[Gossamer's Scrapbook] The Ethereal Canyon I

[Gossamer]

. Backed Up I just wanted to let you all know that I'm aware things are backed up. I know there's gnosis requests sitting in the help desk that involve reading huge stories and commenting on them. Some of these are over a week old. I also know that there are other requests in there I haven't gotten too. I will soon, I promise. I've had an unbelievably stressful week and weekend with a lot of stuff I won't get into now. I know.. its a shock and not like me right? But even the talkative open folks have to sometimes take stock and regroup. Anyhow, if you have any sort of requests from me and you don't hear from me by say Wednesday morning, please nudge me. Someone did today and I was glad they did. I just simply don't have the time to make SS threads, grant approvals, read articles, etc until a day or two passes. Thanks to both Cayenne and Gillar who logged on to handle some of the backlog and Tarot who's been fielding his magic specific questions. The rest, especially my PMs, I'll get too shortly. Also, the festival will be posted in Wind Reach sometime this week for the Courtyard Battle. I'm hoping late tonight. I have been posting a bit on my PC. Don't hang me for doing it. It keeps me sane. .

[Triniel]

All I have to say is: "Hand over the kitties and no one will get hurt!" I read through every single post and the ones with the kittens absolutely captivated me. I also loved how I sat for the whole 10 minutes watching the kittens. They remind me of the two kitties I have at home! But anyway, they are absolutely adorable!

[Gossamer]

. Help Desk I just took some time to run through outstanding help desk tickets. If you haven't gotten yours looked at and it wasn't bumped, please please please nudge your thread again. It has scrolled into oblivion. I am fairly certain though, that all are caught up now that were in a position to be caught up. And if your one of the ones (the many) that applied for a liaison position, we'll put you on a list and nudge you when we decide we need additional liaisons. I'm starting to really hate updating the help desk. If I don't do it daily, it gets pages long. If I do it daily, it usually gets me instantly out of the mod/writing mood. And that sucks. But if I let it go, it piles up so huge that its definitely an untame-able monster. Please be sure you absolutely need to help desk ticket something. Ask yourself, before you post, if your needs could be fulfilled by a PM or by just asking someone in chat. These two latter methods are always a lot faster. And if you are requesting something special, please be sure you've read the wiki or understand the rules on what it is you are requesting so we don't have to take the time to explain the rules to you and tell you we can't approve it because you haven't followed them! Thanks. Seriously. .

[Gossamer]

. Help Desk Part II The previous post was actually a post from earlier today that got 'invalid submission' and I didn't realize it. So I posted it belatedly, which is ironic since this blog is a rant about the help desk. Look. Seriously. I want to call about ten people 'jerkface' and a vast assortment of other things that are not really appropriate for this forum. Most of them involve sucking on various body parts or comparing and contrasting people to the unpleasant business end of a jack or jenny. Here's the thing. "How dare you?" Really.... I'll say it again. "How dare you?" You guys put me in a position I hate being in. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. How can you possibly think with all the time I idle in chat that I don't notice people's behaviors or how they treat others or the way they talk or how they greet newbies or what they recommend to them. The recommendation of idiots does nothing but garner confusion and a general sense of OMG WTF. But its hard to spot an idiot when they are dressed in the guise of a helpful friendly veteran player. Its harder still to hold my tongue when someone who's often unfriendly, rude, or teases in a hurtful manner suddenly decides to apply for a position or wants special treatment via the help desk. It's amazing too. They suddenly, in the style of a 100 point Morpher, transform into a sweet talking saintly persona who says please and thank you and expects us not to know our heads from our asses when it comes to who they are. WTH? Seriously. We aren't that dumb. Don't assume we are. Don't even remotely think that. Sure, everyone deserves special consideration. Each help desk ticket should stand alone. But when you want to mod, play an ultra special pc concept, or roleplay something unusual then you need to be at least halfway decent in terms of being a human being in order to be allowed. Not everyone and their dog gets to play a special PC. Thats why they are special. We want people to take the time to play them uniquely and understand that there's something 'special' about them that goes above and beyond a normal human or a player. When you are a storyteller you are elevated to a level in this community that puts you as a community leader. That means you have to act like a leader. People look to you for advice and guidance. You have to set an example. If you aren't like that normally, I'm fairly confident that your storyteller account won't instantly morph you into one. That has to come from inside. And you know, it puts me in a bad situation when I have to tell you the reason you're not getting approved. I have to point out you are rude in chat or you give bad advice or you have no clue how to write a sentence without making it a complete run-on. Why do you folks keep applying for these things knowing this? You aren't going to be the exception regardless who's friends you are etc. I don't even care if you've been here two years or two hours. Attitude is everything. If you don't know much about the job, that's fine because we can teach you. If you already know-it-all and constantly prove yourself in that light by behavior... then you aren't really a person we want' storytelling or playing a 'by approval' pc etc.. Why do you think we're inviting Liaisons at the moment, not openly advertising? We hand pick them because they are in a unique position and a very delicate one. That kinda ticked me off too. I got a ton of PMs and a few HD tickets instantly after announcing Onyx's rise to liaisonship from people wanting to be them and applying. I don't want to tell you all no, but I have too until we need more. Then we'll ask. I told Onyx and Solomon we'd keep the apps until such a time as they felt overworked then I'd ask someone who'd volunteered to do so - if they still want to do it. Nuff said. Just please keep in mind your behavior in chat in the light that someday you might actually want something from the staff... be it the ability to join the staff, special permission things, or even a moderated thread. Yea thats right. Remember, our staff is voluntary. They aren't obligated to moderate for you. They do so by choice. And hopefully your past actions wont spring forth and bite you in the tushy when its time for future actions. .

