I am a singer songwriter who also loves to take frequent dips into the world of writing. I am so very appreciative of Gather because it gives me a ready platform for both of these pursuits. This post - see the long lists below - this post is intended as a quick shortcut to my work on Gather. Its creation resulted in the formation of the Maps To Our Posts Group where I encourage others to develop similar indexes for their work.
Videos of my music:
Tick, Tick, Tick (same song Live at the Fitzgerald Theatre)
The complete listof my Gather writings follows, organized by tag:
Animals -
Our two new cats, Dude and Girlie
Antiques/bottles -
Childhood -
Fear of the dark, (with more comments)
I'd like a bottle of ketchup please
Ronnie's First Memory, (with additional comments)
Slurry (how to tame a mountain flood),
The science project I never did
Twelve inch hamburgers and jukebox heaven
City Life -
Harley (an obituary by a near stranger)
Only the weary know true peace
Urban Bunnies (part 1), (part 2)
Colorado -
A survey from my home town, Ouray Colorado
Bolting (running down hillsides),
Bubs Radcliff (author of the word "fratch"),
Fear of the dark, (with more comments)
I'd like a bottle of ketchup please
Interview with the late R.D. Mount
My rock stand at lookout point
One of the times I almost died
Red Mountain Lodge, (part 2), (part 3), (part 4)
Steel on wheels (the nissan patrol)
The science project I never did,
Twelve inch hamburgers and jukebox heaven
Two shots for the price of none
Why I won't let myself run for office
Community -
Harley (an obituary by a near stranger)
Decorating and home maintenance
Dialog (writing it) -
Are Eddie Rabbit and Bruce Springsteen the Same Person,
Arena sweeper man reviews the grateful dead
Interview with the late R.D. Mount
Disabilities -
Inventory by Voice Recognition Software
Oh. My. God. Voice Recognition Software Works
The black hole knitting frame,
Dreams -
Bolting (running down hillsides)
I was detained (well, not really)
Economics -
A survey from my home town, Ouray Colorado
Do you value self-reliance, or are you a collectivist?
Harley (an obituary by a near stranger)
Have we forgotten to shovel snow?
How an inappropriate SIC code can mess with a stock
How to and how not to save money,
Immigration woes? Export the labor movement.
Is excess necessary for success and happiness
Junk mail piece - the Campbell suit
Mr Forget'is Name who bought be dinner
Roasting nuts in the microwave
Thoughts from a balcony high above the mean streets
What they don't teach you in business school
What's Your Best Dumpster Find
Your home - do you prefer a large house, small house, flat, apartment, trailer or camp?
Ethics and Values -
A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do
Calling all girlie men, your nation needs you
Do you care to apologize for the term "Islamic Fascists"?
Do you value self-reliance, or are you a collectivist?
Harley (an obituary by a near stranger)
Heaven isn't "up there" somewhere
How to and how not to save money,
I like you mr chimp, we're a lot alike
If your life had a fast-forward button, would you use it?
If'n,
Is excess necessary for success and happiness
Junk mail piece - the Campbell suit
Mr Forget'is Name who bought be dinner
Only the weary know true peace
Ten challenges facing our country
Ten reasons why george w bush is president
Ten Things I Can Get By Without Owning
Thoughts from a balcony high above the mean streets
Tragedy's place in the real world
What's Your Best Dumpster Find,
What does "everything happens for a reason" mean,
Why do you - don't you - clean your plate,
Why I loathe the term "Islamic Fascists"
Why your being gay is just fine with me
Your home - do you prefer a large house, small house, flat, apartment, trailer or camp?
Family -
Grandad, Dad's Roadster and "What, I'm Jewish?"
