Live Journal... [Archive] - ConstantChatter

laurenc

06-30-2005, 06:30 PM

I've had a LJ since 2000 and write in it more days than not. I've always enjoyed journaling, and it's kinda satisfying to get feedback on your thoughts every now and then.

I don't have lots of friends, and I value reading my friends list. So, I find it helpful to not add communities to my friends list. Sometimes communties can go bonkers, and your friends list can get cluttered with things you don't really want to read. I check each community once every day or every other day, or more if there's something I really want to follow closely.

(I'm manasam -- feel free to friend me)

claribella

06-30-2005, 06:56 PM

LJ takes a bit of getting used to but you'll get it. I love the privacy features and they have put up a couple of new journal styles that are cool. I've been there for 1 year

mmeblue

06-30-2005, 07:03 PM

One thing I like about LJ is that you can use a client to post from instead of the web browser (though you can do it that way as well). I use Semagic, and I think there are others as well. I also like it as a journal format since comments are attached to the entry they're talking about. As far as communities go, I prefer boards like these, but for journaling, I like the LJ format better. :)

nolagirl

06-30-2005, 08:04 PM

I just joined LJ too because I wanted a journal.......but I have no idea how to do ANYTHING!! Does anyone have good "LJ for complete and total computer idiots" tips?! I figured out how to post an entry and that's about it.....I feel really stupid asking, but what should/can I do next? I don't even understand what the options are!

granada

06-30-2005, 08:18 PM

I couldn't understand LJ at first either, but I started by reading through some of the FAQ. Just play around with it a little, and you'll get the hang of it. I really like it now. I like the privacy features, and I like getting responses to my posts in my email and being able to answer them directly from email.

EmilyZA ~ If you have specific questions, I (and I'm sure many others) will be happy to help you out. I didn't start with many friends either. I'm not the most extroverted of posters, but I've slowly added friends here and there.

So, I find it helpful to not add communities to my friends list. Sometimes communties can go bonkers, and your friends list can get cluttered with things you don't really want to read.

I've encountered this problem, too! I just found out that if you add "?show=p" to the url when you go to your friends page, that shows all personal journals. I use that as a way to make sure the communities aren't burying my friends' journals.

MsRo

06-30-2005, 08:32 PM

It's like a diary to me. I just vent/ramble. :p

rebeccasmommy

06-30-2005, 08:35 PM

I love my LJ. At first it took a while and I kept two journals while I figured it out (I still used my journal at the other place for a while). Eventually I got more comfortable with my LJ and it's my only journal. IT does take some getting used to, but it's pretty easy to get the hang of it.

lawyerlee

06-30-2005, 10:37 PM

It's like a diary to me. I just vent/ramble. :p
Same here! As MsRo well knows. :)

I really like being able to get my thoughts out have an organized way to go back through them, too.

The Frequently Asked Questions are *extremely* helpful. I use them almost every single day to figure out how to do something new or something I don't do very often. So I highly recommend you check those out and keep them handy. :)

http://www.livejournal.com/support/faq.bml

Sophia

06-30-2005, 10:47 PM

I'm on LJ, too. I really love the personalization & privacy features. It takes a while to get used to, but it's a really great journal setup, IMO, and I like it a lot better than I did journaling on the other site.

pride&prejudice

07-01-2005, 05:50 AM

I have a journal there, but have been slow to start typing in it. I cannot figure out how to do somethings, like pictures! I have only one friend, so I kind of feel like aloser over there too! :o

nic

07-01-2005, 06:09 AM

I don't really get it either.
I have a question about the Friends thing-Do you join different communities and get to know people then friend them?

EmilyZA

07-01-2005, 01:31 PM

I'm hoping that some of my old journal buddies from way back when on the other site get on LJ. I was getting really lax in my WC journal, but really want to get back into it. I loved my own space to record my thoughts, vent, etc.

PrincessButrcup

07-01-2005, 01:54 PM

I've just started using LJ. I tended to lurk in other people's journals on the other site but I'm hoping that I'll keep this new journal up.

