11/20/08

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.

Ahh, good ‘ol Open Diary. I’m so glad I found this site. It’s where I met some really amazing people that I never would have met had it not been for Open Diary. I was surfing bored.com April 11th 2001 and saw a link for Open Diary. Because I had kept a diary since I was 6 years old, I thought, wow, what a cool thing to do online. A place to store all of my thoughts. In college I was surrounded by computers, so to jot down any thought at any time seemed cool. Then, when I noticed that you could make your entries private or public, it was even more enticing. A total stranger could read all of my entries and know so much about me. Kinda cool and kinda scary.

I started my diary that day in April and have really enjoyed it. I know that I only have a few select readers, not billions of people who note me every day, but that’s how my real life is. I only really have a few select true friends. I believe I found Nip first, then Taylor, then Illustrious. Afterwards, I came across Tomorrow’s Girl and Space. I actually bumped into Tomorrow’s Girl in Houston out at a bar. We knew who each other were, and it was funny to walk over and say, "Hey, I know you, well, kinda in a nerdy way. It’s nice to meet ya!" I also have a few favorites that I read but they probably don’t know that I’m reading their entries. Guess that makes me a lurker. Most of the time, I’m just reading the entry. I don’t have a lot to say, so sometimes I skip a note, or sometimes I don’t say anything but leave my name.

When I first started writing, it was all about relationships with guys that I was seeing at the time. I’ve gone back to read them, and I shudder at some of the entries. Ugh! I guess being 20 and being young and stupid makes you do ridiculous things. Then again, it’s nice to see the changes in myself over the years. I’ve matured, don’t seem very cocky anymore, ( I think I was at one point for whatever reason ) and I worry less about what people think of me. I have learned more about families, friends, babies, different countries, art, photography, music and different people than I ever thought I would. I realize that my life is bordering on dull/ordinary compared to other people’s lives. Either that, or there’s some major drama kings/queens on this site. Ha!

I’ve always considered myself a liberal, open person. I think that having OD in my life has made me moreso. And hey, that’s not a bad thing!

We were planning on a trip to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving.Poor mom cancelled it last night. She’s feeling better since her surgery but is still having trouble walking around. I really feel for her. She would be miserable up in the hotel room while we were all out having fun. We will instead help cook Thanksgiving dinner at home. I’m really excited to try my hand at Thanksgiving dinner. I think it all worked out for the better.

nippitynip

November 20, 2008

I went back to my first few entries and saw your name there…and i was like, “holy crap, she’s been around for like seven years! thats more than most of my “real” friends!” Its been a cool ride, ya know? Neat to see how we’ve grown up and changed. From dating randomly to now married, me with kids..who woulda thought that – reading us so long ago? just crazy. and we’ve been there through it all! so cool. seriously. and I think I snatched taylor from your diary…I saw her notes, thought she was stuck up, and started reading her for fun – but ended up really liking her!! and illustirious, i’ve loved from day one. i think we should have ten year OD reunion or something – and no, not online!! :o)

hello gorgeous!

i wrote under a few different names long ago, i wish i had those entries. even now i have tons of different notebooks that i write things in. i wish it was just all here, but i like keeping a paper journal a lot too. glad that your mom is recoving. just being together is what matters most!

illustrious

it’s nerdy, but i don’t know what i’d do without this site. i love it, and i don’t want any of us to grow up and stop using it. it’d be so cool to meet in real life. that’s too bad about the trip, but it’ll be fun to cook thanksgiving dinner! i’ll keep your mom in my prayers.

ryn: im there!! but we gotta pick a cool place. we should all go to vegas! yeah..me and my three (maybe 4 by then?) kids. st louis can be cool. i gotta look at a map. missouri seems to be centrally located…

*Lucky

Nip referred me to your diary. It’s surprising we don’t read each other considering all the fav’s you mentioned in this entry are all my fav’s as well! 🙂 It’s amazing how this entry has made me feel like I always have “someone” to talk to. I enjoy it and thank the girl who introduced me to this site.

ps..Nip and I have been friends IRL since 6th grade, so you KNOW we’ll be planning this meet up with OD friends! LOL

Space

November 21, 2008

You know Ive a lot on my faves list but Ive only got a few faves. Without any shadow of a doubt lass you are mos-def one of the latter. I love your approach to life, your whole sense of being and your shiny personality! Its so strange/funny to think how long Ive been reading your OD I find that reading peoples ODs doesnt always give you the history behind why the person is the person they are but it always allows you to understand the type of person they exist as. Reading about you becoming the aweshume person you are today has constantly made me smile. The latest jumps youve made in your career have fascinated me whilst your relationship with Matt has always inspired the romantic in me too. Ultimately you wok and I feel incredibly lucky to have been able to share your writings up till now (and for the future!)

taylor6

November 26, 2008

Hey, I see the shit-talking Nip is doing about me! 😉 Actually, it’s cool to read that…b/c I never knew I came across as stuck-up. I always like hearing what people honestly think of me, even if it’s negative. You were definitely one of my first OD friends…it was either you or Lucky and I believe you were my first ones. It’s great on here b/c I feel I’ve made all kinds of interesting friends!