Monday, November 21, 2005

I came, I saw, I wondered what the hell they were thinking

   An interesting observation: many of the new non-AOL blogs that have been started by former AOL journalers, in their blogroll sections, are linking only to other non-AOL blogs of former AOL journalers. That kind of exclusivity seems to me to be a contradiction of the kind of thinking that promotes the healthy growth of communities. Kind of a "we're taking our dump trucks, and moving to another sandbox, and you're not allowed to come" kind of mentality that, if I remember being six years old, leads to lonliness on the part of the ones leaving, not the ones staying.
   I'm just sayin'...

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15 comments:

Anonymous said...

you are correct, Paul....partly.
some in J-Land are behaving like bad little toddlers too.....snarky little snipes, rude emails, blocking comments from anyone who is not in J-Land....their own littl exclusive club....isn't it special!
My links are not even in place yet. Why? Give me some time okay....five kids, one sick, one having surgery, this holiday coming, work and I am supposed to learn html overnight? i don't think so!
Maybe we all need to extend MUCH GRACE to one another rather than assume. ASSumptions are more often than not, wrong.
I'm reading your so I would that says something to you.
Laura
http://adventuresinjuggling.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

I think there are a couple of reasons for this.  The reasonable one is that people already know where the AOL Journals are - the ones they were already reading, that is.  They're still on your sidebar, or on your AOL Alerts. The immediate purpose of Blogspot links was to help people reconnect with journals that had moved.  I know that was my first thought when I set up my links on Tuesday or Wednesday or last week.

Nevertheless, you are absolutely right.  The only way for the post-diaspora J-Land to remain a community is for everyone to maintain links to all of their favorite journals, regardless of URL.  I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record, saying this yet again, but there must be no Us and Them here.

And Paul - AWV is now in the "AOL International" section of my sidebar.  Better?

Karen
http://outmavarin.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

I should have said, "thery're still on your AOL-J sidebar."  This doesn't work, of course, for folks who no longer have an AOL-J. Ditto the alerts. - K

Anonymous said...

You're right. I didn't link to you. Twice. However, it appears you're not exactly speechless! ;)

http://saveasecretaryfrominsanity.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Do I care? No, good riddance to at least 50 % of them. :)

Lahoma

Anonymous said...

I have a nice diversity in mine....

And WOW...love the community feel from the comments...geesh and people wonder why??? Sigh

Anonymous said...

Gee, I had noticed that, too. Thought maybe I was reading too much into it.
Hopefully people will find much to give thanks for this week (in America), and decide to put petty differences behind them.
Maryanne

Anonymous said...

I hate the banners....but I hate them everywhere I go.  I just move up alittle and poof they are gone...well sorta.  Happy Holidays.
Dwana

Anonymous said...

I'm here for ya Paul :)

*parks butt in sand with dumptruck in one hand and cup of apple juice in the other*

<3 Rachel

Anonymous said...

hi Paul
natalie

Anonymous said...

I can only speak for myself but the only reason I have only linked non-Aol blogs is because I already have alerts for AOL ones. I don't for the non-AOL blogs, so it's the easiest way for me to keep checking up on their stuff. It really has nothing to do with "pimping" other people or promoting unity. I just want to make sure that none of the people that have moved get lost, that's all.

Eventually I'll get to putting up all my favorites, but as it's time consuming to write all that code in there, it's going to take time.

Ari

Anonymous said...

I do not blame you for staying ;there are no ads on your blog...how did you accomplish that? cMp

Anonymous said...

You covered my question in your other posts...I wonder why I was not alerted about all these posts ... I am happy Carnivaol is up and running Thanks Paul...cMp

Anonymous said...

I haven't got ANY links in my Blogger Blog ;p   Mostly cause I just haven't had the time. My first concern was getting Bloglines set up so I could keep track of all of those NON-AOL Journals AND my AOL journals. But, I admit to being more concerned with the AOL people who have moved because I'm still getting Alerts for the people who stayed. The Sidebar on the new Journal actually says 'coming soon' or something to that effect.

My AOL Journal still has all of the links in the sidebar.... although not all of them are correct now and I do have to find the time to fix them <sigh> Now if I could have just a few more hours in each day maybe I could get it all done!
http://journals.aol.com/astaryth/AdventuresofanEclecticMind
http://adventuresofaneclecticmind.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Paul, I've found more blogs and journals since I set up a mirror-site on Blogger.  I'm keeping my AOL Journal and jumping outside my circle and reading and adding new ones as I come across them.

We shouldn't be upset by those who have left (or mirrored).  It's their decision and if their writing is just as good on Blogger as it is on AOL, then it really shouldn't matter.  

The AOL Journals community has always had an ebb and tide...especially when it comes to popularity and such.  There's always room for the "new" guy  (or gal) in town and it's exciting to look for who's next.  :)  ~Peachy