Random
Time Has Passed, Now Lets Get Some Love and Tenderness
In late December I’m going to redesign this site. I’m pretty sure we’re going to move towards a more magazine-type blog, mostly because I’ve found some good templates to steal and why the fuck not, but other than that I’d like to hear some suggestions from the fine people who visit the site.
Do we need a flash intro? Animated gif backgrounds? More pop-ups?
Also, there’s the whole issue of women and how we smell like hot trash to them. Can we fix this? Is it possible to save ourselves from becoming, as Mike Young put it in a very poignant email last night, “a boys’ yuk yuk fag joke club.” I mean, I love a tasteless joke as much as Sam Pink, but we’ve got to temper it with some sweet love and tenderness if we’re going to make this relationship work.
I think. You guys know better than I do, I just build the framework.
Tags: Bolton, HTMLGIANT making a better world, Not enough foreplay
Mike Young, now you Gene.
As someone often gripped with nostalgia for my youth, when I spent half my waking hours hanging out with a bunch of young (cause i was young) arrogant, vulgar shitheads- it was called college back in my day- I love htmlgiants guy heavy, arty clubness. I find it so…youthful. I also like all the indie lit and press stuff, although I wish you would reach out to things that aren’t your aesthetic so much, still indie, and also not people you know. I know you do sometimes, but I’d like to see more of that.
I hate flashy sites. They intimidate me. I like this nice and simple. They changed facebook- everyone hated it. They changed Yahoo! I nearly cried. I like simple.
But if you really want to attract the ladies, you could start by having more than one lady contributor. Even Christy Call stuff helps. I still like boobs friday, though. I don’t think dick pix would go over well- sorry blake- but dude-ass shots? (No balls though, just my opinion.) Keep it stupid some of the time. Dude-ass in tighty whiteys? Even boxers. Nice.
Mike Young, now you Gene.
As someone often gripped with nostalgia for my youth, when I spent half my waking hours hanging out with a bunch of young (cause i was young) arrogant, vulgar shitheads- it was called college back in my day- I love htmlgiants guy heavy, arty clubness. I find it so…youthful. I also like all the indie lit and press stuff, although I wish you would reach out to things that aren’t your aesthetic so much, still indie, and also not people you know. I know you do sometimes, but I’d like to see more of that.
I hate flashy sites. They intimidate me. I like this nice and simple. They changed facebook- everyone hated it. They changed Yahoo! I nearly cried. I like simple.
But if you really want to attract the ladies, you could start by having more than one lady contributor. Even Christy Call stuff helps. I still like boobs friday, though. I don’t think dick pix would go over well- sorry blake- but dude-ass shots? (No balls though, just my opinion.) Keep it stupid some of the time. Dude-ass in tighty whiteys? Even boxers. Nice.
pr,
Oh believe me, I was an arrogant, vulgar shithead in college and so too were all my friends. And we still are when we get together. It’s just that we always knew who’s listening. We don’t post all our lame jokes on a public forum about indie literature. =) I think it’s possible to keep it stupid and fun without it crossing over to stupid and annoying.
Mostly I am basing my poignancy on talking with people who read the site but don’t comment, girls and guys alike, and what they find exciting about the site versus what they find causes them to roll their eyes.
I am the Geraldo Rivera of HTMLGIANT.
I think your suggestions about reaching beyond our aesthetic and beyond people we know are really good.
pr,
Oh believe me, I was an arrogant, vulgar shithead in college and so too were all my friends. And we still are when we get together. It’s just that we always knew who’s listening. We don’t post all our lame jokes on a public forum about indie literature. =) I think it’s possible to keep it stupid and fun without it crossing over to stupid and annoying.
Mostly I am basing my poignancy on talking with people who read the site but don’t comment, girls and guys alike, and what they find exciting about the site versus what they find causes them to roll their eyes.
I am the Geraldo Rivera of HTMLGIANT.
I think your suggestions about reaching beyond our aesthetic and beyond people we know are really good.
Better to be annoying sometimes than to be so dry you start sounding like –I don’t know. Something uptight. I think the tone here is good. Yeah, you take some risks with assinine-intiy. But you got a lot of straightforward – “here’s this book, person, press” stuff, too.
But clearly I comment all the time so I am not the person you are reaching out to, Geraldo. How’s the baby?
