most of my writing is research intensive, and ether strictly historical, historical fiction or military tactical.

I use poems to clear my head and unwind my thoughts.

 

[Angeline]

Most of my writhing is research intensive, and ether strictly historical, historical fiction or military tactical.

I use poems to clear my head and unwind my thoughts.

Nothing wrong with that.

I'm off to watch some Miles Davis special on tv. Yippee, jazz!

 

[MikeIvy]

Nothing wrong with that.

I'm off to watch some Miles Davis special on tv. Yippee, jazz!

Great music, that will clear your head as well.

 

[UnderYourSpell]

Most of my writhing is research intensive, and ether strictly historical, historical fiction or military tactical.

I use poems to clear my head and unwind my thoughts.

will now sit here for a moment and consider Mike 'writhing intensively'

 

[MikeIvy]

will now sit here for a moment and consider Mike 'writhing intensively'

Ahhh...Sorry for that mental picture....

 

[UnderYourSpell]

Ahhh...Sorry for that mental picture....

no no don't be

 

[MikeIvy]

Stupid question..

What exactly are "H's"...one of my short stories has one attached but I'm not quite sure what it means? are there some kind of letter ranking?