Giant non-fandom friending meme

[liv]

Here's the thing: a lot of people are about ready to leave LJ over the latest shenanigans. But they don't want to make the leap to Dreamwidth because, frankly, there isn't enough going on here. The site is smaller, so there are fewer posts, and fewer cool people to meet. And all their friends are on LJ, which is of course a self-perpetuating situation: if "everybody" is still on LJ, then there's a huge disincentive against moving, which means that everybody continues to be on LJ.

Lots of people have realized that the best way to address this issue is, well, creating content. Some people are organizing collective efforts to create more content. This is a great idea, except for one small problem: the people who are really good at organizing and creating content are mainly fandom. I have nothing at all against fandom, but I'm not really part of it, and I think that a lot of other people who feel similarly are being put off because they see DW as yet another clubhouse for the cool fandom kids.

But I am going to take a leaf from fandom's book: I'm going to cease sitting around complaining about how DW is too quiet. Instead I'm going to participate in creating content and drawing attention to the cool stuff that already exists. So, I propose a giant non-fandom friending meme (thanks, delight). If you would like find some new, interesting people to read, or make new friends, or just help highlight how much cool stuff there is on DW, please comment to this post.

You're welcome to say whatever you like, but here's a suggested template:
Your identity: doesn't have to be A/S/L, but anything that you think people should know about you to be able to decide whether they're likely to be interested in getting to know you.
What you are passionate about
How you use Dreamwidth
A link to a recent post of yours that is characteristic of your journal or writing style.
A link to a journal on Dreamwidth you think people might enjoy reading, even if they don't know the writer personally.

Footnote 1: Some people have moral or technical objections to Dreamwidth, or actively prefer LJ. That's totally cool with me – this post isn't addressed to you. I'm looking to involve people who would like to make the move, but are put off because there isn't enough to read or enough people to meet here. I am not at all proselytizing, in other words, just doing my bit to fix what I see as the biggest glaring problem with DW. Other people may see other problems, and I am not trying to fix those.

Footnote 2: If you are involved in fandom, you're extremely welcome to participate. Perhaps you'd like to meet someone who shares some of your less fannish interests. Or you are welcome to go and join in some of the more explicitly fandom-related activities going on instead.

I am going to post this now, rather than waiting until the official three-week fest, because I think now is while the iron is hot and people are motivated to move to a new site. But I'll link it again when the fest starts up on 26^th April, around the one-year anniversary of Dreamwidth entering Open Beta. I don't have any strong opinions about the DW-only content thing, and you don't have to be participating in that to participate in this meme.

So, go forth and friend!

ETA: And if you like the idea, please link this post all over the place. Or make your own version, or whatever, but mainly spread the word as much as possible

Comments

[without_wings]

Mind if I add you?

[twtd]

Not at all!

[without_wings]

*subscribes*

You sound like a lot of fun.

[timeasmymeasure]

You seem awesome, mind if I add?

[twtd]

Nope! Go right ahead!

[wicked_socks]

I went through a 2 week phase were I watch nearly all of Farscape seasons 1-3 (I bow to the wonder that is Netflix) and for those two weeks every IM conversation with me degenerated into me talking at whoever about the awesome of Farscape. The body switching episode is my favorite I think.

[wicked_socks]

I ♥ science! I used to be a humanities major (Theatre and Religion), but then science seduced me away. Added you back!

[kaethe]

I'm into home renovation thanks to having an old home that pretty much demands it, and I love fantasy, too! Mind if I add you?

[inkstone]

Please feel free! :D

[kaethe]

You sound interesting! Mind if I add you?

[without_wings]

I am an active member of the SCA (historical recreation) with an emphasis on bardic and fabric geekery.

This sounds really awesome. Mind if I subscribe?

[feuille]

Yay to the seductive power of science! What about those cyanide-exuding pink salamanders, eh?

Re: running, hiking, skiing, photography

[roga]

Aw, photos! I love photos. I'm subscribing although you absolutely don't have to subscribe back. I'm still reading my flist more than my dwlist anyway, but. Yay phots :-)

[zhelana]

indeed and I often stop and wonder what on earth I was thinking.

[eggcrack]

Your identity: I'm a socially anxious introvert who speaks in robotic monotone, but means no harm by it. I'm 25-year old IT student from Finland who identifies as a non-straight female, and is also (sometimes) a writer. I'm an active consumer of fandom and that's what my journal is mostly about, but I'm hoping to expand from there. I also go by names bof and bofoddity.
What you are passionate about: Social issues, writing, history, horror, figuring out how the other human beings work. Talking about these things aloud more is a work-in-progress for me.
How you use Dreamwidth: My posting can be very uneven, but you can expect an entry at least once a month, and on some periods I post something every day. My entries tend to be short as well as heavy on the links, rantiness and emotional reactions, so I often come across as harsh. Balancing emotional honesty with tact is another work-in-progress for me.
Example post:: Here's me talking about the tone argument, me making a mini linkspam, me making a random post.
Enjoyable journal: I've been admiring yhlee from far for some time now. I also like my circle members very much.

