Well I know it sounds like something that is commonplace, but this is a surprise. A pleasant one of course. It is at this time of the year, as stuyvesant points out what with exams, that I am actually at my reading low. On a chart, this centre part would be nearing the bottom of the graph and I am ashamed, and dearly sorry, to all the peoples AARs I have had to side track somewhat. Were it not for exams, I would be able to keep to my promises of "I'll read this by so and so" which I am quite famous, I am sure, now of not ever accomplishing. So apologies to comagoosie, Capibara, volksmarschall, TheExecuter and, most of all, Snugglie. For him, I have been saying I would catch up on his AAR for... oooh... about a year now and have only got about a 1/3 of the way through it in that time. I am dreadful and I sincerly apologise.
All this has come to my attention, as of late, due to the ACAs. I usually think I am reading quite a few AARs; the amount of time I seem to spend reading would suggest that too. But when the ACAs come around and I am sitting there in front of my voting ballot, not doing anything in particular; just sitting and staring at it. And in my head? "*insert suitable expletive*! I don't have any more AARs to put into my vote." As such, a single ballot can take as long to compile as an update. Still, time well spent I think. But the point stands; I just can't see that I can be reading all that much when filling in half a ballot is a superhuman struggle. Filling in Victoria is no too much of a problem; it is my own true love and where I focus my reading and as such always have enough material to vote on (or if in doubt just stick Director's AAR in
). I own all the paradox games, however, and make hardly any effort to read in the other forums. I mean, I don't expect myself to read every AAR around like Enewald and stnylan seem to do; but at least enough to choose out 4... rather depressing, I feel. Of course, three AARs and important exams don't write themselves (although I can only blame myself for starting my new Spanish AAR now
o), and it forces me to cut back.
As has been mentioned, I also do the LibrAARy, and even that I don't intend to update until the summer; those updates can take a while to sift through. So while Coz, Director and stuyvesant may believe I could take over the forums, I am afraid any such
pronunciamiento will have to wait until after the exams.
I do have confidence in my writing, though I cannot vouch for what others think; I just trust that if they were not enjoying my writing they would either not read it or at least tell me it was trash (though the latter would cause a momentary weep
). As for my commenting, I am quite a slow reader; don't know my exact speed but it matters not. After putting time and effort into reading something, and with the time and effort the writer put in, I think we both deserve more than a one liner saying 'Good Update!' It has indicated that you have neither read, absorbed nor cared much for the writer’s effort. I try and expand on any comment I make to 3 or 4 lines although the actual length does not matter. What counts is that you show intelligence, gratitude and respect. As for any claims I am perceptive, well that is usually only the result of prior background knowledge, or an update perking my interest on something and going to look at it (technically then becoming prior knowledge). I just try and be interesting, friendly, useful, suitably comedic (to little avail) and grateful. So my theory: the length does not matter, the love of the reading and writing does. If that is there, it really shows through in the comments.
I didn't mean to rant
Thank you
Rob