the plenitude of tigs and why it's not all a good thing

[lobelia321]

I am somewhat overwhelmed by the great number of tigs I got for my slashy-moments post. Had I only known...! 'tis one of the pitfalls of LJ, it seems: for months, if not years, I languish in the niche of 2-comments-here, 20-comments-there and glare with envy and respect at those of us who regularly garner the kinds of tiggishness that requires LJ to go into that thread mode and to add extra pages to one's comments page.

But, argh, as the proverb goes: know what you wish for. All those comments on my slashy-moments post just served to traumatise me so that I had to run away and hide from LJ for over a week. And most of the tigs are from people I've never heard of! I am frightened! Who are these people? Where are my LJ Friends? Why do I post everything I post unlocked? Why do people link me to metafandom???!! I don't like metafandom!

Okay, there was one person who was really intriguing and whom I'm glad to have met via this tig list. But as for the rest, I am still ploughing through replies, I've not even togged half the tigs, I fear, and the later the hour, the more tetchy my replies, and why are people so serious? (Ack, and now I'm echoing a character from a movie! Namely Kitten. From Breakfast in Pluto. About which I've also slightly changed my mind, what with thinking about it.)

The tiggery wasn't all feedback tiggery, either. I can handle feedback plenitude! But here are people disagreeing with me! And pointing out the flaws in my argument! And talking about their 'identities' and 'common understandings' and 'the usual definition', help, *hides*. I tried to disable future comments but that would disable all past comments, as well. Does anyone know how to do that, stop a thread? It's kind of an interesting discussion but I find myself absurdly upset by the tone of it.

Ah well. I'll hide for another week and then I'll come back, all mellowed, and all those people will be forgotten and it'll be back to me, my little circle and my friendly and familiar half-a-dozen-comments-per-post world.

Oh, and there are other news, too.
- I went to Ikea! For the first time in six years. I went with t'little son for a birthday treat and he was allowed to choose himself a desk, a swivel chair and a desk lamp. He was such a lovely companion! We had such great fun!

- The stupid ibook still hasn't arrived. My euphoria of ten days ago has abated. What is 'Mick' on about, what with his charming patter about wired routers and three days delivery max?? Men, eh. (But then I am not allowed to pronounce about men, it seems! But then, I am contrary, I am very contrary, and the more people wafting in from metafandom tell me not to think or say or talk about something, the more I will! *stomps foot*)

- *is nine*

- I have filled one entire notebook full of Harry Potter goodness! It is flowing wonderfully! I think switching to handwritten mode was an inspiration. I can scribble away anywhere, it is so liberating! While I was waiting for Breakfast on Pluto to start, I hunkered down in my cinema seat and scribbled on the backs of some of those promotional postcards you get for free in public venues. And last night I scribbled on the back of a receipt, while queuing up for a restaurant seat! Today, I actually made myself weep when writing about Harry Potter on a beach in New South Wales (this was while sitting on the toilet). Yes, absurd, I know.

- I bought t'boy a bowtie, a dress shirt and a waistcoat at Harrod's, on sale, and he looks so cute!! He did ask for a yellow shirt with ruffles down the front but they seem to have gone out of fashion with Saturday Night Fever. I will be undaunted, though, and try the internet!

- How do other people cope with comments that disagree with you? I have to say: I don't like it! I just want everybody to be nice to me! And if I say something that is not to their liking, I want them never to tell me! Or to slink away and quietly defriend. Or to go 'there, there' and pat me on Ned Kelly's tin hat. Or to engage in persuasive arguments and trick me out of my entrenched position using wiles and lots of bunches of alstroemerias.

Um. See you all in a week.

*stares in fear at comment settings which are left in default mode and hence, enabled*

Comments

[sheldrake.livejournal.com]

Oh dear, my poor Lobes! I just read through the comments to that post and ooh, ouch. I fear that's the risk you run though, when you make a public post. It's easy to forget, sometimes, that while our LJs seem like our own cosy little worlds, they are, in fact, pretty much out in the open. (See blythely's recent bizarre run-in with a Guardian colummnist, for example.) I didn't comment on your post myself because I'm in approximately 5 and a half minds about the issue, as usual.