I originally got a DW for non-fannish purposes, and while I've been distracted by the cross-posting function I'm still planning to do more non-fannish journaling in the future, and it would be nice to do that around new friends.

[landshark]

*Subscribes*

Hi,

(We've talked before in some LJ comments.)

I am trying to post/read things outside fanfic, and you seem cool :D

[kaethe]

Your identity: I'm Katie. Thirty-five, cis-gendered female, asexual but recently married to a heterosexual man. I have a teenage son, and I teach middle school English. I write fanfic and original fantasy, but only sporadically :-). Agnostic, somewhat liberal, still in the learning stage about most -isms, interested in the environment and hoping it'll stick around for any grandkids I might end up having.

What you are passionate about: Writing, both fanfic and original fic. I love to talk about it, think about it, and generally avoid doing it. Raising a child with mental health issues and all the challenges that entails both on the personal front and in society/politics. Teaching. The occasional TV show, although I've been without a one true fandom for a few years now. Reading books, especially but not exclusively fantasy.

How you use Dreamwidth: So far, I haven't much, but I'm trying to change that. When I do post, I generally go on about life, the universe, and everything *g*. I talk about my daily life, books I've read, random thoughts that pop in my head, whatever.

A link to a recent post of yours that is characteristic of your journal or writing style. Um. Given how rarely I post, what's most characteristic is a lack of posts.

[rivenwanderer]

Cool! Be sure to check out dreaming_of_myst for Myst fandom stuff too ^_^

[quivo]

Your identity: Je suis Fiona Quivo, aka possessor of fakest sounding name ever. I'm *22*, Nigerian, bitchy, introverted, and unfond of animals except at a distance (sorry). ETA: I am also a lady, and my sexuality is something I sort of understand but don't want to talk about? Don't judge.
What I am passionate about: Gadgets, tech in general, books obviously (especially the ones with lots of sex in them), writing, and reading online. I play Aion, and I just started knitting for the hell of it, and I'm sorta planning to polish up my French this year.
How you use Dreamwidth: I post semi-regularly, sometimes several times a day if it strikes me. I lurk a lot, comment quite a bit when I'm in the mood, and I kinda hope my usage is going to go up since I have more free time now.
Sample posts: Techy linkspam. Random wibbling. Techy meta.
A link to a journal on Dreamwidth you think people might enjoy reading: torachan.

[wicked_socks]

Wait, do those actually exist?! Or are you pulling my leg? D:

(I wonder if there is an html code for an interrobang, they would be useful.)

[dancesontrains]

Your identity: I'm Tree (though it's not a meatspace name). I'm a desi, bisexual, cisgendered second generation immigrant who's lived in the South of England all her life. I'm also currently able bodied, but kinda crazy.

What you are passionate about: some fandomy stuff (especially ST:TOS/Reboot, The Daily Show/Colbert Report and Doctor Who), equality. I tend to talk more about race issues as they directly affect me- I'm trying to broaden my horizons.

How you use Dreamwidth: I x-post everything from here to IJ and LJ, but almost everything unlocked has comments redirected to DW.

A link to a recent post of yours that is characteristic of your journal or writing style: I'm too lazy for proper coding today- http://ms-treesap.dreamwidth.org/57820.html is light hearted, http://ms-treesap.dreamwidth.org/56256.html is srs bzs

A link to a journal on Dreamwidth you think people might enjoy reading, even if they don't know the writer personally.

oursin has interesting things to say about books and feminism and London and working as an archivist.

[landshark]

*Subscribes*

I too am unemployed and here for the cooking comms ;)

(And I heart Supernatural.)

[feuille]

Wow, I totally just had the most frantic and horrified twenty minutes trying to find anything about it! Turns out they don't exist (sorry!)...

But the bright pink cyanide-exuding MILLIPEDE does! http://www.newscientist.com/gallery/new-species/4

Talk about seductive. I'd be one of its victims. "OMG I have to have it it will go with my highlighters" -- *thud*

[kaethe]

Wow, someone who knows what NLD is! My son was diagnosed with it a few years ago, and all I generally get when mentioning it is blank looks. I'm also into NCIS and SG-1. Mind if I add you?

[zhelana]

Yay More SCA people! And a professor, which is my goal!