Is excess necessary for success and happiness
What does "everything happens for a reason" mean
What 10 things do you remember about your folks
Fiction -
That's your potential talking,
The electrical outlet mood alteration study
The promise and properties of worm snivel
Firewood -
Mr Forget'is Name who bought be dinner
Why I won't let myself run for office
Folk art/crafts -
Ten Things I like about our persian rug
Food -
A tutorial and apologia for eating hot peppers
I'd like a bottle of ketchup please
More asian ingredients reviewed
Name a few must-have ingredients
Name a few "notes" in the flavor of beers
Reviewing some Asian ingredients
Roasting nuts in the microwave
The Difference Between Coffee and Cigarette Juice
The Von Welatetz guide to ethnic ingredients,
This sunday's oriental dinner at home
Why do you - don't you - clean your plate
Friends -
Bubs Radcliff (author of the word "fratch"),
September 11 is Larry's birthday
Games -
Grandad, Dad's Roadster and "What, I'm Jewish?"
Suitcase dreams (whose is it?)
Gather -
A blanket explanation for rejecting articles to the no fighting whining or putting things down group
Articles I've featured (9/18/06, 9/19/06, 9/20/06, 11/3/06, 11/16/06, 12/5/06) A great read by X Tabber
Finding good writing using the "most ratings" sort
Gather comment spreadsheet (what I learned)
Groups I host: Colorado, Top Ten Lists, microeconomics, Nonconformists, Logic Project, Words and Language, Dreamscapes, No Fighting, Whining or Putting Things Down, Journalography, No Email Forwards, Chats, Jokes, Promotions or Games, Recommending Other Gather Writers, Stupid Things I've Done, Yardsales & Such, The Humiliated Conservative, Who Wrote What, and What You Taught Me.
Group: no chats, games, jokes or promotions . . .
How and why te create a map to your posts
If you post to a moderated group, try not to edit your post
My comment archive, I've deleted my comment archive
My new group (it's a chat filter)
Open this post (you sniveling worm),
Our own featured article capacity,
So you want to send a bulk email
The mystery of the disappearing comments
Using "reply to all" on gather
Welcome to gather essentials sunday
Gender -
Calling all girlie men, your nation needs you
Why your being gay is just fine with me
GLBT -
Why your being gay is just fine with me
Home maintenance
Building a ventilated cat box, (and then part two)
Changing the bathroom (part 1 - tearing it up), (part 2 - paint it black)
Ten Things I like about our persian rug
Investing -
Journals and such -
Harley (an obituary by a near stranger)
One of the times I almost died
Some thoughts on freezing to death
Suitcase dreams (whose is it?),
This week's groceries (199.83),
Thoughts from a balcony high above the mean streets
Language -
Bubs Radcliff (author of the word "fratch"),
Ten of my issues with words and language
Thirteen Fun Books about Words and Language
Logic -
September 11 is Larry's birthday
Ten smart things that aren't fashionable
The lesser of two evils myth - a boon for Republican candidates
What does "everything happens for a reason" mean
Love -
Janie's Valentine's Present (Part1, Part 2, Part 3),
Media -
Soaps, sitcoms and PBR bullriding,
Ten best things I've seen on TV
Tragedy's place in the real world
Music -
45 Vinyl Tunes, Are Eddie Rabbit and Bruce Springsteen the Same Person, (more)
Arena sweeper man reviews the grateful dead
Creedence clearwarter revival (america's band)
Do you improvise? How do you do it? Any pointers?
Interview with the late R.D. Mount
Name Your 10 Favorite Songwriters
Prince's half-time show (good? bad?)
Review: Amos Lee Supply and Demand
The Fleetwood Mac you may not know
The glory days of Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show
Top 10 covers I'd Like to Hear
Twenty instrumentalists I really like
What were your first music LPs
Nonconformity -
Ten Things I Can Get By Without Owning,
Unconventional ways to stay healthy,
What's Your Best Dumpster Find,
You might be a nonconformist if
Photography -
A few pictures of colored lights
Poetry/Lyrics -
What they don't teach you in business school
Politics -
Are the Republicans willingly ceding control of a mess?
Calling all girlie men, your nation needs you
Do you care to apologize for the term "Islamic Fascists"?
Do you value self-reliance, or are you a collectivist?
I was detained (well, not really)
Immigration woes? Export the labor movement.
