Why Join the SFP? Reason #5...
Day 958, 14:30
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Published in USA 
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by
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by Silas Soule
Why You Should Join the Socialist Freedom Party
Reason #5: Meet Really Cool People... like rainy sunday!
This is the fifth in a humble series of articles encouraging you to check out one of the eUSA's most friendly small parties: the Socialist Freedom Party (SFP).
Some folks find a permanent home in the SFP. Others discover it's a good spring-board to activity in other areas. A number of immigrants to the US have found the SFP to be a friendly place to hang out.
While the Party would love to have everybody remain a member for-evah, the SFP is also happy with its reputation as a "training ground". And is proud to have friends and allies both in other US parties and around the world.
One of the most remarkable players to have graced the halls of the SFP's zeppelin port high atop Bear Mountain (betcha didn't know we had a zeppelin port... well, we do!) is the reknowned and much-admired rainy sunday.
rainy served as an outstanding Director of the Young Socialists program and was first elected to Congress as a member of the SFP. Now a SEESnik (Hail Glorious GF the Honorable Saviour, Prince of Revolution!), a member of Seal Team 6 (go kitteh!), a member of Congress, and publisher of the Sunday Papers (subscribe!), rainy still pops by from time to time to visit the SFP on its Forum.
The following exchange between rainy and PQ took place over several extra-super-grande lattes with 3 extra shots. (bzzzzzzz!)
Interview with rainy sunday
http://static.erepublik.com/uploads/avatars/Citizens/2009/06/23/bac4260b0462bd22a893fe2ceaa28734_100x100.jpg">
PQ: Assuming you're a goddess with infinite power to transform eRepublik, what's the first thing you would do to the New World?
http://static.erepublik.com/uploads/avatars/Citizens/2009/06/04/cb863f2b606172a94966b687485a72c1_100x100.jpg">
rainy: Same thing I'd do in RL, tear down language barriers. So much meaning & beauty is lost in translation.
If we cannot all agree (how bland that would be) or respectfully agree to disagree, it would be nice if we could all at least understand exactly what we're trying to communicate to one another without having to rely on someone else to translate. (Even though I'm a native English speaker, I'd prefer a common language with fewer ways to twist words and misconstrue meanings.)
I've used eRepublik plus with the translate article feature and tried several online translation tools, none I've found do languages justice.
I read limited spanish and french with significant effort but my writing ability in either is the equivalent to that of headless chicken-scratching. It's frustrating.
Fun Fact: The Internationale Forum supports 20 languages.
PQ: What's the most fun thing you've ever done in eRebuglik?
rainy: There is no one event or activity I can single out as most fun, truth is, my entire e-life has been one big fun thing. I believe only boring people get bored. One of my favorite things to do is explore – so when I'm not busy trying to keep up with commitments, I like to visit wiki and international media (past and present) and dig around. (Likely a reflection of my RL counterpart's interests in arts and archeology, anthropology and social sciences in general.)
PQ: You've long been noted as an an enthusiastic recruiter and a great mentor for newer players. What advice do you have for the SFP's Directors of Young Socialists and of the Department of Recruitment?
rainy: I think the most important thing any recruiter or educator can do is to take time to learn about their “recruit/student” first.
Perhaps it's my own defiant nature, but I've never been impressed with someone telling me what I can or cannot do, especially without a good explanation to back it up. My gut reaction to those kind of random messages is usually something along the lines of “Bugger off, it's MY e-life, I'll do what I want.” (insert preferred rude hand gesture here)
Some people may think that's a juvenile and self-defeating attitude but I believe it's one marker that separates the drive and determination of youth and the jaded apathy of someone who's already given up in life.
The best way to approach a new player, in my opinion, is to take a genuine personal interest in what it is they are interested in and offer to help them find the information and basic resources they need to get their feet on the ground. Be a friend first instead of trying to take advantage of another to build your party count, commune production output or !! numbers. That's a lot to ask of one recruiter or educator, it's something everyone in the party should be doing.
Don't speak down to a new member or assume they're on the same wavelength or level as the next guy. I use a KISS theory (keep it simple, stupid) when first meeting someone – and sometimes, I think that may give the impression that I have a simple mind, (and I do) but I enjoy watching how characters develop themselves, how they eventually reveal their own ideals and how they perceive life and their role in it.
Tl;dr ~ Listen, learn and lend a hand when you are able.
PQ: If you had to pick a theme song for the SFP, what would it be?
rainy: Tough question, SFP is a wonderfully diverse party and one I would never want to pigeonhole with one song or genre so I'll pass on picking a theme song.
I will share a couple of songs on my own playlist now, Bullet & A Target and The Sea Is Rising feel relevant to SFP's interests.
It's no secret I'm a huge fan of expression through music. Some days I rage, some days I laugh, some days I grieve, some days I dance. I'm guilty of promoting cheesy pop culture and occasionally displaying my own unchecked aggressiveness through music.
Music is a powerful language and it's always intrigued me how one song can hold so many meanings to different people at different times and places in their lives. Music is truly the soundtrack of life.
