Monday, September 11, 2006

Monday Notes: Finding Your Oceangrams and Contest Number Two

Ok, I'll admit it! I've been working on these two things for a little while now, but I just couldn't seem to "git 'er dun," as they say. I wanted to redesign everything when I introduced this new blog and I'm NOT a programmer/designer so I've been looking at new templates, obsessing, messing with CSS and xHTML, experimenting, deleting, experimenting some more, etc. In the end I've stuck with something simple, though I haven't given up on the idea of redesign yet. But anyway, here it is for now:

"Where in the World is My Oceangram?"


Everyone has been saying they want to find Oceangrams that they themselves have started. I'd like to do that myself. We all wonder how people have answered our questions or continued the poem or story that we started. So this blog is dedicated to finding your oceangram. It's called "Where in the World is My Oceangram?" or "witwimo" for short.

This is just a temporary measure until Oceangram is able to track our oceangrams for us(as they have promised). After that, I will continue to post my own oceangrams at WITWIMO, and others that would like to have a place can post theirs there as well.

To kick off the party, I have come up with another contest...

Contest #2: It Was a Dark and Stormy Night...

Rules: The idea is to come up with the best Oceangram starter. The judging will be based on how provocative the question or problem is (using this definition of the word):

"tending to provoke or stimulate.'

I'm talking intellect here, ok people? ; ) Intelligent, interesting, and/or fun - those are the key words. How much does it make you think and, especially, want to "join in?" You know you've seen and thought up some great ones, so come on and think of some more good beginnings!

Deadline for Submitting Your Entry: I'll give you fair warning.

How to Submit Your Entry:
  • Comment on this post, or, if you don't want others to see your post...

  • Email Sera Kate (see the link on this page). Please include "Unique Oceangram Starters" in the subject of the email.


  • You may copy the following and submit your answers in this format if you like
    :

  • Name: Include your name, forum ID, or nickname as you would like it to be posted.

  • Forum: You may list your forum affiliation if you like.

  • Website or Blog (optional): Here you can put a link to your personal website, blog, or profile. If I have time and it is appropriate, I will link your name to it.

  • Oceangram Starter Question or statement: If the idea is not completely yours, please give credit where credit is due.

  • Judging: Initial judging will be done be me and the Oceangram Stories Group. We will narrow the entries down to a managable number. The final entries will be posted on the Oceangram Stories blog and a poll of blog readers will determine the ultimate winner or winners.

  • All entries judged half-way decent will be given WITWIMO numbers, posted on the WITWIMO blog, and set adrift on the virtual sea.

  • One entry per person, please.


  • Good Luck!



    Don't forget about Contest #1! Answers must be received by next Saturday. I will be coming around to your respective forums (some of them) to bug you. : ) It is not cheating to make guesses on your forums and come up with "strategies" to win the Forum Cup. May the best forum win!

    Happy Oceangramming!

    ~Sera : )

    5 comments:

    Anonymous said...

    Oceangrams are not supposed to be able to be received, while you are "busy" with another one, but I have had so many interupted with a new one, while I was writing, and I wonder where those half finished grams have gone. This is very frustrating, and it is happening more and more. What's up, Doc?

    MsW said...

    This is a usage question (something over which I have no control).

    Please go here:

    http://www.oceangram.com/trouble.htm

    Read the tips, and if it still does not resolve your problem, fill out this form to contact the technical team:

    http://www.oceangram.com/contactus.htm

    This should not be happening. Maybe you have the wrong version of Flash or some other such issue.

    Good luck!

    Anonymous said...

    I see a lot of bottle messages where people are saying lots of things like.."I finally got a bottle!", here's a solution...In your browser, open oceangram several times and then simply click - reply or minimize. Keep checking the many open windows in your bottom bar. You will have no shortage of bottles to reply to.

    Anonymous said...

    Hello All :)
    Today is my first day @ Oceangram & I think it is just great.

    One of the first things I did was start a lead off to a story!! and then I found this place.

    I would have cut & paste what I wrote but it's already out in the ocean. But it went a little something like this... (this is just the first two lines but I had more... )
    'The young boy entered the lighthouse. It smelled of rot...'

    I go by TC & I'm in Arkansas USA

    MsW said...

    Yes, I believe that's one I'm tracking right now. I'm tracking about 15.