Machiavelli Is Not a Founding Father,
Not a happy time for Republican candidates
Ten challenges facing our country
Ten reasons why george w bush is president
The lesser of two evils myth - a boon for Republican candidates
Thoughts from a balcony high above the mean streets
Why I loathe the term "Islamic Fascists"
Why your being gay is just fine with me
Pop Culture -
Name Your 10 Favorite Songwriters
Soaps, sitcoms and PBR bullriding,
Ten best things I've seen on TV,
Tragedy's place in the real world
Twenty instrumentalists I really like
Psychology -
23-year-old Ron and 48-year-old Ron compare notes
Balance (an exercise in getting a life),
Free will may be a reality, but I'm dubious
I like you mr chimp, we're a lot alike
I was detained (well, not really)
If we knew what we were doing, we wouldn't call it research, would we
If your life had a fast-forward button, would you use it?
The electrical outlet mood alteration study
Thoughts from a balcony high above the mean streets
Radio -
I was an evil corporate sellout
Relationships -
Religion -
Heaven isn't "up there" somewhere
I like you mr chimp, we're a lot alike
What does "everything happens for a reason" mean
Why your being gay is just fine with me
Science -
Free will may be a reality, but I'm dubious
I like you mr chimp, we're a lot alike
If we knew what we were doing, we wouldn't call it research, would we
The science project I never did
Stupidity (mine) -
Don't put unopened cans of beer in the fire
One of the times I almost died
Slurry (how to tame a mountain flood)
Steel on wheels (the nissan patrol)
Them two times I got my nose broke
Substance abuse -
A few pictures of colored lights
A tutorial and apologia for eating hot peppers
Don't put unopened cans of beer in the fire
Interview with the late R.D. Mount
The glory days of Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show
Top 10 Lists -
100 interesting things - books and reading, car related, food and cooking, things needing done around the house, work related
How to and how not to save money,
Name a few must-have ingredients
Name Your 10 Favorite Songwriters
Ten best things I've seen on TV,
Ten challenges facing our country
Ten of my issues with words and language,
Ten reasons why george w bush is president
Ten smart things that aren't fashionable
Ten Things I Can Get By Without Owning
Ten Things I like about our persian rug
Ten tips for hosting a successful yard sale
Ten whines for whine collectors
Top 10 covers I'd Like to Hear
Twenty instrumentalists I really like
What 10 things do you remember about your folks
What are you a card-carrying member of?
What were your first music LPs
You might be a nonconformist if
Work
Harley (an obituary by a near stranger)
Have we forgotten to shovel snow?
I was an evil corporate sellout
Immigration woes? Export the labor movement.
Is excess necessary for success and happiness
The stapler memo (this link is bad)
Writing
The intellectual devotional (a book review)
The nonfiction technique of reconstructed dialog
Yard Sales, etc -
Index to my garage sale adventures
Neighborhood Yard Sale Dos and Donts
Suitcase dreams (whose is it?),
Ten tips for hosting a successful yard sale
To Buy or Not to Buy 4/11/06, 4/18/06, 4/23/06, 4/30/06, 5/7/06 (Bryn Mawr), 5/14/06, 5/21/06, 5/8/06, 6/4/06, 6/11/06, 6/18/06, 6/25/06, 7/02/06, 7/13/06, 7/23/06, 7/30/06, 8/06/06, 8/13/06, 8/20/06, 8/26/06, 9/2/06, 9/10/06, 9/17/06, (name changed to Would You Buy This or Not)
Yard sale America (a book review)
What's Your Best Dumpster Find
Would You Buy This or not 9/24/06, 10/1/06, 10/7/06, 10/15/06, 10/20/06, 10/28/06, 11/3/06, 11/12/06, 3/25/07, 4/15/07, 4/22/07, 4/28/07, 5/3/07, 5/13/07, 5/20/07, 5/27/07, 5/28/07, 6/7/07, 6/3/07, 6/11/07, 6/18/07, 7/23/07, 7/24/07, 7/16/07, 7/22/07, 8/5/07, 8/5/07, 8/12/07, 8/19/07, 8/26/07, 9/1/07, 9/9/07, 9/10/07, 9/16/07, 9/17/07, 9/23/07, 9/30/07, 10/07/2007, 10/08/2007, 10/14/07, 10/21/07, 10/27/07, 11/4/07, 11/17/07, 12/2/07,
You bought it; now what? 11/25/06, 12/3/06,
Youth -
23-year-old Ron and 48-year-old Ron compare notes
Bubs Radcliff (author of the word "fratch"),
Don't put unopened cans of beer in the fire
My rock stand at lookout point
One of the times I almost died
Slurry (how to tame a mountain flood),
The science project I never did,
Them two times I got my nose broke
Groups I host: Colorado, Top Ten Lists, microeconomics, Nonconformists, Logic Project, Words and Language, Dreamscapes, No Fighting, Whining or Putting Things Down, Journalography, No Email Forwards, Chats, Jokes, Promotions or Games, Recommending Other Gather Writers, Stupid Things I've Done, Yardsales & Such, The Humiliated Conservative, Who Wrote What, and What You Taught Me.
