The Sphere Needs Your Help
 

It's time for our annual request for funds for the Eratosphere. So many of us regard the Sphere as an important part of their poetic life - and it doesn't come free. There are regular operating and update costs. Alex does a tremendous job at maintaining the Sphere and providing it to the rest of us as a reliable service - but there's a cost involved - and he's not very comfortable with money raising. So let me ask for him. If you use the Sphere, and can afford it, this would be a good time to donate. Details here. And thanks.

Thank you for this timely reminder, Michael.
(This is the only "job" I've had where I pay the boss! :D)

But seriously, I've made a payment, which I'm always happy to do in return for what Alex has given us.

Jayne

Thanks for the post, Michael, and the support!

And thank you, Jayne, for all you do, and even donating along with it all!

I should mention, while I'm here, that Sphere hasn't been successfully hacked or taken down for quite some time now, not because there haven't been multiple attempts, but because of all the ongoing hardening (which can be expensive, as it's in addition to the other server charges and fees) and my ongoing hacker-attack monitoring. And all of your support gives me much needed help with these behind-the-scene tasks which can be time-consuming, and especially with the financial burden of it all!

Cheers,
...Alex

p.s.: in the past some of you have asked for means to donate through Paypal, and it's currently possible--just send money to https://www.ablemuse.com/images/submission-eml.gif

I'll be in. Thank you, Alex.

Thank you, Michael ... your support is very much appreciated! Cheers --Alex

Thanks for the reminder Mr Cantor! I'm going to do my usual method of bunging a cheque to my go-between Jayne.

And thanks Alex, of course.

I'm in, finally muddled my way through PayPal. Thanks again, Alex.

Bumping this, as a reminder for us all to show our gratitude to Alex in any way that we can, whether it's a large or small donation.

This lovely community is an important part of my life, and I'm sure many of you feel the same.

Jayne

Thank you Mark! Thank you Ralph! ... And thanks for the bump, Jayne.--Alex

Just emailed Jayne to ask if I can use her as a PayPal go-between again.

No problem, Annie. Last time several members paid in various ways through me, and I'm more than happy to deal with the transactions.
If anyone needs my address for cheques etc, just PM me.

Please don't ignore this appeal, folks!! Many thanks in anticipation.

Jayne

Done. The great thing about PayPal is that it automatically converts currencies. Can you really not use it, Alex?
.

Oh, great. I did not see this PayPal notice till now. I did end up sending money the other way. But now that I see this PayPal option, I will make another go of it, because I can. Another for the coffers, then, for good measure.

Thanks Alex, for your all your work in keeping this place up and running and well-defended. It's much appreciated.

Sorry to be a bit slower to respond this year. I've now donated.

-Matt

Same from me, Alex. Thanks as ever for the incredible service of making this forum available to begin with, and also for the reminder that it's time for a refueling. Here we go, heading into the 20th anniversary of this place!

Finally saw and figured out the Paypal method. Duh! and done. And thanks, Alex.

Thanks, Alex and all (but especially Alex). My modest donation unfortunately cannot measure up to my gratitude for this site and community.

It really is easy, folks. I hope you will donate if you can afford it.

I've been glad to send my donation to support the Sphere. It is an invaluable resource and a great way to get to know other poets.

Susan

Glad to send my (modest) donation, too.

Thank you, one and all, who’ve been able to help out! –

Thank you, Annie! And yes, there’s a Paypal method now as updated in the sponsorship page (i.e., just login to your Paypal account and use their ‘send money’ to send to https://www.ablemuse.com/images/submission-eml.gif), although it could be more straightforward.

Thank you Maryann! Glad you figured out that Paypal method … which, yes, could be simpler! (And I haven’t forgotten that matter from our last email exchange—I’ll be getting to it real soon, really!)

Thank you, Erik! And glad you managed a double go at it!

Thank you, Matt, for helping out!

As always, thank you Andrew!

Thank you, Simon! . . . for the donation, not to mention your extra-appreciated help as Able Muse assistant poetry editor!

As always, thank you immensely, Susan!

And thank you, Martin . . . much appreciated!

Cheers,
...Alex

Just sent mine (long overdue). And thank you Alex!

Just email me a receipt, please.

Jayne, my cheque should be with you, if not today then Monday. Thanks for everything Alex. It's 20 years in 2019! Wow.

My modest donation has also been processed. Thank you for all you do, Alex.

Your cheque arrived today, Mark. Many thanks, I'll make a payment on your behalf.

Jayne

Sent a check the other day -- hope it reaches you soon!

Thanks for everything, Alex. I used PayPal.

How much does it cost to run the site?

x
x
$lo,ods,wea,tte,ars
x
x

Hi Alex,

The last two payments I made were on behalf of Annie, and then Mark.

Jayne

Thank you, Rob, as usual for the help--on top of your moderatorship … and on top of your assistant fiction editorship for Able Muse!

Thank you, Allen, for being so very helpful! The third-party credit card processor automatically sends you a receipt, which you’ve hopefully received. Still, I’ve also sent you a personal acknowledgment note.

Thank you, Mark, for helping out … not to mention the outstanding work you’ve been doing as our new moderator for Non-Metrical!

Thank you, Cathy, as always!

Thank you, Jayne, for that additional proxy administration of those payments!

Thank you, Ned ... much appreciated!

Thank you, Mary, for helping out—yes, the Paypal ‘send money’ did come through.

Kevin, it’s a lot, maybe too much--since most of it is personally covered by me, which is why I’m immensely grateful to the those who are able to assist (especially during these semiannual or so calls) which is still voluntary.

Hey, Jim—yes, I get you, and help received … much appreciated!

Thanks for the update, Jayne. And especially, thank you Annie and Mark!

Cheers,
…Alex

You have my thanks and admiration as well, Alex. Sending check today, sorry for the delay!

I mailed a check today.

Many thanks, Terese … your help is much appreciated!

Wonderful, Mark … thanks for the help!

Cheers,
…Alex

I’m a bit embarrassed by that “Muse” thing by my name, which I did not expect. I won’t ask Alex to take it down just yet. It came without my asking for it. My gift was sizeable because Eratosphere is very important to me. There was and is no desire to show off or compete in some donation “potlatch”. All I can say is I’d love to see more such beside other people’s names. This is a very, very special place that must not fail. Perhaps Alex could find a way to combine a second donation from those who’ve contributed with their first, so that Nine or Ninety “Muses” could appear.

Don't be embarrassed, Allen. Well said and well done.

You prodded me to toss in a few more ducats.

For the first time in Sphere history, Allen doesn't seek to amuse...


But in all seriousness, a subtext of Allen's comment is that there are probably several folks who donate anonymously or without chiming in on this thread because they don't necessarily want to draw attention to their donation(s). I have nothing to do with the financial side of things, but Allen's note reminds me to tip my invisible cap to those invisible investors.

Alex, I donated through PayPal. Hope it went through! I'm not on Sphere much these days, but I shall always be grateful to you and the Sphere community for all the help I received with my poetry--immeasurable--and all the friendships I have formed here. Thank you! Hope to pop in now and then, when time allows.

Charlotte

Thank you, Charlotte! Your support is much appreciated!

Cheers,
...Alex

Hi Alex,

As per usual (though absent a while), I’ve just donated to this worthwhile cause.

Cheers,
John