One thing I wish to see eRep developers do to improve the game is enable users to have more ways to use audio/visual expression within the game. That wish is not without serious flaws, I know, (nsfw, end-user tech limitations, etc.) but a girl can dream. (Another reflection of my RL counterpart, I am admittedly an undisciplined and timid writer in recent years; preferring more abstract poetry, music and arts over strictly text-based expression.)
PQ: What's your take on the whole e-socialism/e-communism thing? Does it have legs?
rainy: It absolutely does, not only does it have legs – it's the only logical way I foresee communities (nations, parties, militias, etc) being able to run in the future. Whether they choose to acknowledge it or not, most every citizen has benefited from e-socialism/e-communism in some manner or another. eSocialists/communists labor to raise up their community, not for mere personal gain or glory in a silly game.
PQ: V2. eRepublik Rising. Will it suck?
rainy: Heh, e-life is only as Great as you make it.
Personally, I'm looking forward to finding solutions to future challenges (especially since by the time I arrived in V1, most of the fun “puzzles” were already solved and some misguided ideas were readily accepted as common knowledge.)
PQ: You've done a lot of different stuff in eRepublik... run companies in Canada, cavorted around the world with Arjay P., ran the Young Socialists for the SFP, worked with the USWP and SEES, fought with Seal Team 6, been in Congress for several terms, worked in several capacities for the U.S. Government, and you publish your own paper on a fairly regular basis. So my question is: what is your favorite beverage?
rainy: Coffee – such a versatile and practical beverage – you'd be hard pressed to find me without a cup in hand at any hour. Fresh-brewed, fine-ground, whole bean coffee (preferably with Irish cream or whiskey.)
It's nice on ice, too.
“Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.”~Alex Levine
PQ: When are you going to run for President?
rainy: That's a highly unlikely prospect, for the time-being I'm here for your entertainment and my own. (oops, I did it again.)
Unless you're offering to be my running mate, PQ?
Seriously, I don't feel I've reached a point to really consider it. In part because I'm not that ambitious, self-loathing or egocentric. I am learning though and I have had some pretty Great Teachers.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1WqayuIqpEk/SvGfxa12WwI/AAAAAAAAAQc/AVGw_zRk_I8/s320/lg_SmileyWink.jpg">
I don't think I've demonstrated my abilities clearly or loudly enough to garner broad support nor earned the confidence of the US Military, something I believe is critical to a President's success.
PQ: Thanks for the insights, rainy. Best of luck to you in V2!
Meet cool people! Join the Socialist Freedom Party.
For more background on the SFP, check out the SFP Wiki and the SFP Forum.
Reason #5: Meet Really Cool People... like rainy sunday!
This is the fifth in a humble series of articles encouraging you to check out one of the eUSA's most friendly small parties: the Socialist Freedom Party (SFP).
Some folks find a permanent home in the SFP. Others discover it's a good spring-board to activity in other areas. A number of immigrants to the US have found the SFP to be a friendly place to hang out.
While the Party would love to have everybody remain a member for-evah, the SFP is also happy with its reputation as a "training ground". And is proud to have friends and allies both in other US parties and around the world.
One of the most remarkable players to have graced the halls of the SFP's zeppelin port high atop Bear Mountain (betcha didn't know we had a zeppelin port... well, we do!) is the reknowned and much-admired rainy sunday.
rainy served as an outstanding Director of the Young Socialists program and was first elected to Congress as a member of the SFP. Now a SEESnik (Hail Glorious GF the Honorable Saviour, Prince of Revolution!), a member of Seal Team 6 (go kitteh!), a member of Congress, and publisher of the Sunday Papers (subscribe!), rainy still pops by from time to time to visit the SFP on its Forum.
The following exchange between rainy and PQ took place over several extra-super-grande lattes with 3 extra shots. (bzzzzzzz!)
Interview with rainy sunday
PQ: Assuming you're a goddess with infinite power to transform eRepublik, what's the first thing you would do to the New World?
rainy: Same thing I'd do in RL, tear down language barriers. So much meaning & beauty is lost in translation.
If we cannot all agree (how bland that would be) or respectfully agree to disagree, it would be nice if we could all at least understand exactly what we're trying to communicate to one another without having to rely on someone else to translate. (Even though I'm a native English speaker, I'd prefer a common language with fewer ways to twist words and misconstrue meanings.)
I've used eRepublik plus with the translate article feature and tried several online translation tools, none I've found do languages justice.
I read limited spanish and french with significant effort but my writing ability in either is the equivalent to that of headless chicken-scratching. It's frustrating.
Fun Fact: The Internationale Forum supports 20 languages.
PQ: What's the most fun thing you've ever done in eRebuglik?
rainy: There is no one event or activity I can single out as most fun, truth is, my entire e-life has been one big fun thing. I believe only boring people get bored. One of my favorite things to do is explore – so when I'm not busy trying to keep up with commitments, I like to visit wiki and international media (past and present) and dig around. (Likely a reflection of my RL counterpart's interests in arts and archeology, anthropology and social sciences in general.)