[Gossamer]

. What am I? I am the iron willed lance that pierces the wounds that would otherwise fester and kill you because they go unattended. I am the voice shouting defiantly in the darkness and lighting it up with my own burning rage. I am the person that doesn't take your shit or anyone else's because I do not have too. I am the vision that sees through your hypocrisy and sees passive aggressiveness for what it is. At least my aggression, when present, is open. I have good days and I have bad days and I make no apologies for either. You can love me or you can hate me, but you can't tell me what to do. You can't tell me what to think. You can't tell me how to vote. I'll always do my own thing. And I won't respect you if I feel you don't respect yourself. I'm good at ignoring you if I don't like you and you can't get rid of me if I do like you. I'm good at judging you, myself, and everyone I meet or see. We all do it. If you can't admit that you do, then your a hypocrite. I'm really seriously good at not caring about you or anyone else that I feel wastes my time. But if I do care, I'll care to the ends of the earth. That's who I am. That's what I am. .

[Jilitse]

Jen, for what it's worth, even if it can be said that you are the iron-willed founder, let me count as one of the people who appreciate what you do for Mizahar. I think you need a hug right now. *hug* Always know that no matter how many idiots stand before you, that there are others who stand by your side, no matter good or bad times are.

One more hug! *hug*

[Gossamer]

Thanks Jillybean! It's honestly not so much that I need a hug, its that I've reached a boiling point and have been at a rolling boil all week. Folks say take a break, and that's fine, but truthfully when I do that work just piles up while I am gone that still needs to be done when I get back.

I don't think anyone realizes how much, especially not those that say 'take a break'.

People just need to be a little more understanding, patient, and make sure they cross their i's and dot their t's before they involve a Founder. I got a PM today from a brand new player, Fois, that I really greatly appreciated. He asked me four questions, one of which was for approval for his Endal status in WR and had his eagle writeup all right there and provided for so I could approve it without asking him for it. All four questions were worded so I could readily answer them and get him on his way.

If everyone's situation was like that, my job would be a thousand times easier. If you see him, be nice and give him a hug for me too.

[Gossamer]

