Maintenance - and some changes for 2010.

[nerdfury.livejournal.com]

Howdy folks,

As many of you are aware, the 'word a day' vibe of this community has dropped down to something more akin to 'word a week or possibly two if someone remembers.' This isn't what we want as a community! We want a daily list of fresh words to inspire and learn, not a weekly word from me, and an ever degrading list of occasional posters.

As you'll also have noticed, our illustrious owner and maintainers have all but disappeared, so it's time for some decisive action!

Effective immediately I've taken maintainership of the community and removed everyone else so we can start fresh with new, daily posters. Don't panic, existing mods, maintainers and posters - you aren't banned! More on this below.

Now, this is a pretty adult community - we have relatively little issue with trolls or such. A few arrogant pratts here and there, but usually they're harmless. - but I always have to expect some concern, so here's a few pre-emptive answers to what may be asked:


Q. Is this a hostile takeover? Will there be military personnel in the streets? Will I have to learn to speak Australian to avoid raising suspicion?

A. Not by any means! There has been a lack of maintainership and postership for several months now, and I am simply taking decisive action to get the place back on track, as the prior maintainer sea_gaagii once did ages ago. With all the mods gone, and most of the posters scattered to the four winds, I'm hoping to get us back to daily posts by taking ownership of the situation.


Q. What about my existing maintainer/moderator/poster status? Am I no longer welcome? Don't you love me?

A. A lot of people no longer have a presence in the community under their roles. Those who had the roles have been removed so we can have a fresh start. If any of the people who had certain roles here comment, send me a PM or email me at shirosenshi at gmail dot com, they'll be immediately re-added if they're up for continuing to post or moderate the community! You've just been removed for now because it's easier to remove all and add those who want to continue in their roles than to keep everyone and work out who's just away on holiday or just doesn't check their email often enough.


So, my friends, there are two questions to be asked: 

1. Who wants to post? I need six people, and some subs, who are willing and able to post one word per week.

2. What do you, as the readers of this community, want from this place? I've tried to expand the community's horizons a little by posting phrases (anyone remember Fin de Siecle?) and things that technically aren't real (like 'Tetris Effect' and 'Greebles'!). But does anyone else have any ideas for how we might expand the community and make it a little more exciting, and maybe easier for people to post things if they can't find a word?


All comments welcome, I look forward to your questions, queries and feedback. Please, as always, keep it polite and constructive. If you have a serious issue, please contact me privately. This is, once again, not a hostile takeover. I'm just getting things back up and running again.

Thanks all!

Comments

[mizdandylynn.livejournal.com]

If we have posters from around the 4 corners of the globe... maybe an occasional phrase or word used as daily vernacular that might not be in a dictionary. I learned a few words from some Australian friends which have been pretty interesting... (e.g. arvo)

While I cannot guarantee that I could or would post weekly at this point.. I would be ok with being a sub....

Thanks

[nerdfury.livejournal.com]

That's a good idea! Being Australian myself, there's a lot of phrases that confuse my American and Canadian friends.

[dreadpirateange.livejournal.com]

I love this idea. Regionalisms 4tw!

[exx-cecilegr.livejournal.com]

1. I'm willing!

2. I don't have any new ideas though. The old 'one word a day' routine is fine with me, heh. :)

[nerdfury.livejournal.com]

Great! I'll count you in as a daily poster. Do you have any preferred days?

[exx-cecilegr.livejournal.com]

If I could have Monday or Friday, that would be great.

[nerdfury.livejournal.com]

Alright! I'll stick you down for Monday or Friday for now, and as we get more names, we can work out which one.

[sakai-yukari.livejournal.com]

Yay for this post! I've been waiting for it. I didn't want to step on anyone's toes, but I have been bothered for a while by the sporadic posting schedule.

I am very willing to post a word a week! I love this community and would love to help keep it active!

[nerdfury.livejournal.com]

I've been wanting to make the post for ages myself, but I kept asking myself if I was stepping on anyone's toes, or what happens if the owner or previous maintainers get angry with me, or what if there's a massive exodus? I just want this place to be successful, so I took action!

