April Showers Bring May Flowers*

April 11, 2017 3:25 AM

What we plant, we sow. The flowers we have during the summer can be of our choosing. How about we take from whenever this is posted until May 1 to create as many simply happy, joyous, silly, or positive posts as possible to The Blue?

Animal videos that are happy! "News Of The Weird" as long as the weird is wonderful! World Events News posts that bring a smile! We can use it right now! More explanation points!

I mean, really, I'm looking at the front page right now, and it's not a happy place overall. Let's pull the nose up on this negativity train.



*but what to May flowers bring? Pilgrims! #sorrynotsorry

posted by hippybear to MetaFilter-Related at 3:25 AM (32 comments total)

Nice. :) Also, Eyebrows was just talking about possibilities for a theme month for May, so ideas about that are welcome, too.
posted by taz (staff) at 3:28 AM on April 11, 2017

**jokes aren't funny if you misspell them
posted by hippybear at 3:31 AM on April 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

heh. I had to read it three times to find the misspelling. Brain just automagically substituted the right word.
posted by taz (staff) at 3:41 AM on April 11, 2017

Cue torrent of negativity from the Southern hemisphere...
posted by pompomtom at 3:42 AM on April 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

We can do it again in October! I don't think the world will run out of positivity and happiness in a way we can't do it again! Half a month, twice a year! Yay! *flailing Kermit arms*
posted by hippybear at 3:45 AM on April 11, 2017 [6 favorites]

I like the spirit of this idea. Note: We discussed something similar a couple of years ago. Maybe we could not repeat those arguments? If you have something happy to post in these difficult times, please feel encouraged to do so. (Corgis, folks. How about some funny Corgis?)
posted by MonkeyToes at 5:23 AM on April 11, 2017 [5 favorites]

April is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
posted by juv3nal at 5:27 AM on April 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

I like this idea!
posted by valkane at 5:53 AM on April 11, 2017

the last post I made I was worried was a little thin or that people wouldn't like it but turns out everyone (even men with steel hearts ) loves a dog on the pitch. so let me encourage you to post that silly thing! it'll make someone feel good and then it'll make you feel good.

also please do this so that i don't go insane trying to finish my dissertation
posted by dismas at 6:07 AM on April 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

Yaypril!
posted by Kabanos at 7:09 AM on April 11, 2017 [16 favorites]

I think April being National Letter Writing Month is a happy thing, maybe just because I like to write and send letters and postcards? But I'm not sure it's worthy of a FPP and I have no idea how to put one together - isn't there a Wiki or a link to advice for that? (and, really, if the act of writing a letter to a new pen pal was anxiety inducing, how much more would a first post be? :) )
posted by needlegrrl at 8:42 AM on April 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

* checks April posts for backtagging with "Yaypril" *
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 8:54 AM on April 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

{blows dust off FPP draft folder}

Partially completed FPPs I have are:

* Changes to the laws of cricket
* A ten hour video loop of a cat licking his arse
* Using the new Unpaywall extension to find free academic papers
* Words of an obscure nature
* The Tandy TRS-80
* Non-edible uses of cheese
* Fish and chips
* Why is poo brown?
* 1977 in geek and nerd culture
* Library catalog cards
* Pork tenderloins of Iowa

Any of those fit your criteria?
posted by Wordshore at 9:17 AM on April 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

Any of those fit your criteria?

We have until May 1! Post them all!
posted by hippybear at 9:37 AM on April 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

I always wanted to do an fpp about the Lemongello family and their misadventures, which may be interesting and fun to read about to me (and hopefully others), I dunno if I'd call it 'joyous' per se.
posted by jonmc at 9:41 AM on April 11, 2017

Non-edible uses of cheese

So your friend still hasn't been able to get rid of it all, eh?
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:17 AM on April 11, 2017 [10 favorites]

I found the links, with some help! (thanks!)

In case anyone else is looking for them -

Mefi Wiki - What is a Good Post

Also, Michele in Calaifornia posted a link to a First Post Tutorial blog entry
posted by needlegrrl at 10:44 AM on April 11, 2017 [8 favorites]

I always wanted to do an fpp about the Lemongello family and their misadventures

Please don't. The "Lemonjello"/"Orangejello" (and "L-a" etc.) thing is generally considered racist. It's also been debunked.
posted by Lexica at 12:35 PM on April 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

Lexica - I'm talking about an actual family of people with that name which included a crooner, a pro bowler/bowling hustler and a major league pitcher. The latter (with help from a teammate) kidnapped the former two for ransom, among other misadventures. The stuff you linked to, I was not aware of.
posted by jonmc at 12:42 PM on April 11, 2017 [5 favorites]

Heads up then that you'll need to be careful in the framing to make it clear that it's not just more racist name-mocking.
posted by Lexica at 12:42 PM on April 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

I'd provide links but I'm on the phone at work and don't have time or skills.
posted by jonmc at 12:43 PM on April 11, 2017

FWIW, I totally got the Lemongello (with a "g," not a "j") reference, as in the family containing the 1970's "Do I Love You" dude who went to prison for something I no longer remember.
posted by holborne at 2:17 PM on April 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

I'm in Australia. I hope that our April showers (we just had a flood) bring May habaneros (they won't), because I need a couple of kilos of those things and they can't be found for love or money and my plants aren't yet properly established.
posted by turbid dahlia at 6:05 PM on April 11, 2017

needlegrrl, coming over here after seeing your post on the Blue to say you knocked it out of the park!
posted by MCMikeNamara at 6:56 PM on April 11, 2017 [8 favorites]

Hey needlegrrl -- echoing MCMikeNamara here. If THAT is your first FPP, then you've studied the form well and have achieved some kind of mastery through observation, because that's a total pro first post! Well done! Also, great comments!
posted by hippybear at 2:41 AM on April 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

Yes, I also enjoyed your post, needlegrrl.
posted by paduasoy at 4:42 AM on April 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Thanks, everyone! I paid attention to the wiki articles, as well as reviewing the #julybywomen metatalk post and recommendations, thanks to a memail of encouragement from someone.

I now have a deeper appreciation of the posts and how long it takes to put one together, and can't wait to post again!
posted by needlegrrl at 6:44 AM on April 12, 2017 [11 favorites]

Done. What's on next?
posted by infini at 1:14 PM on April 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

needlegrrl: I now have a deeper appreciation of the posts and how long it takes to put one together, and can't wait to post again!

Looks like you have less than 5 hours to wait ;)


infini: Done. What's on next?

Moar! Always moar! There's plenty of seriousness and shittiness out there as of late, and as the saying goes, when they go low, we go weird and whimsical.
posted by filthy light thief at 1:53 PM on April 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

Thanks for the prompt hippybear. Silly and thin but it made me laugh so fuck it, it's up.
posted by billiebee at 1:58 PM on April 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

Today in particular I am really really appreciating this feel good trend. I think we should turn it into a cult and keep it all the time.
posted by frecklefaerie at 11:30 AM on April 13, 2017

I was inspired by this month to finally make a post about Kasey Rogers who is cool enough to have had obituaries on Bewitched and motocross websites.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:13 PM on April 14, 2017 [3 favorites]