April 13, 2008
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Xanga ho hum
I’ve been kinda on a xanga rebellion. Not only has my personal life kept me busy and had all my attention and energy, but I’ve found myself kind of unwilling to come here and blog. I had recently switched to the new private page. While it was easy to navigate, and easy to utilize features, I found it a little impersonal. Add to that the new reply and recommend features and I felt like some of the intimacy of xanga had disappeared. Now people no longer came to my site to reply, just hit the reply button and don’t bother to visit. While that’s not true for most of my regular readers, some of my visitors only came when I commented on them. The recommend feature fills my private page with all these great sounding blogs, and I spend time visiting them, and get discouraged to find they are all vacous attempts at popularity. Seemingly everyone is trying to become a xangalebrity or xanganster. These blogs are full of the beautiful bloggers trying to get more and more readers. I get caught up in that and start feeling like I have to impress my readers, make them laugh or inspire, entertain, or enlighten them in some way.
I forgot why I came to xanga and feel in love with in the first place. I came here to interact with others and be what I’m good at: honest. Honest about who I am, what I do and my life. It’s about sharing myself and my life with others. It’s about connecting with people. I don’t care if I’m popular, or on the featured page. What I care about is how Angrocamp birth went, whether or not dtrask ever got some warm weather, how jackee0779 is feeling, and whether SuzyQ_darnit is doing any better with her sinus issues. I want to know how the world’s greatest band mom and her friend Jordan are doing and what ThisIsBullDookie’s twins are up to. I want to see pictures of vjgunkel59 daughter’s wedding and hear how it went – I want to know about all my friends and I want them to know what’s going on with me. How Ducky’s doing, and what Squirt is up to. How Hubby is doing and my neverending effort to get a full time job.
Truth is, I don’t want to be xanga celebrity. I don’t want the pressure. I just want to hang out here with my friends, and do what I’m good at- be honest. So even though I may not be back as often (as I’m working full time for the next three weeks) I will definitely be back regularly. And thanks to dtrask – for letting me know I was missed! Tomorrow ( or in a day or so) pictures and videos of this weekend’s activities. They include a shaving cream fight, and a video parody of The Great Gatsby with a Jerry Springer take….. good stuff! LOL
Until then, I’ll be around to visit. I’m cleaning up my sub list, getting rid of those xangalebrities, and just keeping friends.
Have a great Monday everyone!
Comments (20)
I am and have gone through similar feelings – Featured Grownups is much slower and I don’t care – I really only want those who are there for the right reasons…
As for my place – if you are not there to be my friend and share in what is going on in my life then you aren’t there for the right reason.
I’m glad you are here
I have gone through Xanga withdraw and have come out the other side by not being on so often. I like just writing when I have something to share. Lately I have been busy so I am way behind in reading. My friends are still my friends and they enjoy my occasional appearance. Have a great time working. Better you than me. Will I see you at book club this Saturday?
Man do I no where your coming from! Thanks for stopping by, and you have a great week also.
Just wanted to say, first of all, thank you for your prayers. That’s what xanga is for me, a support system of people who genuinely care! That, and the journaling aspect. Celebrity status? Not for me! I agree with you completely!
I’m glad you came back! We finally lured Sunnycaligurl (widowat40) back to Xangaville, you have to stay now! I’m with you though, I’m just here for the friends I make, not to be popular. Some people are just naturally popular and they have lots of Xanga friends. I’m just not that way I guess. It’s not a big deal. It’s fun to make friends like you. I’d never have met you in the real world but yet we have a lot of things in common. In a way, Xanga is sort of voyeuristic to me. You get to peek in on other people’s lives and see how they live and such. But it’s better because you can start a conversation and make friends too!
I did think about you yesterday. We were watching this show on the travel channel about the American Orient Express and it ends in Albuquerque. They really showed some good shots of the city and the surrounding mountains. It looks like a nice place to be.
You got a long term sub job? Let me know how working everyday goes!
I know, I feel the same way! I switched back from the “new” page. I like to “see” my own page, not some bland page of statistics. I don’t even look at the newest features, at least not yet. I do occasionally use the reply feature, but I don’t like it because I rarely use the email account I have for it, and only see it once a month or so. I had forgotten about it until recently! By that time, I kind of forgot what the responses were all about. And, like you say, many poeople only comment back to you, they don’t initiate comments, so that’s even less of a response to the blog itself.
I’m always glad to see you!
Well, I’ll be darned. You just decribed my recent bout of xanga feelings to a T. I’m glad you’ve arrived at an okay place to keep playing with those of us who count you a virtual friend. I think you’re the only person I know (real or virtual) who understands why I allow D1 so much leeway with her appearance, and I appreciate that understanding.
(jumping up and down) . . . “Keep me, Keep me!” LOL! You have been missed. I’ve been wondering how the subbing has been going. Hope you are still enjoying it. I don’t visit your site daily, but only when I know you have an update.
Please come back!
I’ve been MIA too, I get this way about twice a year, very OCD’ish about all the CRAP at my house. I either need more space or less stuff, more space isn’t happening so less stuff it is. I had a huge yard sale this weekend, made 440.00 and I’m still getting rid of stuff. Xanga will have to wait, and I don’t like the new comment feature either
i feel the same way
im sure being a celebrity on xanga isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. i just do what i do when i do it here no matter what it is… cause im really not sure what i do here
hope you are feeling well.
Well, I looked at the new start page: HATED IT! If I wanted to be on some other blog, I’d be there. I like this one because there are adults here and you get to know them and you become friends. I like you, so I visit you. So, don’t worry about being witty or entertaining or inspiring; just be you!
I have been so caught up in the planning and work of the wedding that I noticed the new page and was lost. I’m trying to get back to blogging now that the wedding is over, but I have to admit I hate trying to figure out how to navigate my own site. I’m glad to read that others are sharing the same feelings. This is what I like about xanga-the feeling of community.
I’ve been helped a lot through xanga members and enjoy this site because I’m a pretty busy person and can get online after 11pm. I can’t exactly pick up a phone at that time of night, but I can go to my blog and pour out my heart and read the issues of life with others like me. It is a real shot in the ego to have others care about me. I’m so glad to have been tagged by you as a friend. That is what this is all about.
I’ll get pictures up this week-I’m still laundering about 75 linen table cloths and unpacking stuff from the reception. Thanks for showing interest, I’de hate to be boring everybody with our life event-lol!
@vjgunkel59 -
there’s a way to go back to the old page. it’s a little bit under the top heading. try that. i like the old page because i can navigate better but the new page because i can read other peoples recommendations.
I can’t figure any of this out. LOL. I hope you keep me since I just came back and all.
Good for you, girl!
May I just say that you look fantastic up there on that soapbox!
Why does my xanga site suck? I am avoiding it until I can fix it.
I dislike the reply button myself……….I hates the fact too that people just hit reply and then wont comment you back…They spend all day finding and thinking look I got tons of comments on my site and I refuse to comment you. It is a crappy thing…….It was nicer when everyone visited everyone…….I go to peoples sites……On both sites…..Except for one…..I cant comment her on her site…….The script on her page is nasty.
I still loves ya……..I comment all the time……But lately I have been super busy.
Yep come on back when your ready for the burgers recipes…..They arent going anywhere.
yes that is why i avoid certain types of movies and the news (most of the time) though sometime i do like to feel informed more than likely it is always a negative thought constantly on my mind. like now i get to worry about gas prices and the cost of living going up while finding the solutions to the problems of the world right in my own work place
and if i didn’t think about it at all i would not even know there was a change more than likely.