I know how you feel though. I got a deluge of comments, many from people I'd never heard of, when I did that post about British English last year or whenever it was. Lots of them were very nice, but some people were extremely vehement in their disagreement, and they all seemed to be taking it incredibly seriously. And after a while, I did get that feeling of "Oh, go away and leave me alone! (unless you're going to be nice)." But there you go. You make statements about stuff, people are going to come along and disagree with you. And, if you say metafandomy things, people are probably going to come into your journal and be metafandomy at you. Actually, I still get the odd comment on that post. I got one the other day. Someone (anonymously) offering me their opinions on the use of 'anyway' v 'anyways'. Um, thanks...

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you, this makes me feel much better! I remember that post! It were a great post!

And you know, it's the people I've never heard of that are most worrying. If you or anyone else whom I've known for years come along and make whatever remarks, it's completely different! You're even allowed to disagree with me! (Yes! Although only on Tuesdays.) But you know what I mean: when it's your Friends, you know where they're coming from and have heard a thousand and one moans and whatnots from them and you can reply with a jest and a joke or a 'hm'. But these strangers! Invading my LJ with their various thoughts! Ack.

And you're right, I tend to think this is totally my little world but I don't lock stuff so I may as well print it on a flag and drape it around me! And the seriousness: as if I'd pronounced an interdiction. Am I the president? Can I make laws or influence anybody's thinking in any way? Goodness.

Anyway. Or anywaysss. I shall continue to post public.

And what's this about Blythely and a Guardian columnist??? Are they allowed to have LJs, too, now? What's the world coming to!! Next, it'll be the Queen on here!!

[sheldrake.livejournal.com]

Yeah, check Bkythely's LJ - she commented about a Guardian piece in a post, and the author responded! LJ-less, but all the same... It's enough to give you the shivers!

I do think the Queen should have an LJ, however. It'd give her a whole new lease of life. She'd probably get into slash. She probably already has! Hmm, what fandom do you think she writes in?

[sheldrake.livejournal.com]

God, that comment was a mess! Must be bedtime...

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Queer as Folk! I bet she's into Queer as Folk! Because when she first clicked on it, she had mislaid her reading glasses and thought it said Queen as Folk. And it isfull of queens.

I am such a bad punner. Must go to bed!!

[birdgerhl.livejournal.com]

did you buy your mac off-the-shelf or did you ask for any custom bit'n'bobs (eg. extra RAM?) ...if so, this takes longer as they come from taiwan and not europe, or summat, my sister had a similar experience when she ordered a new mac.

b.x :D

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

No, shelf. They had to send me an address confirmation email which annoyed me mightily as they had not told me this was going to be needed and I sometimes don't check my email for ten days at a stretch. So, of course, I didn't see the email for days'n'days.

*grumbles*

Ah, the sorrows of European consumerism.

[sophrosyne31.livejournal.com]

oh lobelia, i love your fretfulness. i take it seriously. i love that you didn't lock this post.

am very gloriously envious of your writing deluge.

this comment is not intended to strike fear and is sent with love. as for comments which disagree with me, i don't often get them, or they're friendly debate-ish ones, if i had anything seriously affront me i'd just, um, cower, probably.

*no help at all*

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Some people seem to scour LJ looking for posts to metafan on. When I visit some stranger's LJ, I try to be very polite! And I will woo them with friendly comments until they comment back and then, ooh, we've got to know each other! Hm, I did once post mocking comments in somebody's LJ because she had dissed orlisbunny and then, two years later, she died. I was thinking of that today and feeling sorry that I did the mockery. Who cares, after all? Am I the president? Does my opinion hold so much weight that people must go and take issue? I shall stand firm and continue to post locklessly! (And then cower.)

Thank you for your kind tig! I feel sort of peevish and pathetic but also self-righteous and annoyed.

*goes off to make Lex/Lana icon from random 1950s comic google-images*