The Fantaverse Weeklies

I thought of this while trying to pick my last slate change for this week.

Are our 3 main guys still going to do their weekly columns? Shrykespeare, Indie Jones and Mister Information??? Are you still going to write your weekly column or are you stopping that. I for one would really like to still hear your thoughts on the movies.

I know we are going through a huge change and I know we lost a lot of people and our safety net of TPTB at FM but in this new incarnation we still need our columnists to give us advice. I just fear that losing the 3 of you and your words of wisdom is another spike in the coffin of our already decimated numbers and morale. we went from a great site with hundreds of members to about the core 20 or 30 that were on the boards. We lost a lot of good players and we do not have the marketing or resources to get them back as easily as before. The game is also more work now and that will keep new members from joining.

Bottom line is that we still need leaders and motivation and those weekly columns to form the adhesive to help hold this community together.

Is Funktastic still around to edit? If not can we get another editor?

What do we need here guys??? I know that Barca has done a lot of work in creating these forums for us. I love that Busci, Geez and SS have stepped up to be mods and that even Nico stopped by to say hi. It isn't enough. We need people to take charge and continue on in order for this Fantaverse to succeed. I know I am normally just the court jester around here but I will be a cheerleader if we need. Hell I already can pull of a skirt.

Don't let the closing of FM stop us. I am not sure how your three feel about still writing your columns but I sincerely hope that you will give it a try. We cannot let apathy kill off the resurrection.

I would plead that you all do what Donte asks...if only so we don't have to be subjected to seeing him in a cheerleader outfit...

I'm with you on this Donte, gotta keep this going. Nobody knows potential foreign PTA champs like Chien, and no-one on here has the BO knowledge of Mr. I. and well, there's only one Shryke (and all the better )

To be honest, a lot of times my columns went from my document to published on FM without too much editing. Slight changes here and there, but often the published piece was intact as I submitted it. From my last couple conversations with our editor, he did say, though, that we 'hadn't seen the last of him.'

So, if we're going to keep going with columns, what would my next one be? December Studs/Duds?

Edit: And, where would they go? A new/separate advice column forum?

My prediction for what Mr. I will say in December.

12/5
Stud: Frost/Nixon
Dud: Extreme Movie (only three theatres, ouch)
Wild Card: Cadillac Records

12/12
Stud: Gran Torino
Dud: The Reader
Wild Card: The Day The Earth Stood Still

12/19
Stud: The Wrestler
Dud: The Brothers Bloom
Wild Card: Yes Man

12/25
Stud: Bedtime Stories
Dud: Valkyrie
Wild Card: The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

I am positive there is a way to sticky and lock posts. We simply need a new category of the "Advice Columnists" added to the boards. This way they would be archived and we could make fun of one of you if you are way off. LOL

I hope to see Funky back. He was a good player.

I don't know if I can sticky posts exactly, but if we make a new thread for advice columns I'll sticky that.

Funky will be back, at least in the Super Leagues. Whether he'll wish to serve as editor or not, I'd have to ask him... just don't get your hopes up. I think (not sure) he was paid by FM to do the editing, and I know he's got other enterprises besides that. I can put in an e-mail if you want.

I'm sure Mr. I and Indie Jones, as well as myself, could throw something together on a weekly or biweekly basis. It may not be as well-thought-out as our big grandious columns, but it may serve the same purpose.

This new version of "the game" was kind of hurriedly thrown together, but I think that if 50 or so people can commit to keeping the game alive, apathy will not win out in the end.

In a couple of weeks, I'm going to put together a pricing list for the Jan-Mar season, and (after I run that by David & David), will be sending e-mails out to all those who registered for the Super Leagues. I'm hoping that at least half will still agree to participate. If there are less than 50, however, I may have to do away with either the Full-Year events or the Half-Year, as it would seem almost redundant to have both with so few players. (I'll leave it to you to decide which.)

What we really need is for someone to get started on creating a new website. I know that's a pretty tall order, and one that probably will need several months to come to fruition, but I'm hoping that those of us with knowledge in that area have at least thought about what can be done.

MrHam and I, along with a friend of his who is a programmer, are looking to significantly improve my own website, to make it better in every conceivable way, but that won't even start to happen until the end of January. We've had cursory conversations about engaging his friend in creating the framework for a new version of FM, but he unsurprisingly doesn't want to do too many thing at one time.

If anyone has any news on that front, I'm sure we'd all love to hear it.

Donte77 wrote:I am positive there is a way to sticky and lock posts. We simply need a new category of the "Advice Columnists" added to the boards. This way they would be archived and we could make fun of one of you if you are way off. LOL

Is that retaliation for that crack I made about you in my final column? If so, touche.

Shrykespeare wrote:

Donte77 wrote:I am positive there is a way to sticky and lock posts. We simply need a new category of the "Advice Columnists" added to the boards. This way they would be archived and we could make fun of one of you if you are way off. LOL

Is that retaliation for that crack I made about you in my final column? If so, touche.

Tee Hee!

Not even close. My wife got a big kick out of seeing her husband so reviled and infamous. So do I.

Hey now, I ran my own 'biggest mistakes' column once or twice, so all the ridicule for being wrong was all taken care of!

I agree, I would love to see the advice columns. Even if they are hobo versions of the 'grandiose versions' that they were. It would make it a little more special.

And I thought I was finally gonna breath a little (and of course keep what I knew of the arthouse films for myself...)...

Obviously we might be able to work something out...

I talked to my editor Cody (aka Mister Funktastic) and he said that though he will be back in the game eventually, he respectfully declines the offer to function as editor again. He's got a few new projects starting up, and he doesn't think he'll be able to find the time. He appreciates our vote of confidence, however.

Anyway, who needs an editor? I think the three of us can work without a net just fine.

I'll try to have something next week. I don't want to call the new "column" Bard's Eye View, even if I could. I'm note sure if that name belongs to FM or not, but I figure, new column, new name.

So, after minutes of deep thought, I'll call the new endeavor "Speare's Tips". Pretty clever, eh?

You could always have me and Donte edit...although in both cases you'll probably find some wording or phrasing that's a bit...umm...colorful?

I also sent Steve Mason an e-mail. If Nico's final post is indicative of the kind of guy he is, he'll at least reply eventually. I basically asked if he could help us here like he did at FM. Even if that just means e-mailnig the weekly tracking to myself or one of this site's moderators.

Here's hoping.