i hate tagging these kinds of entries

[elapses]

A little over a month ago, whalelines linked me to this article, entitled "The Benefits of Distraction and Overstimulation". It is about things that are brought up all the time: how the internet/your cell phone/today's world has changed your brain chemistry. It's a really good article -- Anderson's writing is very engaging -- that feels like a pun but it also doesn't and for the record it isn't -- (this sentence is starting to feel like the grammatical equivalent of cultural ADHD) (oh god I'm making it worse), but the first time I was reading it I had to get up in the middle of it because this article, and everything like it, are talking about me. There are a hundred fifty-year-old psychologists/researchers writing up books, articles, studies, and blog posts about why every so often I will realize I've lost an hour watching videos of four-year-old gymnasts for the last five minutes.

BUT DON'T WORRY I'M NOT GOING TO GET ALL DEEP AND PHILOSOPHICAL ABOUT THIS TONIGHT, this is totally about the internet.

Anyway I was reminded of the article because tonight I was thinking like those people. BECAUSE LJ IS SLOW. You guys have totally noticed too, I've seen it mentioned more than once while flisting, and the uprise in the number of tumblr users in the last couple of weeks seems... like an obvious scapegoat? Which then incites a curmudgeony reaction in me, because that is... the person I am. ("WHY IS MICROBLOGGING ALL THE RAGE? Maybe I don't want to post short things! I LIKE A LOT OF WORDS"). WHICH IS SUPER HYPOCRITICAL, because like... I do have twitter. I hate the stupid character limit (200 IS A MUCH MORE REASONABLE NUMBER) but I have it, and I've probably had it longer than most of you (according to that one website that tells you when you signed up: 2 years. WEIRD.)

The thing is that twitter -- and, from what I understand, tumblr -- is kind of a double-edged sword. You can post your thoughts/that hilarious youtube vid/the .gif your friend linked you to without having to write a lot of words of explanation like you would if you were posting it here. What you end up with is a conglomerate of half-thoughts, some of which, in a pre-microblogging world, would have gotten posted on your LJ, and some of which would have gotten lost in the ether of your memory. We all get more out, but the result is: less posting here. And it's not that this new way of interacting is really a threat to our old way of interacting: I think everyone loves this site for the same reasons I do -- the wordiness, the fic, and those really really lovely long thready conversations you can get into.

BUT ME BEING ME, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK. How you flip between/utilize the three (or two, or if you still only use LJ, why you still only use LJ), how they've changed your ~internet experience~, HOW YOU FEEL. Pleaaaase? Also I have a poll for my own nefarious curiosity/statistical purposes:

[Poll #1417966]

Comments

[outintherain.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, you caught me on a day when I have less tabs than usual. I keep tabs open for weeks. I forgot my del.icio.us password and never bothered fixing my account...

For the record; I abhor Twitter. I heard about it pretty much when it started. I hated it then and I hate it now. Just like I can't stand when people update their Facebook status every 5 minutes.

OMFGS. I'm old... ON THE INTERNET! *dies*

[sailtonorway.livejournal.com]

Oooh, interesting post. I hope I can convey my thoughts well enough because it's late and I suck at it in general, but here you go:

I got a tumblr because one of my LJ friends suggested it, and so I did. At that point, I was already in an LJ slump because my updating was seriously lacking, and tumblr came to me at the perfect time. Tumblr's just an easy outlet to be like, "hey! this is cool!" or just a place for things that I want to save and look back on (like book quotes, pictures, etc). And I like that even that when I'm not updating my LJ, people still know I'm active via tumblr and can still be fannish with me. But what I like about LJ is, what you said, actual conversations and things. I think that's what separates tumblr and LJ since tumblr doesn't have a commenting function. I end up sort of rehashing what I say on tumblr onto LJ anyhow. Still, tumblr feels more like an ADHD thing to me and LJ is the place for ~deep thoughts~ (which probably explains why I'm off at tumblr!).

Twitter's more of a real life thing for me? I just post mundane things on there that I couldn't be bothered with on LJ, or things that I need people to know RIGHT NOW. Twitter and LJ was never a problem for me, though.

