Fannish 411!

[dawn_felagund]

Okay, so first of all, I caved. I'm now on Tumblr. I'm still figuring out how it works! I haven't posted anything yet. I'm planning to use it for fannish and writerly stuff only; this place will still be where I babble about a combination of RL, writerly, and fannish stuff. I'd certainly appreciate anyone who wants to follow me or who has any good

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[pandemonium_213]

Tumblr. Oy.

What Oshun said. To the 12th power.

Yes, I have a Tumblr, but I am on a moratorium of any posting, reblogging, or even "liking." I'm now just an egregious lurker. Here's my most recent post on Tumblr, dated 21 April, that comments on my impression of the venue:

Pros: Entrancing (and sometimes obscure) artwork, historycrushes, photos of beautiful places (real or otherwise), goofy gifs, science-as-art.

Cons: Tolkien fandom. Not so enchanting in this particular venue. To clarify - there’s some good and quite entertaining representations of Tolkien on Tumblr (certainly among the mutual following crew), but man…I then get exposed to kerfuffles (again, it’s collateral damage, so to speak, that spills over onto my dashboard) that remind me of the worst of fanfic.net and some of the vitriolic bullshit I observed there. And when I see such stuff, I can feel my lips drawing back to bare my fangs and must step away. Probably best for me to just hole up in my lair, shut up, and just watch. Not voyeuristically, of course. ;^)

Anyway, per Oshun:

But apparently that aspect of my fannish experience is rapidly dying--Tumblr seems the transition to non-communication.

I'm noticing the same thing. So, it's a neat place in certain respects (re: art, photography), irritating in others. So, Dawn...

I'm planning to use it for fannish and writerly stuff only

Caveat emptor.

[heartofoshun]

Caveat emptor.

Oh, wow! Yes. My mother used to yell from the kitchen door:

"Behave yourselves! I am not coming out there to referee any fights!"

[pandemonium_213]

There was a very funny bit on Saturday Night Live a few weeks ago in which Peter Dinklage dropped by as the BIL of Bobby Moynihan's "Drunk Uncle".

Paraphrasing here...

Dinklage (slurred words): Y'know what's on my Tumblr?

Drunk Uncle: What?

Dinklage (pauses): Regret.

The video clip is in the linked article.

[heartofoshun]

I never saw a "Drunk Uncle" skit before. That is hilarious and painful--that guy sounds exactly like a relative of mine on Facebook, who posts multiple times a day (and multiple times an hour on Friday and Saturday nights). He has made Laura angry on Facebook several times. (I die laughing--she "likes" something innocuous that he posts, or a picture, and he makes highly inappropriate comments about her profile pic or something of the like! It's great. Comic relief in the Drama that is family life in a large extended family--outraged Laura and drunk uncle--she is SO polite though.)

Anyway, Peter Drunklage is great. Speaking of tone, he hits just the right tone on the word "Regret!"

[dawn_felagund]

I'm just recently home and added everyone back who added me which gave me a whole lot of scrolling to do on Tumblr. Some very pretty stuff ... but I also felt I was in an art museum, supposed to stand back behind the ropes and just ... look. If I talked, someone might scold me a la the Met! ;)

I don't see this particular service every replacing LJ, much less the HL. I really just feel like I'm missing out being in touch with that corner of fandom. As I noted earlier, that just doesn't seem advisable, being a site owner and all.

I suspect I'll be posting lots of links to longer stuff in places where there is more opportunity for discussion/comment.

[heartofoshun]

I suspect I'll be posting lots of links to longer stuff in places where there is more opportunity for discussion/comment.

I tried that! Nary a ripple on either side! (Yo! Look over here!! Stories!! Meta!! Exciting baby pictures! Hear me complain about the weather and life in the big city!) But you may do better. You are a BNF, to the degree that this fandom has any.

[dawn_felagund]

You are a BNF, to the degree that this fandom has any.

I think you probably are too! :D

I don't have much time to devote to the site, so I'm not expecting many ripples either.

