Radio8 — do you remember it?

[Doreen Peri]

Yes, discussion boards can be a lot of work. We had trolls here too that took hours of my time. And we’ve been inundated with spam bots, which is why the registration is turned off …again. I can’t do it alone and I don’t have the tech skills or support to fix these issues. So I get it. If that’s what was happening to his site, I get it. I didn’t see any spam bots there but maybe there were. We inherited his trolls, and that was a pain in the ass. But he thought people were trolls who I didn’t consider trolls. Stilltrucking was a “troll” to him. Not to me. He’s a person with a lot to say.

It’s funny revisiting all the drama 24 years later. It’s exhausting, actually. I never thought I’d have to think about those times again. And all of this is searchable. Many years from now, someone could search for my name and find this post and write, “Doreen Peri was apparently a bitch.” Haha

At any rate, my goal has always been community. Building a community where people inspire each other creatively. So, despite the bots and bullies and the trolls, I kept the site open because people were investing their time and energy into the community.

We’ve had dozens of 24-hour poems. We call them Word Jams. Sometimes they lasted a week or two. Sometimes a month. And then there’s the “perpetual jam” that’s been going on for 24 years. It’s a community.

Anyway, such is the nature of the beast. I can understand a time when some online project becomes too much to deal with. But I wouldn’t close a place down without warning unless I died and that’s why the hosting wasn’t paid for.

OR… let’s say we have no activity here anymore. That time IS coming soon. We have no new members. No registration. Fewer and fewer posts happen every day.

If it happened that it’s been a month with no new posts, I’d definitely close this site. But I’d post an information post about the date it would close in advance.

Just got back from a Christmas lunch with my family. That was my only plan for Christmas. What are you doing for Christmas?

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year, and thank you for your creative energy. You’re a terrific writer!

Moving forward. What’s happening in 2026? Do you think we’ll finally get a break from the authoritarian regime?

[sasha]

 
Speaking as the perennial outsider, I feel that if your goal here was to build a community, then you were more successful than you give yourself credit for. But I, too, can see its end coming, just like I can see my own. Evolution is relentless - Facebook, Instagram, X, they're all just names to me, but they're the next iteration - who will themselves eventually go the way of Myspace.

Just how it is.

I don't know where, if anywhere, I'd go if/when this place takes its last breath. I've got something going on in the background, but even if it comes to pass, it'll be a far cry from the Studio. A shot in the dark. No sense of Belonging.

I haven't done Christmas in 30 years. 1988-90 was a traumatic time for me that left a bad taste in my mouth for the holidays. I've always "joked" that December 26 was the holiest day of the year for me. This year, my sister has grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and is dragging me out of my burrow down to her eldest son's place for Xmas Eve, and not releasing me until the next morning. And I'm actually rather looking forward to it. Weather's a little iffy - but then, it always is, isn't it.

Will 2026 be the turning point? There are signs, dim flickerings of comprehension, that some are beginning to suspect that their emperor doesn't seem to be wearing any pants. The amphetamine high of Power still runs through their veins, but a few - very few - are beginning to wonder where their next hit will come from, and it doesn't seem to be His Majesty. So I don't know. I hope so. I hope this regime finally collapses under its own incompetence so that grownups can start cleaning up after them and try to rebuild what he's already torn down.

Anyway - Merry Christmas to you, too.

And to my fellow contributors here. I won't name you, because I'd be ashamed if I missed someone. You know who you are, anyway.

And thank you, Doreen. Thank you for keeping this place on life support.
 

[winddance]

yes, thank you Doreen for all you do here to keep this little band of poets together. AC went away and I found a new place here. plenty of poetry sites out there but they don't have a community.
found out late in life I have quite a bit of azkenasy Jewish blood so now I light the menorah every year. instead oh traditional prayer I just pray each night, for peace, for joy for calmness in the world. also have christmas though this one will be quiet and at home.

may you all have the strength to find joy this holiday season.

[mnaz]

Love those pics. Is that firecracker next to Levi?

[Doreen Peri]

Sasha Roy— I’m sooo glad your sister got you convinced to participate this year!! It’ll be great for you to celebrate the holidays with her and her son! Yes yes yes… the internet communication media has changed a great deal through the years and I’m happy and proud to say that we did a good job creating a viable long lasting arts community here! I’m so sorry I don’t have the tech help I need to try to reestablish it, but in its heyday, we couldn’t keep up with all the creativity happening all over the site at the same time and we also met each other in person and did shows and all kindsa stuff!

I’d love to meet you in person one day too. Definitely the social media of today will change to whatever comes next, just like these discussion board software sites have gone by the wayside to make room for social media. Believe me, I wouldn’t close the doors to this place unless it stopped working technically and I don’t want that to happen.

Thank God and Goodness and the entire universe and especially JACK (aka stilltrucking) who paid for the renewal of hosting a couple years back when I was broke!!! It costs something like $150 a year? Something like that, and I posted that I needed help and he came to the rescue.

I WILL say that it’s always a good idea to save everything you write in your on computer bc i can’t guarantee anything!! I don’t want to ever close it up but let’s be realistic, the host might die! Yanno? You never know.

But yeah I think 24 years is a good run for a website SO FAR!! And I am so happy and proud that you are comfortable being part of this community no matter how small we’ve become… we are still here! And your writing is superb!

Happy Merry Holiday New Year 🥳

(Here’s Marco Rubio doing cocaine—
https://substack.com/@alluringnyc/note/ ... IzSbTFvZiA)

[Doreen Peri]

Winddance— i am sooo happy that you’ve been here this year and I love your photography and your wit and writings. I’m so glad Sasha invited you! I remember your name from AC … I used to spend a lot of time there— but I regret not getting to know you sooner. I’m so glad to be getting to know you now a little bit. Thank you so much for being here and sharing your creative spirit and heart! Happiest holidays to you and your loved ones!

We’re going to continue in 2026 here… and I’m trying to figure out how to invite all the old members back… stay tuned! You never know! We could get busy again … or even if we don’t? It’s a unique tight little group and I’m so glad you’re here!

[Doreen Peri]

Love those pics. Is that firecracker next to Levi?

Yes.

From left to right

Levi, Firecracker/Karen, Yabyum/Ronnie, Joe (Kari’s brother), Lightning Rod

Bottom row GloriousAmok/Kari, me

[mnaz]

So cool. I almost got to meet Ronnie when I was at Theda's place the second time. He was coming to visit, but Kari and I wanted to get going, so...

[mnaz]

Yeah I agree. Levi bailed too soon, but he lit a fuse-- under me at least and I'm sure many others. I contributed the "thirty foot Jesus in a ghost robe" line to the 24-hour poem, based on my recent travels thru Utah at that time.

[mnaz]

Winddance, that is amazing, the strength to find joy ...