[thatlldopig.livejournal.com]

I got a twitter a little while ago but I've pretty much abandoned it. turns out it's useless to me. I got tumblr yesterday and I'm having a lot of fun with the random pics, vids, quotes, songs...I think I'll stick with it. but nothing will replace LJ.

[stepliana.livejournal.com]

OKAY SO

I have to go to work, but I am leaving this open in a ~tab~ so I can respond to it when I get home.

[stepliana.livejournal.com]

So, my thoughts on yaoi Tumblr/Twitter/LJ.

LJ is where I feel I have friends aka you guys. It's a place where I go to read about people's lives, where they go into indepth stuff, it's more personal and a real home for me. Tumblr is all about PICTURES AND PRETTY AND OMG FUN HAPPY YAY GOOD TIMES and is basically quick pictures and things I want to share on the fly. Twitter is like 'oh hey, what's up.' Short, sweet, updates about my life, that are not imptorant enough for LJ or don't warrant a full update. But LJ is still where I retreat to when I want to really update and post something meaningful.

[mossharts.livejournal.com]

I normally have more tabs and windows open, but I don't know... maybe I'm just not in the mood...?

I cannot stand Twitter. I just don't understand it, I guess. I don't have a facebook. I have no idea what tumblr is. One would think that I'm forty. instead of nineteen. It's just effort and I maintain that twitter etc are just fads.

[dudski.livejournal.com]

I WAS LEGIT JUST THINKING ABOUT THIS, how Tumblr is taking away from LJ traffic even though it's ultimately a less satisfying experience. I AM UNCONCERNED, THOUGH, I have been on LJ for like seven years, I AM NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

[stop-theworld.livejournal.com]

Iiiii never have time to flist properly so if things are slow I a) don't notice, and/or b) am relieved. But this is an interesting point! Especially your tabs question; I will often have thirty or so open for days until my laptop starts having fits. I've thought about getting tumblr but not twitter. *shrug*

[elapses.livejournal.com]

I notice slowness a lottt because I follow like, no communities. Or rather: no communities that update more than once a week.

[paperskies.livejournal.com]

TRUE FACT: I only found out what the hell tumblr was today

Twitter I'm pretty lousy at. I like make a post every 6 days or so lol. Facebook I use more to catch up on what everyone else is doing that updating my own stuff. And I'm not really with anything else.

LJ still remains my goto place when I'm looking to post something. I love the people and the comments and the things you can find on here.

[aliice.livejournal.com]

I love LJ, i think it's probably the most consistent thing in my life. And the problem I have with twitter is that it doesn't have much content. And for tumblr, we post things that we like but that doesn't really SAY anything. I like them both but it's hard for me to see any of them giving us a real connection amongst each other.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

it's hard for me to see any of them giving us a real connection amongst each other.
YES TOTALLY. And I guess everyone else feels this way too? BUT LIKE, you guys are my friends! I've known you since we were like, 13? SIX YEARS. Granted we didn't meet on LJ, but... still!

[jenaben.livejournal.com]

It's funny because I was juuust thinking about this a few minutes ago! I am thisclose to getting tumblr, but I think that's just because so many people have it now. BUT I LIKE WORDS TOO, so I'm waiting to see if this feeling lasts at all before I get one. I'm going to come back to read that article on Sunday, but today I have to finish making a wedding present and then I have to deal with having bed bugs in my apartment. Which sucks because now I REALLY want to read that article RIGHTTHISVERYSECOND.

I'm not worried about LJ though. There are some things (fic, fanmixes, etc) that can't really be posted elsewhere, or that I think a lot of people think of as LJ things, so I think it'll be ok. People still have specific reasons to come back here, and every once in a while everyone gets the urge to make long, rambly posts about tv shows....right? AND THEN THERE ARE POLLS, MY FAVOURITE OF FAVOURITE THINGS. So I hope LJ is safe, because I like it, even if internet activities and types of posts get siphoned into particular internet mediums (random comments/links for twitter, fic/polls/mixes/rambly thoughts for LJ, who knows what for tumblr, etc.).

[elapses.livejournal.com]

DON'T GET TUMBLR, JEN, you don't post enough as it is and I liiiiike you. SELFISHNESS!

