Help
Sign In
discrimination against faeries
November 2009 
Seeds - My Final Post on the Subject
Posted on Nov 16th, 2007
by 
Dryad
Dryad
In Historical Sense - from my Point of View:
* I was delighted to see the “negative seeds” disappear, for several reasons. One was that I hated the idea, another was that it showed that someone upstairs is listening. I am glad.
* I made my comments in the “larger” forum. That was difficult for me, I’m glad I did it, for what it was worth. However, I won’t be dialoging there any more. I will be doing it with the people I care about. Possibly looking for ways to make what we can’t change better for us.
* My point about the Blue Birds and Robins was possibly badly drawn. I was only saying that calling one thing “Super Love” and another “Good Stuff” wasn’t fooling anyone as to what they both meant. Blue Birds aren’t faster than Robins, but in a classroom the children always know who the fast readers are, and which group is the slowest. Cute names of reading groups don’t do anything but insult their intelligence. I don’t care for labels and, personally, never used this kind of group at all when I was teaching, there are better ways. My point was that a label is a label no matter what fun name you give it.
* Writing is judged, in a way, when it is designated for publication, but really, only in terms of how it fits the market where you have sent it, not on whether or not it is “good or bad." I have never felt like my Blog on Zaadz was “Publication.” I’ve received a lot of “feedback” there, but not “judgement.” If someone liked a Blog, they said so, and they said WHAT they liked about it. If they disagreed with me, they said why. I vastly prefer that to the canned “Super Love,” which - even without the “negative seed,” is a judgement.
*I wish I felt that this was just another way to express gratitude, like Alex says. Alex has an eye for gratitude and is well aware how positive it can be for both parties involved. The problem with this - even the way it is now - is that things happen if NOTHING is done, you can’t choose whether or not to be affected by it. They made it quite clear you would be “punished” for ‘hoarding seeds.” Therefore, we can’t just choose not to play. We can spend a lot of time trying to be empty of seeds, as several people have suggested. But it isn’t just another fun way to spread gratitude when we have to participate or be punished. Gratitude is a choice, not a requirement.
I hoped that if I kept looking at it, I would find positive things that I missed with my first emotional run through. Unfortunately, the opposite is true. The only answer I got on the zaadz board was that no one would disappear from not having enough seeds. What WILL happen, however, is that person’s profile will be hidden from people who are “just visiting” Zaadz. In essence, this means that if someone checks out Zaadz to see what it is all about, what they will see are the people who fit a certain "shaping." Those happy “Winners” who, evidently, have what is wanted. Those with four friends who just come to read and learn, but don’t Blog and Pod themselves will be “hidden.”
* Elisa, you hit the old “Sponge Back” issue directly on the nose. (?) Some of us have even discussed having a Pod for the Sponge Back challenged. Wringing out is the metaphor which fits what a lot of people have learned to do. I’m not going to name names, because I haven’t asked permission, but I have learned SO MUCH from people here at Zaadz who have the same problem and are much further along than I am at knowing how to handle it.
* I STILL wonder if I need to spend a lot of time making sure that my friends with smaller friend groups or who have only recently arrived have enough seeds that they won’t become invisible or feel bad. Maybe “disappear” won’t happen, but from what they say “invisible,” will. For instance . . . Fae, the PLAY-POD Faery - who is also me, with the blessings of the folks upstairs - only has 20 seeds. I wrote a Blog yesterday, just to see what would happen. Nothing happened immediately. When I checked back a few minutes later she had LOST points! Does this mean my Blog was bad or that before they took the poop-balls off someone jumped in there and slammed poor Fae? Is this discrimination against Faeries?
* I’m a little defensive about my 300+ friends. It is the result of having been at zaadz for quite a long time, being interested in people and finding this one of the first safe places to indulge my interest in people. Those of you who know me know that I, um, don’t come out of my house very often. Is that a nice way to put it? And of course, meeting 300+ people hasn’t been “totally” safe. I’ve got a few interesting stories, which some of you have had to listen to as well. But maybe 99.4% have been positive and of those, the majority have been wonderful. It’s the reason I kept asking new friends. But, I never did those one line generic friend requests - I always had a reason - and a fairly good percentage of those 300+ asked me. That is also something really nice, for someone who sometimes feels . . . defensive. :-) The thing is: I don’t think I should get kudos for this anymore than I should be judged the other way. It is just the way I am and everyone is different.