Post topic categories: (including - Animals; Antiques/bottles; Childhood; City Life; Colorado; Community; Dialog (writing it); Disabilities; Dreams; Economics; Ethics and Values; Family; Fiction; Firewood; Folk art/crafts; Food; Friends; Games; Gather; Gender; GLBT; Investing; Journals; Language; Logic; Love; Media; Music; Nonconformity; Poetry/Lyrics; Politics; Pop Culture; Psychology; Relationships; Radio; Religion; Science; Stupidity (mine); Substance abuse; Top 10 Lists; Yard Sales; Youth)
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Comments: 44
I would like to say: sorry for taking a while to get to your article. I have been away from gather for a while and I am finally getting to the 3000 plus emails I have awaiting me on here to go through. so I am starting from the most recent received to the first I ever received.... So now I am finally able to read your piece. Thank you for sending me the link to this article.
Now second thing:
Ron, Very nice job I really like what you have done.. .Very impressive. Now I am curious, in each section are they separated by groups or by subject matter... I think I missed that some where if you did explain that... As well I would like to say I gave you a ten for your hard work.
thank you so much!!!Jules
Elise, there really was a learning curve when I first had to overcome the obstacle of learning how to link documents. The key was in finding a few shortcuts (such as copying a shortcut, instead of going all the way into a document).
Felicia, let me be the first to release you from any obligation to respond to any email I send. If it's something I really hope you will read, the subject line will begin with your first name. I only send bulk emails when it's something especially important to me. Anyone who responds I greatly appreciate; anyone who may be annoyed I can only say I feel your pain, and you may want to start opening only those emails where the subject starts with your name.
To your second point, they are separated by topic, not by the groups they are posted to, and there are thus multiple listings for a single post. For example, I grew up in Colorado, so my writings about that are listed both under "Colorado" and "Childhood".
Jules, I'm honored that you would bookmark this. I will keep it current.
Roses, you're most welcome.
Sue, Jim Vaughey was so kind as to provide this quick little tutorial:
[a href="the page link"]the words you want linked[/a]
except change the brackets to greater/less than symbols "< >"
That may not look too intuitive, but if you play with it as I did, I think you'll get it. If not, take a look at the tutorial created by Jessie Voigts.
George, I spent 5 years working in and sleeping in the woods. Nothing I do today feels like hard work, but the time spent doing brutal manual labor helped prepare me - sorry white collar folks - prepared me to excel in an office setting.
Lynn, you're in luck. Go up my response to Sue, just before my response to George.
Thank you, Diana. What this index is super useful for is for finding my own work, when I want to insert a link within a post that links to something related I'd done previously. That way, if someone likes what they read, they can go to that link for something related that they might also enjoy.
Mark, yes. I get in all kinds of trouble if I'm not busy. I mean, go check the link to "The Wonderful Wallpaper".
Nicely done indeed. Unfortunately, this article will fade as any other, since Gather provides no means of allowing someone to either inform someone such an index exists, nor to keep it "on top" of the pile of one's work. It is that "aging" aspect which renders such attempts to establish ones presence here in a meaningful way impotent for the most part, I feel.
