Poll: Ride the Recommendations

[thefourthvine]

isiscolo has an interesting post about the effect recommendations have on readership. (This is as judged by website statistics - part of her ongoing series on readership, feedback, and website stats, which I secretly suspect is a plot to make us all want websites. Or, for those of us who have websites, to make us want to put some actual content on them.)

This has been something of a theme with me recently. See, I do this whole recommendations thing so strangely that it is a constant delight to me that anyone reads or uses my LJ. So it never occurred to me that my recommendations might have effects on, say, readership or feedback. But first I had a vidder telling me my rec of her vid had a noticeable effect on downloading, and I swooned from joy. And then fairestcat and isiscolo pointed out to me that sometimes you can see actual feedback on stories that probably is the result of your rec! (Like, sometimes people say, "Here from thefourthvine," which is just the coolest thing ever OMG.) More joyous swooning followed. (If this keeps up, I'll need a fainting couch, and doesn't everyone want a good reason to buy a fainting couch?) And now isiscolo is saying - well, basically, that LJ recs have an effect, but only current recs; back recs on LJ aren't used as much. (Note: I am excessively over-simplifying her post. Please read it and ignore my summary.)

Me being me, my basic reaction to this was, yes, joyful swooning, and much burbling along the lines of: YAY! People sometimes read the things I recommend, and how neat is that? (Way neat, if you were wondering. Way, way neat.) But my secondary reaction to her conclusions was: hmmm. Perhaps I should update my memories or stop using tags or in some way make my LJ more, you know, useful to people.

And you are the people I want it to be useful to. Plus, I have a sick spouse at home and a bunch of work to do. You know what this means: it's time for yet another poll! (You can totally put "post fewer polls" in question five, by the way.)

[Poll #878107]

Comments

[eledhwenlin]

I read your recs and the stories you recommend. I also say this, when commenting on a post, especially if it is an older LJ post (I have read some stories that were posted in 2003 and it'd freak me totally out to get feedback on such an old post).

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

*beams*

Thank you! (And especially thank you for leaving feedback for writers and telling them how you got there. I'm sure the authors appreciate it, but I'm thanking you on my own behalf. Because, see, I have this brand-new hobby of clicking through my own recommendations links and checking out the story feedback, and every time I see that someone read the story because of MEEEEEEEEEEE, I do a chair dance of joy.)

[umbo.livejournal.com]

How much of your recs posts I read depends on how much time I have and what mood I'm in and what the theme of the recs post is--sometimes, even if none of the stories are in my fandom, I'll read the whole thing anyway, because in general you're a damned entertaining writer. However, if I'm busy or in the middle of something or just feeling grumpy or whatever, I will just skim.

And, yeah, rec posts definitely make a difference in who's reading what--in big fandoms (like, if it's an author I've never heard of, especially if I'm busy, I'll skip right by an announcement on sga_noticeboard unless someone I know has recced the story) and in smaller ones (I'll read stuff in fandoms I'm not particularly interested in or not familiar with if the rec is from someone I trust and the story sounds good).

I know from personal experience that several people read my latest (somewhat obscure) crossover because of a couple people reccing it, isiscolo in particular (and some of them mentioned her in their comments to me), so, yeah, recs definitely can have a big impact, and I think especially in smaller/more obscure fandoms. Probably the biggest example of that is yuletide, where there are just so many stories that it's hard to figure out what to read without recs, even in fandoms you're somewhat familiar with, because there are just so many stories.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

How much of your recs posts I read depends on how much time I have and what mood I'm in and what the theme of the recs post is

This makes sense. *nods*

like, if it's an author I've never heard of, especially if I'm busy, I'll skip right by an announcement on sga_noticeboard unless someone I know has recced the story

I'm often guilty of that these days. I mean, I love that the fandom is so prolific, but there are only certain days when I am willing to risk finding a story starring "Jon" and "Rodeny," you know?

Probably the biggest example of that is yuletide, where there are just so many stories that it's hard to figure out what to read without recs, even in fandoms you're somewhat familiar with, because there are just so many stories.

Oh my god yes. I love Yuletide, but every year on Christmas day my brain shorts out - I don't know where to click first, and it becomes this fan fiction binge. And then I look up and it's six hours later and I have nothing excecpt this vague memory of Maverick having sex with a Gummi Bear.

I mean, I still have 2005 stories on my To Read list, and - well, it doesn't look like I'll get them read before 2006 blows in. I salute elynross, who I think reads almost every story there is between Christmas and New Year's. I submit this as definitive proof that she has superpowers, actually.