Actually, selfishness is really what it's all about, isn't it? I know LJ itself isn't going anywhere for the reasons you cited, buuuuuuut sometimes it feels like people are? And that is what makes me cranky.

[thecolorbetween.livejournal.com]

Yeah, maybe it's just that there aren't enough TV shows on right now for us to make posts about? Maybe come fall, there will be a mass exodus back to LJ? I HOOOOOPE.

[jenaben.livejournal.com]

Speaking of TV shows, Claire, we still haven't had our Being Erica discussion! My obsession was wearing off (a symptom of not having any new episodes for mooonths, sigh) until my friend told me that he saw them filming downtown the other day. It is now my mission to wander around Toronto until I happen to find them shooting somewhere (I feel like there should be a website that tells me these things...it would make stalking the cast a lot easier).

[thecolorbetween.livejournal.com]

No, we haven't! I was just thinking that! My obsession was wearing off, too – I may have forgotten about it (maybe, I mean, what, no, of course I didn't!)? But seeing your icon(s) every so often reminds me about it, and I smile to myself.

There should be a website to help you with that. Did your friends have any details? Are Erica and Ethan still together? Wait, let me just answer that with a yes, they have to be.

I hope we can have our conversation sooooon!

[chibirhm.livejournal.com]

I use Twitter mostly because my brain is sort of like a Demitri Martin routine that delivers concise one-liners and it's so not worth an entire LJ update. Plus, I can sync it up to Facebook (which I keep out of necessity but despise) so people talk to me through there and I get e-mail notifications but never have to go ON it. TAH DAH.

Lately I've found that what I use LJ for is a vehicle not to blog, but to post in communities or comment or keep up with my flist. Now that I blog for work (and that's, uh, my life) I don't really have the time or care to write about my life. If I want to talk to someone, I IM them or e-mail them, or they come to me, or I comment on their LJ, but I guess part of my growing up is not needing to say out loud in a grandiose fashion every thought I have (just most of them, and I construe it as work, huzzah!). As soon as I have the time to create a blog that's a hub of all my writing I'm officially "closing" my LJ to posts (but I'm staying, I'm just letting everyone know where to find my writings/not to expect me to update). BUT I WILL NEVER LEAVE LJ. And while I love twitter with people I know outside of it, knowing people through twitter only is weird/lame. I guess what I'm saying is, each site has it's own merits.

Also, I am the queen of tabs. I usually have way more open, because I forget to close them, but I had a bazillion tabs before tabs were even cool. Then again, I have really bad ADD, and need to have at least three things running or my brain starts to feel itchy, so that may also be it. (HOW DO PEOPLE FUNCTION WITHOUT VIDEO IN ONE TAB, A BLOG POST IN ANOTHER, AND THEIR TWITTERFOX FEED OPEN!?!?) I've had this my whole life, even before the internet (holy shit there was a tme before the internet?), and so when God smiled down upon me and said "LET THERE BE THE INTERWEBS, AND BROWSING WITH TABS" I was like "FINALLY, MY BRAIN! IN A COMPUTER!!!"

[cantbesilent.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I do not have a twitter or a tumblr. I am a wordy person who likes to fangirl so LJ is perfect for me, whereas twitter and tumblr don't really do it for me. I always think of twitter as me being like "omg, these new shoes I got are amazing" or something and its like, who cares? Plus I feel like that's something more for people I know in RL (like facebook), and LJ is not seen by anyone I know in RL.

Basically, I kinda hate twitter and love LJ because I have lots of thoughts and enjoy actually talking to people. Like this.

[outofdoritos.livejournal.com]

I completely agree with you, that the whole Twitter craze has changed a lot. I still love LJ and visit pretty much daily to read my flist, but I don't update as much anymore. Mainly because I don't like to read/write one or two line entries. So I usually update about once a week when I have more to say. Twitter is perfect for random thoughts and stuff as you said. I update that daily. It's also more convenient. I can get Twitter on my phone, where as LJ is not quite as handy that way. But I enjoy both, so I don't intend to switch to one or the other anytime soon. I haven't converted to Tumblr yet, though, and don't plan to.

