Ginny Rose's Open Salon Blog

Open Call: OS Writers Need to Help the Orphans in Haiti

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 05:01:08 -0500

Letters of LOVE & COMFORT to the Orphans of Haiti

Laurie asked us for help with this post yesterday and got only three responses for many hours, me, the Owl, and Bonnie.

After seeing the embarassasing lack of response, I contacted the Owl and Bonnie---who had both kicked in beautifully---and they literally slammed into action, and many of you got PM’s asking for a reponse to this. (These women blew my long-ago-blown mind with their rapid response. Yowza!)

Some of you responded and commented, but I think that we can do better. Please read the following, and kick in, if you can.

I took Laurie’s original post, and her followup, and added her private message to me, to create the following, I hope, more cohesive message asking for support.

She is asking us to simply send words of hope to orphans. Let’s see what we can do, collectively, to write words of support.

Heads up OS folks: Here is a chance to show your compassionate writing chops.

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Laurie’s first post: (edited a little)

I need your help right away. Since the earthquake in Haiti I have been working with a selfless team on-the-ground orchestrating a mission to help orphans. This is a private endeavor--people like you and me who are spending their time, money and risking their lives to help the helpless--little children with no parents, children with no hope. But we are reaching them. And we are making a difference.

As I write, children are being led to safety. They are being seen by medical teams. They are getting food and fresh water. But the one thing no one speaks about on the television is the greatest singular need of all: these children are abandoned in body and spirit--and, now they have lost everything, and they have no hope.

But there IS hope. They are NOT alone, and they need to know that people like you care...and pray for them. The children are traumatized. They do not understand. And still, countless thousands continue to have no or little water, no food, no shelter, no one to hold them close and tell them they're all right, and many are injured.

The situation is far bleaker than the news depicts. But you have a chance to make a difference--right now, right within your grasp--the power to do great good. Write a note on this blog. Address it, "Dear Child..." and tell a child, in your own words, that you care. That you pray. That there is hope. And that you hold that child in your thoughts.

I will get your message to the priests and people who are caring for these children--who are beating off wild dogs and armed gangs targeting orphanges knowing they are the first to receive food.

This is not about money. This is, quite simply, about the greatest gift one person can give another: the gift of hope. Please, take a moment to write words of comfort and love. Post a message on this blog. The children will hear your words. They will receive your message.

Write from your heart. Thank you for reaching out.

LAURIE Lmorrow@roadrunner.com

Laurie’s PM to me: (edited a little)

Thanks for your support, Ginny. I don't want to broadcast this, but I am the point person for the evacuation of an orphanage in Port-au-Prince. Originally the orphanage was small--only 40 children, but four of these had paperwork-in-progress with longtime supporters of this particular orphanage. Well, needless to say, the earthquake has halted the process--the entire focus has been to get the children out of Port-au-Prince to safe ground.

We have people--regular people, like you and like me, who have pooled our resources. We hired Global Rescue to find the children and their priest, who oversees the orphanage, to get them medical attention, food and water. We have our people on the ground gathering food, fresh water, medical supplies, beds, etc.--all this, paid for by just one, wonderful, benevolent man who has the means and the heart to care.

The children will be moved 300 miles to a new and temporary home, where we have a comprehensive support team in place. I live in a tiny village--and when I tell you that yesterday, one of my friends here, who has long had a home in the Dominican Republic, left for Haiti to head the operation...and that the man bankrolling the mission is leaving tomorrow...well, you can see how far-reaching our efforts really are. These people are putting their very lives on the line.

In any case, I wanted to clarify my request for letters of love and hope to these children because you've been kind to add to the blog, and because you’ve expressed a desire to further my efforts. I've been sending the letters of love and support directly to Father, who speaks English, and to a woman who has been our lifeline connection to Father with the children--she is Haitian, educated in the U.S. and fluent, of course, in both languages.

Father told me early on that the children have had their spirits crushed, and that they need psychological help to get through this awful time. Well, we're trying to do much more than that--we're rescuing them and giving them a new life.

But others like you can do just as much by sending your words of comfort and love. Anyway, that's the deal.

LAURIE

Laurie’s addition to her first post: (edited a little)

Some of you have responded to my plea, asking for letters of love and support for orphans in Haiti. I want to thank those of you who have responded--and I ask you to further send out the word, in your communities, through your churches and schools, that the children of Haiti need to know that you hold them in your thoughts, and in your prayers.