[devildoll.livejournal.com]

Do you read the stories or watch the vids I recommend?

It seems like I've usually already read most of the SGA recs by the time they show up here, but I do enjoy reading your thoughts on them. So I guess I'm not really here to read the stories you rec so much as the recs themselves, if that makes sense.

I don't watch a lot of vids (not for lack of desire, just from lack of a way to watch most formats), so I normally skip those posts.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

So I guess I'm not really here to read the stories you rec so much as the recs themselves, if that makes sense.

It does, and it is insanely flattering. I often wonder why single (or mostly single) fandom people are here, because I know they'll have read it all before.

not for lack of desire, just from lack of a way to watch most formats

It might be possible to solve this problem, if you're interested and want to go into more detail about it. If it's just a question of playing formats, I can recommend two free players that work with virtually any format. (Of course, if you can't download programs for whatever reason, that would kind of kill that.)

[drlense.livejournal.com]

I usually skim through your posts on my f-list until I see that you've recced a story in a fandom that I follow- then I read through your description and click from there. Usually I click- unless I've read the story already or if there's something in there that squicks- (incest, for example).

I appreciate your nice layouts and the way everything is always labeled the same, with the info I need easy to see.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

incest, for example

We share that squick; I've recommended it once, because cesperanza is EVIL (and also because it was the least incesty incest in all of recorded history), and I don't expect to do it much more often. Unless I can finally beat back the squick enough to read SPN, which I really really want to do. *shakes fist at squick*

I appreciate your nice layouts and the way everything is always labeled the same, with the info I need easy to see.

Wow. Cool. Thank you. I would totally have given myself a low score on skimability/readability, so that is very good to hear.

[halcyon-shift.livejournal.com]

I read more for what you write about the recs than the recs themselves, but if I'm on one of my periodic binge readings I look through all the ones you've done in any fandom I'm liking that particular second - age irregardless.

Also, this is just plan stalkerlicious now but - I'm a teensy bit concerned my emails to you may have been going astray, can you let me know if you've gotten them? You don't have to do anything crazy like answer or anything, a yes/no in here is peachy keen. *g*

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Eeep. I'm sorry I've been, you know, silent and rubbery and dead-seeming. I got your emails! I am just totally hampered in my ability to respond to them because, well, I am trying to say INTELLIGENT things, and that is HARD. I have this looooong, very unfinished, completely incoherent email to you in my drafts folder. It has more exclamation points than I typically use in a whole week.

Possibly I should just go back to short and incoherent and finished sometime this century, hmmm?

Yes. Probably that is what I should do. Maybe I can't make sense, but I can still be succinctly nonsensical.

*makes note*

(P.S. The short version of the email: eeeeeee yay! Actually, maybe now I don't even need to send you the email. Although it has timestamps and things, and could be good for a laugh.)

(P.P.S. You don't qualify as remotely stalkerish or even inappropriate unless you are coming by my house without calling first. That, I totally bar. (Unlikely to be a problem with you, I realize, but I think it's important to lay down boundaries, and my rule is: before you get on that transatlantic flight to visit, CALL ME.) But emails, IMs, random comments - these things are always welcome and not at all stalkery, especially if I'm being flaky or dilatory about email (which is, sadly, all too likely - I don't like to send an email until it's PERFECT, and the thing is, it's very hard to attain email perfection - it's like attaining Nirvana, only in ASCII).)

[paceus.livejournal.com]

I read your recs if I know anything of the fandom, and the stories if I know and am interested in the fandom (usually SGA -- those I read every time -- but I also remember reading Discworld and SG-1). I find tags very useful so please don't take the tags away!

(Oh, and I found your LJ via cupidsbow's Primer for Reading SGA Fanfic (http://community.livejournal.com/rec_room/248780.html). Which I found via friendsfriends. Now it feels weird that I haven't always read your posts.)

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I find tags very useful so please don't take the tags away!

Well, actually, I use my tags all the time - it's very helpful for settling the "didn't I already recommend this?" issue. So they will be staying, and would be even if I was the only one using them. (Before tags, I had a whole category of stories that I was sure I'd already recommended. But hadn't. It was a sad, sad time.)

Oh, and I found your LJ via cupidsbow's Primer for Reading SGA Fanfic.

Yay! I always wonder how people find my LJ, so that is good to know. (And I'd somehow missed that post of cupidsbow's, so double yay for linking me to it. And those are some excellent starter stories.)