But I think the whole Twitter communication thing is really fascinating. It's really a phenomenon. Pretty cool if you ask me.

[miss-atom.livejournal.com]

I had a real slump in posting on lj not long ago that was when I discovered Tumblr. I love it but I am back to LJ now too that rl has calmed down, I find that you get the most out of LJ if you read and comment on your flist as well as posting yourself, and sometimes I don't have time for that.

Tumblr is excellent, all my rl friends have one and its a great way of sharing and remembering/storing cool things you find on the internet.

Not a fan of Twitter though and I would never fully leave LJ, tumblr is a completely different experience.

[silverstars.livejournal.com]

Tumblr is definitely my favorite. My only complaint is that I always go to comment on people's posts and then feel stupid when I remember for the zillionth time that I can't.

I...kind of have no interest in posting on LJ anymore. For a lot of reasons that I don't feel like getting into right now. I still enjoy reading my flist though!

[thecolorbetween.livejournal.com]

I'm a little late, but...I agree! It has been quiet lately. I mean, I've never been used to getting more than ten comments (and that's when I post pictures of Lee Pace!) on an individual post, but just in general, things seem quieter. I'm not a great commenter — I try, I do, and even then, I'm not so good at keeping up with comments (that others have left to my comments), but I do try. And lately, I've felt that a lot of comments I've given haven't gotten a response. And is it just slow? Or are people not really responding at all? I've noticed the increase in Tumblr accounts and Twitter accounts, too. I've had Twitter for a little over a year, but I'm nowhere near "obsessed" with it. And I don't have a Tumblr. A lot of the stuff I post would probably be better off on a Tumblr, but — without trying to sound too angry or People should pay attention to what I have to say! — I think it's okay to post anything on here. Livejournal was (or had) never been about making epic and lengthy posts about stuff. So I want to make a post that says, "I actually really love Greek and Cappie/Casey!" I feel I should be able to here, you know? I don't see why writing it on a Tumblr is more acceptable or whatever. But I really do enjoy reading people's Tumblrs, and who knows if I'll get one or not. This was not, not, not meant as a, "I hate Tumblr! People who have them are silly." But...I miss my friends?

Sorry, this was so ranty. :-\

[elapses.livejournal.com]

A lot of the stuff I post would probably be better off on a Tumblr, but — without trying to sound too angry or People should pay attention to what I have to say! — I think it's okay to post anything on here. Livejournal was (or had) never been about making epic and lengthy posts about stuff. So I want to make a post that says, "I actually really love Greek and Cappie/Casey!" I feel I should be able to here, you know?
I AGREE WITH THIS SENTIMENT SO, SO MUCH. I cannot even articulate it but like, okay, I get that you can post a single picture on tumblr, but in what way are we prevented from doing that on LJ?

I mean, okay -- there are a lot of fun little theme-sites -- stuff about Chuck Bass' wardrobe, pictures of various actors -- that have popped up. I guess I just don't understand HOW you can have both. Or rather, how I could have both -- I only have so much to say, I couldn't spread it out between a personal LJ and a personal tumblr. (Also, I can't imagine working with a lack of text comments?)

Anyway yeah, I... agree. I don't want to be fussy, BUT COME BACK TO THE LJ SANDBOX AND PLAY WITH ME :(

[thecolorbetween.livejournal.com]

It's odd. Part of me thinks I should get a Tumblr just so I can stay connected to my friends! I feel like a lot of my LJ friends have kind of disappeared, because they've gone to Tumblr. Should I have to create a Tumblr account just so I can comment (or whatever the comment equivalent in Tumblr is) back and forth with my LJ friends? I hope not.

I don't know, I don't know. Maybe I'm being too philosophical about this all, but I miss my LJ friends. I really care about the friends I've made here – some of them a lot – and it makes me nervous (sad? annoyed? confused?) that LJ seems to kind of be...disappearing.

I like those theme Tumblrs! I really do enjoy reading people's Tumblrs, I just wish it didn't have to be an either/or situation.

