"No one would think of shouting into this quiet, beautiful space when something they’ve offered has sold. When a sale did happen, no one would be bragging it up, waving the check around, showing off bank statements, explaining to the crowd how successful they’ve been at this particular gallery."
This is what is going to ruin notes. If anything does. It all feels like an Amway sales convention right now. Too many people hustling to make money rather than having a conversation.
I see it! It's amazing and I want to hang out in that gallery.
Also, I can't believe you found the most perfect image to go with this article. It brilliantly illustrates what you are saying and gives it a greater impact!
I love the picture you chose to represent the Notes gallery. It's perfect. And I love your vision for Notes.
But it does bring up the following question. Should we be encouraging our readers to become users of Notes? Is there any downside to that? I haven't encouraged that yet.
Of course, certain works draw in clusters of appreciative followers, and there's the usual buzz running through the place: "Have you seen that one? Oh, you must! It's extraordinary!" But, with that many people moving about, and so many different offerings, it's impossible for a piece to go completely undiscovered. The artists must sense this, because no one seems inclined to amplify themselves using gimmicks or bribery (not to mention house rules that discourage that in the first place).
But, did you also notice how the floor of the gallery rotates every so often, to make sure the pieces front and center, the ones most visible when someone walks in the door, are perpetually shifting? Such a great touch. The designers really thought of everything! When I walked in a few weeks ago, I discovered a remarkable writer named Ramona Grigg who has several different styles from which to choose. The other day, Elizabeth Gilbert was up front, so I skirted around to the wings to find some other hidden treasures...
Beautifully imagined ... and the 'no shouting' about anything feels like the First Rule of Notes Club. The more of us gathering around a quiet celebration of words, ideas, and anything that deserves 'quiet celebration', perhaps the more likely it is that this particular gallery will become just such a place. There's a wonderful Christina Figueres quote in the book she co-authored with Tom Rivett-Carnac 'The Future We Choose' ... "optimism is about being able to intentionally identify and prescribe the desired future so as to actively pull it closer".
Sep 25, 2023·edited Sep 25, 2023Liked by Ramona Grigg
-- Beautifully pictured, bountifully perceived. As I recently wrote, there’s persuasion in fighting, in planting, in transforming. Your writing has been doing just that -- brilliantly, Ramona. Xo.
Yes yes yes I can see it . You describe it so eloquently I felt I could paint 🎨 it .. I certainly painted it in my mind .. I’m not sure where my room is .. it’s with the creatives, the amateur writers and abstract painters, the manifesting generators (HD ) of the world. The empaths, the survivors of searing trauma, the ones who have a passion, a need to share the sh*t, to be vulnerable to save others who are drowning in shame and despair... the light bringers.. Are any of you my tribe ??
I DO see it Ramona and thank you for providing us with such a splendid view of "what might be"! I have not personally undertaken to do much at/with Notes - in part because of a continuing sense of too much going on in my world right now. However, if and when the time is right I expect I may dive just a little deeper to see if I can gain new insights and understandings :-)
Sep 26, 2023·edited Sep 26, 2023Liked by Ramona Grigg
Yes, yes, yes. I love this vision. I'm lucky enough to live in a place where real life artists and writers live and gather. I like your premise that Notes is this space in the virtual world.
I (as a mostly atheist) have a view of an afterlife that is much like this. I'll get to hang out with my friends, all my cats will be there. I will not have to clean the litter box and I will have a never ending supply of the meatloaf sandwiches from Fare Market in Freeland.
I love this Ramona! I’m just been thinking about Notes, and how it fits with my other writing…I see my novels, Substack posts and Notes all as creative projects where I get to create and then share. With novels, the creating/sharing cycle is more protracted than my Substack posts, and with Notes, the creating/sharing can happen with even more immediacy and spontaneity. So your gallery analogy works beautifully!
I can't come to terms with Notes at all, either as a reader or writer. It reminds me so much of the 'noise' that was an integral part of Twitter. Which is why I left the platform.
"No one would think of shouting into this quiet, beautiful space when something they’ve offered has sold. When a sale did happen, no one would be bragging it up, waving the check around, showing off bank statements, explaining to the crowd how successful they’ve been at this particular gallery."
