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Articles: Classic Shmeng |
Posted by
ickgirl on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 12:04 PM PST
Hiya kids, here I am!
Without going into extreme detail-mostly I stopped coming around because I was bored.
At iamsquid’s urging I read some of the “Tough Love” forum, and something Kira wrote made me shout out “Yeah! Me too!” Thank you, Kira, for being so poignant.
“The climate of Shmeng has been weird to me for a while. When I first started coming here years ago it was a fun site with cool people who posted these 2-5 paragragh rants about whatever was pissing them off that day. I could come into work, plop down in my chair, and be entertained the rest of the boring afternoon. If I felt I had something to contribute, I could rattle it off in an hour or so, post it, and then reply back to any comments it collected. I would say that things were very low pressure and laid back, yet still pretty intellectual most of the time. There was a nice family feeling to it, even for someone who only posted sometimes but read it nearly every day.
Now, the pressure to submit something that is literary gold is too high. I don't have the time to dump into an article that expresses some profound truth to the world, or cross references every book ever written about bdsm or polyamory. I am not a writer by trade. I don't care enough about most people's mediocre fiction attempts to even read them. Eye candy is nice, but there are thousands of sites where I can go look at hot photos of people. I like hearing about the things that make people tick, and the things that get under their skin. That was what Shmeng was like.” -Kira
I urge everyone to send in a submission. Please don’t worry about what I will think of you if your submission is crap. Or if anyone else thinks it is crap. Be silly, bitch about something. Don’t write a journal entry. Write about something people can relate to. Tell us what makes you tick!
Remember Schizo complaining about her awful boss?
Or bettie bitching about the sexualization of little kids?
Kira’s experience as a retail whore?
And of course, Devin bitching about Seattle!
Send in some good ole Classic Shmeng.
Speaking of Devin, here is something I stole from him:
(Write About) Actual Shmeng that has happened to you
(Not your friend or your cousin's ex girlfriend's father's bestfreind's classmate) with the drama pulled out. Don't send imaginary shmeng. We can tell, no really we can. Don't send a diary entry telling how mean everyone is to you, doesn't understand you, and how they are all wrong. That is you making shmeng, not telling about it. Don't tell us about politics that you have heard about somewhere. Don't repeat some real reporter's work.
C'mon, tell me a story.
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Average Rating : 4.7
Total ratings : 3
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Classic Shmeng | Login/Create an account | 20 Comments |
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Re: Classic Shmeng
by Devin (devin-at-vibechild-dot-com)
on Aug 09, 2004 - 02:08 PM
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Yea, I miss the good old days too, but I think what made the good old days good was the fact that everyone who was posting those quick little paragraphs was actually an interesting person. If someone doesn't have anything under the hood, I really don't want to peek there. The reason the standards had to go up, is because the standards for the people that were posting went down. I don't need to read what makes a 14.8 tick. I can explain it to them better than they can explain it to me - in fact, I have - enough times that it's about as interesting as tying my shoes at this point.
The little things are certainly interesting, when they're little things that make interesting people tick. Little things that make boring people tick are not interesting.
These are the articles that made us have to raise the standards (articles summarized to save space):
- "They" don't understand me.
- Preps suck
- Why doesn't (insert name here) like me?
- What is goth?
- Lookit how goth I am.
- Read my like totally original goth poem.
- Read chapter one of my novel, it'll get interesting around chapter 28, but i haven't written past chapter one yet and I have a short attention span.
- America sucks
- Stuff that's so badly written that we just can't tell what it's about
I think the problem we had was how to say one person's petty rants were interesting when another person's weren't. In this case, the judgement is on the person, and nobody wants to say "your shmeng is stupid only because you are stupid". It's easier to say "ok, everyone submit more interesting shmeng".
(P.S. - we miss you ickgirl - come back)
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Re: Classic Shmeng by ickgirl on Aug 09, 2004 - 02:29 PM (User info | Send a Message) | But at least when people weren't scared to submit something there were a few gems hidden in all the shit.
I have a feeling (and I'm right, damn it!) that we've missed out! |
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Re: Classic Shmeng by callei on Aug 09, 2004 - 02:53 PM (User info | Send a Message) http://http:// | Its really possible that we have missed out. But then, if they are sooo afraid of having thier stuff "judged" then chances are they are too scared to post it here anyways. Stuff from the forums gets moved to articles sometimes. only sometimes.
some of the people that whine "but callei is too mean and wont post it anyways so why should i send it in!?!?!" dont post it to the forums. That place where they get insta-gratification and constant feedback. That place that is free of the mean callei.
well mostly free of the mean callei.
