(idea) by montecarlo Fri Jun 03 2005 at 14:34:45

Sometimes you regret
that you explained the downvoting of a particular writeup, like in the cumbersome case below. First, here's the writeup in question:

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hayride (thing)

A recreational ride a group of people take in a wagon piled with hay. These usually occur as part of a church event or social gathering, mainly in the south. I have been on a total of three hayrides in my life, and all of them were rather dull and irritating to my allergies.

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    montecarlo says re hayride: Why it got my downvote? Well, because this is a mere banality -- no real information, no literature, no wit. E2 wants more. Hm, I seem to have pressed the wrong button! Well ...

    AuthorOfHayride says re hayride: Er right hi, look I've gotten another message complaining about my definition of a hayride and its lack of wit , so Im assuming Im missing something. Hayrides are pretty banal themselves; what should I do? Tell a joke with a hayride involved in the punchline and then remind everyone to tip their waitstaff?

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Letter to AuthorOfHayride

Dear AuthorOfHayride:

OK, let's see what can be done about hayride, without exposing you to too many downvotes (no guarantees given, though).

  1. Research the phenomenon of hayrides. Are they sometimes performed as rituals, and in that case, for what purpose(s)? Do different countries/cultures have different customs regarding hayrides? Where are hayrides most frequent, and why? What is the history of hayrides in various cultures?
  2. Write an enjoyable story about a memorable hayride –- a story that may be adventurous, humorous, erotic, scifi, agricultural, criminal, whatever.
  3. Write a poem about a hayride, describing your impressions, emotions, reactions, associations, etc., prompted by the mental image of the hayride concept.
  4. Dump hayride altogether. Choose another topic that may possess the power to inspire you.

During the circumstances, I’d certainly take advice #4, if I were you.

Your’s Truly,

montecarlo

Do I regret downvoting hayride? No. Furthermore, as you may remember, I mistakenly checked the (+) button. But I sure regret the explaining, particularly because -- as it happened -- I didn't really downvote.

I like it!