This is what is going to ruin notes. If anything does. It all feels like an Amway sales convention right now. Too many people hustling to make money rather than having a conversation.
Beautiful piece and that is my hope as well.
I see it! It's amazing and I want to hang out in that gallery.
Also, I can't believe you found the most perfect image to go with this article. It brilliantly illustrates what you are saying and gives it a greater impact!
Hi Ramona,
I love the picture you chose to represent the Notes gallery. It's perfect. And I love your vision for Notes.
But it does bring up the following question. Should we be encouraging our readers to become users of Notes? Is there any downside to that? I haven't encouraged that yet.
That photo brought back memories of a rainy day in Antwerp and wonderful hours in the Rubenshuis where I chatted with a guard in Dutch.
Of course, certain works draw in clusters of appreciative followers, and there's the usual buzz running through the place: "Have you seen that one? Oh, you must! It's extraordinary!" But, with that many people moving about, and so many different offerings, it's impossible for a piece to go completely undiscovered. The artists must sense this, because no one seems inclined to amplify themselves using gimmicks or bribery (not to mention house rules that discourage that in the first place).
But, did you also notice how the floor of the gallery rotates every so often, to make sure the pieces front and center, the ones most visible when someone walks in the door, are perpetually shifting? Such a great touch. The designers really thought of everything! When I walked in a few weeks ago, I discovered a remarkable writer named Ramona Grigg who has several different styles from which to choose. The other day, Elizabeth Gilbert was up front, so I skirted around to the wings to find some other hidden treasures...
Beautifully imagined ... and the 'no shouting' about anything feels like the First Rule of Notes Club. The more of us gathering around a quiet celebration of words, ideas, and anything that deserves 'quiet celebration', perhaps the more likely it is that this particular gallery will become just such a place. There's a wonderful Christina Figueres quote in the book she co-authored with Tom Rivett-Carnac 'The Future We Choose' ... "optimism is about being able to intentionally identify and prescribe the desired future so as to actively pull it closer".
-- Beautifully pictured, bountifully perceived. As I recently wrote, there’s persuasion in fighting, in planting, in transforming. Your writing has been doing just that -- brilliantly, Ramona. Xo.
Let's never forget the crazy dog people! You can certainly enter into this odd group any time, and we are NOT shy about sharing our furbaby pics.
Amazing that we humans refuse to simply exist. With each other. No expectations, demands, neediness.
Alas.
Wonderful afternoon here in Ramona’s Notes…so much to see… and great to share it with all of you who see it too.
Love it, Ramona! Let’s be the notes we want to see in the stack gallery. Thank you for this vision.
Yes yes yes I can see it . You describe it so eloquently I felt I could paint 🎨 it .. I certainly painted it in my mind .. I’m not sure where my room is .. it’s with the creatives, the amateur writers and abstract painters, the manifesting generators (HD ) of the world. The empaths, the survivors of searing trauma, the ones who have a passion, a need to share the sh*t, to be vulnerable to save others who are drowning in shame and despair... the light bringers.. Are any of you my tribe ??
I DO see it Ramona and thank you for providing us with such a splendid view of "what might be"! I have not personally undertaken to do much at/with Notes - in part because of a continuing sense of too much going on in my world right now. However, if and when the time is right I expect I may dive just a little deeper to see if I can gain new insights and understandings :-)
Yes, yes, yes. I love this vision. I'm lucky enough to live in a place where real life artists and writers live and gather. I like your premise that Notes is this space in the virtual world.
I (as a mostly atheist) have a view of an afterlife that is much like this. I'll get to hang out with my friends, all my cats will be there. I will not have to clean the litter box and I will have a never ending supply of the meatloaf sandwiches from Fare Market in Freeland.
I love this Ramona! I’m just been thinking about Notes, and how it fits with my other writing…I see my novels, Substack posts and Notes all as creative projects where I get to create and then share. With novels, the creating/sharing cycle is more protracted than my Substack posts, and with Notes, the creating/sharing can happen with even more immediacy and spontaneity. So your gallery analogy works beautifully!
I can't come to terms with Notes at all, either as a reader or writer. It reminds me so much of the 'noise' that was an integral part of Twitter. Which is why I left the platform.
I don't use Notes and probably won't ever.