OD Survey…

What’s your primary reason for having this OD?

Initially, it was supposed to be an added feature of my weight loss website. However, it’s turned into a life diary…with weight loss as the main focus.

Do you have a certain routine when you log on to OD?

I check my favorites list…new notes…return notes…diary circles. 

Are you currently blocked from reading someone’s diary or blocking someone from reading your diary?

One of my favorites has a sibling on OD. After a couple of months of leaving supportive notes about her battle o’ the bulge, the sibling blocked me when she discovered I knew her sister. I guess she felt her anonymity was gone. C’est la vie…

What is the title of your first entry, what was it about, and when did you post it?

My first entry was “Jumping on the Bandwagon”…It was about WW, of course. I had lost 58 lbs at the time…August 31, 2001.

What is the title of your last entry, what was it about, and when did you post it?

“Is it Really Over?”…My kickass trip to Cozumel…May 12, 2004

Not including this one, how many entries do you have (public and/or private)?

498 public entries…1 private

What do you consider most of your entries as (day-to-day accounts, surveys, recipes, lyrics, poetry, writing exercises, etc)?

Weight loss…and all the drama that comes with changing my life.

Have you ever gone back and edited an entry, after already posting it? If so, why?

Yes…spelling errors, missing words…

As of today, how many days do you have left in your subscription and when does it expire?

104 days remaining…8/26/04

Will you be re-subscribing after it ends? Why or why not?

No plans to leave OD at this time…

How many notes do you have (average per entry)?

I currently have 4287 notes…averaging close to 9 notes per entry.

Who left the first and the last note on your diary?

[TallGrl18] (no longer here)  left the first note on 8/31/01

 [PhatPrincessDiva] left the last note on 5/14/04

How many notes did you get on your very first and last entries?

First entry got 8 notes…Last entry received 24 notes

Does anyone from your very first entry still note you (has at least left one note within the last seven entries)?

Yes…1 person has noted from the very beginning…Her name has changed a couple of times, but she’s still the same supportive person. Thanks D!

How many notes have you left?

I’ve left 1946 notes….

Who was the first person you noted, and the last person you noted?

PrincessLuv got the first OD note (I started on FreeOD)…Atrevida got the latest note.

Have you been involved in any flame wars?

Nothing major. An old favorite made a comment that I felt was racist, so I checked her on it. She talked a little bit of shit and eventually went back under her rock. 🙂

Do you ever delete notes? If so, why?

Rarely…only spam.

Which F/OD members (up to 1,000 people) have you had outside-of-OD contact (in person meeting, on the phone, mail, IMs, emails, etc) with after reading them first?

Just 1…[apples and cherries] I already had “real life” relationships with TheLassThatLost and Jersey Girl at Heart. I’ve had ‘net correspondence with a few others.

Who from OD would you like to meet face-to-face?

JennDiva (finally meeting her in September…after 3+ years of being WW divas!)
PhatPrincessDiva
Haddie
autumnwhispers
Blessed Beauty
CaliforniaLoon
…to name a few. 🙂

Is there ONE diarist (who you have not had outside contact with) you read, that makes you feel like you know them?

Baseballgrl 

Recommend ONE diarist (not yet mentioned in this survey) for others to check out.

DarkRen…news with great personal commentary

How many diarists are on your favorites list?

33

Who, on your favorite’s list, last updated, and who updated the longest ago?

DarkRen has the most recent update…KillahMcGillah has been gone for a long time. I’m hoping she’ll be back.

As far as you can tell or guess, how many favorites’ lists are you on?

36 folks listed…but I think there are some lurkers. 🙂

If you post to any diary circles, which one did you last post to and what was the entry called?

Usually post to the Fitness and Weight Loss circle…it’s been awhile.

How many entries so far have been “theme” entries?

A few…

Would you mind being nominated for Reader’s Choice? Why or why not?

I like being nominated for Readers Choice. I usually get a few notes from OD folks that are new to me.

What are the + and – of OD when compared to FOD or other online journal sites?

I haven’t tried other sites…

Would you ever recommend this site, or as a gift, pay $12 for someone else to post here? Why or why not?

I like OD. It has technical issues from time to time, but the DiaryMaster works his ass off to keep the peace.

What is the best and worst thing about journaling online?

Best: connecting with new people…Worst: holier-than-thou folks that choose to judge you based on an entry.

If you post to any diary circles, which one did you last post to and what was the entry called?

My latest entry, News – Where War Can be Enjoyed: The Movies, went into Politics, my most often used circle.

How many entries so far have been “theme” entries?

Hmm.. perhaps a dozen or few. I irregularly poke at doing Weekly Theme entries, but don’t do so with great regularity.

Would you mind being nominated for Reader’s Choice? Why or why not?

I like being nominated for Readers Choice. It gets me more feedback on things and I like to see what people think, even if they don’t think like me. One of my goals is to have a story nominated for Readers Choice, but I don’t hold my breath. 😉

What are the + and – of OD when compared to FOD or other online journal sites?

I’ve only messed with LJ when it comes to sites like this. Their interface was a bit too.. odd for me, though I suppose it might be because I’m used to how OD does business. Open Diary gives a LOT of means through which to advertise, mix and mingle without having to jump through hoops. Though there are some minor issues that irk me, largely form the standpoint of a fellow programmer. I think the DM should seriously considered switching from ASP and go for PHP.

Would you ever recommend this site, or as a gift, pay $12 for someone else to post here? Why or why not?

If anyone were top ask me about diary sites, I’d recommend OD. And I have gifted others with subscriptions. Though only for people that are close to me.

What is the best and worst thing about journaling online?

The best thing is how many people you can get your thoughts out to and how many people can get their thoughts out to you. The worse of it is when the net is down and you can’t get access to the site or any of your entries. :p