Better to be annoying sometimes than to be so dry you start sounding like –I don’t know. Something uptight. I think the tone here is good. Yeah, you take some risks with assinine-intiy. But you got a lot of straightforward – “here’s this book, person, press” stuff, too.
But clearly I comment all the time so I am not the person you are reaching out to, Geraldo. How’s the baby?
I echo the branch out of your aesthetic comment made by pr. I know the focus is on indie lit, but shouldn’t the focus be on good writing, no matter the aesthetic? Sometimes a human, emotional narrative about a breaking marriage is bold and brash as babies being ripped apart. There are many different ways to evoke response. I’d like to see reasoned commentary from the other side, those that write about the heart. Don’t be exclusionary. That’s hard though. Popularity almost always makes you better than someone else.
Explore kick ass words by people you don’t know, that don’t publish a journal or run a press that publishes your own work. Spread out. Grow.
Please keep the site simple. I think Gene was fucking with people when he talked about the flash. I hope so.
The way to attract more female viewers isn’t by showing different body parts, I think. But what do I know about attracting girls. I’m a dork.
Brad Green
President of the Jimmy Chen Fan Club
I echo the branch out of your aesthetic comment made by pr. I know the focus is on indie lit, but shouldn’t the focus be on good writing, no matter the aesthetic? Sometimes a human, emotional narrative about a breaking marriage is bold and brash as babies being ripped apart. There are many different ways to evoke response. I’d like to see reasoned commentary from the other side, those that write about the heart. Don’t be exclusionary. That’s hard though. Popularity almost always makes you better than someone else.
Explore kick ass words by people you don’t know, that don’t publish a journal or run a press that publishes your own work. Spread out. Grow.
Please keep the site simple. I think Gene was fucking with people when he talked about the flash. I hope so.
The way to attract more female viewers isn’t by showing different body parts, I think. But what do I know about attracting girls. I’m a dork.
Brad Green
President of the Jimmy Chen Fan Club
The baby is good. It already has a twenty foot mustache.
The baby is good. It already has a twenty foot mustache.
Not having more than one female contributor is something we are well aware of. And it didn’t happen from a lack of care or foresight on our part, we are just afraid of women and apparently suck at courting them.
Htmlgiant will never be much more visually complex than it is now.
Not having more than one female contributor is something we are well aware of. And it didn’t happen from a lack of care or foresight on our part, we are just afraid of women and apparently suck at courting them.
Htmlgiant will never be much more visually complex than it is now.
The tightywhitey ass shots was sort of a joke, but also, if you have a contributor and comment guy heavy thing going on, having a boobs friday without some ass shots makes it very frat boy. I once went to frat party. They had a layboy centerfold up on the wall used as a dart board. It was funny, but it wasn’t.
But I love boobs friday, cause thats the kind of lady I am. I just think you look better to the world if– and Blake got this I think– you objectify dudes, too. Not that this will attract the ladies in itself, it just makes you look better in a general sense.
Nice about the mustache. One of my kidses voice is changing. He brings home friends, some quite cute…I go upstairs and call my husband and say,”what am I going to do when he brings home 6 foot tall hot friends of his? What am I going to do?” And then my husband calls me a sick fuck and hangs up on me.
The tightywhitey ass shots was sort of a joke, but also, if you have a contributor and comment guy heavy thing going on, having a boobs friday without some ass shots makes it very frat boy. I once went to frat party. They had a layboy centerfold up on the wall used as a dart board. It was funny, but it wasn’t.
But I love boobs friday, cause thats the kind of lady I am. I just think you look better to the world if– and Blake got this I think– you objectify dudes, too. Not that this will attract the ladies in itself, it just makes you look better in a general sense.
Nice about the mustache. One of my kidses voice is changing. He brings home friends, some quite cute…I go upstairs and call my husband and say,”what am I going to do when he brings home 6 foot tall hot friends of his? What am I going to do?” And then my husband calls me a sick fuck and hangs up on me.
layboy is supposed to be playboy.
layboy is supposed to be playboy.
No Flash intros!
But a clean, well-designed template could be cool. And it would be cool to see more input from females, but I mean, don’t just get some “token females.” I don’t know why I just wrote that.
Mike — I have never been an “arrogant vulgar shithead.” I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve always maintained a moral, erudite-yet-tasteful imperative.
Even when I passed out on that person’s lawn and then tried to sleep in your guitar’s gig bag.
No Flash intros!
But a clean, well-designed template could be cool. And it would be cool to see more input from females, but I mean, don’t just get some “token females.” I don’t know why I just wrote that.