EmilyZA I just took a quick look at your cookbook. Those recipies look delicious. I may steal some from you!

EmilyZA

07-01-2005, 01:56 PM

EmilyZA I just took a quick look at your cookbook. Those recipies look delicious. I may steal some from you!

Go for it! :)

angelpalgt

07-01-2005, 03:05 PM

nic asked:
I have a question about the Friends thing-Do you join different communities and get to know people then friend them?

You can get to know people who have an LJ almost anywhere. Most of my friends are people I knew IRL, though I am not opposed to friending others in my LJ.

For those who are new to this, to add a friend to your friend list:
1. Log into LJ
2. Mouse Over "Manage" and then in the little sub-menu that comes up, click on "Friends"
3. Click on "Edit Friends"
4. Type in your friends' screen names and then click "Save Changes"

Congratulations, you just added some friends. From this same screen, you can also see who has added you as a friend and add them by just checking the box next to their name if you like.

Also, from the Manage > Friends screen you can create custom friends groups. Say for example that you want to just read the journals of your friends from CC or you have a couple of entries that you don't want certain people reading. You can click on the "Edit Custom Friends" link and use the boxes to create new groups and add certain friends to certain groups. This will allow you to open your posts only to certain people and to display just the friends you want to read about on your friends page.

To use the custom friend group to display on your friends page, when you mouse over "Journal" and then "Friends" a little "..." appears next to "Friends". Click on the "..." and you can pick which groups will display when it opens.

LJ has many more cool tricks, so if you have questions, ask away. People are usually very glad to help otherse. Oh, and if anyone is looking for more friends, you can add me if you like. My LJ is the same as my CC name.

PGirl26

07-01-2005, 06:14 PM

I'm new on LJ as well, and can't quite figure it out either. There are a few screens that I see in other journals but cannot figure how to get to on my own, lol. And so far, I only have two friends...LOL...If anyone wants a new friend, HERE I AM...LOL. I'm MandaBean26....

granada

07-01-2005, 06:59 PM

PGirl26 ~ To see your journal, go to the LJ homepage. There's a dark blue bar under the LJ logo, with the words, "Journal," "Manage," "Search," etc. Put your mouse over "Journal," then "Recent," then click. That will show your most recent entries. To see your friends' journals, hover over "Journal," then "Friends," then click. That shows you all your friends' journals and your communities.

stochasticgirl

07-01-2005, 07:43 PM

I don't really get it either.
I have a question about the Friends thing-Do you join different communities and get to know people then friend them?

LJ is tricky at first, but before you know it, you'll get used to it! :)

About 40% of my LJ Friends list are women I know from WC, another 40% are Friends that I met through various communities (especially los_angeles and npr_junkie), and the others are Friends of Friends whose journals I found enjoyable to read. Perhaps most importantly, I've actually met a lot of the people on my Friends list in person, which just brings you that much closer to people.

I love having a place to write about anything, be it relationships, TV, current events, or random stuff. It's just such a great catch-all for all your journaling needs. :)

If anyone would like help with their LJ, feel free to PM me here!
Judy

stochasticgirl

07-01-2005, 07:55 PM

PrincessButrcup and anyone else new to LJ: you may want to add a little more information about yourself so new visitors to your journal can learn more about you without the immediate commitment of having to "friend" a total stranger. You could do this in the form of a public post, in the Bio section of your user info page, or by adding more interests to your user info page. Personally, I find it much more comfortable to friend someone whom I think I might share similar interests with, than someone who doesn't list much on their user info page and only has a "Comment here to be added" post in their journal.

It was so much easier getting to know people when wedding journals were *ahem* easier to find on that other site. ;)

PGirl26

07-01-2005, 09:25 PM

Stochasticgirl--how do I get my journal in a format kind of like yours? I like the way yours is laid out...But, can't seem to figure out a darned thing about LJ...thanks in advance :)

mrs_pell

07-01-2005, 09:50 PM

I have a journal there, but have been slow to start typing in it. I cannot figure out how to do somethings, like pictures!