BUT COME BACK TO THE LJ SANDBOX AND PLAY WITH ME :(
PLEASE. WE ARE COOL, AS TUMBLRLESS AS WE ARE.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

THERE IS NO TUMBLR COMMENTING EQUIVALENT, and... that is what keeps me from getting one? You... like things. But no words are involved unless you "reblog". I... really like LJ comments? It makes things delightfully conversational!

I really care about the friends I've made here – some of them a lot – and it makes me nervous (sad? annoyed? confused?) that LJ seems to kind of be...disappearing.
I GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN WORRYING ABOUT THIS AND... not. On the one hand there are people I will always have, and LJ is necessary for a lot of things and it's not like it's... everyone... yet? BUT ON THE OTHER, more and more people are... posting less here and more there.

WE ARE COOL, AS TUMBLRLESS AS WE ARE.
EXACTLY.

[elsais.livejournal.com]

I consider them all different entities. For example, I would never post the same thing on two different vehicles. I don't use Tumblr too often, and I use twitter as a little add-on for my fashion blog, if you like, and I plan on using it when I'm overseas to let my family know what is happening.

I love LiveJournal, and I hate the fact that posts have slowed down. I think it's so much more personal (for obvious reasons) than anything else out there and I like that I can just connect with people from other sides of the globe with similar interests. For me, LJ is more about this than 'blogging', if you like.

here is how i feel about lj/twitter/tumblr; how i feel, here it is.

[getchokedup.livejournal.com]

I don't feel like I can make any new ~friends~ on Twitter/Tumblr like I can on LJ. I love reading through my flist's long entries and learning about people this way; Twitter/tumblr doesn't let us do that, not really.

Hmm, I don't feel like sharing every single detail of my life on LJ anymore, like I used to, when I first got it. I do that on Twitter now, sort of like, "hey sup, this is what I'm doing, thinking, right NOW" because it's super easy to do through my cell phone, unlike LJ. Tumblr is good for quotes, I think, because it makes them look pretty (ha, I know, priorities, right?) and for really really random pictures or gifs or IDK ANYTHING RANDOM-- random/nonsense/silliness, as in considered too spammy for my flist.

My reading habits? I... like checking all three. I like following LJ friends on twitter and tumblr.

This reply was all over the place, probably as a result of having placed the three sites in different categories?

[book-babe.livejournal.com]

This post was interesting, in and of itself. The article was fascinating. It took me until now to read it, probably therefore proving the article's point. Oops. But seriously, I feel like that's true and this post is absolutely true.

LiveJournal has been ridiculously non-existent lately. I miss it. I'm like you in that sense - i'm all about the wordiness and the thinking through words and --- haha I just thought I heard the facebook pinging noise and got distracted --- but this post, your post, is what I love about LiveJournal, the longish winded posts about real things and people's lives and the world. I really really miss that. Really really really.

And I use twitter, but I'm over twitter, too. I use it for me, because I've found that the more I started using it, the more I started needing to use it. I'd update about something stupid and then when I had something stupid to update about, it would be something I'd feel compelled to text to Twitter. I hate myself for it. But somewhere along the way, recently, I stopped caring. I only get the updates of people I know on my phone, with the exception of cnn breaking news and borders, and even borders is likely to go away soon. And even that usually seems like too much. It's all useless information that clearly people - myself included - text to twitter because they have no one to text it to, because it's mundane, stupid, utterly pointless. And, hell, in my case it's often so cryptic that it's clearly only something that I understand, but yet I do it anyway.

And as for tumblr, I don't use it the way I'm supposed to. It's a public livcejournal, in a sense, for me. It's something that I can share with a couple of real life people - with a few people from here, sort of - and that's it. It's still a place for my thoughts, and sometimes they're half thoughts or cryptic ones that don't make sense, but sometimes they're long-winded and messy - the same way my posts are on here, sort of, though it's different becaause it's public and clearly public and i think my writing style changes because of that. The point is that I don't use tumblr like I'm supposed to; I use it how I want to and because I love the simplicity of it, the hasic layout, hell, even the lack of lj-cuts as one person I follow (lol a band guy?) so nicely noted.

