Longtime journaler seeks friends to help keep it interesting

[decemberthirty]

Hello, all! My name is Katie. I'm 46 years old, and I've been on LJ/DW/both since I was 22—over half my life! So you know I'm committed.

About me:
I'm a writer by profession, primarily of literary fiction with occasional book reviews for variety. I live in Philadelphia with my partner of 26 years (she's a high school physics teacher). We have a 17-year-old cat named Tommy; he and I are home together all day, and he's my constant companion. I'm the oldest of three sisters in a pretty close-knit family. My sisters have five kids between them, and being an aunt is basically my favorite thing.

I love books and am always reading. Favorite authors include E.M. Forster, Marilynne Robinson, Leo Tolstoy, Virginia Woolf, Ursula K. Le Guin, George Saunders.... The list could go on and on. I also love the outdoors and learning about nature. I've been a birdwatcher for years; more recently I've gotten into things like butterflies and insects, reptiles, wildflowers, and more. In summer, my favorite thing is finding wild orchids. My partner and I like to travel, and when we do, I use it as an opportunity to learn about the wild variety of nature in other places.

In case you haven't already guessed, I'm a very introverted person. I spend most of my time at home, where I keep myself busy writing, reading, or in the kitchen. I like cooking, baking, and food preservation, and I'm always working on some sort of kitchen project or trying to teach myself a new skill.


About my journal:
My journal began as a place for me to keep track of my reading, and that's still probably the topic I write about most. I tend to post more about what I'm thinking than about what I'm doing, although I do sometimes use my journal to keep track goals or record projects that I'm working on. I often include photos. I would say I post about once a week...but realistically it's probably a bit less than that.

If you're looking for a friend who comments on every single post, I'm probably not the right person for you. I do like to interact and I always read my friends page, but I prefer to comment only when I have something worth saying. Also, I've found over the years that I don't mesh well with extremely prolific posters. I have a hard time keeping up with people who post more than once a day.

My journal is friends-locked for privacy, but I will be happy to add anyone who's interested in checking it out. And I won't be offended if it turns out that it's not your style.

Say hello if you think we'd get along!

Comments

[sushiflop]

Hi, a large portion of my journaling is posts about books and comics I have read. I like your photo - I grew up rural, am in an urban/suburban area now, and miss the quiet.

I too believe in a "no hard feelings" method of handling things should we not mesh. I do prefer to subscribe first and grant access eventually, just from my own shyness (most of my posts aren't locked). Care to give it a shot?

[decemberthirty]

Hello! I see from your profile that you're in Alaska--that's a place I'd love to visit someday!

I've added you, so let's see if we hit it off! :)

[sushiflop]

My personal info is terribly out of date if I'm honest, but I did grow up in Alaska and can still honestly say it's where I have spent the majority of my life. I love it very dearly and you should absolutely take the chance to go if you can!

[springheel_jack]

sure

[decemberthirty]

Hi! Your intro makes your journal sound like the type I like to read. I've added you--if you like what you see of my journal, please stick around.

[saddlerfan]

Hey there, fellow introvert here! I also write (although I'm just a fic writer) and I've just started getting into the Dune fandom, so I have a lot of books to read for that one. If you want to add me, feel free to, I'll add you back ASAP. If not that's okay too!

[decemberthirty]

Hello! I've never read Dune, and I confess I don't even know much about it. I'm not much of an sff person. But I've added you, so feel free to take a peek at my journal and see if it interests you.

[saddlerfan]

Thanks for the add, I'll add you back ASAP! And no worries, I'm not much of a sci-fi person myself, but for some reason I seem to end up with liking characters from sci-fi franchises on a regular basis, lol. (My interest in Dune is also strictly character-driven.) I read other books, too! :)

[decemberthirty]

Looking forward to getting to know you!

[saddlerfan]

Same! (I forgot to say, I also used to be a Livejournal guy for the longest time so we also have that one in common!)

[decemberthirty]

Hi! Sorry to hear you don't have time for books! But it does seem like we've got lots of other interests in common--I've added you!

[gwendraith]

I think we have quite a lot in common; I've been on LJ/DW for 22 years, I have a 17 year old cat called India, I love to read, very interested in natural history and the environment, art and travel. Not forgetting tea! I'll add you if that's okay?

[decemberthirty]

These 17-year-old cats can be a handful! Mine has gone completely deaf and is currently having trouble with what might be an infected tooth--he's got a procedure scheduled for next week that we hope will take care of it. I hope yours is in good health for her age.

Sounds like we have quite a few common interests. I've added you, so please feel free to have a look at my journal and stick around if you like what you see. :)

[gwendraith]

Thanks!

