My Journal Addiction
I have found myself addicted to reading these journals and have asked myself what it is about them that I like so much. I think that part of it is a feeling of connecting with other gay men and their everyday lives. Some how the things that people put on their online journals are more intimate than anything you could learn about a persons' thoughts, feelings, and ideas even from your closest friends or lovers. Now I know that what is put on an online journal isn't the unvarnished truth about a person but even what people put in their personal journal that they never plan to show to anyone doesn't contain the unvarnished truth about them. Each of these journals is unique and other than being online journals by gay men I am not sure what they have in common. You look at them and see what you think. The journals that I have found to be the most addictive are:
Justins Koool Page:
Justin is a guy who is originally from Virginia but now lives in California with his lover and their two children. The journey from rural Virginia to the high live in California is quite interesting. He percieves himself to be a regular guy who happens to be gay, but his life seems quite unique to me. Start at the beinning of his journal and read about his life from when he first come out to his current live in California.
Chaosinaustin:
Bryan is from Austin Texas hence the name. Though his name says chaos he seems to me to be the most settled and "normal" in the traditional sence, of all the guys that I read about. He is also one of two guys who are near my own age that I try to keep up with. He comes across as a fun and genuinely nice guy. Of all the guys whose journals I read he is the one that I could find myself being friends with if we had the opportunity.
JohnCam.com
John lives in Ohio and his life seems to be pretty much on par with mine. Most of the other guys I read either work in the computer for are currently students and they are far much younger than I am. John, like me works in a unrelated field but finds working with computers interesting and enjoys keeping an on line journal.
Bryan's Place on the Web
Bryan is one of the students whose jounals I read. I find reading about these young guys interesting mainly because their lives are so different yet so similar to what I experienced when I was their age. Bryan is especially enteresting because he goes to university right here in Kansas City and I know many of the places he mentions. Another drawing point for both Bryan and Graydon, another of the students whose journal I read, is that they both are in one of their first relattionships and their lack of cynicism and mistrust is refreshing.
Graydon
Graydon another of the students whose life I follow through his journal, is Canadian, his journal is the only one I read not taking place in the United States. I have always been fascinated with how Canadians live and how their lives are effected by being our northern neighbors. He is young, attractive, carefree, with a lover who is all those as well as being wealthy, somewhat spoiled and at the sametime quite giving and introspective. His lover Aaron used to have his own page but has since taken it off line. If you get a chance to read the portions that he has put back up you will get a chance to read about their relationship and the bagage that Aaron brought into it from both of their perspectives.
Keithcam.com
Keith and Bryan of Austin are the two journals that I keep the closest eye on. Keith lives in San Francisco but is originally from England. He like Bryan works in Computer Services. I first started to read him last summer when he was on a trip across the east coast. I enjoyed his writings so much that I have kept up with him ever since. I am also looking forward to his upcoming trip to Europe. If I was going to start reading him for the first time I would still start with his trip across the east coast.
Zup's Relm
And finally Zup. Zup is my most recent find. If you don't hearfrom me for a while he will be the reason. I find the best part of finding a new journal is that first week when you spend all of you free time reading the journal from the beginning. This is what I will be doing this week.