* I feel like having a wake or a funeral or something. I don’t even yet know everyone who is gone, but I know for sure that I have lost one friend. One fellow lover of words, who made me laugh and wonder and think is gone. I am incredibly sorry. I will miss him so much.
* I had a hard drive crash yesterday morning. I suppose this might have contributed to my state of emotional over-load. It was the back-up drive, but I didn’t know that for several hours. It was not a good morning. Here’s my BIG QUESTION: How do those of us still here make the best of this? Or the least of it? How do we go on doing what we were doing, which I - for one - thought was quite splendiferous? Is keeping our “seed count” as low as possible the answer? Do we do what Alex has suggested and try to make it part of our regular interactions with each other? Possibly always using the same number? Anyone have any thoughts?
* DO check out Martha’s Blog which she WOVE with my last Blog. A NEW kind of Word Weaving . . . I LOVE IT! Let’s all Blog Weave! I have a feeling Pooh may have something to say about this in a few minutes . . . http://communitybuilder.zaadz.com/blog?profile=1
Access: Public
Fascinating reading. Hmmm, not sure what all these seeds are about. It seems like everyday I come, my profile page has been bandied about. While I like Zaadz in general, one thing I don't like is the inflexibility of the home page. I got used to goint to a certain point to click to go to my pod. One day I came in and I had to scroll down quite a bit because it was saying everything that I have done, then everything my friends have done, and when you are busy and your friends are busy, that can be a lot. I came in, I think it was yesterday, and the pod listings weren't on the left anymore, they were on the right below friends. Much of the time I come to this site, I have very little time to post things. I am usually trying to get things posted in my pod to keep it fresh. It is nice when you can come in and know where to click instead of having to hunt over the page. Hmmm, maybe I should just bookmark my pod and then just go to my page when I have to check mail or post a blog. What is up with the seeds? It says I have 97 of them. What does that mean? Do I win a prize? Is it like Pogo where you can earn seeds to cash in for chances to win prizes? Frankly, I came to Zaadz because it seemed like a nice place, enlightened, and with a spiritual bent. I don't have to worry about friend's pictures of their anatomy popping up on my home page like the other service I am with. I just hope they don't start getting too cutesy and lose the original philosphy.
Dryad~Having been without internet for a few months…and now back….all of this seed stuff is rather confusing to me. I haven't quite figured out the point of it, if there is one. I am glad there will not be “negative seeds” as far as I'm concerned that has no place on the Zaadz that I know and have come to love! As for the rest of it…I guess I need to figure out what its all about, before I comment further. Much love, Josy
“There are seeds of self - destruction in all of us that will bear only unhappiness if allowed to grow.”
~Dorothea Brande~
Dryad, really feeling with you in all this. I'm not sure we get 'punished' if we hoard seeds.. I didn't read that anywhere. I'm feeling better about the whole thing today, apart from the specific concerns I raised about my Diving Deeper pod and how we comment (and do NOT rate) work there ( here is my blurt on it all). Siona's suggestion was to be able to have rating turned off in private pods, but I don't want to make mine private, so I'll have to ponder this some more).
As for outside the pod and how to use the seeds, well the only thing that I'm trying to do is make sure those who I feel are amazing beings but not very 'active' get as many of my seeds as possible.
Anyway, mostly wanted to say I'm here with you.
hugs all
Sandra
Hi Dryad,
What a day we had at zaadz! I posted a blog asking our community for ideas of what positive things can we now do with the seeds.
(I never realized you rarely come out and I am truly honored to be counted among your friends. I so love and appreciate you!!!!! You are helping me remember how to play and to come our of my shell along with a large dose of healing:-D)
Hugs and dollie kisses :)
Sprite
Thoughts very well said and I'm thankful. I have many questions and in short time frame am wrapping my mind around them… and/or letting the seeds idea wrap around me. WW saidit best at the top of comments… my paraphrase; with limited time what does this new “seed” item add to my experience?
I didn't see “hoarding” or ignoring the whole thing was bad either, other than the team hopes we choose not to do that.
It will be an ongoing discussion for a bit I suppose.
Thanks for these thoughts Dryad. (I've also given seeds in response)
Blessings, David
Thanks Dryad for your wonderful commentary. I share your sentiments on this issue. Somehow along the way I missed this…
you wrote: ”* I feel like having a wake or a funeral or something. I don’t even yet know everyone who is gone, but I know for sure that I have lost one friend. One fellow lover of words, who made me laugh and wonder and think is gone. I am incredibly sorry. I will miss him so much.” Did Samme leave??? If it is Samme I am very saddened…he is such a love!
