Constant Reader discussion

I've been working on a substitute for the Internet Wayback Machine by creating a new website for our archives at constantreader.com . I'm only about halfway done with downloading old discussions, but I thought you might like to see it. There are a few pictures from our New York and Minneapolis conventions, and eventually I'll get many more up. It's pretty basic, but useful, I think. There are a few glitches that haven't been ironed out, but I hope to figure them out soon. Enjoy!

Wow, Sherry, how nice it's going to be to have everything together in one place. I already got lost rereading our discussion of the Essays of EB White. Too bad Prodigy didn't put the year on its discussion dates.

One little glitch, tho. The images at the head of each discussion are not coming through for me, either with Firefox or with Safari. Is that because you haven't put them there yet?

Thanks for all this. It must be quite a job!

This is fabulous, Sherry. Thanks so much for all the hard work! What a great resource.

Very Nice. Just to let you know the images aren't showing for me either , but that is fine, as long as the text is there.

Looking great! I agree it's too bad the Prodigy threads aren't year dated. Ah well. Some great discussions simply never got archived, too, so we will be happy with as many as can be recovered and kept together.

This is great, Sherry!

I wish the images were there, but that's what I have, and I don't have the software to edit the html pages. If I did, I would fix the very wide text on some of the discussions. I was overly optimistic when I said I was about half done. It's more like 1/3 done. Allen has told me in the past that he has old discussions in text file. I've emailed him to see if he would send them to me. So far, no response. But I have plenty to do in the meantime.

Well, this project should keep you out of trouble for a while!

It sure should. No more cruising the streets in my Corvette or staying out late in bars.

Your friends down on the corner are going to miss you.

Ruth wrote: "Your friends down on the corner are going to miss you."

Well ---- gail singer gross always held that Constant Reader was the equivalent of the local pub but including literary discussions so I'm thinking we ARE Sherry's friends "down on the corner" -- giggling here, Ruth.

Dottie good one(giggling here also).

Oooh, wonderful! The photos reminded me that I keep meaning to ask why Allen didn't attend the NYC event--

Ruth wrote: "Your friends down on the corner are going to miss you."

At least until you flash your earrings at them, Ruth--they will welcome you in, then. :-)

Good question about Alan, Sara. I was there and forgot to ask - duh! If there was an explanation given, it was before I got there.

I think in the 16+ years of CR's existence Allen has never missed a get-together. And this one was fairly close for him. Does anyone know if he's okay?

He emailed Yulia (I think, although I can't seem to find her note telling me that) that he was in California that weekend visiting his niece and her family. He had a choice to make, and I think he made the right one. Family does come first. I'm not sure if these were plans made before he knew about the change in date or not. He did tell Yulia the date change was not the reason he didn't come. I had been a little worried about that. My impression was that it was a hard choice to make.

Thanks for the info, Sherry. I know that Alan is very close to his family, so I can understand his decision. I'm glad to hear that the change in date wasn't the reason he missed the gathering, since we're considering a similar time frame next year.

No, the date wasn't the issue. He said he usually made only one trip a year and that he was choosing to see his niece as he'd not been able to see her the previous year.

That makes sense. Thanks, Yulia.

You're very welcome, Steve. I've added a few more pictures today from Portland, and some more book discussions. I try to do a little each day. When I'm done, I'll ask for donations, as this website costs about $120/year to keep up.

Let me know when Sherry.

I hadn't found this topic until now, Sherry. Thank you for doing this! Just let me know when I can send a payment.

Okay, I am now accepting donations. I was thinking I would wait until I'm finished, but that may be months. The yearly cost $160, including private registration which means my personal information which I had to supply won't get spread all over the net. So here's the place to sign up. Once I get ten donors of $15 each, I'll cut it off until next year. So far we have Sara, Steve, Kitty and Barb. Just six more. I think Jane also said in a previous note that she would help, so that makes just five more. Let me know, and I'll send my personal info. I'd prefer a check.

Count me in, Sherry.

Well, Steve, I thought I better ask now since as I get older time has a way of getting away from me. The misty foggy future is now.

Thanks, Ruth.

Hit me via e-mail Sherry -- I really love having the discussion archives and appreciate your work in assembling a new locale for them as well as the other great collection of all things CR.

So that makes seven, if I'm counting right. Three more, and I'll shut up until next year.

Sherry,
Would you like me to send you photos from other conventions?

That would be great, Jane. I just posted a few from Santa Fé.

Oh, Jane, I have no Asheville pictures whatsoever! I was too busy, I guess. That was 2007, right? Anyone who has any Asheville pics, I would appreciate them.

Count me in, as well.

Thanks, MAP. Two to go!

Sherry, does our earlier donation go to this too, or is this different?

I'm afraid this is different. The first one is a four-year entitlement to the name constantreader.com. This one is a yearly charge to have the website itself. Don't feel obligated to do both, but a few people have.

Are we a trademark, a copyright maybe? LOL I feel so important being a part of this group.

You ARE important, Kitty, but not because you're a part of this group. One other person has offered to donate, so that makes one more to go.

What a sweet thing to say Sherry.

Sherry:
Count me in and then I think the pledge drive here is over!

I'm just pondering the tote bag or the mug.

Thanks, Al. I'll send you my address. I could do mugs or tote bags, but then I'd have to ask you for more money. (Ducking)

Maybe not mugs or totes when asking for donations. I wouldn't mind a separate thread where we go purchase things like that. Isn't there a site on the internet where you can design these items. We could have them as an extra in our promotions goes here, for people who would like items like that. Would we have to ask goodreads if we could use their name (goodreads/Constant Reader?

Kitty wrote: "Maybe not mugs or totes when asking for donations. I wouldn't mind a separate thread where we go purchase things like that. Isn't there a site on the internet where you can design these items. We c..."

Kitty, I was thinking about that myself--I think it would be great. The site I know about (which I've ordered from) is Cafepress.

I will check it out . I wouldn't mind a coffee mug.

Good grief you can even have personalized underwear. Now that is for the person who has everything. (giggle) Actually the prices were not too bad, for a personalized mug $16.00 + shipping, the more you order the cheaper it would be. Maybe at the conventions something like this could be offer.

IE:

Constant Reader
New York City
Sept. 15-19 2011

Or what ever.

I actually have a dear friend who is in that business, so if there really is interest I could talk to him about it and see what kind of pricing deal we could get.

I had no idea my snarky pledge drive comment would lead to a discussion like this - that is one of the things that is so great about this place :)

That would be great Al. I always like to support people I know or someone else knows.

In the early days of CR, gail singer gross used to always come to the conventions with an advertising specialty, a pen or some other souvenir that she had purchased through her husband's company. We could revive that tradition, but make it so we could buy our own. Al, I certainly would be interested in having something like a CR tote bag. I think I should probably set it up through constantreader.com, so we can bypass Goodreads, since I'm not really sure about the policy there.

Oh, I love this idea! The Books on the Nightstand group on goodreads does something similar.

I could go for a CR totebag. I have a feeling GR doesn't want commercial activity here, so constantreader.com would be the perfect place.

Nice. I know it probably makes more work for you though Sherry.