A community
I remember once upon a time, back in the hey day, when I had a few regular readers of loafe, from all over the country, all over the world.
I loved these people, all coming to vibrant life in the comments. It was filled with such lively discussions. Political discourse. So many great jokes. So much silliness. Insults and zingers. Weird shit. Goofy shit. Mean shit. Happy shit. All of us together, growing up and growing old, in this strange land.
And you know something? it WAS a community, a real community! Something I created, bringing together all these different people, from all over, with just my words. Back when the internet was still kind of new, kind of mysterious, kind of cool.
These loafers of mine, finding their way through the doors I’d created, strolling in, looking around for some kind of connection, to me, to others, to themselves. Creating this tiny special little community with me. they made loafe better. Made me better. We were friends and enemies and strangers and lovers and it was just so great.
I don’t think that is possible anymore. The internet has changed. The people and personalities who once populated loafe… they’re gone. we all got older. Time pushing us along, our paths shifting with the winds.
the world has moved on.
But I’m still here. 20 years and counting. That means something. To me at least. My community has crumbled, but I walk among the ruins and remember.
my “readership” (snicker snicker) now consists of me (loyal as ever) and lots foreign bots, looking for ways to get into my site (hi bots!).
The bots know. how valuable and powerful the rantings and navel-gazing of a lonely girl can be. They know how vital my 20+ years of self-obsession are going to be for finally ending the American empire.
I’m still here.