Too many pronouns, not enough referents

[redbird]

I just figured out (at least a large part of) what I find annoying about twitterings reposted to Livejournal and Dreamwidth: I'm getting a mix of short things that might be complete in themselves, or might be the start of a conversation, and responses to things I never saw. Tweets aren't long enough to provide context, the way I try to with my "save comments" posts, so in between the possibly ephemeral but coherent ("I hate February" or "Dim sum anyone? HSF, noon.") are things like "Mike, sorry I can't make it" and "That sucks." And I have no idea who Mike is, let alone what the poster won't be doing, or what it is that my friend is agreeing sucks.

Comments

[volund.livejournal.com]

What they remind me of is John Hertz mailing out commentzines on an apa to lots of people who aren't in that apa.

I find there's a difference (yes, I'm one of those who get periodic batches of his APA-L zine, Vanamonde). There are often enough some choice morsels in what John writes prior to his comments proper ... some amusing, some informative.