And Dev you forgot virgin porn, term papers, and fuck you notes. those make up 90% of what we have gotten in the last year. |
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Re: Classic Shmeng by ickgirl on Aug 09, 2004 - 03:50 PM (User info | Send a Message) | I guess my point is that the site has become very bland, and pretty one-dimensional. the same people/same themes are just recycled in each article (with some exceptions, of course).
I don't mind wading through the crappy submissions, it really only takes reading the first 1-3 lines.
I can understand Devin's point; however, I think that the only way to freshen the place up is by encouraging people to write. I wasn't just speaking to those who are afraid to submit something, but I did include them. There are lots of bright people who visit this site, and I'm sure many of THEM don't bother submitting anything either - I think Kira's statement was right on when she said that she isn't a writer. Most people on this site aren't (even if they think they are!)
This site is about people. about shmeng.
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umm hi... by Anonymous-Coward on Aug 09, 2004 - 04:21 PM | Yeah, i know, i never speak and that's more than likely a good thing. However, anyone that thinks you're mean hasn't talked to you (in a civilized way). You have this confidence about you that makes worthless insecure boys like me scared, that's all.
About the site and sending in more of my "warmed over horseshit".....i can't speak for everyone else that's afraid of posting or sending articles but, i know that i'm afraid because i took a liking to the place so fast that didn't want to desturb anything. And the quote above is also something that keeps me from wanting submit anything...
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Re: Classic Shmeng by callei on Aug 13, 2004 - 06:59 AM (User info | Send a Message) http://http:// | wellll sort of. not so much "porn" or "erotica" as "the intro to a 12 year old's wet dream" where nothing sexy happens, nothing interesting happens, there is no plot, and no body eats fruit or gets naked. I call it virgin porn because, well its a funny name for it. |
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Re: Classic Shmeng by ickgirl on Aug 09, 2004 - 02:29 PM (User info | Send a Message) | oh, and - I'm trying to come back (miss you too) |
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Re: Classic Shmeng
by Schizo (Aranea@Spidersdance.com)
on Aug 09, 2004 - 04:18 PM
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Wow, I got mentioned!
I kind of stopped posting that sort of stuff, because I figured you were all sick of hearing about my awful boss and my boyfriend's psychotic ex.
(By the way, the boss has come around, and now adores me, and the ex is much the same, only we see less of her.)
But if more bitchin' is really what people want, I'll keep that in mind for the next time a co-worker pisses me off. Or something.
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Hey, Ick!
by Monolycus on Aug 09, 2004 - 11:25 PM
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Ick! I am so pleased that you're not dead! Now get your bottom back here... if we don't get an out, you can't either! ~sticking my tongue out and waggling my fingers beside my ears in the universal "So there!" posture!~
~M.
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Re: Hey, Ick! by ickgirl on Aug 11, 2004 - 07:33 AM (User info | Send a Message) | I prefer being not dead too, thank you!
My bottom is doing its best, we'll see how it goes ;) |
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Re: Classic Shmeng
by Domkitten (saradevil@saradevil.com)
on Aug 11, 2004 - 06:16 PM
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Ick, I feel like a dolphin statute waiting for your return. It's so nice to see you again.
You have a fabulous insight into some of the problems. I feel like writing an article is three hour process, rather than somethign I do for fun. Standards are good, and neccesary to keep the sight from becoming completely banal, but lately something has been lacking. I think you put your finger on it.
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Re: Classic Shmeng
by Arthegarn on Aug 12, 2004 - 08:32 AM
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That shmeng is too classic even for me to remember. OK, I remember Schizo's Serial Tyrant but that was pretty well written and it wasn't five lines long...
And anyway, damn. I just submitted a journal entry. i should read current posts before submitting my own...
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Re: Classic Shmeng by ickgirl on Aug 12, 2004 - 08:42 AM (User info | Send a Message) | I merely glanced at what you submitted - it looks fine! I'll read it in its entirety later today when I have more time.
There is a big difference between letting us in on the shmeng in your life, giving us something to relate to and writing a journal entry.
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Re: Classic Shmeng
by Xaoswolf (xaoswolfathotmaildotcom)
on Aug 16, 2004 - 11:55 AM
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Hey, it could be worse, you could have this guy submitting his stuff all the time, then whining about all the "harmonious pricks" and "fatherfucks" who refuse to let it get posted to the main page...
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