. Success As A Newbie There's been a huge influx of newbies lately. We absolutely love them too. They bring flavor and color to the site. And as Tarot is fond of saying, there's only two types of RP sites out there on the net. There are those with a lot of newbies and those with no players at all. I might be paraphrasing him wrong, and if so I apologize. But the gist of what hes saying is that without newbies your site is always a dead site. So its important that we welcome every one of them and make sure they understand how important it is. As a PC, I try to welcome as many as I can and play with quite a few. Some I've made instant friends with and share laughter and texts and aims and even talk on the phone with a lot. This has opened me up to a lot of new folks from a wide variety of cultures and lifestyles. But there are strategies to being a newbie here on Mizahar that will almost always guarantee your success. Let me try to outline a few. First and foremost, you need a firm character concept. Without knowing who your character is and having them built in such a way that they radiate merits and flaws, they won't be found very interesting by anyone. That means, your human should be average human sized (not 6'5! because thats silly) and should have a whole host of interests - both likes and dislikes - and a wide diversity of skills. Be mindful of your history. It's okay to flush your history out more as you play the game, get familiar with the Mizahar concepts, and know whats going on sitewise. This means it doesn't need to be done RIGHT OMG AWAY!. Give it some time. Generally I've found that my PCs let me know what their histories are eventually and not initially. Run, don't walk away, from cliche historic scenarios like "My pc is an orphan because bandits/Syliran Knights/The Ebonstryfe killed my family!". Okay... consider trying to have a normal family or a family that doesn't get along because one or more members are dysfunctional. This will make your PC more realistic and less cardboard RPGish. Think about having a mystery in the past as well. "My mother/father/sister disappeared under suspicious circumstances in 509 and we were forced to move from city X because everyone thought my mother/father/brother killed/soldthemasaslave/tradedthemforbread though it wasn't true." Diversify. Don't tie yourself down with one thread. Move into a region and be brave enough to start two or three open threads so people can get to know you. Join other open threads. If you start playing with 'veteren' players, odds are they have lots of other threads and are trying to hit everyone's equally. If you PM them multiple times about why they haven't posted, they might not want to play with you because you are pressuring them when they most likely have other commitments. If you have multiple threads, even if they are just solo threads, they will keep you occupied and help you practice. Odds are the more you post the more people will want to post with you - especially if you seem normal, average, and interesting. Quite a few of the older players on Mizahar avoid the new 'Andre the Giant' types who have odd features or weird physical prowess. Oddly enough, they seem drawn to scars and deformities though, so I'm not sure why this is. I don't get it. But its true. Be needy. Everyone wants to feel like they are needed and important. Provide another PC the opportunity to help you or flex their skills a bit and they will definitely really like threading with you. Odds are they in turn will let you flex your skills etc around them. Make sure this neediness is IC though and not OOC. OOC self resourcefulness is greatly appreciated. If you need to whine about BBC code, feel free, everyone does when they start. Someone will provide you with a link to the BBC Codelist and you'll then find yourself mastering it nicely and can in turn help the very next person that will be shrieking bloody murder about something not looking right in their text/post/CS etc. Phrase your questions appropriately. Don't ask 'What is flux?!?' instead log into chat and say 'Can anyone tell me where I can read more about Flux? It sounds interesting and I can't find additional info on it." This tells more experienced folks your willing to do the research yourself on it, but that you need just a little help doing so. Odds are this will spark a conversation, grant you a few links, and make people like you all at the same time because you aren't demanding they tell you everything they know about Flux (which may or may not be true) but instead are asking the strangers to teach you how to fish so you can feed yourself rather than just begging a fresh caught fish off them like a wee baby bird demanding a worm from its momma. We love to help people help themselves. That's the bottom line. And we like to see the people we've helped in turn help others in the same fashion - by providing links and creative helpful suggestions in a nice way. With just a few of these tips followed, your newbie experience on Mizahar will go a heck of a lot smoother, you'll make friends fast, and you'll be one of the 'veterans' in no time. .

[Stitch]

If you start playing with 'veteren' players, odds are they have lots of other threads and are trying to hit everyone's equally. If you PM them multiple times about why they haven't posted, they might not want to play with you because you are pressuring them when they most likely have other commitments.

-bows down before you-

Excellent post. This whole thing needs to be put in the Wiki, me thinks. Some form of it, at least. <333

[Gossamer]

. People Behaving Badly. Sometimes in life we're faced with folks that frankly act terribly. This week at work threw that fact directly into my face. Two people lost their jobs. One refused to come to work because the weather was unsafe, in his opinion, for him to drive in. The other one refused to do her job, in a trying circumstance, and was relieved of her duties. Both situations were bad. I did not agree with the individuals that lost their jobs and felt they were behaving badly. But it sucks someone had to loose their jobs. People that know me and interact with me have heard me complain about this 'couple' before so this should come as no surprise to you that they are gone. Its a big relief and a burden as well. It means I'll probably be working some Saturdays. But that's extra money as well, so I can't really complain. When I really complain is in the middle of summer when I just want to laze the days away outside in the garden. And trust me right now the snow is flying so there's very little gardening for me to do. In fact, I think all my early bloomers are dead. All my bulbs are dead as well. Soo.... we move on. This year is a bust for gardening. But we'll see what the real spring brings. I've been sick lately. Really sick. Some jerkface has been pouring orange cleaner into my air vent in my goat for a 'joke' which turns into this toxic cloud of chemical as the heater kicks on at night. It's in the teens or single digits here still so we have to run the heater. You can't imagine the burn this is causing in my eyes, nose and throat. You can't even imagine the coughing, hacking, and bronchitis like symptoms that I've been feeling. I can't write well. I can't even concentrate. All I do is taste orange. I'm dealing with it. I'm trying to get the guy to stop. Hopefully he will. But I have to be clever about it and not get in too deep of shit with management nor stir the shit too heavily because at work they get rid of the squeaky wheels. So if I'm not posting... that's why. This goes for my PCs too. Anyhow. I have some wisdom for you today: "Nobody is ever convinced by an argument. They just think of new ways to maintain old positions and become more defensive." Think about that one. It makes a lot of sense. The idea in life isn't to get everyone to have your same opinion, its better to see how people are seeing things and try to meet in the middle. Remember one other wisdom. "Its not the load that breaks you down but its the way you carry it." I hope everyone has a better week this week. I hope everyone has a really good day. I hope you take the time today to at least see something from someone's point of view a little even if it doesn't make sense to you. It can be enlightening. It should also be no surprise .