I hate the way the internet is changing things, Alex. And I know we're a part of it and it is going to change, but I don't like watching the local news and listening to them tell me to follow them on twitter and check their facebook page for updates. I don't want the news in 140-character bursts, and I don't want to read about what Sally NewsAnchor thought of the flag day fireworks. I don't care. I want the news to be the news and the internet to be the internet, but I'm so far in the minority that it doesn't matter, because it's going to change and it's going to stay that way, if Time can have covers about Twitter and Obama's twitter can re-tweet the whitehouse twitter. That's the world we've somehow come to inhabit, and I'm really not sure I like it at all.

Basically I love this post.

Also it's totally the most hypocritical thing ever, because you post like once a month now, darling. ♥

(P.S. I miss you; why don't we talk like at all anymore? :(.)

[elapses.livejournal.com]

And, hell, in my case it's often so cryptic that it's clearly only something that I understand, but yet I do it anyway.
AHAHAHA. Livejournal likes cryptic stuff too, Melissa! THE SERVER MISSES YOU!

Well I guess not, you have been posting.

IDK DUDE, you know how I feel about twitter but like:
a) my username is AWESOME
b) sometimes it's really nice to be able to ask your flist like, where to buy DVDs when you are ~out and about~, although I guess I could do that on LJ, but ugh, more of a hassle than Twitterberry
c) boredom reliever, at least I don't play tetris on my phone anymore?

SO IN MY WORLD WHERE THE UNIVERSE REVOLVES AROUND ME, IT HAS A PURPOSE. (And in my world, tumblr does not.)


I hate the way the internet is changing things, Alex. And I know we're a part of it and it is going to change, but I don't like watching the local news and listening to them tell me to follow them on twitter and check their facebook page for updates. I don't want the news in 140-character bursts, and I don't want to read about what Sally NewsAnchor thought of the flag day fireworks. I don't care. I want the news to be the news and the internet to be the internet, but I'm so far in the minority that it doesn't matter, because it's going to change and it's going to stay that way, if Time can have covers about Twitter and Obama's twitter can re-tweet the whitehouse twitter. That's the world we've somehow come to inhabit, and I'm really not sure I like it at all.
A+ wording, I'm not going to elaborate. But I agree.

ALSO I HATE YOU NOW, duh.

[veils.livejournal.com]

LOL MOAST EMBARRASSING.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

YOU CREEPER

[forthesky.livejournal.com]

THIS POST IS RAISING MY CONTRARINESS FACTOR SO MUCH, YOU HAVE NO IDEA.

TWITTER JUST MAKES ME SO MAD, ALEX. Like, there is absolutely no reason for it at all. I understand people not wanting to make whole entries for things that can be summarised in a line. BUT BUT BUT. I guess it's a) I love lj and I hate change (you know I'm a grandma when it comes to these things), b) I like long, contemplative, wordy entries! and c) everyone is doing it, which makes me hate it immediately.

Re: tumblr, I think that's a pretty cool website, and I kiiiiind of lied when I said I didn't have one, because I do in theory. But it has never been used, because I'm (again) lazy when it comes to change & I never really got into it. But I don't hold such a grudge against tumblr. BUT I WILL CHANGE MY MIND IF IT'S TRUE THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT USING LJ AS MUCH BECAUSE OF THESE TWO SITES. I guess I haven't really noticed? I probably will now though :(

[elapses.livejournal.com]

TO BE TOTALLY HONEST, I think tumblr is detracting from LJ traffic a lot more than twitter is.

IAWTCONTRARINESS, basically. What is wrong with us :(

[allibabab.livejournal.com]

Uhh, I think I'm a grandma even on the internet. I've still only got the originals, and that's all I really want, dammit!

The thing is, I just don't see the point of having 79 different ways of talking with the same people. I tried having a MySpace and a Facebook at the same time, around when I first got my Facebook, and it was just like, I don't need both of these to say the same things to the same people! And like you said, I like the idea of LiveJournal better because you can have substantial conversations, you can read fic, you can actually express yourself without worrying about wordcount.

BASICALLY: LJ WINS, THE END.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

THESE ARE MY FEELINGS TOO! SURPRISE!

I will never tire of that icon.