A Big Thank You!, Start Up Options

[Cleo_Serapis]

I wanted to say thank you to a few folks who were key in the layout of the Mosaic. :) :) :)

Utilizing the test site, the categories, forums, fonts, colors and general layout (for design impact) produced excellent feedback, which I value very much.

The folks who assisted in that 'tiling' process are:
Zeus² (Larry), AMETHYST (Liz), Imhotep (Peter, our techie behind the scenes superhero/God), Nefertiti (Beth), Just Daniel (Daniel), Athena (Dolly), Atila (Butch) and Aphrodite (Lindi).

Atila the Hun (Butch) created the member titles (see FAQ forum for details).

Zeus² (Larry) assisted in creating some of the category and forum names such as Plato's Pearls of Wisdom, Homer's Homilies, and Socrates’ Synapse.

Aphrodite (Lindi) came with the idea of the word 'intellection' that I ended up using in our slogan: "initiating intellection by expression". Thankies!

Imhotep (Peter) - he's the behind the scenes superhero who makes sure the site is up and running and helps me coding the Mosaic. :)

Posting options/features are continuing to be enhanced and such feedback is appreciated.

On a great note: the requests for adding centering, font styles, font colors and sizing via buttons - are underway with a programmer friend of ours.

So stay tuned and continue to ask questions. We seek to make the Mosaic the place you'll love to be for your writing interactions.

Best regards,
Cleo and Imhotep

[Aphrodite]

Hey Lori~

Congratulations on your new endeavor! It looks to me as if you have a big winner! This site is appealing and covers so many writing styles for all to enjoy!

I wish you the best.........
Lindi

[Guest_Jox_*]

Hi Lori - and all,

The date of Lori's original posting in this tile (thread) is just over 1.5 years ago. Clearly, Lori doesn't have enough to do (!) so I just wanted to ask her a public question...

How do you feel that MM has progressed in that 1.5 years. What aspirations has it met hitherto and which remain to be met? Joys? Frustrations? Disappointments? (Just briefly) How has it been FOR YOU?

(I think we should be told, as the British magazine, Private Eye, frequently quips).

Thanks in anticipation, Lori.

James.

[Cleo_Serapis]

Hello!  :guitar:

Personally, I am very satisfied with where the board stands after 1.5 years. We have aquired a wonderful 'international' member base and I am very impressed with the quality (first) and quantity of posts. Adding self-publishing and chapbook service monthly has been something I had hoped would come in time, I just didn't think it would happen so quickly! I'm very excited and thrilled to continue refining the board and our member's works in the next 1.5 years....

 :sings:  :cloud9:  :king:  :turtle:  :wolf:  :easteregg:  :sun:  :guitar:  :ring:  :dragon:

[Guest_Jox_*]

Hi Lori,

Thanks for the quick reply - you must be an early riser!

I'd hoped you were pleased and it is amazing to see where you've driven MM is a relatively short period.

Yes, it is very international - Australia, Borneo, Saudi Arabia, UK, Eire, Argentina, Canada, USA (sorry if I've missed any!). It would be good to see some people in New Zealand, India, West Indies and some African countries in the next 1.5 years, too. In fact, anywhere where English is written.

You're right to put quality first. Anyone can churn-out quantity (If I can...) so it is the quality by which a site is judged; which attracts new members and retains existing ones.

The membership loss is not high, either. There are quite a few members and ex-members who have never posted much (i.e. never really started writing nor critting on here) but there are not many active members who have left. I can think of a handful - and though very regrettable it says a lot that the figure is so low. Against that, we have had a very good influx of new, dynamic and talented members which is very pleasing - especially as it keeps earlier-established members on their toes!

The other thing I would note is that the dynamic development of the infrastructure - not least chapbooks - is being driven with as much skilled determination as ever... more so, probably. Yes, amidst all this progress and re-invigoration, MM still remains the friendliest crit site I know. OK, I'm biased - but I'm biased only because MM is what it is and what it has been made. Your vision and active direction have developed this special formula, enabling all the members to turn the structure into the living, lively, friendly - and above all - very useful crit/learning site which MM is today.

Well done Lori and Peter and... everybody on MM. It's a pleasure to be  here.

James.

[Aphrodite]

Hello Lori and Peter~  

This is by far the most creative and attractive poetry site online, anywhere!
Also, an huge added bonus is the diverse bunch of writers aboard!

Keep it up and thank you for sharing your wonderful site with all of us.

We are truly fortunate to be part of your insight and talents!

