Changed the placeholder text and modified the css class to make it visible

Gemfile.lock

@@ -855,3 +855,6 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   virtus
   webmock (~> 1.21.0)
   wikicloth (= 0.8.1)
+
+BUNDLED WITH
+   1.10.3

app/assets/stylesheets/generic/zen.scss

@@ -63,43 +63,24 @@
     }
   }
 
-  // Make the placeholder text in the standard textarea the same color as the
-  // background, effectively hiding it
-
-  .zen-backdrop textarea::-webkit-input-placeholder {
-    color: white;
-  }
-
-  .zen-backdrop textarea:-moz-placeholder {
-    color: white;
-  }
-
-  .zen-backdrop textarea::-moz-placeholder {
-    color: white;
-  }
-
-  .zen-backdrop textarea:-ms-input-placeholder {
-    color: white;
-  }
-
   // Make the color of the placeholder text in the Zenned-out textarea darker,
   // so it becomes visible
 
   input:checked ~ .zen-backdrop textarea::-webkit-input-placeholder {
-    color: #999;
+    color: #A8A8A8;
   }
 
   input:checked ~ .zen-backdrop textarea:-moz-placeholder {
-    color: #999;
+    color: #A8A8A8;
     opacity: 1;
   }
 
   input:checked ~ .zen-backdrop textarea::-moz-placeholder {
-    color: #999;
+    color: #A8A8A8;
     opacity: 1;
   }
 
   input:checked ~ .zen-backdrop textarea:-ms-input-placeholder {
-    color: #999;
+    color: #A8A8A8;
   }
 }

app/views/projects/_zen.html.haml

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   %input#zen-toggle-comment.zen-toggle-comment{ tabindex: '-1', type: 'checkbox' }
   .zen-backdrop
     - classes << ' js-gfm-input markdown-area'
-    = f.text_area attr, class: classes, placeholder: 'Leave a comment'
+    = f.text_area attr, class: classes, placeholder: 'You can tag other participants like this: @michael do you think this is a good idea? Also @deborah, what do you think?'
     = link_to nil, class: 'zen-enter-link', tabindex: '-1' do
       %i.fa.fa-expand
       Edit in fullscreen