Congratulations and appreciation for willingness to serve. I am confident you will all do a great job........stan

let me be the forerunner of a message
to all new members
strive hard to reintroduce the data
of how many have read a poem ,
even if there are no comments,
so that it maintains a poetic rhythm
in the hearts of
the upcoming poets

Please think
hope you will
And
a happy tenure
for sure...

congrats all!!!

Wesley I know you will be a great chair.

Lou

Congrats Wesley and Beauregard !!!

A big thank you to those that voted and
thanks to all that didn't, hopefully there will
be a better voter turnout next election.

Richard

Congratulations to the new AC. I voted and was happy to see the outcome. Have a great term.

always, Cat (& eddy)

Now, let's face an issue...

Since Neopoet has no more enemies, as it were, how is the writing going to be *taken up a notch or two or three*? There's nothing here in the way of useful, honest & insightful critique and/or commentary, I'm afraid. I read the first couple of lines of most poems, think "so what else is new" and go on to other sites.

Sadly.

Is this really the best of Neopoet? All it has to offer? Workshop after workshop and still nothing breaks down
the mediocrity of one's own mediocrity. Think on that for awhile.

What do you suppose is *missing* from the energy, excitement and the community of poets that once thrived at Neopoet?

~Anna

I don't any more, Stan. Ever wonder why? You, of all people, should know.

~A

A community has to *foster* interaction.

It's that simple.

~A

I'm sorry, Beau. In my opinion and experience, there is a stasis here; no amount of workshopping on giving critiques will help those of us who just use these groups as vanity press. Sure some of us are here for example only. But some of the best examples have been thrown out because they didn't fit in with the regulars... the spoon-fed mediocrity.

The sewing circle, as Jess has called it can't be broken, and that's what's broken @ Neopoet. I am certain that until everyone's *opinions* are valued whether or not we see them as *affronts* to our sensitivities or sensibilities
and the new Administrative Council is truly engineered and designed for poets who no longer fear the truth of someone's/anyone's *opinion*, then no matter what we call it, it's the same old same old.

And that's not what the Neo community is all about, or at least could be in the most extravagant understanding of the word: folks with the same goal.....improving oneself and one's poetry through honest interaction. Not *crucify* him or her for not adhering to the status quo of mediocrity.

Think about it, Beau. Does anyone truly invite interaction? Does the interaction really serve the ideal of Neopoet:to raise the bar of one's poetry above the mundane, above the tried and true, above one's own limitations?

Let's not fool ourselves.

~A

In my limited experience here the only person thrown out was one who repeatedly attacked other poets on an extremely personal level. One who thougt it was their God given right to call others vile names and disparage their families and culture. One who was given many many chances to stay. In the end it was his own actions which lead to his downfall. If building up the level of interaction here were to require us all cursing at one another and attacking each other on a personal basis Then expect no such "help" from me. Of course most often people who get punished always try to blame others for their own faults and actions. "Poor me! That nasty AEC has trampled over my rights and all I did was curse at people and their families while also belittling their society and home land. Boo Hoo" Again, NOBODY here has Ever been suspended or banned for saying anything bad about a poem and I expect they never will be. But open critique does not mean the same thing as open disruptive warfare on one another........stan

I voted and congratulates this trio. You'll do great st chair Wesley. Hope best term.

High school, the musical, er no the poetry group. Adult means being able to handle things oneself and not running to teachers, parents or the fka AEC.

Don't you guys get it, once you ban someone, there is no second chance for you as an individual capable of handling the trials & tribulations of your life (get a life, this is the internet for God's sake!) nor for the individual who is banned...making that turn towards and not away from what we would all hope for.

Better poetry and better ways of dealing with one another.

I stand by that.

~A

to the previous team a job well done. To the admin astrative councilI am more than happy to work with you and to wesley great job on being chair

I feel partially at fault for this having become a forum on allowable behavior rather that the congratulatory blog it should be. For that I apologise. I wish you all the best in handling both the day to day decisions and the very difficult ones. And always keep in mind that nobody or group can please everybody so base your decisions on what You think is right..................stan

Allowable behaviour? Congratulatory blog? Those who are quick to congratulate are also quick to condemn. I just know the nature of human beings. Period.

Tell me, no on second thought, don't tell me. Let me guess how many times have those who complained to the former AEC run back & forth to complain about other individuals? See what I mean?

And thank you Beau. Perhaps you understand what I am saying. After all, it's the young people who will inherit the world. Whether or not the world will survive its politics, is beyond me...I just want to see Neo at least as good a place for the gathering of poets as I once found it.

To the new Administrative Council: my best wishes.

~Anna

Thank God for a door that swings both ways
unlike cults t hat once in there is no leaving
Or a paid for membership t hat guilds the old ego

One has to be really attacking people on here to
get the boot and there are many warnings
its no accident
there is much consideration for the benifit
and those that are removed have usually done
a lot of concrete ugliness towards others
in a personal manner outside the issues of
poets This is not a forum for abuse
never shall it be either
and that includes those whom are elected to power
here

which is great about neopoet

If one does not like Neopoet in its changes
and evolvement then there are many other
sites out there willing to welcome you and
your wallet and your abuse in the guise
of "critique"

we dont allow it or need it here

that being said!!