Big Hugs,
Starseed
Dryad, I feel the same way too. I have not been on here for long, but I have made some wonderful friends, (one in which is you) and feel I have known them for much longer. One I know is leaving zaadz because of this. It saddens me…all over blogs and pods I see people leaving.
Snow*Moon, I agree it is sad to see people leave over this. It's like people choosing to leave a relationship/marriage or a long time colleague quitting a job. I respect their wishes and send love on with them and know their presence will be sorely missed.
I haven't been here all that long either, so I am struggling to understand, especially since the zaadz team listened to everyone and very quickly changed the seed options with the promise to make more changes if this didn't work for the community.
I came in around the time of the purchase by GAIA (?) this summer and many left after that. I have made friendships, here, that mean a lot to me and I plan to continue frolicking at Play Pod, and on mine and others' blogs :-D
Starseed, Samme is still showing as here.
Anyone up for meeting me over at PlayPod? We can have a tea party with our dollies or ride the ponies, or play a mystery game or…..:)
Hugs and peppermint kisses,
Sprite
(((happily scampering off to play with her new dollies)))
I'm still processing all this. in the meantime, I'm throwing seeds around like rice at a wedding. You got one, because I loved your sparkly Pooh-Bear. Thanks for your passionate, articulate expression of what many people have been feeling.
Gee I'm glad things are gettin' better and they took away those bad seeds! And I LOVE what Pooh said!!!! Oh!!! SPARKLY LOVE!!!! JOY!!!!! :)
all i know is i don't like party games and i feel like crying.
and what is a little rain on seedz?
many times i write my dark sides
because that is the story of my becoming
but it doesn't always sit so well
no kudos, no echoes of this
uneasy earth-turning
that wants to sort the contents of its belly
pregnant with spring
no applause for the grunting laborer
not so pretty, her prune-face sweating
this tiller of the fundament
the underbelly cleaving
to spill the seedz
not so popular, she
with twigs in her teeth
and gunmetal eyes
Like rice at a wedding.. oh, Otter that just has to deserve some of my seeds ;-)
I wanted to post a link to what I feel is one of the loveliest posts on this whole issue. It's by David Williams and is on one of the threads, but if you are giving up on reading those and returning to life and creativity ( as I feel we all should…), then you might miss it. It's also here, on the Diving Deeper pod.
okey doke. I'm going to seed.
Dearest Winny Poo: I am glad you are feeling better……It is just a silly game they want us to play…..we can choose to play or not…….If I post someting it will be only because I feel like it…..If I comment it will be only because I feel like it……other than that I am just gonna ignore the whole seeds game….and proceed here as I always have……….How is the writing going?……..do not loose focus so close to the fininsh line because of this…..it will all be o.k…….Love always finds a way.
just wanted to post a link for information about the Omydyar system, if anyone is interested in how Zaadz may be using the compiled statistics. I haven't read the whole, thing but I though someone else may have more time and be so inclined!
Social engineering is a big subject. And this verticle scaffolding, well, it's all been tried before. It's called Patriarchy and it stinks of fear, of separation, of elevating preferred distinctions.
This is not for us. It is for Zaadz, so they can keep track of us. What they do with that information, well, I don't even think they know. I think the power is attractive though. And curious minds, especially committees, are sure to enjoy the allure, seize the lure.
So pretty soon we may find ourselves gulping for air, like all those other failed institutions who became enamored of themselves littering the shores of Mammon, the mother of all Fear. And perhaps we are just creating a New Age of Narcissus, and forgetting why we all came to be here to begin with, which I thought was to Change the World, not give the Emperor a new Wardrobe by coloring in the same damn lines.
So it would be nice if maybe the little thread dangling, the one that contaminates their results, would change their minds about the utility of this currency. Because it is all garbage once the rules are enforced. Because then the game begins to be about ourselves, all trying to pretty ourselves up in the mirror. And the people who are the cleverest in playing this game will be winners. And it will not be about the truth of who they are, what they actually believe. Only what will earn reputation.
which is a big evolutionary step backwards, right into the drain-pan.
But to be fair, knowing or trusting our zaadz leaders to be of sound mind and good heart, i am assuming that this is really just a kind of party game that someone thought would be cool and now doesn't know how to say they are sorry for the mess, and can we just go back to being friends?
bless us all! This is a tough journey, through these coils of labyrinth!