[Maryann Corbett]

On the ninth day of Christmas, counting down to the twelfth, here we are: At my last e-mail from Sharon, who usually decorates our poems for the festivities, she was having technical problems owing to the change in site software since her last performance and to the loss of her own website space.

So I'm going to go ahead this morning and post two poems, unadorned. If Sharon is able to post the decorated versions, the replies can easily be moved.

And in the meantime, anybody who wants to give me tips on how to add adornments--embedded images, music, whatever--please do!

Thanks and ever thanks to all who submitted. Of the poems I received this year, my taste ran to the darker ones among them. If they seem sobering rather than festive, perhaps that's appropriate for a time of new resolutions.

And now, so that we don't keep you waiting any longer, let us begin--even if it means we're reshuffling in a while....

[Maryann Corbett]

And now that our two poems for today are up, our judge Jennifer Reeser should soon arrive to post her comments. Thanks, Jennifer, for your gracious willingness to serve!

[Maryann Corbett]

Yay! I see that Sharon is succeeding in applying the decorations. Thanks, Sharon!

One more small note: Please don't spill the beans if you know whose poem we're seeing. But if you're guessing, it's okay to guess; that's part of the fun. We'll be doing more guessing, and voting on favorites, when all the poems are posted.

[Sharon Passmore]

No problem, Maryann, thanks for doing this again this year and including me.

[Rick Mullin]

Please note that four of the eight so far are about death. The others are kind of about death.

Happy Holidays!

~,:^)

[Maryann Corbett]

Originally Posted by Rick Mullin

Please note that four of the eight so far are about death. The others are kind of about death.

Happy Holidays!

~,:^)

The screener, and her mood during submissions and selections, will accept the blame for this. May the coming year find us in better spirits!

[Cally Conan-Davies]

Maryann - I can't see any Decking on the Halls! I've just been made aware that Sharon has decorated the threads once again, and I can't see it. Is there some option I am missing?

Is everyone else able to see Sharon's artwork?

Thanks!

Cally

[Maryann Corbett]

Folks, if you're not able to see a band of decoration above and below each poem and above and below each of Jennifer's comments, please let us know. And tell us as much as you can about such things as what browser you're using, which "skin" of the board you're using--every variant you can think of.

This year's decorations are different from the ones we're used to; they're not whole backgrounds, just borders at the top and bottom. The new board software doesn't allow the old way, as I understand.

[Cally Conan-Davies]

Maryann - thank you for all that!

I can tell you after preliminary trials that I can now see it using Safari. The borders do NOT appear in Camino, which is the browser I favour.

I will test skins and things now, and anything else I can think of.

By the way - now that I can see it in Safari, can I say a big thank you to Sharon! Sharon - you always do such lovely things to our poems. It's a treat.

Cally

[Donna English]

Originally Posted by Rick Mullin

Please note that four of the eight so far are about death. The others are kind of about death.

Happy Holidays!

~,:^)

Ha!

Rick, maybe Sharon could border them with coffins and tombstones or skulls and crossbones, to add a light touch