Archive:Monthly Write-a-Thon/October 3, 2007

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What's a Write-a-Thon?

It's a bunch of people getting together on a wiki at a particular time to do a bunch of writing. It's like an online party! Heck no, it is an online party! It's also an excuse for infrequent wikiers to show up and actually pitch in party hardy.

But hey, why not show up in between the write-ins, too!

When?

Write-a-Thons happen the first Wednesday of every month. The next Write-a-Thon is Wednesday, October 3. October 3 starts on October 2, 1200 UTC, in New Zealand, and ends on October 4, 1000 UTC, in Hawaii. Save The Date! Put it on your calendar! Set yourself a reminder!

Any new article you create, and any edit you make to somebody else's Write-a-Thon article, when it's that day in your part of the world, will count.

Our first Write-a-Thon took place Wednesday, August 1, 2007 and was considered a roaring good time--we had about 30 partiers creating something like 50 articles, and editing lots.

What are the rules?

Rules? This is a party! There are no rules!

Well, OK, maybe there are a couple rules:

• We'll have a Write-a-Thon the first Wednesday of every month.
• To participate, you only have to do two things: (1) start a new article (even just a stub will qualify, if not too short - and please remember to include the CZ:The Article Checklist!), and (2) make a substantive edit (not just a copyedit) to somebody else's new article. Then you can list your name here as a partier. Until then, you're just a porch-sitter, party-crasher, or total party poop.

Create an article, already!

Check it out: Start an article!

Acer vs. Maple reminds me: How about an article called "Why, when, and where did the noble old Brontosaurus turn into today's pedestrian apatosaurus, or whatever it is that I refuse to learn?" That would be a very interesting one. Hayford Peirce 21:13, 2 October 2007 (CDT)

The Partiers

• Aleta, after discussions with the biology department, got things kicked off in the Land Down Under with Maple (or should that be Acer? Better redirect!). I've saved all my Acer Palmatum var. Painus in the Buttus from the drought, but now there are Gall wasps in my lemon! Husband wanted to know why dinner was late, so I may have a few choice words to say about marriage later!!! Party is lonely, so stopped to plant a specimen tree. Wonder if things are any better over at Hayford's Bar and Grill?Aleta Curry 18:31, 2 October 2007 (CDT)

The Bar & Grill is going to kick into action tomorrow -- stay tuned! In the meantime, let me say that as I guy who grew up in Maine using locally produced maple syrup on my pancakes every Sunday morning for umpteen years, I am *far* to old to learn to say "Acer syrup, please, there's not enough on my pancakes." Hayford Peirce 21:06, 2 October 2007 (CDT)

Ha! I don't wonder! Well, you need to explain that to the bio folks over on their workgroup. I'm sure they think I'm just picking on them and they hate me now....Aleta Curry 21:27, 2 October 2007 (CDT)

• Robert is on a running head start(and a day early in the United States of America), with a goal of creating stubs out of a planned 36 core subjects!
• John surveyed volcanically active worlds, then went to a bar.

Party crashers--contributors who didn't create a new article

Matt was getting antsy while waiting for the party to heat up and kept Aleta from killing those Gall darn wasps. AH, Bummer, Matt just realized it is only Tuesday over here!

The total party poops

Go ahead, admit it!

Questions

You ask--we answer. Ask anything. Keep it clean, now.

• I have a sinking feeling Gall wasp should be Gall Wasp, so a) am I right and b) if I move it, does it mess up that whole metadata page thingy? Aleta Curry 19:59, 2 October 2007 (CDT)

1. Try it and we'll all find out.

No, I'm scared! The computer might blow up or something! Aleta Curry 21:02, 2 October 2007 (CDT)

• Why is it that the average heterosexual male will lift something heavy for you without complaint, and generously fish an earring out of the toilet with his bare hand without flinching, but cannot put his dirty clothes in the laundry basket?Aleta Curry 19:59, 2 October 2007 (CDT)

1. Can't you read, Larry said keep it clean. :D --Matt Innis (Talk) 20:11, 2 October 2007 (CDT)
2. the answer is, convenience. Why should I go and put it in a container when 1. it's already dirty, and 2. I'm going to wash it eventually! --Robert W King 20:19, 2 October 2007 (CDT)

• Me, again. Why can't the partiers' input count when it's Wednesday anywhere in the world? Honestly, it's all right for you lot in the U.S., but poor me! We can always limit it again once we have thousands of users all over the globe. Aleta Curry 21:24, 2 October 2007 (CDT)
  • It is an unfortunate consequence to live in the Southern Waamisphere. ;-)

Previous shindigs

• August 1, 2007
• September 5, 2007

See also

• Larry Sanger, Why the Write-a-Thon worked, Citizendium Blog, August 9, 2007
• Weekly Wiki
• Article of the Week
• New Article of the Week