Theme and tracker

This week marks the tenth anniversary of Open Diary. Tell us about your OD experience – how long you’ve been here and how your life may be different because of OD.

I have been on OD since early 2001. My life is different thanks to OD because I have met many people here that I consider to be friends. Admittedly I haven’t met many of you, but I do still consider you to be friends. You have got me through things like being homeless and finding out what my daughter looks like and what her name is.

Not to mention that if it wasn’t for OD, I would not have met my incredibly cute and amazing fiancé Daphne.

If not for the support I have received from the OD community, I would not have done any of the courses I have done over the past few years. I would not have posted any of my stories online. And some of you have even been brave enough to proof read stuff I have written (you know who you are, and I thank you).

It was while preparing to write this entry that I remembered something that I wrote back in April last year for a diary a favourite had set up. I could link to the entry in question but instead I’ll re-post it here:

*lights up cigarette*

It all started on April 9th 2000. I was in the university library, supposedly working on some assignment or other. So, of course, I was doing nothing of the sort.

I was messing about online. I tried looking up bored.com, just to see what happened, then looked through the links it provided. And there was one for something called open diary. I clicked on it.

I was taken to a site that hosted online diaries. I looked through a few and thought “I’ll sign up.”

That was the start.

I wrote a few entries and got some readers. I started reading their diaries and pretty soon I actually had a favourites list.

But I still thought I had it under control.

*stubs out cigarette and lights another*

Then the surveys started. And then I discovered the different circles the site had to offer. Then the interactive entries. The Peoples Interview, to celebrate every 100 entries. The Quote Comp. The Trivia Comp. Interactive Create-A-Surveys.

But I still thought, it’s not a problem.

Pretty soon, the site was amongst the first I would check every day. Not long after that, it did become the first. I started a host of different diaries, for different things. Still, I convinced myself I wasn’t hooked.

I tried different diary sites. I even tried starting my own blog. But OD, like the sirens on Odysseus, kept luring me back.

Still, I convinced myself that I did not have a problem. Sure, there were some things I’d rather talk/ask advice about here than ask a real life friend, but that’s only natural, isn’t it?

Then I was left with on internet access for a while. Didn’t mind not being able to check my email. It was not being able to check OD. Check my notes, read entries made by my favourites.

That’s when I realised it had happened.

My name is William Forbes, and I’m an ODaholic.

But you know what?

*stubs out cigarette*

If being an ODaholic is wrong, I don’t want to be right

And finally.

I’ve been planning to post the results of my tracker survey at some point and this seemed like the perfect entry in which to do so.

A few notes:

1) I wasn’t sure how to do this. I would have liked a spidergram or flowchart, but I don’t have the ability to do so. Anyone else want to attempt that, feel free and let me know.

2) I know the table is in 4 sections. It was the only way I was able to get it from word to here.

3) Key:
[r] means that the person taking the survey found it on random,
(fp) means that the person taking the survey found it on the front page,
anon means that the person who left me the note didn’t sign it.

4) I know that calling the last column given to is unelegant but I really couldn’t find another way to put it.

5) If there are people on your faves list that you think might want to see the results, let them know.

And here we go:

And finally:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OD!

(I know I’m about a week late but I can has birfday cake?)

Will