S. Worthen | Weblog

A year ago today, I started this LiveJournal. littleowl was the only person I knew who used the service at the time. She was essentially offline that month, since her son had recently been born. So I asked around and found someone willing to give me an invite code. Even now, I don't know what her LJ username is.

I had very specific goals in mind when I set up this account. I have entirely failed to meet them. Nevertheless, I'm very glad I do have this account.

My initial goal was to use my account as a semi-public forum for setting daily lists of goals where my family and C. could read them, and then use that to give me added incentive to actually accomplish all those things each day. These days, I don't post about my work too much. I find if I spend much time writing about my work, I could better use those minutes to actually write my dissertation.

Instead, I have rediscovered a great many of my good undergraduate friends. I have been able to stay in closer contact with friends from England. I've been able to stay in better touch with friends who are, or were recently, based in the place I'm currently living. I've been able to see news and intriguing sides to existing online friends. And I've made new friends through LiveJournal and other weblogs, some of whom I've had the pleasure of meeeting when our geography overlapped.

It's been a source of advice, trivia, recommendations, and feedback.

It was also my introduction to the world of weblogs generally, through which I have encountered fellow medievalists, and pundits on every sort of possible news item.

A year ago, my dissertation proposal had just been accepted. Now I've written some of my dissertation, done a few more conference papers, and made progress on my degree. This LJ might not have been used for its initial intended purpose, but at least, thanks to using it, I can reassure myself that I have indeed been accomplishing things.