linden_jay

linden_jay: Created on 2004-07-05 00:59:04 (#3697125), 570 Journal Entries, 2,538 comments received, 4,325 comments posted

Five years ago today, after about five months of lurking and reading, I decided to bite the bullet and create a livejournal. Not that I thought I'd ever use it, but a lot of people were flocking their porn back then (as it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever, amen), and I didn't want to be left out. Three days later, I created my second journal, joined my first RPG (despite never having written a word of fanfic), and met the first in what would become a series of amazingly wonderful and talented people.

I've made friends who I'm still blessed to call mine. I've lost friends who I still miss, some through burning up, some just faded away. I've co-written millions of words (between the games, fic, and meta verses I write in, no, I'm really not exaggerating). I've traveled for hours by bus and by plane to visit people I'd never seen in person before I stepped off the bus/plane. I've talked on the phone or by voice chat to people from across the country, across the continent, and across the globe. And yes, once that resulted in me accidentally dropping into a North Carolina accent while I was at work, which was embarrassing, but still worth it.

If you're wondering why I'm crossposting an entry about my anniverary on livejournal to other journaling systems, it's because this anniversary isn't just about five year on livejournal. It's about five years of community. Five years of the best and the worst of what the internet, fandom, and online friends and enemies can offer. Five years of laughter, tears, grief. Of death, and of birth. It's about friendship, and knowing that wherever I go in the world, there are couches and spare rooms I can sleep on. It's knowing that I've been able to be there for friends when they needed me, and that when I've needed them, my friends, and complete strangers, have stood up for me.

Once upon a time, I didn't understand how people could think that they could make friends online. How could it be real? You could be talking to anyone! And then, five years ago today, I started a journey that taught me just how wrong I was. So today, I just want to say thank you. To everyone I've known, everyone I know now, and everyone I'm going to meet in the future. For good or for bad, you've all changed and enriched my life in ways that I can't even express. And I'm grateful for that. I'm grateful for you. All of you.

With much love,

Jay Linden.