![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
There's much talk lately from many corners of this small universe grown too large for comfort. It's talk of leaving, changing, posting from other places, feeding from other sites, watching from afar. Talk of distance and going away. Fresh beginnings. New starts. It is, after all, spring.
I'm not immune to the idea of picking up and leaving. There's the thrill of the unknown, the challenge of creating something--whether new and different or much the same--in a place that is unfamiliar. I have staked my claims as they have presented themselves. Vox. Oh, yes. I have an account, created it, and forgot about it. I can't seem to get motivated, in spite of the Team Vox! inspirational messages that come at me every time I visit the site! Team Vox! Fuck yeah! News & Politics! Health & Beauty! Team Vox! It kinda makes me feel like I'm in a Pokemon movie when I'm there. It's too busy, too much, too commercial and slick for me. There's too much going on, like being yelled at by a bunch of virtual carnies. I can't write much when I feel like punching people in the face.
Myspace. I won't even go there with the complete goddamn annoyance that place is to me. And then came Facebook. Facebook. I really thought about it. I did. But I just couldn't bring myself to take the plunge. I don't want to be found and I don't want to find. I don't care what my sixth grade boyfriend is doing now. I don't want every person I haven't cared to keep in touch with over the last 20 years picking my life apart. I know, I know...I can filter. I can control access. But I don't want to...it's exhausting to have to be vigilant about who sees me and who doesn't. I have a job where it matters, where not-so-nice people don't need to know any more about me than what they see. I filter here too, having more private conversations with people I've grown to know and trust. Maybe it's not so much that I don't have it in me again to be watchful, but more that I don't have it in me to be patient with the process of socializing.
Twitter? Even the name is irksome. It reminds me of the old Star Trek episode where they go to the planet where the people all sound like buzzing mosquitos. It's like texting. Another annoyance that I am glad to be too fucking old to indulge in...I know, I know...I sound like an old fart. I am. I am an old fart who actually still writes letters and uses paper. I don't e-vite, I don't spark, I don't instant message. I have tried them all and found them lacking in both substance and style. They are not my cup of tea and I bear no grudge to those of you who twitter, twatter, instant schmessage, what-ever-the-fuck-you-care-to-do. Have at it with my best wishes. I'll wave good tidings to you from the anachronistic shores that give me the illusion of solid ground under my own feet.
So now there's Dreamwidth...not quite open yet, but still accessible. I like it, mostly because it has that clunky, earnest feeling to it that LJ did when I joined almost a decade ago. The name is silly, but the place may have potential. It's too early to tell. And there's the decision of what to do with all this here...years of writing. I doubt that I'll pick up and move. I'll probably just stay here and write to an audience of Russian spambots for another few years. Honestly, the idea of my journal simply disappearing into the ether, unsaved, is almost comforting. I don't cling to my writing as much as I used to do. It is important to me in other ways, but I don't kid myself that it matters nearly as much as I once thought it did. I would miss some of you dearly, but I have been lucky. Most of the friendships cultivated here on LJ have transcended the medium and spilled over into other places and spaces, virtual and solid. Maybe some of you would even miss me. But we would all move along and get on to the next thing waiting for us...that's how it works. We all keep moving.
I want to stay, but that's always how it is. I have joined and left all sorts of virtual communities over the years. I change and move as it suits me, just like everyone. I don't know that I like it here anymore, even as I keep coming back to read and sometimes to write. There's more to me than what I have been doing here, but the creative energy that used to run through this place seems diminished now. Our words are lacking. My words. I stay because I have no better idea. I stay because I secretly hope for a renaissance. I stay because I would miss some of you too much to ever really say goodbye.
I'm not immune to the idea of picking up and leaving. There's the thrill of the unknown, the challenge of creating something--whether new and different or much the same--in a place that is unfamiliar. I have staked my claims as they have presented themselves. Vox. Oh, yes. I have an account, created it, and forgot about it. I can't seem to get motivated, in spite of the Team Vox! inspirational messages that come at me every time I visit the site! Team Vox! Fuck yeah! News & Politics! Health & Beauty! Team Vox! It kinda makes me feel like I'm in a Pokemon movie when I'm there. It's too busy, too much, too commercial and slick for me. There's too much going on, like being yelled at by a bunch of virtual carnies. I can't write much when I feel like punching people in the face.
Myspace. I won't even go there with the complete goddamn annoyance that place is to me. And then came Facebook. Facebook. I really thought about it. I did. But I just couldn't bring myself to take the plunge. I don't want to be found and I don't want to find. I don't care what my sixth grade boyfriend is doing now. I don't want every person I haven't cared to keep in touch with over the last 20 years picking my life apart. I know, I know...I can filter. I can control access. But I don't want to...it's exhausting to have to be vigilant about who sees me and who doesn't. I have a job where it matters, where not-so-nice people don't need to know any more about me than what they see. I filter here too, having more private conversations with people I've grown to know and trust. Maybe it's not so much that I don't have it in me again to be watchful, but more that I don't have it in me to be patient with the process of socializing.
