LiveJournal?? Do they make it hard on purpose?

Being new to this activity, I have been looking at the other blog sites.  Testing the water here and there with differing versions of titles containing versions.  I tried the "LiveJournal" site.  I found their interface to be THE most confusing  of any I've seen yet.
First, they make you go through a sign-on procedure that would make Harry Potter wince in all its mystery.  Then, when you are finally verified, there is no clear interface for creating even the first blog entry.  The edit page link is buried in a FAQ.  It's not a FAQ on the opening page, not even a link on any set page, logical pages, like the one to manage the account.  It's a FAQ link, way down on the third page of a FAQ about "communities, whatever the hey that is.
Then there's the emoticoms...Good Lord!  Was this site designed by a thirteen year old with right brain disfunction?
I don't think you'll see me back there, anytime soon.  I hope the "Community" can go in without me...=30=