Maryann, you're right about it being Alex's board. I guess he must be aware of the lack of activity at TDE. But maybe he's been waiting for someone to come out and say something publicly. I know he cares about the opinions and concerns of the folks here.

Do you think it's wrong to to discuss this in GT because you're right about some people being put off? People are always put off by something.

TDE, in my opinion, isn't looking so hot lately. It certainly isn't living up to its own bold print hype. That can't be a good thing.

Best regards,
Donna

Maryann,

Why not let Alex respond. And the board "belongs" to him? That is like saying our poems belong to us. They belong to all comers, or they don't exist. As I recall, Alex wisely sits back and lets it bleed when this kind of conversation crops up. And how many discussions here have a function? Sometimes they just let air out of the tire, which is good.

Stephen,

Donna's question occurred quite naturally, and she sparked a conversation that can be repeated whenever the season is right. You obviously have an interest here, but let's not try to control things too much. Let the board speak.

To be clear: For all my repeated dismissal of the whole concept of a Deep End--I weighed in last time with basically the same simple stuff--I have no interest in it being eliminated from the Sphere. Its existence against Nature, so to speak, is somewhat entertaining to monitor. But let's have this conversation every three years, huh?

Rick

Steve--

Thanks for dredging up that thread, which reminded me of THIS ONE, which, if I may say so myself, is more amusing.

Where did I say anything about not letting the board speak? I noted merely that the question had been raised before, and that the resulting discussion on that occasion was worth reading. That's all.

*

p.s. (Editing back). I see on reflection that your comments may have been prompted by my reference to "the persective it [the older TDE thread] provides on such matters as the question, mooted above, of the real origins of the Deep End." You seem to have interpreted that phrasing ("the question, mooted above") as indicating Donna's original post ("Donna's question occurred quite naturally . . . "), and thus seen in it an intention to forestall discussion here by claiming that her question had, in effect, already been answered. However, to clarify, the person who raised the question of the Deep End's origins was you, not Donna, and so my quotation of Carol's 2006 post was in response to what you said earlier about "a group of friends who saw themselves, rightly or wrongly, as deserving a board above the common gaggle." Whatever else might be said about the Deep End over its long life, Carol's words do seem to indicate that that interpretation of its founding moment, at least, is inaccurate. And I felt it worth pointing that out here.

As to Donna's question ("why there are two metrical forums anymore"), I can see no reason why we shouldn't discuss the issue, though given the history of swings between Met and TDE, it may be premature to consider closing one or the other because of a slowdown in posting on one board. After all, if we had been following such a line of reasoning, there would have been times in the not-too-distant past when we might have closed Met in favour of TDE.

Personally though, I don't like to think of the two boards in competition. They both serve a purpose here: sometimes one flourishes, sometimes another, sometimes both (really, the last state of affairs is the ideal), and I think it's probably enough to note that that dynamic has generally served the Sphere well over the years. TDE is quiet right now . . . but that's no reason to assume that it can't bustle and splash with activity again soon. As I say, I wouldn't want that to come at the "expense" of Met (What, is it a contest?!); I just note that the different environment of TDE is available for people who want to make use of it, and I think that's a good thing.

.

Steve, I just looked through all 12 pages of that thread and there was very little actual discussion about TDE dying. Most of it was dismissals of it's just going through another slow spell, and a lot of ragging on Mark Allison. Here's what Alan Sullivan said to the question

I was around more in 2006 and what was considered a slow spell in 2006 is not even close to what's going on--or should I say NOT going on-- at TDE in 2011.

Thanks for pulling up the old thread.
Donna

Stephen,

You're right. Sorry.

RM

Alan Sullivan died July 9, 2010 and stepped down from his leadership of the Deep End two years before his death. I appreciate the efforts being made to keep the Deed End alive, especially by Stephen, John, Cathy and Michael. I still post an occasional poem for auld lang syne, but I think this board croaked about the time Carol Taylor, Alan Sullivan and Jim Hayes abandoned it. People who could not be replaced.

It sounds as if it is time to Deep Six the Deep End, then, doesn't it? :D

Chris

You know what? It's kind of like an old fisherman's club at the end of the dock. People still go there. Who would want it closed down?

Fish.

;)