LL-L "Presentations" 2007.12.13 (01) [E]

[Lowlands-L List]

L O W L A N D S - L  -  13 December 2007 - Volume 01
Song Contest: lowlands-l.net/contest/ (- 31 Dec. 2007)
=========================================================================

From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Presentations

Dear Lowlanders,

Quite a few people have been joining us lately. For their sake and for the
sake of older hands with shorter memory, please allow me to remind you of
our current projects and the type of participation we invite.

Yes, yes, it's a busy time of the year for most of us. But I say you can
still think up stuff and take notes while commuting to and from holiday
shopping, baking treats, wrapping gifts, cleaning house, defleaing the dog,
scraping ice off the windshield, washing the car, shoveling snow, changing
diapers (or nappies, depending on where you are), watching snow accumulate
on window sills, or, if you are on the other side of the globe, hosing down
the garden path and, while you're at it, the freshly defleaed dog and
perhaps the kids, pruning the jacaranda, or going for an evening swim.

"Leave it up to the experts"? Isn't that convenient? All of us are "experts"
in something, at the very least in the dialects of the languages we speak on
a daily basis, the places we've visited or live(d) in and love, traditional
dishes we can talk about, customs we remember and possibly keep alive or
wish we had kept alive, memories of people that acted and thought in the old
ways, regrets or delight regarding the way things are changing … No, you
don't need to be an academic or even an "intellectual," and you don't have
to be a literary genius. Feel free to write in your own language or home
dialect. If you want to add an English translation or summary, just let us
know and we'll try to arrange help if you aren't confident enough to do the
job alone. We want all sorts of voices to be heard. Yours is as beautiful as
the next guy's or gal's, and you have things to share like everyone else. It
doesn't have to be earth-shattering or epiphany-inducing. "Small" things
count and many of them turn out bigger than expected.

Please read the introduction part of each of the sites to (re-)familiarize
yourselves with the aims and scopes.


   - *Lowlands **Anniversary *
   lowlands-l.net/anniversary/
   itching to be extended, polished, etc., in time for our 13th
   anniversary in April and May of 2008–
   *
   This is our most visited presentation, with many daily "hits" from all
   over the world and quite a few links from other sites, including educational
   and institutional ones.*

   Things you can do:


   - write or invite others to write further translations or retold
   versions in any language variety (more than one for each variety just fine)
   - contribute electronic sound files of narrations of written versions
   (more than one for each variety just fine)
   - check any pages (including language introductions) for errors,
   omissions, etc.
   - introduce yourself as a Lowlands-L member
   (lowlands-l.net/anniversary/members.php) in any language you wish,
   though an accompanying English version would be nice (and someone can help
   you with that)
   - and more ... Propose something!



   - *Lowlands **Gallery *
   lowlands-l.net/gallery/
   *
   This is where Lowlanders share their knowledge and creations and add
   spice, sensitivity and personal touches to our public image. All
   contributions so far have been viewed by visitors from all over.*

   Things you can do:


   - open your own room and exhibit your own work (art, research, music,
   poetry, short prose, etc.) in the Gallery, for which an introduction and at
   least one work is required (written works in any language you wish, though
   an accompanying English version would be nice, and someone can help you with
   that)
   - add further works to your already existing rooms
   - translate other contributors' introductions and/or works into other
   languages
   - share your drawings, paintings, sculptures, photographs, videos,
   knitting, embroidery, dress-making, music or whatever as long as there is at
   least some vague Lowlands connection
   - and more ... Propose something!



   - *Lowlands **Travels *
   lowlands-l.net/travels/
   *
   This is where we feature rarely mentioned places and aspects of the
   Lowlands, look at better-known places in a new light, share background
   information that deepens impressions and enriches visits, where we offer
   alternatives to commercial guide books, provide survival tips and skills and
   in general make travels more rewarding, be they real travels or imagined
   ones. These pages are frequently visited, with no clear "winner" and
   certainly no "loser." If you are unsure about the suitability of your ideas,
   just write to me (sassisch at yahoo.com) and explain it. The Travel
   Presentation Committee is eager to hear from you.

   *Things you can do:


   - write Lowlands-related travel, place and culture information (in any
   language you wish, though an accompanying English version would be nice, and
   someone can help you with that)
   - translate already posted articles
   - add versions to the phrase, vocabulary and number word lists (
   lowlands-l.net/travels/say.php)
   - contribute pictures to already posted articles
   - write responses or additions to articles (short one as inserts and
   longer ones as linked articles)
   - and more ... Propose something!


Running out of time fast – Deadline approaching!

   - *Lowlands Song*
   lowlands-l.net/contest/
   *If countries, provinces, towns, schools, fraternities, sororities,
   soccer unions, labor unions, gardening associations, homing pigeon clubs,
   radio programs, TV quiz shows and even political parties can have their own
   songs, why not we? The challenge: to choose words and tunes that all of us
   can relate to, Lowlanders everywhere – not something neutral but something
   that includes all of us, appeals to all of us, represents all of us.*

   Find out more: lowlands-l.net/contest/instructions.php

   I'm underwhelmed! So far we received only two songs and one
   performance. Come on now! I'm sure we can do better than that, folks.
   Deadline: 31 December 2007.


Would you make a fool of yourself if you participated in any of the above?
Most certainly not. If we feel there's a danger of it, we'd let you know --
nicely, confidentially -- and we'd work with you on alternatives. With the
exception of the song contest, these are not competitions. You can withdraw
your contributions anytime. Also, you may make them anonymously or under a
pen name if you wish. Your e-mail addresses will definitely not be
published.

Regards and thanks, eagerly awaiting your messages at sassisch at yahoo.com!
*
**Reinhard/Ron*

P.S.: Feel free to write to me in your language.
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