December 28, 2003

Norma no-mates

Good grief. It’s just like being back at school, I swear, and sitting at the back of the classroom and becoming suddenly aware that Something Is Afoot. There is chatter from all sides, but it’s not about anything you can identify. Acting as casually as you can, you lean over to your best friend and say in an off-hand manner, “So what’s this?” She looks down at her feet and says, in the same light tone, “Oh, Lucy’s party tonight.”

Your mind reels. Lucy is having a party? Since when? From the discussion going on all around, it’s plain that people have been planning their outfits for weeks. Is it possible that you could have been invited and lost the invitation? No. Is it possible, then, that Lucy, being so very busy what with being so popular and all, could have intended to invite you, but mislaid your invitation mistakenly and tragically? A quick exchange with Lucy (“Enjoy your party tonight! Happy birthday, by the way….” “Yeah. Thanks”) confirms that this is not the case. A quick look around the classroom confirms that even those people whom you had secretly always rather looked down upon have all been invited. Crashed and burned, I think is the apt expression here.

Ah well.

Now, I’m sorry, but whose idea was this ‘favourite of’ thing? It’s like having telepathy. No one wants to know what other people think of them. It’s not big and it’s not clever. After reading the diarymaster’s entry about this ker-az-ee new facility, I clicked on my ‘favourite of’ button with rapid compulsion. And guess what? No one is my friend. I am on hardly any favourites lists.

I shouldn’t be surprised. I have abandoned my diary tragically. It’s hardly been a riveting read of late. I have all but stopped noting people since I moved to an office where my boss’ desk is directly behind mine. It’s like ignoring a friend for months then being surprised when they ring someone else and not you. Part of me wants to stamp my feet and shout, “Like me! Like me!” and part of me knows that ignoring everybody and then stamping one’s feet in such a manner is not intrinsically likeable.

So anyway. If you’re reading this, please click on that button and stick me on your favourites list. Just for me. Even if you have no intention of reading my self-obsessed whingeing ever again. Do it not because you like my writing, or because you’re convinced by my shameless need to bolster my ego. Do it because you know that you, too, will be clicking on that ‘favourite of’ button weekly, daily, hourly, watching your OpenDiary popularity rise and fall with the inexorable movement of the stock market. Sometimes you’re up, sometimes you’re down. I’m down, and I don’t like it!

yours grumpily (but still hoping very much that the ironic flavour of the entry is not lost in transmission!!), therumtumtugger xxx

hey good intro. kept me reading. even though it was a real story…….. but it was written well if that counts for anything

TheMoor

December 29, 2003

I suspect you should find me on your list. Any kind of favours are accepted to repay your gratitude! ;-). You forgot to mention in your entry that your ‘favourites of’ need to set their favourites to public otherwise it doesn’t show on ‘Favourites of’. The strange thing I found with this feature is people I thought were dedicated followers weren’t on ‘Fav of’ (maybe their favourites are private

whilst I had more than a couple of ‘Favourites of’ who had never noted me. They had been voyeurs spying on my daily life, not contributing or boosting my ego by leaving notes. Their typical profile was around 20 from the USA – I just hope they aren’t reading me because of my alleged accent…I would feel so used 😉

Andel

You’re on my favorite list! I just don’t broadcast that list, me being the sneaky sort. 🙂

Fred

oh rumtum… now don’t be so silly. of course you are everybodies favorite! you’re certainly mine (even if you are always right down at the very bottom–by last update– because you don’t write very often!) anyway… my favorites are private so that’s why you can’t see, but i assure you that you are there. (how else would i have turned up to note you!)

I know for a fact that you’re still on my favourites list, so nyah 😛

catta petasata

Awww. You’ve been on my favourites list for ages and ages, though I don’t know if I’ve ever noted you on this name… to be honest, you always seemed to popular that I didn’t want to intrude, though I love to read your writing. But the above noters have it right- most people’s lists are private, so in general only a few people show up.

perfect circle

You are on my list, but as I don’t have a public favourites, it won’t show up.

BeakerUK

I haven’t found that “favourite of” function yet, perhaps I shouldn’t look. I remember those school times far too well! Anyway, you have been on my favourites list for a very long time 🙂

Now I know you’re on my list 🙂 (and I was surprised to see I’m on yours!) The thing is, favourite of only works with people who have public lists – which not many people do. So content yourself with knowing your fans are too shy to admit their adoration of you publicly 😉

Avicenna

December 30, 2003

I’m sure you already know on whose favourites list you must be simply by seeing who responds to your latest postings in a timely manner. Happy New Year and all that,

The Efficient Oak

January 1, 2004

You were always on my favourites. I found that I am on the favourites of two utterly random people who have never left me a note! Happy New Year 🙂

Analene

You’re on my favourites!

Solitude

January 2, 2004

You’re on mine, but I don’t keep a public list. I know a million other people have already pointed that out, so I hope it stopped making you grumpy. 🙂

Kimio

January 14, 2004

You’ve always been on my favourite’s list! Of course, mine isn’t public so there you go. 🙂 Sneaky me! Happy New Year, RTT!!

I didn’t even know that the “favorites of” button existed until now. I will add you to my list, because your entries are always creative and vivid – you are a wonderful storyteller. Thank you also for your kind note. Although we disagree, your grace and respectful attitude toward me should be commended. Your note was the only respectful one I received from someone who disagreed with me.

January 16, 2004

Robin: Take a bath? [bows and exits]