[mecurtin.livejournal.com]

When I was first getting into SGA I read through all your back SGA recs. Now I just read 'em as they come down Teh Tubes.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Now I just read 'em as they come down Teh Tubes.

...Something is very, very wrong with me. Because when I read this, my brain presented me with the image of fallopian tubes, being traversed by my ovoid recs. That is just not right. Plus, now I'm wondering what happens if one of my recs gets fertilized.

*shudders*

My brain obviously needs - I don't know. A tune-up or something.

[wyomingnot.livejournal.com]

I am very much entertained by your posts, whatever flavor they may be. Sometimes I'll read everything in a rec post, sometimes not. I always read the stuff before the recs, then skim the fandoms (always reading the 'award type', regardless of fandom). I'll always read the recs for my fandoms, and, depending on my mood, sometimes I'll read the other recs.

I do read your old recs. When I stumbled into SG-1 a couple months ago, the first thing I did was hit your sg1 tag. :) (more sg-1 recs! um, please?)

And dernit, I picked the 'socks' option on the last question, but it occurs to me now that I'm not wearing any socks! (freezing rain outside. i'm wearing slippers!)(like it matters, but I'm in ramble mode)

/ramble

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

I am very much entertained by your posts, whatever flavor they may be.

Thank you!

more sg-1 recs! um, please?

I think I have about 500 left to get through. The problem with SG1 is that most of the stories don't fit into themes very well, or I would rec it more often. *eyes the whole fandom sternly*

And dernit, I picked the 'socks' option on the last question, but it occurs to me now that I'm not wearing any socks!

Then we will consider them figurative socks. You are figuratively wearing Thursday socks on a Wednesday. Now, I have no idea what the metaphor means - I'll leave that to the reader to decide - but it seems very potent and deep and such.

[hannahrorlove.livejournal.com]

I actually am wearing socks that would probably have served me better if I had decided to wear them tomorrow. No guff.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

It's wrong that I want to ask for details on what they look like and why they'd have been better tomorrow, right?

Yes. Wrong.

(I am not wearing socks at ALL, yet I still rebelliously chose the sock option. *is dangerously iconoclastic*)

[musesfool.livejournal.com]

Man, isn't it awesome when you go look and see someone's left feedback and they read the story because of your rec? I always love seeing that. For a few days after I put up a recs post, I check on certain stories, especially if they didn't have a lot of feedback before.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Man, isn't it awesome when you go look and see someone's left feedback and they read the story because of your rec? I always love seeing that.

IT IS THE MOST AWESOME THING EVER. (And I only feel sort of stupid for not discovering this awesomeness until maybe four weeks ago. I am slow, but I get there in the end.)

especially if they didn't have a lot of feedback before

*nod nod nod*

Yes. There are some stories that I think, "Why does this not have eight pages of feedback?" And in the past, I've always just hoped that my rec would result in additional feedback for that story; in the future, though, I am by god going to CHECK. Seeing if I caused someone to read a story or watch a vid is the most fun thing ever.

[minervacat.livejournal.com]

i tend to skip your talk about any anime stories, but i read everything else you post, no matter whether i'm in the fandom or not.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

i tend to skip your talk about any anime stories

Okay, see, I am a bad person, because I read that and immediately thought, "How can I get minervacat to see the wonder that is anime?" (I know, I know, anime is not everyone's thing. But I have a post on anime for non-anime people in the works, and, and, it's really not all giant robots and naked girls - although I am in no way denigrating the joys of giant robots and naked girls - and, and, and - okay, I'm shutting up now. Anime = not your thing. This is fine.)

i read everything else you post, no matter whether i'm in the fandom or not.

Wow. Thank you. *heart swells to a dangerous size from sheer JOY*

[flambeau.livejournal.com]

sometimes you can see actual feedback on stories that probably is the result of your rec! (Like, sometimes people say, "Here from thefourthvine,"

Yes, yes they do, and it is a lovely thing. :) I should say a big thank you and burn some incense in your honor!

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes they do, and it is a lovely thing.

It makes everyone happy. I'm making a mental note to do this the next time I arrive at a story because of someone's rec.

I should say a big thank you and burn some incense in your honor!

You made me think of Famous Five slash. You've done enough. Although, hey, if you do burn incense, make it some of the really cleansing kind, okay? My soul apparently needs all the help it can get.

