AtLAland

[beckyh2112]

An interesting response to the How's My Driving post. Linking here, because I'm not sure if anyone besides Drake and I still look at that post.

Comments

[moonys-autumn.livejournal.com]

But why should we have art challenges that are pretty much exclusive to those who have drawing skills, if the people with drawing skills who requested the challenge are not going to enter? It's sort of a waste of a challenge for everyone else. :/

I think you are both doing a good job, and I imagine it is frustrating for you when people don't enter the challenges. Coming up with a game? It wasn't that hard, and yet the Air Nomads didn't do it and didn't (as far as I know, and correct me if I'm wrong) give any sort of alert that they were having trouble to the mods, who I'm sure would have offered some kind of suggestion or "have you tried...". Was there even any initiative to plan something? There are 16 people on that team. Did anyone step up?

I know from experience that it really sucks to run an interactive community where getting people to participate is like pulling teeth.

I was going to post this in response to her, but I wasn't sure if it would be taken as trying to start a fight, which I'm not. :(

[spyridona.livejournal.com]

I posted a remark that Bex has yet to unscreen. You toss up a good point about the art challenge. I noted they may not be cuddly mods, but they try to be fair and give the appearance of fair.

I don't think you are trying to start a fight, but the poster put everyone in an unfair position to comment back.

[beckyh2112.livejournal.com]

Respond however you feel is appropriate to respond. This is not a case where I'll hold you back from doing stuff to avoid wank.

[dormouse-in-tea.livejournal.com]

I am *this* close to joining that comm just so I don't have to see Frank's hideous face every time I try to click on a related link you post.

[dark-puck.livejournal.com]

I miss the old 404 pages. *woes*

[dormouse-in-tea.livejournal.com]

Frank scares me. D:

[suzukiblu.livejournal.com]

I mostly agree with that response, personally, although I hadn't QUITE formed the feelings enough to respond with them myself. Of course, I never had a huge amount of fun with ATLAland even when I very first joined; I am not quite sure why but it just does not inspire me that often (see: reason I did not volunteer to mod the Water Tribe when you guys were looking).

As a note: I really like that round-up reminder you guys do, it's very helpful for me and I WANT to be reminded of challenges, but jivester's right, sometimes your phrasing does sound nagging or cranky. I don't really appreciate the RAH RAH RAH approach either, mind--I tend to prefer more Lawful Neutral in my mods.

Not a big fan of point deductions, either; I'd think just not GETTING any points should be deterrent enough to anyone who cared.

/two cents

[neldluva.livejournal.com]

*shrugs* I think Jivester sounds a little too sensitive and prickly. Not that her concerns aren't legitimate; she's entitled to her opinion. But I did get a hint of a shit-stirrer vibe.

I think you guys are doing a fine job modding. I haven't been as involved as I should be, but I haven't noticed anything naggy or cranky about your modposts. And if you create challenges only for "participants" to totally ignore them, that can't feel great. I think some measure of disappointment is perfectly appropriate on your point, as long as you don't take it overboard (which I haven't seen happen).

I have noticed that the community (at least in the EK, I can't speak for the other groups) is a little lacking. I seldom get responses to modposts, or even very many to party threads. I feel like I barely know my other teammates, beyond the ones I was already friends with. I'm not sure what we'd do to solve that, though. We can't force people to interact.

[dark-puck.livejournal.com]

I think maybe that should have gone in the How's My Driving post, rather than in a personal journal, don't you?

[http://users.livejournal.com/_snitchbitch/]

I'm happy to post it there, if beckyh2112 prefers.
I was a little conflicted about where to post it since I'm on a mod squad - I thought perhaps it would have been better to post it here so it's not so public. But I'm happy to move it..?

[beckyh2112.livejournal.com]

Dude, being a team mod does not mean you have to be silent when you are unhappy about something. As long as you can disagree without being dramatastic, ain't neither of the mods going to jump down your throat.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_snitchbitch/]

OK, sorry for the confusion. I'll delete my comment here and move it over to the How's My Driving post.

Thanks!

[beckyh2112.livejournal.com]

Please don't delete comments on my lj. Just repost on How's My Driving.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_snitchbitch/]

.. and I deleted it before this comment made it's way to my Inbox. Sorry, matey.

[dark-puck.livejournal.com]

1. The comments on the How's My Driving post are automatically screened.

2. LiveJournal has a PM function.

I'm also on a mod squad. However, taking mod issues off the comm and to a private journal is really gauche.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_snitchbitch/]

dark_puck, I honestly thought this was more tactful. As I said, I was cruising the other mod LJs in an effort to get to know them a little better. I thought it might look bad at the community, but now I know better.

I'm deleting this comment and moving it over to the How's My Driving post.

Reposting Snitchbitch's Comment

[beckyh2112.livejournal.com]

Hi beckyh2112! You've just appointed me as assistant to gargoylekitty at the_fire_nation, and I thought I'd start out by reading both of your journals in an effort to get to know y'all a little better.

I came across this post and thought I'd offer my comments on it. I don't know whether you'll like it or not, but I thought I'd comment on it anyway as it's something I've thought about myself since joining. I also hope this doesn't affect your decision in appointing me as gargoylekitty's assistant, but I understand if you decide to change your mind and remove me. I hope that you'll take this in the spirit that it's offered, though.

Reading all of the comments from start to end - I don't think that the_jivester is trying to pick a fight or stirring up trouble. She's also taken the time to try and clear the air and admitted that she possibly didn't word it the best way possible. For the most part, I happen to agree with her about the way things are said.

In the latest roundup (http://community.livejournal.com/atlaland/23192.html), I was a little taken aback when I read the following:

Fire Nation, someone needs to run your team game. Seriously, Water Tribe's done theirs, and the Earth Kingdom and Air Nomads have theirs scheduled.

I know that participation is a little lacking in a lot of the teams at the moment, but I feel that comment makes it look a little like you're attacking team members for being lazy. Maybe it's years of customer service talking, but I think the old adage "it's easier to catch flies with honey instead of vinegar" is a great way to approach moderating any community - especially one that relies on member interaction.

I understand that it's hard running a community where it feels like you're constantly chasing up people to participate, and I know it must feel tiresome. I believe a more positive approach might work better, or maybe a change in the guidelines. If there is no-one to volunteer for the game, then maybe it should fall to a mod to run it? I'm not saying that we need to sound like a pep rally on steroids, but a kind word works wonders :)