India is in quite good health apart from a bit of arthritis. I lost her litter sister, Inka, last March. I kept her going with insulin injections but in the end the diabetes got the better of her. Broke my heart and I'm still not over it, but India is a good companion and I love her. Hope they fix Tommy's tooth okay.

[decemberthirty]

Oh, I'm so sorry. We lost our girl kitty last spring too--it was cancer in her case. It's so hard to see them go.

[gwendraith]

Thank you. I'm sorry about your kitty, too. You're right, it's very hard to let them go.

[loganberrybunny]

Hello! I think I'm probably just that little bit too prolific a poster for your tastes (1-2 a day for the most part) but I did want to comment to say that yours is one of the nicest posts I've seen on this community. :)

[decemberthirty]

What a nice thing to say! Thank you!

[loganberrybunny]

You're more than welcome. :)

[cassie_faith]

I have a public bio here: https://cassie-faith.dreamwidth.org/276.html
No hard feelings if you don't want to add! Will forewarn you and say my life is really insane right now. :p

[decemberthirty]

Well, everyone's life gets insane sometimes.... Hope things calm down for you soon!

I've added you so you can check out my journal and see if you're interested.

[raspberrysweettea]

I also like to write (genre fiction) and I enjoy interacting with other writers. I've also got book reading goals for 2025 that I'll talk about here and there. Primarily fantasy fiction, but I made a point to add some other things to the reading list this year.

We don't seem to have a lot of other hobbies in common, but you do a lot of things I find interesting when other people do them lol. I have a pretty thorough interest list on my profile and an informational sticky post on my journal if you're interested in being friends.

[decemberthirty]

Haha, I love this: "you do a lot of things I find interesting when other people do them." I'll go ahead and add you, and we'll put that idea to the test! :)

[montmartres]

Hi! Your cat sounds adorable. I’ve got a ten year old ginger named Percy. I’m also a big reader and would love to have more bookish friends.

Would you like to connect?

[decemberthirty]

Of course I'm biased, but I think he's very adorable. And I'm sure yours is too!

I'm always happy to meet more bookish folks. I've added you!

[zenigotchas]

We wouldn't be a good match (I post a lot) but I really like the style of your post!

[decemberthirty]

Very kind of you to say! Thanks!

[pianogurl330]

Hi! I started on LJ during my teens and then switched over to DW a few years ago! I'm also an introvert with three hooligan cats that I like to post about lol. Would you like to connect?

[decemberthirty]

Sure! Let's give it a shot and see if we hit it off. I've added you. :)

[pshaw_raven]

I always enjoy reading and writing focused accounts.

[decemberthirty]

In that case, I might be just the right person for you. I've added you so you can have a look and see if you're interested. :)

[serafaery]

Me me me! I am 49 and also have a beloved cat (childfree), married, faery by profession but I really want to make myself read more - I have journaled online compulsively since 1999 (Diaryland lol - then LJ started in 2001 or so). I generally don't add people for the most part as my entries are not safe for reading (emotional processing of a lot of unhealthy issues due to childhood trauma and difficult family mental health problems, addiction, substance abuse, and losses) but I'm doing my best to post open entries more often :)

[decemberthirty]

Hello! I've added you--if you like what you see of my journal, please feel free to stick around. :)

[sweetsmile]

I am interested in adding you. I like the outdoors and nature, and kitchen projects.

[decemberthirty]

Hello! Sounds like we definitely share some common interests. I've added you, so feel free to check out my journal and see if it interests you. :)

[amado1]

I would love to see your thoughts on books - it looks like our tastes match up fairly well. I read "A Passage to India" for the first time this year and was floored; it shot to the top of my "Favorites" list, absolutely gorgeous prose and wonderfully real, ambiguous characters. I was so excited to watch the David Lean adaptation, but I thought he somewhat bungled it - I don't know if you've seen it, but part of the problem for me was simply casting, and part of it was the way he handled Mrs. Moore and Miss Quested. Still, the early scene with Aziz and Mrs. Moore in the mosque is absolutely gorgeous, and it sticks with me.

My posts are fairly sporadic and mostly friends-locked, but they're an even mix of life updates (I'm going back to college and I like to share about my classes) and my thoughts on books and films, or what I'm writing. Sometimes I dip back into old interests, especially T.E. Lawrence, Sherlock Holmes, and the Satanic Panic. I love the photo you've included here; I used to live in the country, and I miss the daily nature walks so much. My camera roll was full of birds and mushrooms and flowers! Now it's mostly pictures of my dog XD

[decemberthirty]

Hello! Always happy to meet a reader and fellow Forster fan! My favorite of his novels is Maurice, although I acknowledge that there's a lot of sentimentality in that choice for me. :)

I've added you!