For pictures, just type in [img src = "http......."/], with <> instead of [].

LJ confused me for a while, too, but now i love it. Basically, I just started clicking on EVERYTHING that could be clicked so that I could see where it would take me, until I figured things out! :D

Arien

07-01-2005, 10:13 PM

Stochasticgirl--how do I get my journal in a format kind of like yours? I like the way yours is laid out...But, can't seem to figure out a darned thing about LJ...thanks in advance :)

I took a peek at her journal, and I see it's a paid account. You can do more with a paid account.

I have a free account, but since it's only $25.00 for a whole year I'm thinking about upgrading to a paid one. Does anyone with a paid account really think it's worth the extra money?

And if anyone wants to visit my LJ, I'm ArientheLeo on there. There isn't much to it right now though. I think I have a total of 5 or 6 entries! :rolleyes:

stochasticgirl

07-02-2005, 08:15 AM

Stochasticgirl--how do I get my journal in a format kind of like yours? I like the way yours is laid out...But, can't seem to figure out a darned thing about LJ...thanks in advance :)

You can change the layout of your journal by going to http://www.livejournal.com/customize/ (after logging in, of course)

There are two style systems you can choose from on LJ: S1 and S2. S2 is easier for most people to work with, as you can choose your colors and stuff without having to use any HTML code. I'm currently using the S2 Flexible Square layout with colors that I customized, but you can choose from many other layouts and color combinations. (Note: if you are a free account user, there are a few layouts not available to you.)

If you need any help, just let me know!
Judy

stochasticgirl

07-02-2005, 08:18 AM

I have a free account, but since it's only $25.00 for a whole year I'm thinking about upgrading to a paid one. Does anyone with a paid account really think it's worth the extra money?

As you noted, I have a paid account. Since I'm on the site so much, I thought it was only fair that I pay for my bandwidth. :) Also, you do get some nice features with a paid account like more journal customizations, 15 icons instead of 3, free photo storage, the ability to post by email, and more. For $25 for a whole year, I think it's a drop in the bucket considering how much I use it to keep in touch with friends, both real life and internet.

Clubqueen

07-02-2005, 08:42 AM

I just recently joined LJ as well, and am slowly figuring out how to use the features. I'm sure it will take me a while, but I'll get it... eventually!

Arien

07-02-2005, 11:52 AM

As you noted, I have a paid account. Since I'm on the site so much, I thought it was only fair that I pay for my bandwidth. :) Also, you do get some nice features with a paid account like more journal customizations, 15 icons instead of 3, free photo storage, the ability to post by email, and more. For $25 for a whole year, I think it's a drop in the bucket considering how much I use it to keep in touch with friends, both real life and internet.

Thanks for the input. I haven't been on LJ much, but now that the WC boards are so messed up and I'm not really keeping a wedding journal anymore anyway, I thought I might start keeping my LJ journal up more. I think I'll get a paid membership myself.

And I got your email. Thanks! I sent you one too. :D

tlew12778

07-04-2005, 06:44 AM

I'm new to LJ as well. What I found really useful was keeping a separate window open with the FAQ up. That way as I was writing out a post I could go look up the code or whatever I wanted.

KristieW

07-04-2005, 08:32 AM

I'm new to LJ as well. What I found really useful was keeping a separate window open with the FAQ up. That way as I was writing out a post I could go look up the code or whatever I wanted.

If you post using a client instead of the web interface, it'll have tools built in so that you don't have to remember all the code. I love the client!

shimmerstar

07-04-2005, 08:57 AM

I just started posting there. I have a few friends and would like more (hint, hint). I don't write anything that interesting, but I will have funny kid stories when school starts in the fall. :)

angelraven

07-04-2005, 09:21 AM

I have a journal over there too. I really like the privacy options over there. I can make sure I know exactly who is reading, and if I have something totally private I want to vent about I can. It did take some getting used to, but I'm slowly coming to like it more than my WC journal, other than my lack of friends at LJ. I'm hab83 over there in case anyone wants to come find me.

amtaylor

05-11-2006, 07:41 AM

AHammer

05-11-2006, 01:39 PM

Has anyone tried out the new sponsored+ account? I have the free one and was wondering what the difference was. I'm loving LJ... the privacy aspect really puts my husband's mind at ease :rolleyes: He's not to sure about the whole message board thing.