Many blessings and musing moments~
Lindi

[Guest_Nina_*]

Hi Lori and Peter

James sums up this forum perfectly with his words

Your vision and active direction have developed this special formula, enabling all the members to turn the structure into the living, lively, friendly - and above all - very useful crit/learning site which MM is today.

Thanks to your hard work, you have developed a formula that ensures quality over quantity and a board where all members are respectful and considerate to each other - a rare commodity on the internet.

Nina

[Cleo_Serapis]

Oh My!

I thank you James, Lindi and Nina for your kind and thoughtful replies!

It's truly a labor of love and one in which I'm so thrilled to just be a part of this dynamic group...

HUGS to you all!


P.S. James - you forgot Ireland  and a few others - I will need to check the rest. I was thinking of putting up a post in the Site Info forum at some point with all the countries represented.

[Guest_Jox_*]

Hi Lori,

Thanks for your reply.

I didn't foget Ireland (how could I after my microstory in Pandora's - and my copyright notices always mention Northern Ireland - and I worked for Irish brothers (monks) for fifteen years?). What I may have done is confuse by using the Gaelic-Irish Language, rather than the English language, sorry!

Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom and Southern Ireland is the Irish Republic, otherwise known as Eire (its Gaelic name).

I think JJ lives in Northern Ireland [NI] (i.e. the UK like me) but I'm unsure about Lucie.

>>Australia, Borneo, Saudi Arabia, UK, Eire, Argentina, Canada, USA....

>>and a few others

but I haven't worked out where else yet, either!

Yes, a posting is a good idea. Though only in terms of showing the international spread of MM. Many people don't care to link themselves very strongly to their country - at least as writers. (I think that is a reason why the up-take of the flags facility has been low).

James.

[Cleo_Serapis]

I see what you mean James.  

OK - this is wat I found so far:

Abuja (not sure if country)?
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Borneo
Canada
England
Ireland
Portugal
Saudi Arabia
UK (mentioned above)
United Arab Emirates
United States


Cool!        

[Guest_Jox_*]

Hi Lori,

Clarissa is living in Vienna at present. (Austria)

I'm not sure if Borneo is a country (I think not). I believe it is controlled by three nations. However it is certainly a distinct area, and as Agatha uses it as her designation, I feel it deserves to be there (as you've put it).

The USA is so vast that you could list the particular states, under it.

I would list England under The UK.

i.e:

United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland
- England
- Northern Ireland

United States of America
-  Florida
- Oregon

etc.

I wouldn't mind drawing this up but it's very fiddley, having to go into each member's name. Can you pull the location field out of the data base alone and send it to me? (I don't need names) If you can I'll have a go.

James.

[Cleo_Serapis]

Thanks! I edited in Austria - I keep a member list in excel and I've only looked at the last I updated beginning of January. These are all the countries on the list posted above already. nless new members from Jan & Feb are from other countries, this is our state of the state... ehhhhhh ummmmmm union address....... ummmmm ... country list.

[Cleo_Serapis]

Since I'm not overly familiar with Europe (and there are different flags), I wasn't sure how it should be listed?

We have some that say England, UK, Ireland and Scotland.

COnfusing?! ???

[Guest_Jox_*]

Hi Lori,

Don't start me on Europe :) That's a different matter altogether.

I hope the following helps:

Anyway as regards the UK...

As the USA (United States of A) is a union of individual states (e.g. Maryland, Rhode island, etc), so the United Kingdom is a union of kingdoms (eg England and Scotland). As the USA's individual states have a good deal of autonomy, so do the four parts of the UK. As the USA has overall governance of all states and represents all internationally, so the UK does for its kingdoms. In fact, the parallels between the US and UK are very striking.

The United Kingdom (UK) is:

Flag: The Union Flag (called The Union Jack at sea). It is a very similar flag to the top-left corner flag in Hawaii's, Australia's and New Zealand's flags. In the original American Colonies' flag, the Union flag was in the corner of that, too - it was replaced by the stars.

England
(Red cross on white background)

Northern Ireland
(As England but with hand logo in centre)

Scotland
(White diagonal cross on blue background)

Wales
(Horizontal 50-50 split: White on top, green under, with a large red dragon superimposed on the whole flag).

Welsh Flag and other details on MM

(Great Britain (GB) is the UK minus Northern Ireland)

GB has no flag of its own (uses the UK's Union flag)

Ireland:
Southern Ireland - Eire - The Irish Republic (call it what you will) is an independent country, not part of the UK. It has its own (elected) President as Head of State. (As Northern Ireland is still in the UK, its (unelected) Head of State is Her Majesty The Queen).

The flag for Eire is horizontal stripes of orange, green and white.