h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hey folks!

Following the Ed's guidance on commenting in the Post, I'm feeling confused, and I need to talk about it.

So I'm going to perhaps post this hopeful little statement into the places I've commented on this week, and see if I can reach some clarity.

smiley - coffee

What has been my approach to the Comments Box?

Well, sometimes I will enter a comment of my own, which either starts off a conversation, or stands alone.

Sometimes I enter an existing conversation. Someone else has entered a comment with a title, and I follow on, perhaps to add an insight of my own.

smiley - coffee

However, out of respect for the Ed's guidelines, contrary to the organically developing conversations which I love and encourage, particularly in my journal, smiley - rofl I feel in this context I need to sharpen my approach.

How do I do this?

My instinct is to want to contact the contributor directly, acknowledge their contribution, and offer a few insights.

Essentially, I need to keep my focus on their work.

This really matters to me.

I could title my comment, To The Contributor.

It might feel strange to do this, because it then sounds like no further conversations are welcome.

However, I want my message to get through, even if the contributor doesn't want to respond, that's fine.

I want them and their work to feel recognised. A personal message from me.

Sharpness and focus seem to be my key words.

Perhaps also, if they want, a contributor could attach a directive paragraph to their work, like, 'I'd like some feedback on .. (certain area)' ..

However, I guess that might be too much like a workshop.

Don't know. Help!

Obviously with the caption contests its a bit different, but I still need to focus on finding that elusive caption. heheh.

I'm hoping writing this down will help, and it would be great to talk to someone!

cc smiley - cheers

Actually, I decided what I need to do about the commenting question.

This will be my way of honouring Ed's guidelines.

I'll open up a comment with a new thread, so then I can begin with a direct communication with the contributor.

I think this is the main element for me, that focus of communication.

Then, if the thread develops into a conversation, that's fine.

And its also OK if the contributor thinks 'oh no! not 'er again', haha, and doesn't want to open a conversation with me.

Its just getting it right for me, and this feels like it.

If the contributor adds a directive, like, could I have some feedback on (photographic technique/writing technique etc), I'll just say, like I used to in the AWW, well, thanks for your contribution, I'm not qualified to give you the feedback you need, but someone will be along soon!

Sorted!

Interesting ramble but that is how I found the mating socks. My mind tends to flit about a bit as well and if you like the images that is fine but I don't know about technical criticism as I only have a camera phone and there is only so much you can do with it. Also I am more a writer than an artist. I hope this helps

heheh thanks paige. Its OK I'm sorted now, sometimes I have to ramble to get to the place of no ramble.

Love the socks!

So you do all your work with a phone camera? Interesting! Actually phone cameras are soo good these days, I knew someone who sold all his cameras and lenses and things, and does all his work with his phone camera.

The only problem I find is not having telephoto lens capabilities

Yes I know what you mean.

I use my phone camera a lot, but sometimes I miss the long zoom.

I've never had a camera with a really long lens, or one of those cameras with all those other lenses you can attach.

Mainly because my transport is on foot or a bicycle, and carrying all the gear around is so bulky, along with all the other stuff I carry in a bike bag. Like, waterproofs, and layers.

My other camera, apart from my phone, is a Panasonic Lumix compact, which I've had for years, and I can shove it in the bike bag. It has a great macro setting, and I can zoom in a bit more than the phone. And it has good effects settings, also.

It also has wifi. When I bought it I wondered why does it have wifi?

Then when I got a smartphone, I found I could transfer photos from it to my phone, using the Panasonic app and the wifi. Now I feel very clever.

Are you a professional writer, or do you write for pleasure and leisure?

I write for pleasure as I would be a starving wretch in a garret, if I wrote to make money (I am as popular as arsenic it seems but maybe it is because I am not any good at self-promotion).

My first camera was a disposable one I bought from Boots the chemist because I wanted to show people where I had been on holiday. My only real failure was trying to capture a dragonfly (out of focus)

Walked as much of the South West Way as I could in the time possible and the same the following year, when again I took off a months holiday but this time rushed through Wales, North South and the middle

heheh, well, I love your turn of phrase in these paragraphs.

Presumably you have both writings and photos in the Post archives. I will check you out. Glad you're not a starving wretch in a garret.

I've known a few artists who have lived in garrets, who did always seem a bit hungry.

Alness! Are you Scottish?

(my topics jump around)

I remember a few weeks back there was a photo of a scene from Alness, in the Post, and I think it was yours. I meant to comment. I'd have said 'Alness! I know Alness! My husband is Scottish, from the Highlands. We live in England, but his best friends live in Alness.

Which would have been marginally interesting for you. . I might have even commented on the picture also.

Now you'll tell me it wasn't yours. Ah well.

Ah, so you're a hiker then? Interesting trails.

I think I had one of those disposable cameras from Boots. What was the logic behind the disposability, if that's a word. I can't remember much about it.

Yes I have writings from my earliest appearance in the Post, then moved onto photos when my wife bought me a new camera phone, which was way better than the old one. I ramble if I don't jot down my thoughts immediately they occur. No, I am English but my wife is Scottish. Her mother's side of the family came from Beauly and the father's from North Uist. Where in Alness did your husband live? We are in Averon Road and twenty years ago lived in Culcraggie off the Corkscrew (your husband can translate all this for you)

Morning paige!

Ah right! I shall forward these details to the Highlander Husband. HH. HRH the HH. heheh. He'll know the locations of which you speak!! Thanks!!!

HH never lived in Alness, his best friends still do, so we've visted often. He's from Scourie, his father was a crofter/fisherman, man of the village, his mother was from Lewis, Gaelic her first language.

Were your wife's family Gaelic speakers?

It was tough for the young people to find any kind of work up there, so he went to Aberdeen university, then on down to work in South West England, never returned to Scotland, except to visit.

We live in Brighton now. We like Brighton. HH is a Happy Highlander. I'm from Eastbourne originally.

Be sure to check out this house: A87954529 - and look through Paige's backlog in the archive link at the bottom. Lots of Scottish things to look at.

None speak Gaelic except one of her brother's, who still lives in North Uist but everywhere up here are dual language signs despite only a few people on the islands speaking anything but English