Button Sunday

I don’t know who’s responsible for this beautiful photo because I stole it from the Internet. In fact, blogging turned me into a photo thief, and I know I’m not the only one.

I chose this button because today is the fifth anniversary of Timothy J. Lambert’s LiveJournal. That date is important to me not just because it gave my writing partner more presence on the Internet. In the winter of 2004, we were finishing writing Timothy James Beck’s Someone Like You as well as Cochrane Lambert’s Three Fortunes in One Cookie. All my writing partners were proofreading SLY, Tim was adding his final chapters to 3F, and I was at loose ends. So, as I have many times, after a couple of weeks, I followed Tim’s example and started my own LiveJournal. It pretty much ended my time on message boards (just as message boards had once ended my time in chat rooms).

I have no idea how many blogs I was reading at the height of the blogging craze, but as bloggers have tapered off updating their blogs, my reading has fallen off. There are times I think about ending my LJ because it’s frequently difficult to come up with content, and I know that my readership, like everyone’s, is less than it used to be. (Hello, Facebook and Twitter.)

But then I think about how many interesting, funny, kind, quirky, and good people I’ve met through here. I consider all it’s taught me about HTML and formatting. It’s given me a forum to discuss art, photography, literature, and politics. It’s provided a means for family and longtime friends to keep up with what’s going on in my life (though I’ve never used it to discuss those things I want to keep private). It’s also given me a means to share news about one friend with many other friends–in a way that’s more fun to me than e-mail.

I’ve tried hard to keep it from ever being insulting or mean-spirited. I’ve enjoyed using it to share photographs as I try to become a better photographer.

And of course, it gives me a place to put everybody else’s photos after I steal them.

To get back to the reason for this post and the button, during these five years, I’ve never gotten tired of getting a glimpse at the world through Tim’s perspective, courtesy of his photos, his stories, his association with Scout’s Honor, and his art. So happy blog-iversay, Tim, and thank you.

22 thoughts on “Button Sunday”

  1. Happy blog-iversay to Tim from me, too.

    I think about how many interesting, funny, kind, quirky, and good people I’ve met through here. I consider all it’s taught me about HTML and formatting. It’s given me a forum to discuss art, photography, literature, and politics …

    Yes to this! I’ve had my Live Journal since 2003, and it’s brought about huge changes in my life. I’m disappointed that many people I met early in my Live Journal experience have moved on, but new people have shown up to take their place.

    Without sounding too sycophantic, I’d like to say that your journal entries, and Tim’s, are the funniest, most interesting posts I’ve read here. Especially the ones with Boss Hanley. And the Barbies. And the Button posts. And Photo Fridays. Please don’t ever stop posting!

    1. Thank you so much. Now and again, a little encouragement is enough to fuel my enthusiasm for months. I’m so glad I’m getting to know you through LJ. =)

  2. You can’t leave; you’re my fairy blog-mother. =0)I wouldn’t have joined this little community if it weren’t for your encouragement. And you’re so very right about all the wonderful people you meet… along with a weirdo or two.

    Tell Tim Happy Biog-iversary!!

  3. The ol’ El Jay

    Mine turned 5 this past July, but I don’t think I ever acknowledged it. About that time, I did get a new digital camera for the time being until I can get through saving up for some upgrades and then save up for a better digital camera.

    I have met a number of interesting people on the ol’ El Jay. Some all the way in Scotland. Somehow engaging strangers and snooping into their journals still seems more sociable than that, ugh, Facebook. If people didn’t start (ab)using Facebook to spy on (prospect) employees, maybe I would feel more freedom there. It used to be just an extension of the Yearbook, when it wss all college-based.

    1. Re: The ol’ El Jay

      Facebook has some good features–and I’ve long threatened a post about that site. But I still feel most comfortable right here.

  4. That’s MY photo!

    I don’t understand the appeal of Facebook except that it’s allowed me to see how people I used to know years ago look now or whether they’re married and have kids. The fact that Assbook and Twits is geared towards shorter entries results in me getting annoyed reading one short entry after another that usually aren’t that deep: “OMG! I love coffee!” 25 people like this.

    I wouldn’t worry about content. You know how it is: sometimes people react to stuff, and it can be almost impossible a lot of times to predict what will be interesting to others.

    On a related note, I recently came across this article an aspiring writer wrote about making one’s blog as interesting as possible to attract a readership. I say God Speed to him, but that sort of calculating mindset really doesn’t appeal to me. On my own blog I just write about what I want to and whatever happens happens. For me, if I had to worry about writing for an audience to promote my writing career, having a blog would stop being fun. It’d just turn into work and who wants that? 😀

    1. Not me! Not more work! LJ is still fun to me, both to write in and read others’ writing, or see their photos. When it stops being fun–or at least fulfilling whatever need people have for it–they should stop. I keep finding new reasons to stick around, and the people I interact with here every week are a huge part of that. Thanks for sticking with me!

  5. I know that things would have been quite different for me the last 4 years if you guys hadn’t been on LJ! (and my dogs would have some self respect left…) 😀

  6. My five year is coming up, too. I went back and reread the first entry. Wow–am I ever a different person now!

    I met you and Meestair Teem on here shortly thereafter. I can’t–nor do I want to–imagine the last five years without the Compound and everything that comes with it–most especially the life preserver when its needed.

    Here’s to five more glorious years of Meme Wars, photoshopped dogs, Barbie fashion, and of course, always delightful reading.

    1. Indeed! Wow, it’s really amazing to think of all we’ve been through over these last five years, isn’t it? And it wouldn’t have happened without LJ. So many good, good memories. Thanks, Greg. =)

  7. “But then I think about how many interesting, funny, kind, quirky, and good people I’ve met through here.”

    Exactly – that’s what keeps me here, too. Sometimes I haven’t time to read or catch up and I know I’m missing days’ or weeks’ worth of posts, and I wonder if it’s worth keeping the LJ, but then I remember . . . and just know that I couldn’t leave.

  8. I don’t read LJ for intense philosophical discussions, although they are great
    when they occur.

    I read LJ because it’s like having a chat with someone I like. It’s not
    earth-shattering, but it’s nice.

    I like nice.

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