Your name's down for posting. DO you have a preferred day?

[fidgetspin.livejournal.com]

I would like to do a post, if you still need more people. I've actually been thinking about asking, but I was afraid I wouldn't have good enough words and I wasn't sure whom I should ask. I don't have a preferred day.

[nerdfury.livejournal.com]

It's tough finding words - I should know. My secret is that I don't limit myself to words that are in current or popular use, words that stem from English, singular words or real words (i.e., coined phrases that exist, but don't sit in the OED - like Greebles and Tetris Effect).

As much as I would like to see a barrage of only completely new and different words, I know not everyone has the resources or the time to find them - so I don't expect anyone to do that. As long as they're not regular repeats or really easy words (like who doesn't know what 'peruse' means? wtf) you're more than welcome!

[fidgetspin.livejournal.com]

Great! I have a few I've written down the last few months that are a little better than SAT words if not particularly unique. Just let me know a day when it's all figured out and I'll be happy to start.

[miss-daizy.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm not active here but I'm on lj every day and could manage a word a week. Feel free to contact me should you care to discuss this. I enjoy this comm and have missed the daily updates.

[nerdfury.livejournal.com]

Awesome - the more, the merrier! Do you have an preferred day?

[miss-daizy.livejournal.com]

Tuesday would probably work well for me but I'm pretty flexible, except for weekends, which would be harder but not impossible.

[nerdfury.livejournal.com]

Yes! I was hoping you'd be interested! :D

[rainbow-yarn.livejournal.com]

Hey, sorry for my iffiness in the last few weeks; the holidays have thrown me off. I'd still like to do Tuesdays if possible!

[nerdfury.livejournal.com]

Not a problem. Like I said, I felt it was easier to remove everyone and add those that wanted to keep doing it, rather than keep everyone on and keep waiting for those who might be away, no longer on the internet or just jerks to reply. :)

[stagknight.livejournal.com]

Vive la deuxième république!

I don't think I could reliably post weekly at the moment, but I could be a sub.

I think making a few example categories might give people some ideas while they're starting out - like the vernacular suggestion above, or slightly less uncommon words with very obscure alternative uses, or words stolen intact from other languages, etc. I also like interesting etymology, so I'm happy with words that are a little more common but have a twisty bizarreness in their origin.

[michie3.livejournal.com]

I concur! I may like to add a few words every now and then (but can not
commit to doing so regularly.)

Also, as a science geek, could I include some of those words? (names of
plant parts, misc. organs, weather systems, etc.)

I am not sure if tags are being used at the moment, but tagging words
by noun, verb, etc. may help, as well as perhaps having a set list of
'describer words' to categorize types of words so that they may be more
accessible in a search. (a set list would standardize words, but can
remain open to approved additions for tags) ...but that is just my
four and a half cents. ^-^

[nerdfury.livejournal.com]

I'm really looking for regular posters, but I suppose I could organise.. I dunno, like a Science Saturday! kind of thing. More words irregularly is better than less words regularly, I suppose.

We do actually categorise by letter, the of word (verb, noun, etc) and its basic etymology (French, Greek, Latin). I and others also try to add extra categories if the words are made up or something.

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

I'm in for posting on a weekday, any weekday. And am willing to help out as a maintainer.

---L.

[nerdfury.livejournal.com]

Sweet, you're in!

[moombacorp.livejournal.com]

I'd be willing to be a sub, as I am a college student and have random periods of free time. I'd like to become a regular poster later on once I graduate or something. XD

An idea: why not challenge readers of the community to use the word in everyday usesage? We could have them document it with video/comics/audio and post them here, and we can vote on the best one that was done that week or month.

[nerdfury.livejournal.com]

I can put you down as a sub. And that's a pretty good idea! I'll definitely implement that!

as we say in Oz

[fatherr.livejournal.com]

No wucking furries mate.