The times, they are a changin'.

[matt_doyle]

Well. I think it's obvious that my heart really isn't in this blog anymore - it's been more than a year since I made posts with any regularity. I've talked about setting up a professional blog, a writing blog with less about my life and more about fiction and metafiction, literature and history and so on and forth and whatnot, probably on a daily basis, like clockwork. Sometime in the next two or three weeks, I'm going to get that set up (for realz this time), and switch over to there. The details, though, are still fuzzy, like:

-should I get a namechange token and switch over, or start a new journal altogether?
-what's going to happen to this journal? leave it abandoned, privatize everything, delete it, keep it for reading my flist, since I doubt everyone is going to make this transfer with me?
-for that matter, who's interested in being on the friendslist of my new journal? Some of you are going to be there whether you like it or not, because there's no way I'm going to stop reading what you've got to say, but honestly, the more I've moved away from this journal, the smaller the list of people I *need* to hear about has gotten. On the other hand, speaking as a writer, the act of wanting to read what I write makes you my friend - nobody's getting cut if they ask to stay.
-What should I call it? I've more or less settled on the notion that while I'm not going to legally change my name, I'm going to write as Matt Doyle. So the new journal should be ... mattdoyle? mdoyle? cmdoyle? md-device? Something altogether different and clever which you will be suggesting to me?

ETA: The new journal exists, over at matt_doyle, and will be fully up and running by March 15th. I've started the process of locking down this journal by friendslocking every post older than this one.

Comments

[jmtorres.livejournal.com]

If you name change token your flist will come with you.

[mattador.livejournal.com]

There's an option where they don't that I've seen a couple of other people use, unless LJ removed that.

[jmtorres.livejournal.com]

...do you want them to?

[mattador.livejournal.com]

I'm not entirely sure.

[kessie.livejournal.com]

I'd probably get a name change token myself, but I have a notoriously hard time letting go of things so it mostly depends on how much of a fresh start you feel like.

I'd like to be a part of the transfer, if possible (I hold no illusions as to how interesting my entries are -_-). mattdoyle would be fine--my writing journal is my full name (I haven't mentioned it yet because it's currently very empty until I start querying and such). Although mattwrites is kind of amusing, but probably not the impression you're going for. :)

[mattador.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the input! If you're interested, I'll definitely bring you along for the transfer - you've been on my friendslist forever, and while I want a different environment, so to speak, it'll be good to have plenty of familiar faces and friendly company!

[kessie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm definitely interested! Regardless, I was still planning on emailing you when the current draft of the werewolves is done because you were one of the first names I put down on my list of potential readers.

[mattador.livejournal.com]

YAY! I *definitely* want to read that.

Actually, I was just trying to remember ... how did we get to know each other? I know it was years ago, and I've totally forgotten.

[kessie.livejournal.com]

Yay. God, I hope it doesn't suck. :|

Um, I think it was HP fandom? It might have been connected to something one of us wrote (H/D fic, maybe?)? Though I try to forget I ever wrote any HP fic because the memories are frequently accompanied by much cringing...

[mattador.livejournal.com]

Now I'm trying to remember if I've written much if any H/D. I like it now, but was very much opposed to the pairing four or five years ago... but HP fandom, almost definitely.

[kessie.livejournal.com]

Harry/Snape? There was that epic 200,000 word H/S fic I wrote which I really need to take off the internet because it's... not good. At all.

[mattador.livejournal.com]

Even more unlikely, actually, XD

[kessie.livejournal.com]

...okay, I'm drawing a blank. XD

[handgun.livejournal.com]

start a new journal. I think a fresh start would be good for you. take me or leave me if you want. ;D

no awesome name advice here, but a note : it is free shortstack day at ihop. make haste.

[mattador.livejournal.com]

LOL I'm headed out for free pancakes in like ten minutes, but thanks for the heads-up.

Did you actually imagine for a moment I wouldn't be bringing you with to the new journal? In fact, "rubbing shoulders with erin" will still be on my interest list.

I think I *am* going to start fresh, but that also means finding either the cash or the charitable donations for paid time, I think, and finding someone to design a badass style for the new journal.

Also: since we missed phoneage at 2:30 last tuesday, how's 2:30 today sound? It works well for me, but I might still be at IHOP, so if it works for you - just give me a call!