[eleveninches.livejournal.com]

I get a TON of hits DAILY straight from your lj to my Smallville story.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Wow. Cool. Both to know - recommending works! - and because everyone should read that story. GOAT. And VAMPIRE. And SHINY LEX.

*basks in the knowledge of a job well-done*

[janedavitt.livejournal.com]

If you want some cold, hard facts, ma'am, you recced Leaving Time, one of my Jack/Daniel fics, on Oct 6 (http://thefourthvine.livejournal.com/62989.html). The stats for my page show that people came to visit in October from the following connected places:

Your LJ 90 hits
Your LJ, the rec entry itself 25 hits
Your LJ, your 'vids' tag 6 hits
Your LJ, your SGA tag 2 hits.

In November, the stats so far are:

Your LJ 8
SG-1 tag 8
Vid tag 5
SGA tag 5
Your LJ friends 1
Rec post 1

So, thank you very much! :-)

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Wow. Nifty. I am - sort of awed by those numbers. I assume a bunch of them are repeats, but even so, that's a lot of people.

*happy*

Cold, hard facts, as it turns out, are very wonderful things indeed. Thank you for sharing them with me!

[ngaio]

I decided to be totally and completely confusing in one answer:

Do you ever look through my back catalog of recommendations?

Because I said both yes (to tags) and no (just Flist). When I first found your recs I went through the crossover tag. And if I have a new fandom then I *may* come visit and see what you've rec'd, but *mainly* I just read when it turns up on my list. But then ... well I read in *a lot* of fandoms so when you do rec stuff unless the fandom is one I've never had the slightest urge to read then I'm quite likely to go see what the fuss is about at least!

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

*nods*

This makes sense. (And thank you for explaining, because those two answers together would've been a bit confusing without the explanation.) I mean, anyone who has been here a while has no incentive to wander through my back catalog. Except, of course, in the case of new fandoms. I am really pleased that people use my tags when they pick up new fandoms.

But then ... well I read in *a lot* of fandoms so when you do rec stuff unless the fandom is one I've never had the slightest urge to read then I'm quite likely to go see what the fuss is about at least!

I appear to be a multi-fannish enabler. This makes me very proud.

[zillah975]

* I read parts of the posts, but which parts depends on the mood I'm in. Sometimes I'll read just because you're such a fun writer, but if I don't have time, or I'm feeling distracted or fractured, I'll skim looking for my fandoms or my kinks.

* Whether I read the stories you rec also depends on the mood - if I have time, and am in a mood for newness, I'll read outside my fandom based only on your recs. If I don't, or want the familiar, I'll stick to my fandoms. If I don't have time, I'll bookmark the post and then fail to come back to it later until I'm going through your tags when I /do/ have time, looking for stuff to read.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I'll read just because you're such a fun writer, but if I don't have time, or I'm feeling distracted or fractured, I'll skim looking for my fandoms or my kinks.

I like this, because it makes my summaries sound like foreplay - you know, sometimes you want that, and sometimes you want to get right to the orgasms. Recs = foreplay! I like this metaphor a lot.

I'll read outside my fandom based only on your recs.

I am insanely pleased to hear that. One of the things I've always wanted to put in a poll - and maybe I'll put it in the Christmas Eve poll, now that I know at least a couple people will say yes - is, "Have my recs ever persuaded you to read outside your usual fandom/pairing/interests?" It makes me so, so happy to know that they have.

*rejoices*

[melannen.livejournal.com]

About 60% of the fics you rec are ones I already know and love (the proportion gets even higher if I limit it to fandoms I already read.) Mind you, I still follow all your recs and re-read, because I'm just that addicted. But that's why I go back and look at your older recs much less than those of some other reccers: I know the stories already (And I read them all when you post, so there's nothing new in your back-catalog, unlike other reccers where I'm much more likely to skim). When I do go back, it's usually for the flavor text rather than the links.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

About 60% of the fics you rec are ones I already know and love

Then, in my highly biased opinion, you have excellent taste. (And should probably be doing your own recs page. Are you? I don't keep up with recs sites the way I should, I'm afraid.)

When I do go back, it's usually for the flavor text rather than the links.

I really, really like the description "flavor text." Also: thank you.

[ainaria.livejournal.com]

My answer to the third question is all three yes choices with certain exceptions. Sometimes I can read entirely new fandom just based on your (or someone else's) rec, I've discovered that to be a good way to find new fandoms and pairings.
And sometimes it's just a question of mood or the fact that I really want to read something from certain fandom so then it's yay, recs. Any kind of recs. :D

Psst.. You don't happen to know any Rachel/Chandler fic recs? I don't know what's gotten to me, but god, I really want to read at least one good, long, finished R/C fic. The only ones I've found are from ff.net! Help!