Why this is done I am not sure, but it seems quite intentional, since providing each member with a "Homepage" of some sort, that would be suitable for providing an index, and/or "best of" lists, etc., would be relatively easy.
Hell, simply providing the "Featured Article" function they do for groups, would more than fill the bill, so obviously they are not in the dark about this "permanence" omission for members. They actually DON'T WANT it to be easy to provide any guidance to visitors. There seems to be some "equalization" sought, to keep all members in a constant state of fleeting fame, which renders the most current stuff more noticeable than anything else, regardless of quality. It's got to be a "click" generating thing, something good for business, and bad for the art and impact of writing itself.
I actually figured out a way to overcome that "fading" effect, but it requires folks to do a few things somewhat "tricky", involving "tags" and such, and couldn't get anyone to take it seriously. If you enter "john knight h" in the 'Try Your Own Tag' box in the left column of any page, you will be presented with an old "best of" listing I made in that fruitless effort. If you enter "article h" you will see an explanation of that attempt to establish some "permanence" and "back alley" means of supporting good writers/commenters on Gather.
A cruder way would be to use a program like 'Shortkeys' to inject a preformed message at the end of any comment or article, like this;
Index to Ron Hall's work on Gather.
Your list suggestion is something I am now doing at the end of each of my articles. It's not automated, and I don't care to learn how to automate it. I just include a little [more?] at the end and that tag links back to my index.
I realize Gather is a business, or I would make a fuss about the whole Code Orange thing. They need to make money, and if they do, this marvelous resource stays available to me. I'm really spoiled since the advent of Gather. I love it despite its imperfections.
Yes, one can simply have a "message" available on Word or whatever, to copy/paste into comments or articles, but that 'Shortkeys' thingy is quite simple, and a 'lite' version is free to download (you get to have like a dozen automated scripts that appear with a few strokes).
The special tag idea works great, and if folks would begin using it in such a fashion, much could be done to get our stuff easier to explore, and less e-mailing would be done, I think, since others would learn where to go to see what's up in our little "worlds" here.
I don't begrudge Gather their business, but I think they are being "penny wise, pound foolish" since reducing all articles to brief moments of notability surely causes many good writers to loose patience with the joint. Whithout a means to establish one's work in a more permanent fashion, there really is no point in doing serious work when a few catchy titles and provocative statements will get you much more notice, and points etc. With few "real" writers participating, Gather is becoming just another "chat" site, it seems. Pity, it could be much more.
I am trying to get a site established myself, with some measures in place to cater to the "good stuff", but the learning curve for the "code" required to get such a thing in place is truly steep for amateurs like me, and without more help from "experts" it will take a long time to get up and running.
Count on me to use the tag idea : )
Though I swoon whenever I smell a chat, I don't mind amateur writers. Unless you count grant applications, I've never been paid for anything I've written. What I would really like is the ability to search only within those posts that have gotten "less than ___ comments". This could include less than 1, or less than 3, but it would give us the opportunity to encourage people whose writings got swept away before it could get noticed.
I sure hear you about "tech" stuff, and since I can't memorize anything it seems (I even forget my own phone number once in a while) I certainly understand your hesitance on something like 'Shortkeys', BUT, trust me on this one, it's drop dead simple and quite useful. I have stuff like italics and "link" coding, and a couple e-mail addresses and passwords, appear flawlessly in two keystrokes. You'll like it if you try it, honest, it's just plain labor/time saving. I'm living proof that even imbeciles can handle it.
(You WILL thank me eventually for this little nudge. ; )
Okay, okay. Shortkeys huh? : )
Angela, I'll be watching the group for new indexes and linking them into the master index as they arrive.
You have absolute patience, huh?
I'd probably go crazy and delete everything! :)
I'm pretty much the opposite, Roxy. If I make some progress, I'm careful to protect it. I don't go crazy very easily. I have gone crazy and it didn't feel safe, so I keep my crazy in a little room in the basement and make sure it gets all the video games it wants.