Michael Humphrey's Open Salon Blog

Thank you everyone...now back to Emily

Fri, 7 Jan 2011 19:01:42 -0500

That was fun! And a lesson in how to begin the destruction of a website. But, with your help, we survived.

Thanks to all of you who kept a good eye out for posts, especially Cartouche and O'Really. They were both incredibly helpful. (I know, I know!) Thanks to Catherine Forsythe for zapping spam during her vacation!

You really are a wonderful bunch of very talented people. Please keep in touch. If you have Twitter, I am @mlhumph3. All my other contact info is at mhumphrey.com.

What a joy!

- Mike

Salon Kitchen Challenge: Hot Soup

Tue, 4 Jan 2011 17:01:20 -0500

Last week, we asked for your best solutions in case of emergencies. Our Open Salon heroes came to the rescue. Congratulations to Grace Hwang Lynch for Pasta Puttanesca and the saucy story that came with it. She's this week's winner with alternates Meg Whitlock for Emergency chocolate dump cake and Felisa Rogers for Black bean soup.

Also honorable mentions to: Theresa Rice, Kolika Elle Kirk, Vivian Henoch, Catalyst 40+ and Paul J. O'Rourke.

This week, Considering the bad-weather theme of this past week's challenge, it's surprising that there weren't more entries for soup -- I mean, when you're snowed in and cold, you may also be in a mood for some hearty, warming food.

But of course we don't need to have extreme weather to want that kind of satisfaction, so this week, please share with us your best hot winter soups.

Be sure to tag your posts: SKC hot soup

Please note that by participating, you're giving Salon permission to re-post your entry if it's chosen as a winner, and acknowledging that all words and images in your post are your own, unless explicitly stated. Adaptations of existing recipes are fine, but please let us know where the original comes from. And if you'd like to participate but not have your post considered for republication on Salon, please note it in the post itself. Thanks!

Deadline: 10 AM EST on Monday, January 10

Finally, if you would like your piece, should it win the contest, to be cross-posted on Salon under your real name, please include that information in your post. In other cases, your story will be republished under your OS pseudonym.

On the road and off the web

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 08:12:23 -0500

Dear OSers,

The first leg of my move from New York City to Fort Collins, Co. is about to begin. I will be incommunicado over the long holiday weekend. Perhaps Tink will assume I've escaped. But why would I? This Open Salon experience has been every bit as educational as my master's program. I was about to list everything I've learned so far, but that's just preaching to the choir. Suffice it to say it's a site filled with wit, wisdom and much more. (The much more being the most educational.)

No, creeks notwithstanding, I will come to you on Tuesday via Kansas City, Mo., where I worked for 12 years and still own a home. There we will pack the rest of our belongings and then continue west after I've finished my Open Salon curriculum.

Thanks to you all for your patience with me this week.

One note: please do mail me if you write or read something I should consider for EP. I've pre-loaded today's and tomorrow's page, but I will be looking for good work for quick updates on Sunday and Monday. By Tuesday, we'll be totally live again, with Kitchen Challenge winners and eagerly anticipating the poetry.

Have a safe and happy New Year's Eve and here's to a brilliant 2011.

Salon Kitchen Challenge: Emergency preparedness

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 12:12:24 -0500

Last week, we asked for your best dishes to ring in the New Year. You did not disappoint. Congratulations to Felicia Lee for her DIY Hot Pot. Congratulations also go out to Alternate Winners Lucy Mercer for Indian spiced black-eyed peas and Linda Shiue for her Coconut pineapple upside-down cakes.

Honorable mentions went to: Fusun Atalay, Vivian Henoch and Theresa Rice.

This week, we're thinking about the stormy weather. We want to read about your best and / or easiest dishes to make when you're huddled inside and are left to your own devices and the things you normally keep in your cupboard, fridge and freezer. As Francis wrote, "We'll be printing these recipes out for our emergency preparedness kits."

Be sure to tag your posts: SKC emergency preparedness

Deadline: 10 AM EST on Monday, January 3

Recognizing OS poets, with your help

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 17:12:32 -0500

NOTE: PLEASE SEND YOUR FAVORITE POEMS FROM OPEN SALON TO DAVE R. BY JAN. 1 (his site is here)

Dear OS poets and poetry lovers:

One of the most common messages I have been receiving so far is this: RECOGNIZE POETRY.

The front page of Open Salon is meant to reflect the news, essays and commentary of the day. Poetry can reflect the present moment, of course, but curating and selecting it offers a challenge that we trained in news and prose should probably avoid. I can say as an objective outsider that this explains the issue more than any bias against poetry. (And all of that is my opinion, not the official word from Salon.)

But I like poets and poetry. And the year-end timing (not to mention substitute teacher vibe) seems like a good opportunity to fulfill this request.

We'll need your help. Dave R., who has selflessly collected his favorite poems weekly, has agreed to help with a Best of 2010 in OS Poets list.

Please send Dave your favorite poem found on Open Salon by Jan. 1. He will post the results by Jan. 4.

PLEASE SEND LINKS TO THE POEMS, NOT THE POEMS THEMSELVES

Dave will compile the list based on your feedback.

Thanks, in advance, for your help.

Mike