Out of all hobbies I have, anime is probably the one I’ve been most vocal with. Books and video games have always been there, and I feel no need to go around proclaiming my passion for them, even if it’s there. But anime? You watch anime that air in Japan right now? Really? And God forbid that you actually write about it?
I’ve kept this blog, wrote in it for four years. Despite what the more self-disparaging bloggers tell you, blogging isn’t a waste of time–I’ve learned how to temper my passions, be creative in presenting my ideas, look at the media I consume critically, and let others have fun with me. It’s supplemented me in ways I can’t even fully comprehend. It’s gotten me friends, people whom I’ve never spoken a word to in person, but whom I would totally have a drink with, should they ever drop by here. I know that these people may be different from me, or may not even like the same shows I like! I’ve learned to live with that. People are people, and in the end it’s the pleasant company that matters.
My job also helps. Along with blogging, it has helped me become less jaded, cured the misanthropist in me (which only surfaces whenever I read stupid news articles), and taught me how to talk to people. Years ago, if you told me I needed to talk to a complete stranger for two hours and judge whether they’d be a good hire, I’d be positively soiling my pants. Now, I can do it! Interviewing has also taught me patience, and not to spontaneously combust at people having different ideas than mine.
Perhaps I’ve been around the block for a while. I’ve picked up a lot of things, and most of them are fairly good to keep me around. The way I see it, most bloggers quit because they lose their passion, be it the passion to write blog posts or the passion to watch silly cartoons. For better or for worse, I’ve managed to cling to mine, and my lifestyle still allows me to sneak in a post every now and then. What do I have to lose?
But with dwindling time (and patience), I’ve also shortened my tolerance for online bullshit. I can no longer tolerate the stupidity, the posturing, the lame memes, and the jaded irony that some bloggers espouse as their style. Some of these are blogs I started reading from their inception, or way before I started mine. I am above these now; rather than pick fights, I head for the Unsubscribe button.
Still, I can safely say that the bloggers, commenters, and friends I’ve gathered over the years are very much worth the trouble. I can no longer read anime blogs as faithfully as I used to, and I feel disconnected from the tide and ebb of activity. But if your blog is interesting, and you’re interesting, I’ll get wind of you, hopefully!
Here’s to four more years!
PS: I’ve also done a bit more fiction writing on the side. The quantity isn’t big, but I’m putting more thought into my prose, and by actually trying at least I can learn from any mistakes that I make. I’m also doing NaNoWriMo this month, steadily meeting my word quotas (for now). I really wouldn’t have done it, if I didn’t tell myself that I should at least experience for myself how to crank out consistent output.
What’s your NaNo username? I’ll add you!
Matt Healy! (It’s from the protagonist of Gundam Lost War Chronicles)
And added. Since starting NaNo I’ve written almost 6000 words of something I had put off for ages. It does work.
What are you writing?
Uh… uh… it’s a coming-of-age story of two high school girls making manga and animation, basically Bakuman but with girls, and supplemented with my knowledge of both media (so it becomes a meta-commentary in some respects). How embarrassing!
Nothing embarrassing about that. My idea is best described to anifans as “Fire Bomber: The Early Years” with a sideline in hovercar racing…
Time to bring out the scotch fountain!
http://sadpanda.us/images/1243409-1GYXEPL.jpg
Good luck bro.
I Remember Love.
Congrats! I’m up next~
Talking to people is useful
(though it can be exasperating, and it’s not as easy to unsubscribe from people as it is from blogs but oh well..)
Good luck with all that, and remember:
When all else fails, have ninjas attack somebody in your story.
Let’s see if that works tonight!
Just one thing though; do we have to wait a month before commenting to you again?
Of course not! I wrote this post before working on my story, and I have some more posts planned for the month.
A toast to longevity!
congratulations!
I, too, have mostly stayed away from the tides of drama. But like you, I believe I have established strong enough connections to the anime blogging community that I can get out and back into it whenever I want.
Here’s a toast to many more years for your blog! Congrats on reaching the four-year mark; patience is a virtue. I try to avoid the needless Internet antagonism whenever I can, myself – it’s important to keep a level head. If you get frustrated by something, you can always find a place to relax.