Add your comments to this blog and I will get them to the priests and social workers who are protecting these children, body and soul. But it is to you, dear friends, that I ask you to embrace their spirit. They need to know that somewhere someone cares--and that someone can be you.

Thank you for your messages of courage and faith to the helpless, the suffering, the innocent children of devastated Haiti. To you on Open Salon, I send you my warm regards.

I do want to add that the children speak French, however the priests and the caretakers speak and read English--and they are translating your messages to the children.

LAURIE

(Editors note: I added paragraph breaks and cleaned up some minor syntax. Everything else is from Laurie.)

Write now!

You cannot Leave OS Without a Fight From Me

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:01:07 -0500

Why are good, GREAT, writers, some of my very favorites, announcing that they are leaving Open Salon?

WHAT?

I get that this forum can become time-consuming---as it has been for me at times. When I should be working on my novel, it’s easy enough to slip away and read really great stuff, and comment, and simply focus on drinking tequila and enjoying myself.

It is a delightful world to slip away to……with so much terrific writing, so many disparate thoughts and ideas and life-styles enriching my consciousness.

Yeah, I get that it can be a total time-waster when we have other, more important things to do. So when someone has to leave because they have to focus on their work, and this is a deterrent to that, I get it. Kind of. But not really. I want to say, “Have a little discipline, bucko…honestly. Why all the drama? You can hang here and still do your real writing.”

The drama that I do not get is a great writer leaving because they weren’t “appreciated” by the editors of O/S.

Token Tarheel provided us with really valuable statistics that show that there are many hundreds of posts EVERY DAY. With all of the posts, and the obvious mission of trying to get outside readers in, it’s no wonder that the EP’s are geared to fulfill criteria that have nothing to do with us, the folks that read and comment and post every day.

So if you are hanging your hat on getting EPs, than that’s a flimsy, unrealistic hook, my friend. It pays nothing, and while your fans will surely congratulate you, it will quickly pass, and your fans will stick around and keep reading you, regardless.

We have a terrific and supportive environment here, kids. A writer’s forum where you get feedback, or don’t. If you don’t, maybe you should read and comment and engage the folks that DO get lots of comments and ratings.

And write better. Suck it up, and simply write better, or if you are already a really good writer, engage.

Either way, check in with everyone and rate the stuff that you like (even a little) and comment.

I honestly felt a great relief when I stopped thinking about the EP, and starting thinking about getting comments from folks.

But back to why I wrote this late-night rant: I hate to see folks that I love leave here. I will miss them tremendously, but I won’t let them go without a fight.

Game on, boys….you know who you are!

I Need Insults! OPEN CALL

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:10:11 -0400

A fistfight broke out over the weekend in the comments section on my last post ("Dr. Amy's Guidelines for Making Money on Open Salon") and I was surprised. This is a civil community we have here, polite and highly supportive of each other. I've jumped into the pool now with a grin, reading and commenting and rating, having the time of my life. but keeping my clothes on cuz there are a lot of weirdos in the water, including that troll wearing a thong that floats by occasionally and belches.

Folks here are mostly interested in the great writing that we have in such abundance.

I found myself standing on the sidelines with a bucket of virtual water throwing it in from time to time, to no avail. I had a vision of pigs fighting over a snake on the porch, channeling Augustus from the first page of Lonesome Dove. (clearly there was tequila involved. )

I even caught a couple of hard ones to the chin from another unsatisfied customer for the first time. (Well, uh, not counting the public spanking I got from Pope Amy a few days earlier.)

To any other unsatisfied customers, I apologize, and your refund is in the mail. Please go wait by the box.

So even though I lost my cherry quite publically over the past few days, it was well worth it when Natenhay called his opponent:

"Wormy little fuckstain."

Huh? You're kidding me, right? That is hysterical! And then I wondered how many really delicious, nasty insults we could accumulate if we put our heads together.

I'll start:

CRAP BAG.

Jump in kids, the waters fine! Let's amaze and amuse each other! And someone get the troll another shot of tequila. We want to keep it in the water and amuse us. I bet it knows LOTS of insults.......

Dr. Amy's Guidelines for Making Money on Open Salon

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:10:30 -0400

I am somewhat of a newcomer to Open Salon, and have to admit that I made Dr. Amy a “favorite” pretty quickly. She wrote well, seemed to have done her homework, cited seemingly credible research and studies, and was meticulous about responding to the folks that comment on her posts. Is there anyone else out there that takes that much time to look at each comment and reply? (albeit her replies were mostly demeaning.....and as I later learned, were planned to illicit response, and designed to be what she calls "sticky.")

