Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Happy Anniversary!

AOL Journals 3-Year Anniversary Badge
    This coming Monday, AOL Journals will be celebrating their Three-Year Anniversary, and apparently, according to Vivian, there seems to be lots and lots of celebratory goodiness going on to mark this special day.  I recommend heading over to her journal in order to stay informed on these things.
 
    Now, I've only been doing this journal thing since late February of this year, so, as a noob, I don't know if I'm actually all that qualified to really participate in the festivities, but, since I'm here, I might as well say one or two things about my impressions of AOL Journals, the overall journaling process, and the reasons why I chose such an odd medium as a means in which to broadcast my insanity.
 
    I have to admit, AOL Journals is ridiculously easy to use.  I mean, even in spite of the occasional outburst of chronic keyboard dyslexia, the ability to simply type on endlessly and hit save to post these thoughts for all to see seems almost TOO easy sometimes.  And, to think that anyone upon this planet with an internet connection and a little time to kill can simply go to a search engine, type in the typo "DPoem" and find all this chatter from me is freakishly intimidating.  For all I know, some guy sitting on a rock in the Gobi Desert is reading this as he bogarts his stockpile of yogurt and tends to his estate of sand and dirt.  Someday, he may read this and tell his wife, "Honey?  I want my cheese deep fried from now on, or I am going to leave you and move to Wisconsin where they deep-fry everything and even the mosquitoes have a binge-drinking problem." 
 
    Anyway, along the way I've learned all sorts of nifty tips and tricks, and I'm pretty sure that I'd start to develop some very suspicious troubles with my AOL account if I didn't mention that pretty much every trick I learned these last six months came from the exceptionally helpful Journal Editor Joe and his ever growing list of useful tips and pointers designed to make the ridiculously easy even easier. 
 
    And, since I'm doing shout-outs, I should say that for everything Joe does to help us make these things work, AOL's also got Blogger John Scalzi to help give us all something to actually put on these pages.  John's been blogging since long before it was even called blogging, and I can't even count how many times I've meandered my way around his entries to find something to spin my mind in the write direction. 
 
    Obviously, the whole Journals team isn't simply limited to those two.  But, without Joe and John, I'd be a lot more confused than I already am, and I'm pretty certain that I'd have been institutionalized after my first few entries.  Of course, that threat still exists, but at least now I can point to a legitimate source of inspiration for my madness. 
 
    As it stands, I know I've not exactly been updating as frequently as I used to.  I think that somewhere in the dark recesses of my mind still exists a sort of schoolboy mentality that demands I get out and enjoy this last month of summer vacation before September rolls around, and I've got to get back to work.  In other words, August is not for thinking about anything other than nice days on the beach and lazy afternoons.  Hey!  Don't blame me.  Blame the freakin' monks who created this calendar. 
 
    On top of that, I've also been working and writing.  And, I'm pretty sure by the time June rolls around, you're all going to be sick and tired of hearing me plug my book.  Of course, I'm not like John Scalzi who, it seems, can write a novel while standing in his kitchen waiting for a freakin' Pop Tart to cook in his toaster. 
 
    Finally, I think I've covered everything I wanted to say.  I hope you've all enjoyed reading this journal as much as I've enjoyed writing it.  So, thanks again AOL for giving a guy who's got a lot to say a place in which to say it, and congratulations on three years. 
 
     Now, here's the deadly, man-eating Chupacabra:

8 comments:

  1. GREAT entry bud..I loved it!

    I also love the 'Chupacarbra*. I remember reading about that ages ago..scared the life outta me! Doesn't it kill animals too?

    WIERDNESS!

    Great entry...

    Stevie
    :-)

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  2. What the heck happened to you anyway?  I never see a comment in my journal anymore!  I'm thinking I must of pissed you off or something?  Hmmm.... wouldn't be the first time that happened!  ;p

    Jackie

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  3. Cool Chupacabra... you could make him, like, the mascot of your journal!  Hey, come read me sometime... it makes for good lazy summer day reading.  lol

    I can't wait to hear all about your novel and I hope you write more updates as soon as you get tired of burning all the skin off your nose and the beach.  Besides, you aren't at a real ocean beach... just one of those giant lake things anyhow... lol

    I love your journal... and I love the way your sick mind works!  I think you also did great shout outs in this entry which will ensure excellent uninterruped AOL service.

    be well,
    Dawn
    http://journals.aol.com/princesssaurora/CarpeDiem/

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  4. Well, yes you are all that qualified to really participate in the festivities! If you have a journal here you are part of the community whether that journal is 24 hours old or 36 months old. Just the fact that you posted this entry means you are participating  :)  Thank you so much for posting this entry. I Hope this time next year   you are participating again  :)

    Just me,
    Vivian

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  5. Well welcome to the 3 years. I have had my journal since Oct. of last year. I enjoy your journal and keep it up. I must say I have never read Joe's tips or anything maybe I better start.

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  6. Ah Dan, We (well not everyone) love ya here in j-land. Remember when we pissed of that one blogger, I thiink it was your St. Paddy's day hang-over entry. You made me laugh from your very 1st entry and I'll keep coming back for more. Will you marry me? :)

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  7. I only found your blog about amonth ago. Ohhh how much i've missed. I enjoy your craziness and, secretly i admire you for using this medium when those people in the white jackets can come and get ya!

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  8. I don't know....I don't think I want anything to do with a creature whose name means "goat-sucker"!!  But, thanks for sharing, anyway.
    Lori

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