♥ First Impression: So I’m awake at 12:25 AM, and bored, since my face feels weird after four shots of southern comfort earlier. Go winter break from college! I am in quite the perfect condition to write your review, just for some random background on my state of mind. When I opened up your diary and read an entry, it was actually… last night. Your layout pleased me at first glance, because I am a fan of the colors. I love black, red, and everything in between, so your layout is right up my alley. Your first entry is about your boyfriend, Alfred, some ups and downs of your relationship. Honestly, I’m interested in what you have to say, it sounds like you probably have an interesting diary. Even though you say things like “::sigh::” which normally bothers me. We’ll see if this runs on my nerves. (4/5)

♥ Username and Title: Honestly, I hate your username. I’m saying this after reading your diary, and it’s been that way the entire time. Your name didn’t grow on me as I read on, basically my first impression that it was stupid stuck with me. It makes you sound younger and more immature than you should be for your age. You’re twenty-one. You’re not exactly “tracey face” material, here. In “the beginning” you mention your name and why you’ve chosen it. It doesn’t exactly make me like it any more than I did; because I figured it was something like that. After reading your diary, I didn’t understand your title at all. At first, it seems like a workable diary title, but then after reading your diary… It doesn’t make sense with who you represent yourself to be. (2/5)

♥ Content:
Selection of Content: I took notes on your diary while I read it. Just so you know what I’m working with here, I started at your most recent entry and went back until September, then I went to the beginning and read until August. So basically, I’m missing some entries from the middle section of your diary. This was basically because I couldn’t handle reading any more! There are reoccurring themes in your diary: Troubles with Alfie seem to be a favorite, which you even point out sometimes; your cutting takes center stage sometimes as well, which I don’t really agree with, but it’s your choice; and you seem to harp on not liking people quite frequently, at least recently. I agree with the fact that some people are just asking for it. I also feel as though there were other aspects of your diary that I could relate to. I know what it’s like to have no friends, and I also understand how you feel about Alfred cheating on you. At the same time, I think you are a little bit paranoid about it. You worry too much about what’s going on when your back is turned to him. I’m sorry to say that it’s mostly just your fault for worrying so much. Your relationship seems rather volatile, and I’m not sure that it’s the best thing for you. It’s not really my job to be your psychiatrist and give you advice, but I do think that you need to stop stressing out so much about him, or just get him out of your life. The thing that started to turn me off the most from your diary was how much you talked about your boyfriend. You pointed it out sometimes, like in this entry, and the one right after it. You gave promise of an Alfred-less writing session, but soon enough you went back on your words and actions and started talking about him again. He’s on your mind QUITE a bit, which is acceptable because he’s your boyfriend, but it seems to be like he’s the only thing in your life right now. Maybe that’s why you’re having so much trouble with him and everything related to him, you’re afraid of what might happen if he’s not in your life anymore. What will you do? This fear of yours will probably do more harm than good. [09/15]
Emotion: You get quite emotional when it comes to talking about Alfred. You’re worried about him losing his job one minute, the next you’re wanting him to come home so you can see him. You talk quite a bit about him cheating on you. I didn’t see anywhere in your diary where he actually did, maybe it’s slipping my mind now but I didn’t write it down if I did see it. Maybe it’s because you got together with him when you were both in relationships? I’m not sure. I think the main reason for having a diary is to think about things in your life, try to make connections and figure out why you feel the way you do, not just talk about what you’re feeling, exactly. It may seem like that would be the main objective, but I never saw it that way. You mention being afraid of saying “I love you” to him. I agree, it does often ruin a relationship. Love=Death. [06/10]
Vividness of Detail: You had me lost at first on a few subjects. Since you talked so much about Alfred cheating, I was starting to think he actually had. None the less, I didn’t find anywhere in your diary where he did. You also mentioned having an abortion in a few entries. I think it would be therapeutic for you to write a little bit more about that. Your entries where you were talking about actual things that have happened in your life, the people you knew in California for example, were easier to read. Most of the time you’re just writing with useless details, about cleaning your room, how much you miss Alfred, if Alfred is cheating, Alfred, Alfred, Alfred, etc. [2/5] (17/30)

♥ Layout: The layout itself, I do like. I mean, there are things about it that I like. I like the colors; the fonts are easy to read. It even has different colors for its underline and bold things, which makes it very pretty. I like stuff like that. The quote and picture though, I don’t really like. I don’t think that layout has anything to do with the title you’ve put on your diary. I also don’t really understand what it has to do with you. Maybe it’s because you talk about Alfred so much? After a while the layout’s charm started to die on me. It’s very well made, I just don’t think it achieves what a layout should when it comes to your diary. (14/20)

♥ Organization: All of your extra things have their own pages, and an extra page for all of their links. Your navigation is organized very nicely, your diary links, followed by contact, followed by outside links and then credits. Your archives are all nicely organized as well. When it comes to your diary, you’re taking things seriously and getting down to business. (5/5)

♥ Grammar and Links: All of your links work, your grammar, not so much. Now, it is just the regular typos here and there, and a few of the internet slang things and weird words like “tho”. But those are bothersome. Take this seriously, I guess? I don’t know. If you don’t know how to spell something, run it through MS Word. Or look it up on the internet. (07/10)

♥ Contact: If someone has diaryland, they can leave a note. If someone doesn’t, there’s a guestbook to sign. If someone wants a conversation, there’s AIM. And of course, if someone wants to drop a more personal note? You have your e-mail address posted! Enough ways to contact, indeed! (5/5)

♥ Extras: You have an extras page with enough things so a reader can get to know something about you, and be entertained by a few little things as well. There isn’t anything spectacular there, but there’s enough to show that you care about your diary and your readers. That little extra note at the bottom of your diary is a little bit annoying. If someone’s reading your diary and doesn’t want you to know, they’re not going to leave you a note. If those are the people you’re trying to catch with that, it’s not fooling them. (4/5)

♥ Navigation: Your diary is very easy to navigate! Your navigation is arranged in a spectacular manner, and your archives are also very easy to sort through. Most importantly, you have previous and next links. Thank God. (5/5)

♥ Updates: You’ve had this diary for about half a year, but you’ve updated quite a bit in that time. You’re bored, at least that’s your reasoning. That’s well enough, you leave your readers with entries to read probably every time they log on. You’re obviously very dedicated to your diary. (5/5)

♥ Lasting Impression: While I did find things in your diary that I could relate to, I didn’t feel as though there was enough variety to draw me in. You just talked about the same things too much, even beyond Alfred. Get out there, and live a little! Go get drunk, have fun with your life. You’re twenty-one, so young, and not fully living because you’re too afraid of hurting someone. There just wasn’t enough in your diary. (1/5)

♥ Plus or Minus Points: Plus One - I think you deserve a solid 70.

♥ Total: (70/100)

♥ Comments: Don’t worry, those people are out there, I myself have found them. You just have to know how to look, connect with people, and see the inside of things you might not want to. Your diary raised a lot of questions while I read it. It should also raise questions within yourself; you should use your diary to answer those questions.

♥ Reviewed By: Audrey

Reviewed on 2004-12-18 at 1:47 a.m.!