Sunday, March 11, 2012

"Fresh off tha Hook" scared me a little...

Okay. Remember when I told you that I joined a YouTube group - called Fresh off tha Hook. BTW I know 'the' is spelled wrong - it drives me kinda nutty but that is the 'official' spelling.

Well, I had to quit it a few days ago.

Let me tell you why.  This group was Serious.  Really.  I thought I was signing up for a fun group whose main focus was to show off the stuff we made for the week.  I was wrong.  This group was clearly more than that.

On Wednesday, March 7, I looked at the group page to find some new "guidelines" posted.  And to be completely honest - I got a little scared.  When I read them, I was like: "What did I SIGN UP for?????"  These rules, yall, are CA-RAZY.

Here is a paraphrasing of the rules- believe me when I say I am doing you a favor by paraphrasing - because the original document is EXTREMELY wordy.  However, if you really want to see it (for accuracy's sake), let me know - and I will send it to you ;).

1.) Include an intro/outro to all FOTH videos (that will be provided).
(ummm, no.  I don't edit my videos unless I really, REALLY have to - like for tutorials - and even those don't have intros)
2.) No adult content
(ok)
3.) Give credit where credit is due
(of course!)
4.) In the description - include member links)
(ok)
5.) Videos should be crochet only
(ummm... okay, fine)
6.) Encourage audience to click like, subscribe, and leave a comment on other member videos.
(I don't even do that for my OWN videos - So, no)
7.) Invite people to join FOTH.
(ok)
8.) Do NOT share information.
(Obviously, no - as I am breaking this rule with this post.  lol)
9.) You must subscribe to every single FOTH member.
(Ummm, again no. This is the one I highlighted in my vlog about leaving.)
10.)You may only be involved in ONE youtube crochet group.
(Wow.  Is this a cult or something?)
11.)Do not share any controversy about the group (with ANYONE outside the group).
(Or maybe this is a sorority...)
12.) If you do decide leave don't tell anyone.
(No, this must definitely be a cult...)

As you can see, this group was not for me.  I had to quit (along with a few other people). And a few more want to leave - but are afraid of the backlash.  Apparently, she has some really loyal believers ahem, members who will NOT tolerate someone leaving... and talking about it. 

...

Scary, right?

Fortunately, there is another group dedicated to showing off our freshly crafted items that is, thankfully a lot more *normal* from what I can tell, so far.  And fortunately, this group does not limit our items to crochet only.  You will hear more about them soon!

I am off to bed.







21 comments:

Libby said...

Those rules are a little bit too strange for me. Glad you got out while you could. lol

Anonymous said...

The group was intentionally suppose to be about showing your yarn projects.. Inspire other people and just have fun.
I'm glad I never joined and i'm VERY DISGUSTED with how its turning out.

Anonymous said...

wow this is Messy, I guess you like drama,thats the reason why you post this right,you left her group so why cant you just leave and move on, looks like someone needs to grow up!

Anonymous said...

I use to be apart of the group as well,and I am good friends with the founder of the group.I must say these guidelines are not the original guidelines please dont put up lies about the group. Be respectful please, if you want to kno the truth go to the founder herself Im sure she will be happy to answer any questions you may have. (She did not want me to comment but I just had to!)

Anonymous said...

MESSY,MESSY, MESSY!!!! I can't believe that there are those who just keep mess going and going. WOW!!! You left that group and yet you keep posting about what's going on. It sounds personal and like you are attacking the founder. I know the founder and she has a sweet spirit, she is an awesome woman and SHE IS AN AWESOME CROCHET ARTIST!!!! Just leave it alone and DO YOU!!! Work your hook like you want to and go on with your life. Oh and as far as you not liking rules, try driving 75 in a 25 mph school zone and watch that rule take effect....QUICKLY!!!

Anonymous said...

Seriously, the H.C.B.I.C (that's Head Crochet B*tch In Charge) has totally gone off her rocker. Crocheting & knitting are supposed to bring people together, you know for all that yarn-bonding time. But the latest "rules" for Fresh Off Tha Hook only confirm my fears of returning to Rhinebeck, NY, where getting between a crocheter/knitter and the yarn he/she wants can be life-threatening.

Calling the 'new' group a Cult will be justified if, and the remaining members adhere to these new ridiculous rules and 'obey' their leader.

Me? Hell no. I've got a mind of my own and I can only hope the rest of the group wises up soon.

Anonymous said...

Oh, and, I personally did read the new rules, sent from the "sweet spirited" founder herself. So, if you're still in the group and are denying these rules exist, well, I'm afraid you've already been brainwashed and Libby's initial reaction to the group becoming a Cult was spot-on.