Twitter? Even the name is irksome. It reminds me of the old Star Trek episode where they go to the planet where the people all sound like buzzing mosquitos. It's like texting. Another annoyance that I am glad to be too fucking old to indulge in...I know, I know...I sound like an old fart. I am. I am an old fart who actually still writes letters and uses paper. I don't e-vite, I don't spark, I don't instant message. I have tried them all and found them lacking in both substance and style. They are not my cup of tea and I bear no grudge to those of you who twitter, twatter, instant schmessage, what-ever-the-fuck-you-care-to-do. Have at it with my best wishes. I'll wave good tidings to you from the anachronistic shores that give me the illusion of solid ground under my own feet.
So now there's Dreamwidth...not quite open yet, but still accessible. I like it, mostly because it has that clunky, earnest feeling to it that LJ did when I joined almost a decade ago. The name is silly, but the place may have potential. It's too early to tell. And there's the decision of what to do with all this here...years of writing. I doubt that I'll pick up and move. I'll probably just stay here and write to an audience of Russian spambots for another few years. Honestly, the idea of my journal simply disappearing into the ether, unsaved, is almost comforting. I don't cling to my writing as much as I used to do. It is important to me in other ways, but I don't kid myself that it matters nearly as much as I once thought it did. I would miss some of you dearly, but I have been lucky. Most of the friendships cultivated here on LJ have transcended the medium and spilled over into other places and spaces, virtual and solid. Maybe some of you would even miss me. But we would all move along and get on to the next thing waiting for us...that's how it works. We all keep moving.
I want to stay, but that's always how it is. I have joined and left all sorts of virtual communities over the years. I change and move as it suits me, just like everyone. I don't know that I like it here anymore, even as I keep coming back to read and sometimes to write. There's more to me than what I have been doing here, but the creative energy that used to run through this place seems diminished now. Our words are lacking. My words. I stay because I have no better idea. I stay because I secretly hope for a renaissance. I stay because I would miss some of you too much to ever really say goodbye.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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I don't CARE what 80's hairstyle you are, or what mythical monster you are or what little piece of flair you want to send me. I want to know what's on you mind, what you've been thinking, what you think of the last movie you saw... I too am getting old and want a giant button on sites that allow me to "turn off all prepubescent nonsense".
I do text and IM, but only because I have an aversion to phones. My ADD kicks in on the phone and all I can do is be on the phone. If I attempt to do anything else the conversation is lost to me. I think I may need to learn to slow down and stop multitasking - but that's a lesson for a little later.
I may not comment on your writing much, but I read it whenever I see it. If you are your writing I think I'd like you very much in the real world and part of me is very interested in meeting you. If you were to leave here - just know I would miss your words.
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I miss the earlier days. I'm not as content with what my journal has become, but I don't have the heart to give it up yet either. I appreciate the history and connection I feel with the few that I've 'known' here for so long. I know that with all things, there is an ebb and flow to connections....but I'd miss you. Hugs, Deb
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i'll mention that there's a PC program you can use to backup everything, down to the last comment, in an easy to use & fully searchable program:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/ljarchive
this, from last year. i'm still feeling that in general... i'm really feeling that today.
all the same, if you come back to write for the spambots, remember that you're probably also writing for me.
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In an odd way, all this talk of everyone leaving has made me even more determined to stay and write more. I have really loved this place for all the thoughtfulness and connection it's provided me. I can't imagine abandoning it now, even though the grass does sometimes seem greener elsewhere. I've chased enough greener grass to know that it's usually just my own depth perception that intensifies the hue at a distance. I'm here to stay, mama. In some form or another, until the bitter end.
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I also hope livejournal doesn't die. I like facebook but to me it is a very different animal - I've added my family there, so there are a lot of topics I won't even bring up.
The strange thing is, I still like livejournal best. The breadth and depth of possible posts is just greater.
But I already miss the people who post (and read) less often.
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Well said, and true too.
Whatever happens, this old Russian spambot loves you.
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Right on
(And I still like our Live Journal and my friends there.)
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Re: Right on
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WAIT A SECOND...
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I stay for you. Hey, and if everyone else leaves, don't we get to declare ourselves empresses or something?
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I worry that with talk so cheap words mean less.
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I often fear we are crafting a culture where words mean nothing, but then someone does something amazing often enough to keep me optimistic.
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Great post. I agree wholeheartedly, with the caveat that I do use both Facebook and Twitter - but neither one overlaps very much with LiveJournal. LJ will always hold a special place in my heart - I feel more connected to my friends here than I do with any other community. For whatever reason, the structure and history of this site seem to promote deeper thoughts, better writing, and stronger connections than anywhere else. I think I'll always be here as long as it exists.
I think there actually is a small renaissance going on right now, even if it is just a few of us diehards saying "Fuck it, I'm staying."
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heck, I have even thought about writing such a post, but I think the creative energy for such a post is gone ;-)
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For those of us who like to write (and read) a good rant LJ still delivers, though like others here I do note a reduction in posting by much of the old guard. LJ has provided me with some excellent friendships that were developed and maintained by more than 'status updates' and 'knowing which of you friends are online'. I'm happy to end up being an LJ Diehard, bring on the LJ renaissance!
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Perfectly stated! : )
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