User poll

[vaneramos]

At times I get exasperated because, after six months, my journal feels too unfocused and I don't know what I want to post. It was originally intended for posting poetry, but once I got to know LJ, it became much more. The biggest development of all has been my renewed interest in photography. Ironically, the thing I feel most uncomfortable about posting is day to day events in my journal. Of course that's what normal people post, but I was trying to create a space for my creative work. My inner editor doesn't want to share my writing unless there is a point to it. As a result I have been avoiding a lot of personal stuff lately, and now I'm afraid the journal is becoming too impersonal.

I'm not sure that I'm about to change anything, but thought I would ask for input. Of course if you want to make any comments, that would be even more useful than answering the poll.

[Poll #197850]

Comments

[bitterlawngnome.livejournal.com]

Shit, I can't draw extra boxes and new categories on this form. Shit shit shit.

I think your journal is fine the way it is. I think there are other choices besides "long" and "short".

[that-dang-otter.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you could grow it REALLY long, like down to your navel.

Then post naked photos of yourself. ;-)

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Elsewhere perhaps. ;-)

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

I'm starting to miss the short beard, but I'm inclined to give a certain someone the veto on that, so perhaps a middle ground is called for.

beard length

[queenmomcat.livejournal.com]

How about halfway between those two lengths? You're right though, that there may be someone else with a greater veto power than I.

I don't think you should change anything

[djjo.livejournal.com]

The one question (what is your least favorite) was tough. I like all the stuff you put in.

I answered poetry to that one. I answered that because sometimes your poems bring out idea's and emotions I find hard to deal with, so they unsettle me. It's not that I may not like them, it's that some express things which are not easy.

Keep doing what you are doing, and doing what you have to do! Variety is one of the things that makes it so interesting coming back here everyday! Your not stuck on doing 'the one trick' thing.

Hugs and peace and keep on being!
Danny

Re: I don't think you should change anything

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Big naked thank you hugs. *smooch*

[cowchi.livejournal.com]

As a very new reader I probably shouldn't have taken this poll, because my newness skews my view.

I quite understand everything you're saying, though. I have a completely different blog for "braindump" of the mundane kind, like memes and news clippings and oddments which may appeal to my known readers (which is a mix of RL and online people, and this is the only blog/journal thingy I don't mind RL people reading). I have another elsewhere under a persona, where I mostly write private entries (much to the chagrin of my "following"). I have a dreamlog here on LJ that's only accessible to certain of my online friends...

And so on.

If you're not comfortable sharing the personal stuff, just write it as a private entry. That way you still have a record of it. (Also, do you know about the Friends filter tool (http://www.livejournal.com/friends/filter.bml)? You can make categories, then limit access to posts to only the readers you want to share with (when updating, click 'custom' in the drop down, then select the custom group).

Cheers.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I keep a handwritten journal, three pages nearly every day, where all the really personal stuff goes, so it's not a question of where to put it. I'm more concerned about how much people are interested in hearing. Some people keep blogs of their day to day activities which are really quite interesting. I don't do that consistently. I do, however, sometimes use the friends only filter.

[cowchi.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'll just put my hoof back in my mouth now. :\

I was trying to be helpful. I fear I sounded condescending instead. :(

*buries head in hay bale*

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

No, I didn't take it that way. :-)

[cowchi.livejournal.com]

Okay. :)   *phew*

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Haha!

Oh, I didn't mean they were the same thing. They just fall together in my mind in a category I might label, "mundane babble," separate from my more intentionally creative work. I am drifting away from using memes unless I see an opportunity for communication, expression or genuine amusement.

But your point is taken, and your opinion valued. :-)

[ruralrob.livejournal.com]

Me too - I loathe memes with a passion. If there was a filter to get them out of my freinds list postings I would use it like a flash.

As for the beard - short hot, long not.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Well if I do post them (memes), I will make a point of doing what I have often done, putting them behind a cut.

[danthered.livejournal.com]

As for the beard - short hot, long not.

Rob, didn't your momma teach you any better manners than that?

[ruralrob.livejournal.com]

Ooooops! Sorry!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Not to worry, Bob. ;-)

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Love day to day. That's the stuff that makes a life.

This seems to be the question I'm struggling with the most, and the main reason for this post. I often feel uncomfortable talking about day-to-day stuff (reasons abound). But it's the heart of many of the most interesting journals on this site. And it's the heart of storytelling, isn't it?

[poetbear.livejournal.com]

i like it all, though i'm not particularly fond of memes. i
just think life is too short not to be 'individualized'. as
for the beard, there are other alternatives to short
or long, yes? i'm in a constant fight with mine, the only thing
i know for sure, is that i'm never going to shave again.~paul

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I'm at the fighting stage, too. What constantly gets on my nerves is the moustache getting into things, and I can't imagine a long beard with a trimmed moustache.

Many of the memes seem like useless drivel to me, but I like the ones that inspire self-expression.