I welcome the new admin
the new management and have the
best hopes for the term of early 2012
Since arriving here Ive been asked
to do much and have always declined
preferring to be the poet
much like not publishing
I dont have to publish
I can exist here without yet paying for
the extra privilidges that is offered
Its not a requirement just a suggestion
I have not looked up nor down at anyone
who does have a paid for extra ness here
nor woud tout that over anyone if I did
One day that would be a sweet objective
though

God knows I sure drooled over the T shirts
that were offered here back in the day

Im putting all my efforts into running my family
here that I chose to be a part of and contributing
member and my part time work and my poetry
on another freesite that exists with no critiqueing
and yet manages to develop amazing poets too
Neopoet is great and wonderful but Im not ignorant
that its not just the only place that fosters poets

I change as I grow as a person and a poet
and so does Neo and the world
I dont expect it to be the same old same
nor demand it either
if I did and was unhappy I would go elsewhere

OR start my own poetry site with a list of rules
and preffered criteria
in the meantime I love this environment and will
and would like to keep creating here until the end

I wish you the best Admin

Ever Yours

Mr Wolf

(Esker)

Congrats to all you guys, get ready for real work and no life outside Neopoet. LOL

Eddie

... I think the "congratulatory" thread is a marvelous location for the continuance of Anna's arguments. Nothing like signing a bill upon first entering the oval office.
I would like to offer a perspective from someone who is still, essentially, a "newbie".
Like most every poet here (this is a presumption, but I feel a safe one) I have spent a great deal of time at other poetry websites. The problems endured here at NeoPoet (alleged or otherwise) are of course precisely the same at virtually every site available to us poets. Many of these problems (I should say ALL of them) are created, maintained and often blown out of proportions for the same unavoidable reason.

The websites are run by humans.

From the moment I discovered that such sites existed I did the very same thing I do with any new, exciting toy that comes my way.

I Googled the Hell out of it.

Surely everyone here has done the same thing, so there is no way I can know if my exploration was demonstrably greater than any other, but I feel confident that I rate in the top 2% of poets seeking and studying new sites.
In other words, I've been around.
By no means did I set up an account at every site visited and many of the accounts created were scarcely used. However, I never found a site, poked around for an hour and then left never to be seen again. I always spent more than a modicum of minutes in an attempt to get a "feel" for the joint to determine if it was in best interests to remain.
Of all the sites, I found but one other that had anywhere near the open, critical sophistication offered here (sometime clumsily I confess). This other site appeared on the surface to want poets to improve and that improvement was to be considered the sole reason for posting there. However, its "mission statement" was from the outset so aggressive that it was against their rules to comment on another poet's comment in an attempt to avoid blood letting arguments.

I was sent to NeoPoet by a very good friend at one of these sites (not the one from Hell) because she knew I was not and could not receive the sort of comprehensive critical commentary that I so desperately desired. At every opportunity I ask the poets (here and less and less elsewhere) to tear my poetry to shreds if they've the skill. I don't mean the skill to be diplomatic, but the skill of recognizing and verbalizing the flaws in my poetry to foster change. Nowhere else do I ask for this more (beg for this more) than in Çaço, Man of the Morning Star, my epic poem that now stands at some 20,000 lines.
Due to its size reading and critiquing my epic requires a large commitment of time, so naturally I don't get anywhere near the critical attention I hunger for.

Nevertheless, except for the occasional ray of brutal sunshine, no one site has been able to give me this as NeoPoet has. No other site has been able to engender a sense of excitement in me about the future, of my poetry (epic and small) and the website itself.

I have not been here very long. I know virtually nothing about the "bad old times" of political infighting and personality destruction. I know only NeoPoet.
My NeoPoet.
"Potential" is an ugly word to one who has been waiting long. To me it is thrilling. With my rather unscientific study of other sites in comparison with present day NeoPoet, I have determined that although the glass may not be half full,

the spigot is turned on.
wesley

Poet will always come and go at any site I expect. But hopefully the days of any poet being driven away here by another poet by constant personal attacks are gone. In my opinion this site still offers good feedback but now it's given on the poem only, as should be. Of course those who might relish high drama probably think that's dull lol. Best of luch over the next 4 months and remember that no matter how unpopular a decision of the AC might be to some, you were elected to serve All members not just some. Me, of course being the exception so always take my side in any fight I instigate lmao.........stan

to THE DREAM TEAM!
do not be discouraged or distracted by negative haranguing ... I have seen the "other poetry sites" and witnessed those who frequent both and it would seem some have a predilection for conflict in order to feel engaged, nay, alive! Do not take on such criticism! It is both malignant and unkind!
"The world would do well to reflect, that injustice is in itself, to every generous and properly constituted mind, an injury, of all others the most insufferable, the most torturing, and the most hard to bear." Charles Dickens

Good luck to the new AC

The AC serves this community and like any other
community there are rules, here on Neopoet there
are only a few which are outlined within the community
guidelines ... every member is expected to follow these
few simple rules, when they don't and there is a complaint,
the AC steps in with an action manual (found under the help
tab for public display) to resolve the dispute, not a fun job!

I'd like to remind everyone that there is an " Idea Gallery "
found under the help tab as well, where anyone can make
suggestions to improve this site as it is ever growing !

Richard

Change can be good, =D

Congrats to the new AC...... the Almost Crazy people for agreeing to this job!!!! Get it, AC, Almost Crazy, JUST KIDDING.

GO NEO.

Congratulations and I hope you enjoy your roles,
you are well suited to the task,
different poetry, different ideas,
rock on.

Ann.

P.S. In my time with Neopoets I have stated my views on crits I think,
as long as we keep to the poetry and not bring in too much that has
nothing to do with it. Hark who's talking!!! :)

I have much to catch up on .... nice to see the place hasnt changed totally

love to all ... i have climbed out of my rut lol ;)

JC x x

firstly.... when you are wrong

APOLGISE at lightening speed

secondly... if you are
RIGHT ...
fight tooth and nail ....till all your teeth get knocked off ....then buy a pair or two, a spare ,one of dentures ..
Why such mature folks like you all....
express so ....
pains me ..
Hope all's gong to be well feeennaallleee