I learned quickly how important it is to comment on posts. We writers work in a vacuum and feedback is fucking priceless. PLEASE let other writers know that you’ve stopped in and if you’ve gotten even a small chuckle or a raised an eyebrow, RATE it. This makes us feel good, kids. It will make YOU feel good when we do it for you. And comment. This is your chance to show your writing chops without having to write an entire essay. Use it! Comments are good. Repeat after me: Comments are good. Ratings cost me nothing. My mouse can go there and click with little effort. (A calorie worked off? Someone do the math, please.)

But back to Dr. Amy. Upfront it all looked good. I am sucked in. Love love love the medical shit, and she’s a doctor after all and a good writer. (And I don’t give a rat’s ass that she doesn’t have a current license. She’s got an MD, baby, and if I were a retired MD, I wouldn’t pay enormous fees to keep a license active, would you?)

Amy is working us, being savvy about developing an audience for her website, which I haven’t seen, but where I am sure that she is making money with the advertising. She is using Open Salon to promote interest in her website. (All indications are that she is….but I haven’t done a double-blind test for my theory, so although it seems evident, let's just call it anecdotal.)

Following are some extremely shrewd tactics that she uses (her words):

"To be heard on the Internet in general, and on this site in particular you must:

#Write something provocative.

#Supply expert opinion.

#Buttress your claims with professional references.

#Make your blog sticky by engaging with readers in a way that is designed to keep them coming back.

#Entertain. "

I fucking love this! STICKY? I got a brain-freeze when I read this one.......good lord. She is SO ahead of us, kids. Us dumb writers.

I love it when someone gets over on me. I always think that I am paying attention, but when I tumble to shit like this, I am seriously impressed. A pick-pocket got my wallet in Costa Rica years ago, and I remember thinking the same thing: "Wow. Good job. I didn't even know he had his hand in my bag." Followed by, "Pay better attention moron."

Susan Freeborn, Douglas Moran, and Roger Fallihee all contributed great comments to Dr. Amy's recent post, "Dr. Amy Was Mean to Me." (dunno how to make that a link, can someone help?) (This is where she spanks both Susan and I, and puts all her cards on the table. Is that intentional? Crap am I being a tool again? "Pay better attention moron.")

Anyway, you guys are really really smart and kicked some serious doctor ass there! My neck is still sore from watching the words fly back and forth.

I’ll end this little revelation with what I thought was the most intelligent thing that I got out of the discussion, as a reply to Dr. Amy invoking Glenn Beck, Limbaugh, etc. as justification for her wretched treatment of O/S members:

“Would you rather be Bill O’Riley or Bill Moyer?”

Dr. Amy's Guidelines for making MONEY writing on Open Salon

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 04:10:48 -0400

I learned quickly how important it is to comment on posts. We writers work in a vacuum and feedback is fucking priceless. PLEASE let other writers know that you’ve stopped in and if you’ve gotten even a small chuckle or enjoyed a post even a smidge, RATE it. This makes us feel good, kids. It will make YOU feel good when we do it for you. And comment. This is your chance to show your writing chops without having to write an entire essay. Use it! Comments are good. Repeat after me: Comments are good. Ratings cost me nothing. My mouse can slide up there and I can click with little effort. (A calorie worked off? Someone do the math, please.)

So after a number of skirmishes with her (all of which she "won" ) I decided to step back and take a clear-eyed look at what she is doing. First off, it was obvious that she "won" each time that I honked at her because she was cherry-picking, taking out-of context, and putting crazy-ass spins on my comments-----and she's the comedian with the mic, folks. Don't heckle the dude with a microphone in his hand. He'll always win.

But then I thought to myself: But WHY do we see her constantly? Why is she turning up day after day with these tempting headlines? Even though she has alienated everyone?

I've figured it out: She is Omarosa in the reality show "Open Salon," put here specifically to piss everybody off, and to garner ever larger viewership to watch the fallout. She hears our snarking and then hears the cash-drawer open: "ka-ching."

Amy is working us, folks, by her own admission, and being damned slick about it. She is working us by using Open Salon to promote interest in her work. She is simply being savvy about developing an audience for her website, which I haven’t seen, but where I am sure that she is making money with paid advertising. I haven’t done a double-blind test for my theory, but because I said it here, it must be true. And I got the mic.

(Or we can just refer to this opinion as "anecdotal.")