Mike — I have never been an “arrogant vulgar shithead.” I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve always maintained a moral, erudite-yet-tasteful imperative.
Even when I passed out on that person’s lawn and then tried to sleep in your guitar’s gig bag.
if you stopped the silly shit , why would i come here? there’s plenty of serious only places. through the silly shit you guys say interesting stuff. more girls though is always good. i didn’t even realize it was so boy-centric, which is weird since like 80% of my best friends are girls.
if you stopped the silly shit , why would i come here? there’s plenty of serious only places. through the silly shit you guys say interesting stuff. more girls though is always good. i didn’t even realize it was so boy-centric, which is weird since like 80% of my best friends are girls.
Okay: no one ever said “stop the silly shit.” Or to be “serious only.” It’s not an either-or like that. Let’s not jump to conclusions, jah?
Okay: no one ever said “stop the silly shit.” Or to be “serious only.” It’s not an either-or like that. Let’s not jump to conclusions, jah?
You’re continuing with the silly stuff then? Damn, I already had out my pipe and smoking jacket. I was busy working on the accent.
pr- layboy has a nice ring to it.
also, hey, won’t you pleaseplease email me via my website? make up a fake gmail account if you still dont want me to know who you are. i want to talk to you about something real quick, just not in this comments thread.
You’re continuing with the silly stuff then? Damn, I already had out my pipe and smoking jacket. I was busy working on the accent.
pr- layboy has a nice ring to it.
also, hey, won’t you pleaseplease email me via my website? make up a fake gmail account if you still dont want me to know who you are. i want to talk to you about something real quick, just not in this comments thread.
Brad: smoke your jacket. That is the HTMLGIANT way. Rip up your jacket and smoke it very quickly.
Brad: smoke your jacket. That is the HTMLGIANT way. Rip up your jacket and smoke it very quickly.
wasn’t jumping, mike. just sayin is all.
wasn’t jumping, mike. just sayin is all.
Yeah, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bite your head off. If I wanted to eat your head I would ask you first. =)
Yeah, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bite your head off. If I wanted to eat your head I would ask you first. =)
Also, just to keep everyone updated-
Word on the street is that the photo contest prize linen spray will be mailed this week, and that the photo contest itself will become an at least semi-regular feature. Apparently, my anonymous friend was made fun of by *a lot* of people in high school. Where does s/he get the pictures of them? Facebook? One hates to presume.
Also, just to keep everyone updated-
Word on the street is that the photo contest prize linen spray will be mailed this week, and that the photo contest itself will become an at least semi-regular feature. Apparently, my anonymous friend was made fun of by *a lot* of people in high school. Where does s/he get the pictures of them? Facebook? One hates to presume.
wait, i missed where mike got all republican and called for an end to fun!
just kidding, mike. i agree. balance is a good thing. as a reader here, i like to read about both silly and serious lit-tastic items.
just don’t lose boob friday.
wait, i missed where mike got all republican and called for an end to fun!
just kidding, mike. i agree. balance is a good thing. as a reader here, i like to read about both silly and serious lit-tastic items.
just don’t lose boob friday.
pr:
very funny about the 6 foot tall boys thing. i know very intelligent grown up women who chase the jonas brothers around. even when they were like 14.
now whats the rest of this gibberish talk…. pfff. women are foolish and gullible. just tell them they’re pretty and have nice shoes. they’ll come around. or start talking about brad pitt and lotion….
pr:
very funny about the 6 foot tall boys thing. i know very intelligent grown up women who chase the jonas brothers around. even when they were like 14.
now whats the rest of this gibberish talk…. pfff. women are foolish and gullible. just tell them they’re pretty and have nice shoes. they’ll come around. or start talking about brad pitt and lotion….
http://www.coudal.com/
http://www.themorningnews.org/
i like the design of the above two links. they evoke ‘journalism’ but are still quirky. and they are ‘minimalist’ yet ‘busy’.
http://www.coudal.com/
http://www.themorningnews.org/
i like the design of the above two links. they evoke ‘journalism’ but are still quirky. and they are ‘minimalist’ yet ‘busy’.
i will sing when you’re all dead
i will sing when you’re all dead
i don’t think anyone needs to worry about us getting ‘soft’ or ‘not silly’
we are a bunch of goobers, it comes naturally
serious is as serious does
i like eating ramen noodles dry
i don’t think anyone needs to worry about us getting ‘soft’ or ‘not silly’
we are a bunch of goobers, it comes naturally
serious is as serious does
i like eating ramen noodles dry
I love you Barry.
