Current mood:	anxious
Entry tags:	communities, friends, livejournal, myspace

Confessions Of An LJ Serial Lurker
Actually, it should probably be confession, as it's one thing over a long time.

Hi. I'm a serial lurker on Livejournal, and I admit I have a problem.

As a lurker I often stumble upon other peoples journals - usually because they posted something interesting to a community I belong to or via a Friend of a Friend - it gets to the point sometimes I will look at threads, recognise the name and think "Wow, this should be good".

However, instead of adding the person as a Friend I will add to My Favourites or try to remember the name or a point I've seen the name to retrace.

I'm not really that actively social, and find it difficult to interact with new people in person. The added anonymity of the internet does not make that easier.

In actual fact, I find it much more difficult because I look for a method of 'friending' etiquette and find none, I am too embarrassed or shy to attempt it, and least in person you can see signals of whether someone actually wants you to know them.

What am I to do about this?

Well, the first thing is why do I want to friend such people.

Usually it's because of their humour or their way of telling about events. Are their LJs a pleasure to read even at their lowest points? Are they compelling to the point of having to go back to see what else they've put?

At times, it's because of shared interests or communities, which given metaquotes and ljdq is quite indicative of the personality.

So, what is stopping me?

It feels odd adding people to a list where you can watch their lives and see their thoughts, despite being posted publicly, without some sort of invitation. Even with an open invite, I feel myself ill at ease to add. It is, perhaps, why I am more comfortable with the concept of MySpace adding, where you have to request and can be turned down.

So, what are the immediate plans?

Damned if I know. Right now, there are a couple of people that have cheered up my day with some replies and their own journals, so I shall make an arse of myself, and if that fails, well, then I'll know what the worst that can happen is!

Wait..one last thing!

Yes, I'm am strangely angsty about the smallest things!

Why is there no LJ Etiquette for Dummies book?

Why you...?

If you ever need to know why I like reading your stuff, ask me, because I can probably cite specific examples.