Hi, and welcome to my LiveJournal!

Just a bit of a disclaimer... My journal is Friends Only. But if you notice, all my stories (and links to stories) are public posts. Anyone that just reads this for my stories has no need to worry. I'll keep posting my stories publicly. No, that's not true anymore. No more public posts. You can thank LJ for that one, not me. Besides, it's not like I actually post stories anymore any way. Sorry.

If you want to read my actual journal, well... You're going to have to comment, and ask nicely. I can't promise I'll add you, because a) I'm picky and b) my friends list is full enough as it is. I can't stand people that RiTe LiEk ThIs BcUz It PiSsEs Me OfF. Know how to spell most things, and what grammar is and how to, y'know... Use it.

So. Comment if you'd like, but as I said. I can't promise. Never hurts to ask, though, right? *grin*

I did a friends-list cut, because honestly, I don't read half of my friends list any more, which is not good. The fact that I skip through most of my friends' posts just tells me that I need to cut back a little...

If you don't see the next post, please understand that while I liked having you as a friend for the time that we were friends, we've probably grown apart, and our lives are just going in different directions at this point. Most of the friends that were cut were fandom friends, and I'm just not crazy about any fandom in particular anymore.

Know that I have appreciated all your support and friendship over the years. Please don't be offended. Please just know that we've grown apart. Things change. People change. Thank you for your friendships.

this may be the only way to have your voice heard. or unheard as the case may be. (text ganked from suriyel676 via valiskeogh via dorwrath 'cause she had the best worded one so far)


NOTE: This says 12 midnight GMT! That means 8pm Eastern, 5pm Western, and midnight for all you lovely Brits. Make sure you pay attention to your timing, people.

"For those of you who don't already know, there has been a strike scheduled for Friday, March 21st, 2008, during which we hope to have many members of LiveJournal provide LJ with absolutely no content for twenty-four hours. This means no posting and no commenting. If you post elsewhere and have it set up to be posted through a feed on LiveJournal, don't do it. Stay away from LiveJournal for twenty-four hours. That can't be too hard, can it? I know some of you are probably quite active on LiveJournal and will find it hard to stay away for an entire day, just as I will, but this is something that needs to be done, to show the people running LiveJournal that we're watching the changes they are making, that we're paying attention, that we're discontent, and that we want to be heard and taken in to consideration. We are not simply users who can be tossed to the side and ignored. We are the people who make up LiveJournal. Without us, without the content we create, without our words, our voices, our creativity, our participation, there would be no LiveJournal. This is a fact, and it needs to be realized and understood and then taken in to consideration when making decisions regarding the way that LiveJournal is run. The strike is only a few days away, so there isn't all too much time to prepare. While this is unfortunate, it isn't enough to keep this strike from taking place. It will take place, the second it is meant to, and it would be best to have as many people take part as possible. Please, spread the word. Spread it fast. There are only a few days to organize this. If you find that you care about LiveJournal or care about the people you interact with on LiveJournal or simply want it to remain a place where you can entertain yourself without constant censorship and money-hungry practices being thrown in without the consideration of those who use the service, act now. If you don't wish to spread the word, that is fine, but please: refrain from using LiveJournal on Friday, March 21st. Do something else for a change. It's for a good cause. (:

For background on this strike and why it is being held, please read the following posts:
http://beckyzoole.livejournal.com/394838.html
http://beckyzoole.livejournal.com/395310.html

To find out exactly when the strike begins and ends, depending on where you are located, please see this:
http://beckyzoole.livejournal.com/395125.html

What's this about?

* It's about free and ad-free LiveJournal accounts being abolished for new members, ignoring the advice from the newly-formed Advisory Board.
* It's about LJ staff trying to sneak this decision in under the radar, and when people found out, telling the users it was done 'to make the signup process less confusing'.
* It's about LJ staff failing to apologize for trying to hide the facts from view and for lying about the actual reasons for their actions.
* And finally, it's about the latest decision to hide certain user interests from the list of Most Popular Interests, some of them being fanfiction, bisexuality, sex and depression. This decision was not announced or explained in any way. Users found out for themselves.

If you agree with this please re-post far and wide"

Added to this, are the words of SUP (the new owners of LJ) CEO : Антон Носик (Anton Nosik)
From this link:

Translation:
"In this situation, where they attempt to blackmail and to intimidate us, threatening to destroy our business, there is a business-reason not to reward this behavior. This is not the simple reaction of being more resistant the more pressure is applied. The fact is that through history no successful enterprise runs by being subjugated by unfriendly forces. No change, even the most correct one, will not experience some resistance.

It would probably be best to reconsider the recent changes. But from our point of view it is now necessary to wait until after the boycott has faded. Let it pass and have the voices of protest fade. Then we can consider changing this policy."


Take a stand if you want. Don't if you don't want. I'm just spreading the word.

First thing's first.

I need ADDRESSES! I'm really going to send out cards this year. (I didn't get them done last year. Shame on me.) This year I fully plan on getting cards out this year. So I need addresses. I need everyone's addresses that wants cards. Liana, I think I've got yours down, but everyone else's I need. So many of you have moved in the last year or two, and I want to make sure all the cards get where they're supposed to go. I'm not doing the poll this year, because we all know it takes up shit loads of space, and comments are easier anyway.

So hit me with the name you want the card addressed to, your address you'll be at for the holidays, which holiday(s) you celebrate, (I don't want to send the wrong card to the wrong person, after all!) phone numbers if you feel like sharing, (can't say I'll use it much, but hey, give me a cell number and maybe we'll have text wars or something!) your birthday, preferably with year or the age you are, (yes, really. I need to update my list, and I'm sure I've missed someone) and if you're married, or have been with the person for ages (6 months and more, I guess?) or whatever, I want an anniversary date. I'm going to try to be really on top of things this year.

The comments will all be screened, so no worries about anyone but me seeing this info.


Second!

If you want to exchange presents this year, let me know! Can't say I'll be getting you a Playstation 3 or anything (I don't have that much money to throw around, thanks) but we can do giftfulness if you'd like. Hey, you might even get a pair of hand-made socks. I'm starting to get the hang of those! And I said I'd post this, so I'm rockin' the wish list this year. (Thanks Melissa for finding out how to do this!)




Finally!

My info I'll post on a separate post, because I'm going to make this baby public, so I can get my cousins to leave me comments with their info too, hopefully, so I have everything all in one place. Whether or not they'll do it, I have no idea, but hey, I'll try.



Okay, ladies and gents! Have at it!