[poetbear.livejournal.com]

well, the moustache sometimes does get in the way of drinking tea, or eating soup, though. of course, the ends
can be as long as you like. a la Fu Manchu, or Ho Chi Minh!
or maybe the secret is just to brush and be careful. witness
my friend tattoobob's beard!~paul

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I saw that. It's quite amazing.

I have a travel mug, which works quite nicely to keep the whiskers out of hot drinks.

But trying to keep it out of food.....augh! Makes me realize how impatient I am with many things.

[poetbear.livejournal.com]

bob said that within a year it should reach his waist.
that really is amazing.~paul

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Since July I have grown about 2 inches. At that rate it would take me a couple years to reach my waist, if it even grows that long.

[mattcallow.livejournal.com]

you through memes in with day to day stuff?! chalk and cheese my friend. don;t go changing nothing...

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

chalk and cheese my friend.

Hehe, I'm starting to get the picture.

[noveldevice.livejournal.com]

One of the things that I like about LJ is the ability to read the day-to-day maunderings of the people I've "met" on here.

I essentially write for myself on my journal. As you may have guessed. :P I like to read the journals of other people who write for themselves, I think it's more interesting. I like the poetry, although I'm afraid I only rarely read fiction posted to LJ, by anyone.

I like short beards, personally.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I like to read the journals of other people who write for themselves, I think it's more interesting.

This seems to be the basic question: who am I doing this for?

My writing for myself is handwritten. The purpose in joining LiveJournal was to find an audience, but it is still for myself, because I know the attention inspires me to do more creative writing. But you're right, the daily meanderings are often the most interesting. I need to think about this.

[bluedevilsf.livejournal.com]

Just my personal opinion, but I think the unfocused ones are more interesting to read.

Simply write what comes to mind, what you want to share.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I seem to be getting the same message from many people. Maybe I have an anal retentive side after all, which is afraid to give myself over to just rambling. Your comment is helpful.

[rsc.livejournal.com]

I like pretty much everything you write. I think memes are silly, but silliness isn't necessarily a bad thing, and anyway it's easy enough to pick and choose what to read.

LiveJournal is kind of weird, because of this whole question of who are you (for any value of "you") doing it for? I find some people's day-to-day accounts mind-numbingly boring, and some of them are really fascinating -- sometimes the same people, at that.

I would say just write/post what you feel like writing/posting; based on what I've seen so far, I'd say the vast majority will be worth reading.

As for the beard, it's hard to say -- those two photos are so different in almost every respect that it's hard to determine what the effect of the beard lengths is. I used to wear my beard long and unruly, but eventually I got tired of the way it looked, and now I trim it every two-three weeks (thereby making it short and unruly). And the moustache-in-the-teeth thing drives me bats.

Just don't remove it altogether.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

silliness isn't necessarily a bad thing

That's pretty much how I feel about the more interesting memes.

I recognize the problem with the photos. I didn't have any current ones, of my own, of the beard, so I had to take one quickly last night. Oh well. I think some trimming will be in order, but keeping it longer than before.

Thanks for all your comments.

that fluffy, yummy beard

[leafshimmer.livejournal.com]

well, if Claude ever bothered to read LJ, I know he'd put in a vote for keeping the longer beard. i well remember him enthusing over it on more than one occasion. Perhaps the answer is to trim it a bit to make it a bit more manageable? ultimately, you are the one who has to LIVE with it, so I'd say you should do what you feel will make you comfortable. I did love playing with your fluffy, cute beard, but you're yummy all over, and I'm sure your admirers are gonna keep on ... admiring! regardless of what you do to your beard.

As for your LJ, i like the current organic feel of it, that whatever the day's catch is, that's what you put into it. i'm not a fan of memes either, but you enjoy them, and so do several of your friends, so as a reader i don't mind putting up with them. just my 2 drachmae.

snuggly hugs and beard rubs, Shimmer

Re: that fluffy, yummy beard

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Frankly, Danny is one of my beard's biggest fans, so I'm unlikely to do anything too drastic. The fate of my whiskers will be decided in consultation this weekend.

[danthered.livejournal.com]

Gracious me. You're starting to take on a bit of a Geobearish look! (That's a good thing. Geobear is a good guy out in San Diego.)

Beard w/no moustache? Sure thing. I took my moustache off this week. Now those "Are you Amish?" questions Americans are forever asking me will make some kinda sense!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Eek, I did the Amish look briefly when I was 23 and I wouldn't go back to it. I have lots of German blood, so it's a little too convincingly conservative for this ex-fundie. Now on you, I look forward to seeing it. ;-)

Coming into this late

[roosterbear.livejournal.com]

Two things:

1. I picked poetry as the thing I like least, but that doesn't mean I don't like your poetry. I'm just not into poetry in a general sense as much as the other stuff.

2. Your beard looks great both ways, but you didn't have a "whatever you feel like doing" option.

Re: Coming into this late

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the feedback. :-)