Anonymous said...

Correction--the last sentence above should have read AyanaRED's initial reaction was spot on.

Unknown said...

Anonymous #2, #3, and #4, exactly what did I misrepresent?

LaShawn Wiltz said...

Ummm, hmmmmm. It does sound a little cultish.....

dalequan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
dalequan said...

Personally I believe that unless you are organizing into a non-profit etc that your organization does not need strict rules. Especially if that organization is for fellow shipping whether religious or any other type. If people want to get together to celebrate yarn and yarn creations then only a few rules need apply to keep the peace. Do not use or give away other's designs without the persons permission, be aware of who your audience is and use language appropriate to that audience so as not to offend anyone, label items that may be "adult" oriented and put an age restriction on the content and make it private so only adult viewers see it, "the term fresh off the hook" has been around since I was a child of the seventies and the eighties where everything was "fresh" this and "fresh that". Having said that I'm not ashamed to identify myself cause I could care less what people think I'm just saying why make a good situation uncomfortable. Some people use this community because it's the only way for them to be with like crafting people. They may live in isolated places, have medical conditions that do not allow them to get out much or not have other crafters around that they can share their love of crochet with. Real friendships are being made everyday and now people feel pressured to do something that they may not want to do but feel they have to do in order to maintain those friends they've made.
http://www.howcultswork.com/ this is a website that parents are told about in church, community meetings, etc. so they know the warning signs. Fresh off da Hook is beginning to hit many of those warning markers that would identify it as a cult. I don't care about your rule etc. I care about people and I don't feel the people should be forced to make choices that would limit them as craftsmen and individuals.

dalequan said...

Yes. I realize I didn't use correct punctuation. It was my thoughts how they flowed then and there. It's called "free writing". Try it.

Unknown said...

Juanita!! Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment!

Anonymous said...

I’m sorry but it seem to me that you want to start something to get more blog views and youtube views as well. I looked at your views and the highest view was when you posted about leaving fresh off tha hook. How you going to say you love Fresh off tha Hook, but then on your comments below you talking trash about them. This sounds way too childish for me. I know every Group have rules and such and it’s up to the person to leave. No one is putting a gun to your head saying sign by the dotted lines and such. I mean some that’s talking about the fresh off tha hook creator rules and such are in a group that has crazy rule : http://www.facebook.com/groups/add1947ibba/doc/192421170825300/ but I don’t see no videos about them! I’m sorry but I these rule OVW applied to the group makes sense because some people join that particular group to be noisy and try to create negativity things about the group. People see good things and they just want to be all rude and nasty because you don’t want to respect the rules. Didn’t you get married? Aren’t you following the Marriage Law? Do you take out trash a certain day? Do you speed near a school zone? Do you cheat on your husband (because you don’t like following the rules)? Do you put your children in a car seat? You never hear any dirt about the group until another crochet group got created a few months ago the same group you are hopping too (THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MOMENT AND ASK YOURSELF WHY?) there are too sides off every story! In Life you are supposed to respect people and treat people the way you want to be treated. For the people that says the Group is a cult, I guess football, Baseball and any other sport or Job corporations is a Cult as well because all of them has rules and regulations behind it too You can’t work for Jacksons Hewitt and work for H&R Block at the same time or you can’t be in too football team LOL I just think people just need to grow up and move on. You Left the group and just let it be. If she the creator wants the Group to be about crochet then so be it…I swore before it got known it was just about crochet anyway!

Unknown said...

Anonymous #8 (the 8th anonymous post - it is getting confusing to respond to you guys just use a fake name or something :/)

You raise an excellent point! I do have to follow rules in the *real world*. And I do usually say: "I hate rules". But to be completely honest I don't hate all rules. Some (when they actually make sense) don't bother me at all. Like my child being in the carseat - I would follow that one even if I didn't have to!

But thank you for your thoughtful post. I love hearing the (thoughtful) opposing arguments. Keeps me thinking logically.

Unknown said...

LOL! Libby! "Glad you got out while you could".

Unknown said...

Rose's Daughter, & Anonymous #1: "I know! It is serious, over here in youtube land!"

Unknown said...

SMH n leaves the page lol thinking...What do ppl be thinking and Call themselves friendly....

ImaQween said...

Scarrry! I am going to check out the new one you joined.

Unknown said...

That is exactly why I didn't want to join that group!! My teen daughter asked "Did she have to get jumped out?" LOL! Sounds like a gang to me! Glad you are free of that mess.