[Alex Pepple]

Dear Eratosphereans,

Following our historic metrical forums vote, we now bid adieu to our Metrical Nursery forum, and welcome back our Seasoned Metrical forum looking the same in every aspect except for a fresh name tag: So, just dive in! The ‘Meter Reader’ forum that was also voted for will be available soon once all the arrangements have been finalized.

Furthermore, with the effective or forthcoming departure of some of your beloved moderators, you will notice a moderate moderator shuffle at the metrical forums. Most importantly, even those of you who didn't appreciate my previous attempts at seasoning one forum or so can't help but notice the generous serving of fresh, sizzling talent on the Metrical Poetry forum. I'm referring to Paul Lake’s brand new co-moderator, Deborah Warren! Deborah is not only well-known around the ‘Sphere, but she’s a treasured & card-carrying member of our own Tipsy Muse & her party circle, & yes, a former winner. What’s more she has just won the prestigious Howard Nemerov prize from The Formalist. So, everyone, please join me in welcoming Deborah!

As most of you already know, Robert Mezey will be leaving his post at the Musing on Mastery forum after a brief but energetic & highly educational moderatorship to devote his complete attention to urgent personal projects. Now, our one & only Moderatrix, A. E. Stallings takes over from him on that forum where I’m sure she’ll do as outstanding a job as she has done with the Metrical Poetry forum. Please join me in thanking Professor Mezey, our Master of Memory, for enhancing our body of knowledge, and wish him good luck with his projects. And, welcome again our Moderatrix, Alicia, in her new post.

To wrap it all up, it’s my pleasure to announce a first for Eratosphere: You've always known her as The Duchess, but now she’s become the first moderator to be ‘promoted’ to Administrator. Please join me in welcoming our new moderators’ moderator, here Duchessness, Carol Taylor! & you can still call her Duchess but I can’t guarantee you for how long – she has all the power she needs, amongst other things, to crack the whip twice as hard all over the ‘Sphere’s grounds, & to give herself any title & any number of stars she chooses. So, it will be a wise move to join me now in congratulating our new Administrator, Carol Taylor!

Cheers,
...Alex