♥

[handgun.livejournal.com]

today is bad. :/ what about tomorrow?

[mattador.livejournal.com]

Tomorrow at 2:30 I will be sitting in a waiting room grumbling that it will still be another half an hour before the bus comes - should be a great time!

[pixxiyestyx.livejournal.com]

See, when you initially mentioned getting a professional writing blog, I imagined it being a non-lj kind of a thing, and that's why I wasn't interested in transferring. (I'm bad about reading off-site blogs.) Since it seems that you'll be staying with lj, I would be more than happy to friend your new journal.

[mattador.livejournal.com]

It will definitely be on LJ, though I might RSS it to other blog sites - or for that matter, I might start it elsewhere and RSS it here - but either way there will be something on LJ to read.

[pixxiyestyx.livejournal.com]

Excellent. Sign me up!

[iko.livejournal.com]

I recommend starting a new journal together. Privatize the current journal, if you like, but keep it around because you never know if you will come back to it (and I've known people that are glad they did because they did go back).

I'm definitely interested in whatever you do. Constant Reader, me.

I think mattdoyle or mdoyle or cmdoyle are good. I think it should be pretty easy to say or communicate, even if you never say or communicate it verbally to someone. When you have a dash or other unusual characters, it ends up being harder to remember.

[mattador.livejournal.com]

Definitely starting a new journal, and in a few weeks, when there's content and I start actually friending folks, you'll definitely be on the list.

[carlanime.livejournal.com]

My inclination would be to start a new journal, and to privatize this one, so you can keep it as a record of part of your life.
Would love to read the new one, of course.

[mattador.livejournal.com]

I've reserved a name to use, and will add you as soon as there's actual content there (probably not for at least another week or two).

[duchessdollydot.livejournal.com]

I agree with carlanime - new start, new journal, privatize this one, and I'll come with if you'll have me. mattdoyle seems like a pretty straightforward name choice to me, although in the absence of that, any of the other options would work too.

Good luck on your new adventure! It sounds like fun.

[mattador.livejournal.com]

Alas, mattdoyle is taken; so I've created matt-doyle. No content there yet, but there will be before oh, say, the Ides of March.

[duchessdollydot.livejournal.com]

Of course mattdoyle was taken. This is LJ. Bless the little -es.

[tulina.livejournal.com]

*drags feet*

I'll friend you if you do change lj. I know, I'm never around, but it would we damned weird not to have you in my flist.

[mattador.livejournal.com]

Agreed!

(Also, I'm working on editing RIHV, I promise).

[tulina.livejournal.com]

But is it finished????

I feel terribly guilty about not having read further yet. But it was just too distressing to follow it as a WIP. Which is an excellent thing, of course, but makes me an awful reader. XD

So TELL ME it's finished or at least it doesn't end in a cliffhanger and i'll read it this minute. Literally.

[mattador.livejournal.com]

The first draft is finished. Just not all posted on LJ yet, which is why I'm working on editing. My goal is to have it all up before I switch over to the new blog, actually - every post on this journal from hereon out is likely to be a chapter.

[tulina.livejournal.com]

Heee!

Glad I'm kinda back, then. :D

[mattador.livejournal.com]

Glad to have you kinda back!

[mattador.livejournal.com]

Chapter Twelve is up! And Chapter Thirteen is more than half-types, so probably this evening sometime!

[tulina.livejournal.com]

Okay! Will read this weekend! :D

[mattador.livejournal.com]

♥!

[nicocoer.livejournal.com]

I'd switch over with ya. :)

[mattador.livejournal.com]

Duly noted!

[breve.livejournal.com]

Pick me?

I'm a horrid updater and perhaps an even more hopeless commenter, but I read with fervor and dedication. ;)

[mattador.livejournal.com]

You shall be picked.

[stetch-the-cat.livejournal.com]

I rarely comment or post, but i do throughly enjoy what I do read of you.
take or leave me either way

[mattador.livejournal.com]

Very much take, O stray cat.

[jenni-the-odd.livejournal.com]

I would like to remain on your friendslist if you move.

[mattador.livejournal.com]

Absolutely you'll be remaining on my f-list! ♥ I can't remember when I found you on LJ, but you have been a Person I Admire since ... somewhere between 2000 & 2002 when ML was first going up online.