tying yourself to me-stitch up my emptiness
Style
I like the layout. It is visually appealing and unique. The colors, division and shadings are very �soothing�. The flower matches well with all the colors, and the text contrasts enough to read. However, it is pretty small, and we all know how hard it is to read small type after 36 straight hours of diary perusing, right? Also, in browsers like mine, if you rest your pointer over where you are reading for too long, that little box with �save, print, e-mail� pops up. This can get distracting, especially if you have a wicked-short attention span. The links are good, if not wanting for some company. A link to �personally informative� entries (i.e., �101 Things About Me� or �Pics�), anything that may give someone an easily recognizable source of whom they are reading about would be good. However, the picture and summary do very well to give you a hint of this diary�s author. That picture. It makes you wish they were friends of yours. Reading is the next best thing.
Substance
In a word: �down�. However, sometimes some people are exactly that. From what I gathered, this is a continuation of another, previous diary; perhaps a link to the old one or an explanation of the change would help the audience get a better feel for the context of what they are reading. The intimacy and stark expression are genuinely moving. I like the short sentences, which reflect the way our thoughts fly through our heads. A lot of honesty comes out in her words. While I, myself, often flounder in the sea of proper English, I am keen to point out other peoples mistakes (usually to make fun of them when I see them), but there are very few mistakes, if any, in her entries. I�m not sure how Canadians spell certain words given the British influence on the language-- I know that often �e�s find themselves in places different from �U.S. English� (shudder), so that�s not a problem. The updates are regular, some shorter, some longer. Quite a few surveys, quizzes and rings to explore.
Suggestions
Not much else than what I�ve mentioned. Perhaps you need a wider entry area. The big white blank off to the right sort of blares at you.
B
Really good to read when you�re in a cloudy mood or impenetrably happy.