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I can read entirely new fandom just based on your (or someone else's) rec, I've discovered that to be a good way to find new fandoms and pairings.

Yes! That is part of why I do it: I try to provide the free, easy, oh-you'll-love-it samples to get you hooked. My plan is working! *rubs hands, chortles maniacally*

You don't happen to know any Rachel/Chandler fic recs? I don't know what's gotten to me, but god, I really want to read at least one good, long, finished R/C fic.

Sadly, I had to ask Best Beloved to find out who Rachel and Chandler even were, so no. And I can't even think of a community that might help you out there. The only person I can ever remember mentioning Friends (that is the show, right?) fan fiction is liviapenn, and that was in a meta post a while back (Stop Knocking Down Phoebe (http://liviapenn.livejournal.com/407216.html) - maybe there's some discussion of FF in the comments?).

I can't even find anything tagged Rachel/Chandler or Chandler/Rachel on del.icio.us. Wow.

Um. Best of luck to you in your search, and sorry I couldn't be more helpful. There really needs to be a community to request recs for super-rare fandoms and pairings like this.

(And I hear you on the horrors of ff.net. I've had to go there for certain fandoms recently. It's - it's scary in there. *shivers*)

[abbylee]

If it's in one of my fandoms, I don't read your rec unless I've already read the story. The fact that you've recommended it is enough for me to click and I generally like to be surprised by stories, unless I'm in a particular mood. If I've already read the story, then I read your rec and giggle, and then read the story again.

If it's not in one of my fandoms, I usually read your rec to see what you have to say about the story. I read very very little outside of my fandoms, but I tend to get joy from your descriptions, even if it doesn't drive me to read the story.

As far as the backlog question, I have used it in the past, but I'm all caught up and so usually just read it as it comes up on my friendspage. Which isn't to say I don't sometimes get a craving to read back again. For all that I like to be unspoiled the first time through, I am a huge re-reader of stories.

I'm here more because I love read the recs themselves, then to make use of the recs (because I've usually already read the story by the time you recommend it), except as reminders for stories I already love.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

As far as the backlog question, I have used it in the past, but I'm all caught up and so usually just read it as it comes up on my friendspage.

I'm so happy to hear that some people actually do go back through the recs. They get used even after they're off the front page!

I'm here more because I love read the recs themselves, then to make use of the recs (because I've usually already read the story by the time you recommend it), except as reminders for stories I already love.

*beams*

Wow. Thank you. That is amazingly cool. (And, yeah, I'm a huge re-reader of all kinds of things - my feeling is generally, if I enjoyed it once, why not 12 more times? So I have a couple of recs LJs friended just so I can be reminded to re-read stories I love. There's nothing like seeing a link to one of, say, Resonant's stories on my friends list to take a chunk of time out of my day. *happy sigh*)

[marycrawford.livejournal.com]

Oh, maybe I should mention this, though it feels a bit whingy: your LJ, for some reason, is the only one on my flist where I have to make the text bigger to be able to read it. Something about your journal style, maybe?

Other than that, I love the recs and the Fandoms I Have Loved, and when I go over to read/watch & leave feedback I will try to add a 'here via TFV' tag, which I haven't always done so far. :-)

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

*thoughtful*

You know, on my laptop the text seems small to me, too.

*fiddles with layer a bit*

Does that look any better? Should it be even bigger? Hmmm.

Other than that, I love the recs and the Fandoms I Have Loved, and when I go over to read/watch & leave feedback I will try to add a 'here via TFV' tag, which I haven't always done so far.

Ooo. Thank you. And it would be so cool if you did that, because it is the coolest thing ever to see. Words cannot even express it.

Oh, and while I have you here, let me also thank you for recommending Home Is Where the Heart Is. I hadn't read it before for some reason, and I was just totally blown away by it. Wow.

[cardalia.livejournal.com]

I read your rec posts because they're fun on their own! I usually always read everything in my fandoms and pretty often take a look at the rest of them if you make them sound good. Whenever I get seduced by a new fandom or feel like rereading stuff I go through your tags to find fics.

You're pretty much the reason I started watching vids in the first place, so thanks for that! They'd managed to escape my notice but then you started reccing vids and made them sound very appealing. *g*

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

I read your rec posts because they're fun on their own!

