Come Monday...Double Secret Probation

“Come Monday…” is a weekly series that will involve a review of, or commentary about,  websites, movies, documentaries, television shows, sports, music, and whatever else may tickle my fancy at the time.  Be assured that these reviews will be generally positive, as in accordance to the Jimmy Buffett song “Come Monday.”  This is subject to change, however.  In fact, I would be most derelict in my duties to neglect going on a rant every once in a while.  For rants promote change, and change can be good—right?  Therefore, since good is generally considered as being a positive force in 99.3% of the parallel universes that I am aware of, even a rant could be considered as being something positive, and a genuine hissy-fit would be even better (so I’m told).

Many great artists have been notorious for being rather difficult to get along with.  In fact, some make no effort whatsoever at even just trying to be cordial toward potential purchasers of their art.

Be assured that I have had a great deal of experience with the like here in the blogosphere, and it has been getting worse.  For I just thought it was absolutely appalling that only a handful of the 143 artists acknowledged being featured in the first year (2009) of promoting sites where Christmas gifts could be bought from individuals.  There were 164 sites in total in 2010, 156 in 2011 and 113 last year.  Whereas, there was only going to be 52 (including 5-6 new ones) this year, and I was seriously considering not publishing a Thinking of Christmas Gifts in July 2013 before I was talked into making some drastic exceptions.

Those exceptions are including sites of those I suspect are no longer in business while still having wares for sale on display, along with those who have fallen prey to the current bane of my existence, which is engaging the word verification spam preventer thingy.  Be assured that I am not happy with this arrangement at all.  For it means that most of the sites featured this year will not receive notification from me.  Hence, essentially being on double secret probation.

Alas, isn’t an online gallery/boutique/whop owner having word verification in place not so unlike an owner in the real world making their place inaccessible to the handicapped?  Yes, there is an audible option to solving the letter scramble, but in most of the cases where I have tried using it, it still took several tries before I could understand what was being said.

Alas, it was not all that long ago when I was as unsympathetic to the plight of the handicapped as far too many still are.  For I was not necessarily against helping the handicapped, but I considered it appalling to force businesses to install wheelchair ramps and other things that made life a little easier for those who could not get around as well as those who could get around on their own two feet.

Okay, I still find it appalling to force businesses to make their places more handicapped accessible, but that now has more to do with there still being a need to do so than with being strictly from a hardcore politically conservative point of view.  For our Heavenly Father has made some drastic changes to the way I now see things, and I hope that this double secret probation nonsense will help give some a clue while still helping to promote the sale of their works.

The funny thing is that there is often an easy way to purchase things provided while direct communication with the artist is hindered, but in all fairness, billions of dollars are spent on artworks each year without any expectation of ever exchanging pleasantries with the artists or their direct representatives.  I suppose it all depends upon whose name is on the canvas or the maker’s mark.  Does great success mean never having to acknowledge another’s existence?

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