Livejournal Reading

[ase]

Rearranging my friends list. If I recently friended you, it's probably because you write intriguing posts or fanfic or you have a nifty photojournal. If you write fic, I probably need to send you feedback explaining how I found your stories and why I like them. (Short version: web browsing, and you used spell check, grammer check, and wrote cool OCs. Good original characters make my day.)

Friending policy: "Friends list" is a misnomer. It's actually serving the dual purpose of "people I know in real life, who frequently use spellcheck and do not make life out to be a veil of tears" (that last annoys me more than I can articulate) and "interesting reading material." If you think I should friend you, and I haven't, comment, IM or email to persuade me of the terrible mistake I've made in not adding you to my regular reading. If I've defriended, it's probably because our interests are moving apart. Again, comment, IM or email to explain to me the terrible mistake I've made.

Comments

Veil of tears?

[hornedhopper.livejournal.com]

Hi, Ase,

I was thinking about adding you as a friend, but then I saw this post and wondered what you meant by people who present life as a veil of tears. Since I do write about my son's illness on occasion, I fear I may qualify. (g) At least I try to write in an amusing manner...

Please let me know if this is exactly what you were thinking of (I won't be offended), so I know not to go forward.

Lil' Horned Hopper

Re: Veil of tears?

[ase.livejournal.com]

Hi Lorraine - I have absolutely no objections to you friending me. I'm always delighted when some aspect of my not-so-daily nattering interests people enough that they add me to the list of journals they regularly read. Also, the concept of asking people to please not friend strikes me as more of a stupid imposition on them, since the people-asked-not-to-friend can simply bookmark your journal and read it that way. The only time I'd ask someone not to friend me is if I were out to Make A Point to them. (And not a nice one. I hope I never get myself into a situation so stressful I ask someone that.)

The journals I can't stand are those written by people who wallow in self-pity. "My life is so bad... I hate my self for dating my boyfriend... I hate my job, it makes me cry..." Usually with worse spelling and more trailing ellipses. Life is tough, life is not fair, if you're that upset with your life change something about it. If you can't, find something to offset the misery. Read a book, get a hobby, talk to people you see on the bus every day. Life is neither all roses or all thorns. (Oh! Did you know that blue roses have been created (http://www.local6.com/news/3481578/detail.html)? They look closer to light purple to me, but I've always been a bit hazy on where the blue/purple dividing line is.)

On the whole, you don't do that. Reading your posts about Alec can be painful because you and he and the rest of your family are fighting so hard for his health, and you still don't lapse into that "my life is terrible! I must quote Evanescence lyrics without an lj-cut!" despair. If I skip your journal, it's because there's only so many hours in the day, not because I feel like I'm inviting hopelessness into my life just by reading it.

I hope that answers your question. Friend away, if you wish. :-)

Re: Veil of tears?

[hornedhopper.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm really relieved to hear this. I just *might* have been a "veil of tears" person (g), you never know. But I'm glad to hear that I don't come across as "wallowing."

I will add you as a friend because I'll enjoy your journal. And, (impish grin) if you don't add me, I'll *know* it's because your clock has been subtracting hours!

Lorraine