Wow. Thank you.

You're pretty much the reason I started watching vids in the first place, so thanks for that!

Oooo. That is amazingly neat to hear. Vids are wonderful, and I think almost everyone should watch them, and, hey, wow, I got someone to do just that!

*heart swells with pride*

[auburnnothenna.livejournal.com]

I always read your recs for the entertainment of your writing, then often read the stories you recommended, depending on my mood and the fandom. If I find myself reading in a fandom I hadn't before, that you recommend for, I'll go back through your journal to check out what you recommended. Also, I'm always on the look out for weasels. Are they common in Finland?

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Also, I'm always on the look out for weasels. Are they common in Finland?

Indeed. (They're indigenous, anyway.)



Rauna Wildlife Park (http://www.ranuawildlife.fi/?deptid=6689) has some in its animal house. (Yes, I've been reading a bit about Finland. I was looking at the poll thinking, "Wow, lots of people don't know much about Finland." And then I realized that I didn't, either, and I turned to Google. Finalnd has a unicameral parliament called Eduskunta! Its President is really cute! It has as many mobile phones as people! And let us not forget the Helsinki Complaints Choir. Really, I'm liking Finland more and more these days.)

[crystalizelight.livejournal.com]

Long-time lurker, first-time commenter...this post seemed like a good place to mention that, even though I don't have you friended (fanfic is something I'll occasionally discuss/defend with the people on my flist, my mother included. Slash, unfortunately, not so much), I tend to hit your LJ pretty frequently, and it's always exciting to see you've put up something new.

Like a couple of other people have said, the recs in fandoms I read regularly, I've often already seen, so I'd actually say that I'm most likely to read everything you rec not in my main fandoms. I'm pretty unpicky in terms of what I read, so long as it's quality, and I can pretty much always count on quality out of a TFV rec set. I blame you for several fandoms I never meant to pick up, that you just made certain stories in sound so shiny...and yes, it's at least in large part because the stories themselves were so shiny, but I never would have either found them or bothered with them in the first place, otherwise.

Oh, and if/when I'm going looking through your back archives, it's usually for a particular fandom or story type, so the tags are extremely useful. So thanks for, y'know, just generally being cool. It's appreciated.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

fanfic is something I'll occasionally discuss/defend with the people on my flist, my mother included. Slash, unfortunately, not so much

*winces in sympathy*

Yeah. I'm happy to share my fan fiction love with all the world, but not my mother. (She wouldn't be upset. She'd just read this LJ all the time, and probably leave comments, and some things just should not be shared between mothers and daughters. Really not. *shivers*) So I admire your bravery in talking about FF to your mother at all (well, I have, on occasion, but only, you know, vaguely), and I can totally see why you'd want to avoid having someone like me on your friends list, since there's really nothing else in my LJ.

I blame you for several fandoms I never meant to pick up

*beams*

This is what I like to hear. I am a vector for fandoms! It's a great source of personal pride.

So thanks for, y'know, just generally being cool. It's appreciated.

Thank you, both for the compliments (always fun to hear) and for stopping by and saying hello. It's very nifty to hear from lurkers, because - well, I want to talk to you guys. And now I have!

*waves happily*

[califmole.livejournal.com]

Just wanted to chime in to say that I find older recs extremely helpful when I'm picking up a new fandom and want to read the best of what's out there.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Yay! And thank you! Out of curiosity, do you use the tags or the memories or what when you're looking for old recs in a new fandom?

[missizzy]

See, I do this whole recommendations thing so strangely that it is a constant delight to me that anyone reads or uses my LJ.
*stares at all the people who have commented before her*
Am I hallucinating?

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

*stares at all the people who have commented before her*
Am I hallucinating?

Nope. (Or, okay, if you are, it's a shared hallucination, and possibly we should see if the Joker has gotten to our water supply again.) And I realize that that remark, that I'm surprised that anyone reads or uses my LJ, sounds weird - but it's true.

When I started this, I figured I was writing only for me, because I couldn't imagine who else might want recs presented in this fashion - overly texty and mixed up and way behind the times. As it turns out, there are people who do. And I am continually stunned and delighted by that, and sometimes it bubbles over and I need to share, because it just makes me insanely happy. I mean, I didn't expect to be of use to anyone. And yet I am. It's the magic of fandom! (Really, it is. I am fannish proof that no matter what you do, there will be people who are interested.)