April 17, 2009
-
What brought you to Xanga? What made you stay?
Here are various Xanga anecdotes:
I started my first Xanga on August 1, 2003 at the insistence of my darling sister Kat. I had a blog on another site but it was mostly for ranting about my junior year Brit Lit teacher and posting surveys that asked about your shoe size and your propensity for using certain adjectives to describe your group of friends. Xanga was something I had to ease into (my first twenty posts or so are one-liners, inside jokes long forgotten) but once I did, I was addicted.
(kat: “i told you that you would fall in love with xanga. i knew it.”)
I had, like, one sub but liked looking at my other friends’ sites because this was before footprints started – I remember one of the girls I went to school with subbed to Dan and I was, like, whoaaaaaaa, she knows him? also, why does theology necessitate a café?! Little did I realize she just liked replying to his posts. I WAS YOUNG; I DIDN’T KNOW.
Unrelated, but one time I was at Borders and I heard these two girls talking about “zonga” and I laughed really hard. I’ve heard “ex-anga” and “zango,” too.
Anyway, since (note: not “because” because of temporality!) I said peace out to Ohio after college, moved to NYC, started working here September 5, 2007 and have met about a bajillion Xangans, mostly online but some offline, too. One introduced me to a pretty dashing gentleman; one sent me cookies when I was having a crappy day; one sent me a picture of his truck and told me about what he did before he retired; one helped me keep my Misto addiction alive after killing spammers on Valentine’s Day; one sent me a postcard from Croatia! I have scary dreams about some users. I’ve been out to lunch with two Xangans. I haven’t married a fellow blogger like John has, but maybe someday. Time will tell, I ‘spose.
I guess the bottom line is that you never think that a website you take part in can become such a big part of your life. I went from blogging sentence long blogs here to checking Datingish at 3 a.m. and pouring my heart out when things got crazy. To know you have a big support system like that is pretty incredible, you guys.
I just answered this Featured Question; you can answer it too!
Comments (23)
I’m really glad you ended up as part of the Xanga team!
You’ve had lunch with Beth??? That is so awesome! I enjoy reading datingish around 3am too.
oh! we’re both from new york. where in the city are you from?
@dancesafterhope - ah, i just edited my post – i’m from ohio originally! now i live in hoboken
Well, working for the Xanga team is a REALLY good reason to keep your site! haha!!
I tell people that most of the reason I love Xanga so much is that it actually DOES bridge the gap between online networking and real relationships and friendships. I’ve met a ton of people from here as well, and it’s great because at least you know you’re on the same (web)page!
Um, I think youre missing my shout-out!
That so cool youve gotten all of those things out of Xanga.
I don’t know what you are talking about. It is totally ex-anga. ; )
very cool story. I also hear “ex-anga” a lot.
This was a great post.
It’s nice to see how people came to Xanga and why they stayed. Thanks for the insight!
Nice post. One I heard someone call this site “zonga” too. If you’ve seen “Xena the Warrior” then you should know that this website is pronounced “zanga”, not “zonga” or “ex-anga”. (Although most people pronounce it like that.)
That’s really cool that you had a Xanga before you started on the Xanga Team!
I concur. I never thought I’d keep blogging, but here I am years later, Lifetime membership and all…
So what pray tell did “BADBOYDOOMDADDY” do to get deleted and end up on your nightmare list?
Oh, thanks for sharing your story. Never thought I’d stay around after opening an account just to check on my ex, but I did. And I’m glad.
hmm, maybe moving to Toronto someday may not be a bad idea for me
Man, nightmares about Xanga….haven’t had one of those in ages.
ahh and then you become xanga. part of the xanga team that is. awesome!
I’m glad they hired you.
@UR_MUSE - He was like a Xanga mega-troll, and he threatened a few people from time to time. I noticed recently that he’s still trolling other sites.
You have some pretty great xanga friends.