[pandemonium_213]

Some very pretty stuff ... but I also felt I was in an art museum, supposed to stand back behind the ropes and just ... look. If I talked, someone might scold me a la the Met! ;)

BWAH! Who could ever be a loudmouth at the Met? :^D

Given your role as proprietor of the SWG, it makes sense to at least have some presence on Tumblr. I'm less sanguine about Tumblr not replacing LJ. My observation is that the folks who have really gotten into Tumblr have become noticeably more silent on LJ/DW. Not to mention Tumblr seems to encourage attention spans akin to a gnat's.;^)

Anyway, here's Professor Thû's commentary on this latest and greatest networking platform - and yes, I put it on my Tumblr, despite the drawings being absolutely horrible compared to the other fan art that make people swoon these days.

[heartofoshun]

Oh, you blew me away! I love it. The colors are great also!

[pandemonium_213]

Now, now. No need to humor me. I cannot draw worth a damn, and I'm even more inept with Corel Painter. The latter is like pearls before the swine w/ regard to my ability.

[heartofoshun]

I support content over form! Anyway, I wish I could draw half as well. Is it on Tumblr? I went to look and I did not see it there.

[dawn_felagund]

Who could ever be a loudmouth at the Met?

I don't know if it's normal for you to be shushed at the Met, but it's pretty expected for Tristan. ;)

My observation is that the folks who have really gotten into Tumblr have become noticeably more silent on LJ/DW.

Goodness, if I were to post less, I wouldn't post at all!

I like my journal for its journaling aspects. I loathe Facebook. I haven't tried Twitter.

I don't see Tumblr being much my speed. It's more like Facebook than LJ. :^/

The only way it might hook me was if I could get on it at work, because then it'd be a good procrastination tool.

Not to mention Tumblr seems to encourage attention spans akin to a gnat's.;^)

*whew* Good thing mine's more like a boll weevil.

I love the comic!

[grey_gazania]

My observation is that the folks who have really gotten into Tumblr have become noticeably more silent on LJ/DW.

I've actually seen it more the other way around - that a lot of people who've moved over were going quiet on LJ/DW long before they joined tumblr.

It's also nice when RL stuff is crazy to have a less labor-intensive way of keeping in touch with people. The queue function is my bestest friend, because it lets me share cool stuff without having to physically be at the computer. Then I only need to grab a couple minutes here and there to see any responses people may have made, where as LJ/DW needs a more unbroken stretch of time.

[heartofoshun]

Maybe it is more appealing to people who want company/community, but have less compulsive need to explain themselves in depth and at length. I tend to write long blogs frequently and comment regularly at some length on other people's posts on LJ, often multiple times on an interesting topic with a number of different people on a single LJ discussion thread.

I am not content to be simply a "heart" among a long string of hearts in response to a post. I want to know what the post means to the person who originally posted it and to tell them how it affected me. I notice that when I do respond to something and write a comment, that there is often long list of responses consisting of a "heart" interspersed with an occasional re-blog without comment. Very unsatisfying to me.

On Tumblr, I see something that interests me and feel like I am presented with a question or an issue or something that moves me and then am bound and gagged when I am enticed to respond. Or disappear without a rippled into a long list of people who simply clicked on that little heart.

[grey_gazania]

But see, you actually get responses on your long posts. Most of the time I feel like I'm talking to the empty air over here.

[heartofoshun]

I can see that happening. I often post something on LJ really wanting a reaction and getting zero to two minimalist responses.

There are some posts I make that mushroom. I don't write them on purpose. I am very much an anything that comes into my head at the moment person. It is kind of diary for me and a reaching out to touch people. But I have often thought about looking and back and trying to figure out why one of my own posts on LJ might get 60 comments and another zero to two.

I know I do one thing consistently, that not every one is able to do. I response almost immediately to each and every comment I get. (I can do that because I work at home. Not punching a time clock and have a lot more free time than most people. I also am a prolific multi-tasker. The only thing I cannot do while tending an LJ post is write fiction.)