I too am always looking for new friends as well ;)

I haven't tried out that acct. I have a free one right now. Had a paid account one year but really didn't use any of the bonus features, so it was kind of a waste of my money.

I too am always looking for LJ friends. If anyone wants to add me, feel free :)

yby1

05-12-2006, 11:30 AM

Info on the sponsored+ account

http://news.livejournal.com/91919.html

jenjen0713

10-18-2006, 08:08 AM

Anyone using the LJ Talk? I don't know whether I should download the Gizmo thing or not?

I'm always looking for new LJ friends. My username is the same over there as it is here! :)

ManteoChik

10-18-2006, 08:15 AM

I've been using LJ for a while now. I got one, and never used it at first because I couldn't figure it out. Now I actually like it.

Like others said, I use mine mostly like a diary or personal journal....with occasional visitors. Sometimes I get lots of visitors and other times when life gets busy no one will stop by - I still post though.

StudentNurse24

10-18-2006, 01:45 PM

I started a LJ account several months ago in addition to my Xanga but I found that it was really only for "me" becaues it is hard to build a "community" on there. I have a good ammout of friends on there but it is like people really dont comment back and forth.....something I figured they would do...it is more of a lurker thing for me.

But I will say LJ is a pretty cool place & a good place to get stuff of your chest and its nice to just have a place to go

Katy

10-19-2006, 12:48 AM

Anyone using the LJ Talk? I don't know whether I should download the Gizmo thing or not?Jen, there's already a thread (http://www.constantchatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25865) for chatting about the merits (ha!!) of the LJ Talk thing. And for what it's worth, depending on what IM you use, you might not need to download anything. I use Adium so I can run more than one account/IM on one program - all I had to do was log in through LJ Talk. Super easy!

Rose

10-21-2006, 01:37 AM

This is slightly OT, but can you no longer search by username on LJ? Do you have to upgrade to a paid account now?

Sophia

04-04-2007, 12:32 PM

Anyone else having bizarre errors when commenting on LJ?

jennylou

04-04-2007, 12:38 PM

Yes - I can't reply to journals.

But, what's really frustrating is every time I try to make an entry it freezes my browser. I'm using firefox - anyone else with firefox issues?

Sophia

04-04-2007, 12:39 PM

I'm on IE.

I guess I should check their status page and see if the problem is already being addressed.

*frustrated*

Sophia

04-04-2007, 12:41 PM

http://www.livejournal.com/support/

You may temporarily experience error messages while using the site. Our engineers are working on it and it will be fixed as quickly as possible.

Nice and vague. :rolleyes:

Maybe I should join DD in her nap. :)

Bri_Mason

04-04-2007, 01:06 PM

The link to my LJ is in my signature... I'd love to get to know some of ya'll!

It's "Friends Only" - so just drop me a message and I'll add you.

PookiePrincess

04-04-2007, 02:58 PM

I'm relatively new to the LJ thing, so thought I'd post a link in here. I'm kristi116 (http://kristi116.livejournal.com/) over there.

Toonces

05-11-2007, 06:45 PM

mrs_pell

05-11-2007, 07:08 PM

LJ question... I couldn't find an answer to this in their FAQs.

Does anyone know if you're a member of a community and you post in that community and select "Show this entry to Friends", will ppl who are community members but not on your personal FL be able to see the post?

Toonces ~ When you post in a community, and you post it as "friends only", only the people who are friends/members of *that* community will be able to read it. The people on *your* friends list won't be able to see it unless they are a member of that community as well.