The cycles of LJ.

[valis2]

So I'm just about caught up on the flist, which kind of surprised me, I must admit. I did what I've been doing all year long; I open up all 150+ friends' LJs in new tabs, and read each journal backwards individually, until the date I left off at. Then I do the same with comms.

Well, part of the reason it didn't take so long is that it's summer here in the Northern Hemisphere, so most LJers aren't as active, it seems. And there aren't any seasonal challenges happening right now, either, so the comms aren't too overflowing, as well.

There is one thing I noticed, though. LJ has cycles, just like everything in life, and I'm noticing that despite having such a large flist, a lot of the friends on it aren't exactly active any longer. Some people jump into LJ and just go bananas for awhile, and then disappear into the night. Some people start fandom-intense journals and then, as their interest wanes, their journal turns into more of a personal journal, or they jump into another fandom altogether. Some people only update occasionally. It seems like I have a lot of not-as-active journals on the flist right now. I've been wondering for awhile what the average activity span is for new LJers; I've been thinking it's a year or two for most people.

I used to think that iibnf's list was gargantuan, but now I'm really starting to understand the nature of LJ. We're not all active at once, and whole segments of our flist rotate. I keep thinking that there's no way that I can fit more friends into the mix, and I cut back sometimes, but then I do end up friending new people and finding new interesting conversations, which, for me, is what it's all about. When whole segments of the flist are quiet, I feel no problem about adding new voices. Sometimes flisters come back and start posting again (yay, scarah2! yay,chocolate_limes!), and sometimes promising flisters fall off the face of the internet relatively quickly (ozymannedias? elddonnemar?). But in the end, there are always new people to talk to, and new conversations to explore.

Yeah, I still love LJ.

Comments

[florence-craye.livejournal.com]

So true. I just did a tiny flist culling and realized over the past couple weeks, I've added as many new people as I cut. There are people I keep on there despite their lack of posting, because when they do post, it will be good. I enjoy adding because of the new conversations with the people on their journal and also the chance to meet other cool people through them. This is what LJ is all about, yes?

I've also noticed that there are fewer posts at this time of the year. Is it something in the HP world, or just everywhere? Perhaps vacations are taking them away from us.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I think that it's a combination of vacation and nice weather. During the fall/winter months more people are sitting on the computer, posting away. Same goes for eBay as well! My sales are better during the snowy season.

I keep cutting and pruning the flist, too. I find that I have a core group of people whom I would never trim, because I've grown to like them so much, and like you say, even if they never post, it's okay. Then there are other people I find, and eventually I realize that I'm not reading their posts, and that's when I cut. If I skip over entries, then I shouldn't be signed up for their feed, y'know?

[florence-craye.livejournal.com]

Exactly. If they're posting and you're not reading... then why bother?

Also, I forgot to mention that I am so in awe of your devotion to keeping up with the flist after you've been away. The amount of time it takes to even catch up after a week is beyond me, but you manage to keep up so well after a much longer period of time and with many more friends. Color me amazed (and pink)!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Heh...it's the OCD! *laughs*

Thing is, I get everything pretty mixed up in my head, which is why I have to read one LJer at a time. And even so, you'll nearly always have to refresh my memory. It's there, it's just all sloshing around with Snape stuff, y'know? heh.

I really love to keep up, though. I like reading everything.

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

It's only 500, as that's the LJ limit before it goes all freaky. Every time I add a new perosn, I cut someone else off (usually someone who hasn't posted for 20 weeks or so, or someone who's been giving me the irrits). That's not so big. I could go to 750, which is the total cut off, but I find 500 easily managable, plus it gives me an excuse to cut people off who give me the irrits ;D

That means I have about 200 people who friend me that I don't friend back, which used to really upset me, but now I don't care. I've become hard. Hard, I tell you!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

It's only 500, as that's the LJ limit before it goes all freaky.

Ah! I thought it was 900. Good to know. Not that I'm eager to test it out.

That's not so big. I could go to 750, which is the total cut off, but I find 500 easily managable, plus it gives me an excuse to cut people off who give me the irrits ;D

I must imagine that if you miss a day or two you don't bother to go back and try to cram it all in, though. That is a lot of reading. I find that during the peak "LJ seasons" I sometimes have skip 210 for one day, after all, and that's just with 150 or so.

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

The only time I missed anything was when I was overseas in 2004, and when I got back, LJ wouldn't let me search back for the time I'd lost. It only lets you go back a certain number of posts. That was a nuisance! Other than that, I just don't miss a day, even if I have to stay up all night to catch up!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Wow! And I thought I was obsessive about LJ! I try never to miss an entry too, even if it all coagulates in my brain like scrambled eggs and I can't remember a thing later.

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

Oh hell no, I don't remember a damned thing! But I do read it :D

[zakkati.livejournal.com]

I still like LJ but it is not my primary blog anymore. I use exf2 mainly, but I still pop back because I know some really nice people here (like your good self!) and I'd miss them if I moved away for good.

Yeah. It does get quiet at this time of year, doesn't it?

:)

[ziasudra.livejournal.com]

I haven't been in LJ long enough to live through the cycles, but I do notice the rise and fall in people's posting consistency -- mine included. I still try to friend everyone back who looks interesting and non-freaky, but sometimes it's hard to tell because journals that never update might belong to people who actually read LJ everyday but who simply prefer to be lurkers.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

ooh! I hadn't even thought of people migrating to other blogging sites.

What do you like about exf2 in comparison to LJ?

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Yeah, a lot of people have spammy weeks, and then active weeks, where they're off doing things and not close to a computer.

I don't friend everybody back now. I used to, but now I'm a little more careful. Some journals are trolls, and some people I just don't have enough in common with, and maybe they're just interested in hearing about updates or something, and they ignore my RL stuff anyway.

[zakkati.livejournal.com]

I like efx2 because it's less fandom-orientated, and I've made a lot of friends from all around the world of different ages and backgrounds. LJ seems quite...insular in comparison.

You also get lots of nice free extras that LJ does not provide, like a visitor list, so you know who's been looking at your blog, and a shout-box so that you can say "Hi!" to someone when you visit or you don't feel inclined to leave a comment to their post. In fact, there's loads more stuff there than I get here. Yes, I don't have a paid account, but why should I when there is such fun to be had for free?

Here's my blog over there: http://zarafa.efx2.com/

Check it out and you'll see what I mean!

:D

[imafarmgirl.livejournal.com]

I think LJ is great. I like it because I can post unsensored about my life. If people don't like it they can unfriend me or not friend me in the first place, or better yet, start a debate. It's fantastic.

It's also great meeting people with common interests. My friend's page is a strange mix of posts. I think I am going to have to unfriend someone though. I feel bad but she is totally irritating me and I have never unfriended someone. I guess I'm going to have to get over it.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Sadly, defriending is a part of the LJ experience. Though when it comes down to it, LJ really is just aggregating a reading list, so all you are doing, in theory, is not compiling her entries.

I always hope people don't take it personally, but you never know. I try not to take it personally as well.

[imafarmgirl.livejournal.com]

Her entries involve her drinking, the two men she is sleeping with, the tanning bed, and her lack of money and how to pay bills. They are written in horrible English or some excuse for it. hahahahahahaha. I will be honest with her if she asks why I dumped her off the flist. Nothing she writes interests me and I feel compelled to say things that are cruel back and may hurt her so say nothing.

Why I am telling you this I have no clue. I think I'm off to unfriend her since I need to go add someone else anyway.