PQ: You've long been noted as an an enthusiastic recruiter and a great mentor for newer players. What advice do you have for the SFP's Directors of Young Socialists and of the Department of Recruitment?
rainy: I think the most important thing any recruiter or educator can do is to take time to learn about their “recruit/student” first.
Perhaps it's my own defiant nature, but I've never been impressed with someone telling me what I can or cannot do, especially without a good explanation to back it up. My gut reaction to those kind of random messages is usually something along the lines of “Bugger off, it's MY e-life, I'll do what I want.” (insert preferred rude hand gesture here)
Some people may think that's a juvenile and self-defeating attitude but I believe it's one marker that separates the drive and determination of youth and the jaded apathy of someone who's already given up in life.
The best way to approach a new player, in my opinion, is to take a genuine personal interest in what it is they are interested in and offer to help them find the information and basic resources they need to get their feet on the ground. Be a friend first instead of trying to take advantage of another to build your party count, commune production output or !! numbers. That's a lot to ask of one recruiter or educator, it's something everyone in the party should be doing.
Don't speak down to a new member or assume they're on the same wavelength or level as the next guy. I use a KISS theory (keep it simple, stupid) when first meeting someone – and sometimes, I think that may give the impression that I have a simple mind, (and I do) but I enjoy watching how characters develop themselves, how they eventually reveal their own ideals and how they perceive life and their role in it.
Tl;dr ~ Listen, learn and lend a hand when you are able.
PQ: If you had to pick a theme song for the SFP, what would it be?
rainy: Tough question, SFP is a wonderfully diverse party and one I would never want to pigeonhole with one song or genre so I'll pass on picking a theme song.
I will share a couple of songs on my own playlist now, Bullet & A Target and The Sea Is Rising feel relevant to SFP's interests.
It's no secret I'm a huge fan of expression through music. Some days I rage, some days I laugh, some days I grieve, some days I dance. I'm guilty of promoting cheesy pop culture and occasionally displaying my own unchecked aggressiveness through music.
Music is a powerful language and it's always intrigued me how one song can hold so many meanings to different people at different times and places in their lives. Music is truly the soundtrack of life.
One thing I wish to see eRep developers do to improve the game is enable users to have more ways to use audio/visual expression within the game. That wish is not without serious flaws, I know, (nsfw, end-user tech limitations, etc.) but a girl can dream. (Another reflection of my RL counterpart, I am admittedly an undisciplined and timid writer in recent years; preferring more abstract poetry, music and arts over strictly text-based expression.)
PQ: What's your take on the whole e-socialism/e-communism thing? Does it have legs?
rainy: It absolutely does, not only does it have legs – it's the only logical way I foresee communities (nations, parties, militias, etc) being able to run in the future. Whether they choose to acknowledge it or not, most every citizen has benefited from e-socialism/e-communism in some manner or another. eSocialists/communists labor to raise up their community, not for mere personal gain or glory in a silly game.
PQ: V2. eRepublik Rising. Will it suck?
rainy: Heh, e-life is only as Great as you make it.
Personally, I'm looking forward to finding solutions to future challenges (especially since by the time I arrived in V1, most of the fun “puzzles” were already solved and some misguided ideas were readily accepted as common knowledge.)
PQ: You've done a lot of different stuff in eRepublik... run companies in Canada, cavorted around the world with Arjay P., ran the Young Socialists for the SFP, worked with the USWP and SEES, fought with Seal Team 6, been in Congress for several terms, worked in several capacities for the U.S. Government, and you publish your own paper on a fairly regular basis. So my question is: what is your favorite beverage?
rainy: Coffee – such a versatile and practical beverage – you'd be hard pressed to find me without a cup in hand at any hour. Fresh-brewed, fine-ground, whole bean coffee (preferably with Irish cream or whiskey.)
It's nice on ice, too.
“Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.”~Alex Levine
PQ: When are you going to run for President?
rainy: That's a highly unlikely prospect, for the time-being I'm here for your entertainment and my own. (oops, I did it again.)
Unless you're offering to be my running mate, PQ?
Seriously, I don't feel I've reached a point to really consider it. In part because I'm not that ambitious, self-loathing or egocentric. I am learning though and I have had some pretty Great Teachers.
I don't think I've demonstrated my abilities clearly or loudly enough to garner broad support nor earned the confidence of the US Military, something I believe is critical to a President's success.
PQ: Thanks for the insights, rainy. Best of luck to you in V2!
Meet cool people! Join the Socialist Freedom Party.
For more background on the SFP, check out the SFP Wiki and the SFP Forum.
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Comments
Stop by the SFP forum for a coffee!
rainy sunday rulz
rainy sunday is awesome
Rainy ftw
We love rainysunday
Wow, I'm in Switzerland and Party President of the Swiss Freedom Party 😛
http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/the-tale-of-three-languages-1446030/1/20">http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/the-[..]/1/20
@Paul Proteus: from one SFP to another, hi there! 😃
<3
Good stuff. 😃
SFP=Ubernatical ownagealicious epicnicity
some things haven't changed ^_~