I love you Barry.
HTMLGIANT is great. Everything I think of that you could do to improve it, you already do. Like interviewing people I wouldn’t expect you to interview, or turning me on to things I didn’t know about and that sort of thing.
HTMLGIANT is great. Everything I think of that you could do to improve it, you already do. Like interviewing people I wouldn’t expect you to interview, or turning me on to things I didn’t know about and that sort of thing.
Like Michael Bolton, right?
Like Michael Bolton, right?
of course.. like michael bolton…
and those two hotties in the blue dresses on the newest post. i can tell that one on the left is gonna be a milf when she’s like 17.
i love you too pr. always and forever
of course.. like michael bolton…
and those two hotties in the blue dresses on the newest post. i can tell that one on the left is gonna be a milf when she’s like 17.
i love you too pr. always and forever
honestly, i don’t comment much or ever but this website has been one of my go-tos for a little while now. at first i cringed when i heard about its premise. only because some of the ‘indie lit’ writers work i like, some i dislike a lot. anyway, this site has turned out to be entertaining and informative and i wouldn’t want to see one pixel changed. i enjoy that it can be silly as fuck and then in the same post rush headlong into a serious stance on contemporary literature. i like that not everyone has the same views but people seem to argue for their points w/o ridiculous name-calling and bitchery, resorting to name-calling and bitchery only when necessary or on tuesdays. all in all, i’m saying you can re-vamp the site to your heart’s content but from a reader, it’s fucking great the way it is. does this make sense? i just woke up.
honestly, i don’t comment much or ever but this website has been one of my go-tos for a little while now. at first i cringed when i heard about its premise. only because some of the ‘indie lit’ writers work i like, some i dislike a lot. anyway, this site has turned out to be entertaining and informative and i wouldn’t want to see one pixel changed. i enjoy that it can be silly as fuck and then in the same post rush headlong into a serious stance on contemporary literature. i like that not everyone has the same views but people seem to argue for their points w/o ridiculous name-calling and bitchery, resorting to name-calling and bitchery only when necessary or on tuesdays. all in all, i’m saying you can re-vamp the site to your heart’s content but from a reader, it’s fucking great the way it is. does this make sense? i just woke up.
hi gary, i’m glad you like that we bitch. i like bitching. i think htmlgiant’s charm is the comment section.
hi gary, i’m glad you like that we bitch. i like bitching. i think htmlgiant’s charm is the comment section.
I’m not sure what your long term vision is for the site, but since some magazine sites have been suggested as places to get ideas/inspiration, I’d like to state perhaps an obvious point: guernica is probably the best literary magazine/blog/journal on the web right now. They have a nice format, and make space for monthly features as well as more frequently updated pieces. Perhaps there are things you could learn from that site.
I’m not sure what your long term vision is for the site, but since some magazine sites have been suggested as places to get ideas/inspiration, I’d like to state perhaps an obvious point: guernica is probably the best literary magazine/blog/journal on the web right now. They have a nice format, and make space for monthly features as well as more frequently updated pieces. Perhaps there are things you could learn from that site.
More things forgotten, more interviews, more book reviews.
Please and thank you.
More things forgotten, more interviews, more book reviews.
Please and thank you.
i’m coming in late on this one.
i think it is irresponsible of mike to make generalizations and not cite specific examples of what is bothering him and the mysterious unnamed readers
‘lame jokes’
joke is very subjective. what i find hilarious may not tickle an uptight rich housewife in the hills of Orange County.
the overall tone here is ‘hey you, you are a piece of shit for not conforming’
conforming to what i am not sure. i guess mike’s sensibility?
specifics would be nice. don’t be shy, hurt specific people’s feelings instead of putting the blame on ‘those people’
i’m coming in late on this one.
i think it is irresponsible of mike to make generalizations and not cite specific examples of what is bothering him and the mysterious unnamed readers
‘lame jokes’
joke is very subjective. what i find hilarious may not tickle an uptight rich housewife in the hills of Orange County.
the overall tone here is ‘hey you, you are a piece of shit for not conforming’
conforming to what i am not sure. i guess mike’s sensibility?
specifics would be nice. don’t be shy, hurt specific people’s feelings instead of putting the blame on ‘those people’