A Question of Curiosity: So Why Blog Anyway?
Sorry if I bore you to death.
I used to be a frequent commenter, but some time during my summer break I decided to start anime blogging. I’ve always wondered why so many people can be bothered blogging whatever, and mainly it was so that they could voice their own opinions through a large community (thanks to aggregators like AnimeNano and AnimeBlogger!). Soon, I joined the bandwagon and anime blogging started taking up my spare time so I was never left with “nothing” to do. On the other hand, I sometimes delay my homework for the sake of blogging *grins* Some people (like my two evil sisters) think that anime blogging is a ridiculous idea, but that’s mostly because I always end up hogging the computer for the rest of the day or kicking them off and using an excuse that I just have to be on.
Even so, most people don’t understand what you get from blogging anime and maybe it’s because us bloggers want to, and you can understand that concept clearly if you consider people who may be unskilled in a particular area but love the activity more than one who has talent in it. At school, midnightrose is about the only person I can talk to anime about (sadly, she isn’t in my class), but when I do talk about anime with her it’s usually in front of my other friends, and it’s pretty obvious that the conversation can’t last very long since they’ll feel left out. I don’t blog to escape reality — I don’t try to hide who I really am wherever I go. I’m also not really concerned about blog hits, but I am when it comes to the number of comments I get on a particular post. A majority of people who comment on this blog are bloggers who I have already befriended, but I suppose Yukan is still rather new. Moreover, sometimes I get epiphanies or sometimes I get so excited about a particular episode that it’s better for me to write down my thoughts instead of expressing them through speech.
When I blog, I don’t blog it for others’ sake — I blog because I want to, so when I’m lazy, I’m lazy and I write short-ass summaries like this. You’d think that if I’m lazy I probably shouldn’t even blog at all, but I like to sometimes think that I have some sort of schedule, or blogging is something like a job because I don’t have one yet (and even if I do plan on getting one, I hope it’s got something to do with food and lots of money). Besides, I love writing anyway and short summaries or lazy posts usually mean that I have no time or I feel like writing something but my brain’s dead. However, I hate analytical essays (ew, yuck) — I’ve never been much of a good debater. Mentioning the thing about doing things for yourself reminds me of a story one of my friends told me recently:
There was once a carpenter who was extremely good at building houses. One day, the king heard of this man and asked the carpenter to build him a new house. The king gave the carpenter lots of money and told him to purchase the finest timber and things that he needed to build a house fit for a king. Then the king went away on his holiday and informed the carpenter that by the time he came back, the house should be finished. As soon as the king was gone, the carpenter became sneaky and brought all the cheapest items and hired people from the streets to help him build the king’s house. By doing this, he got to keep whatever money was left. At last the king returned from his trip, and the carpenter handed him over the keys to his new house. The king shook his head and kindly handed the keys back and told the carpenter that this house he built is now his. The king explained that this was actually a reward for being a good carpenter and building houses for other people.
Of course, anime blogging is also lots of great fun; you learn new things (especially from smartasses like Randall), meet sometimes awesome people, and blogging also improves your writing skills because you continue to constantly write. I know that ever since I really got into blogging, my confidence in English has increased dramatically and when I don’t find a good book to read, I enjoy reading intellectual articles from Cruel Angel Theses, Lelangiric, The End of the World, itsubun, Super Fanicom, and The Animanachronism (damn those geniuses!). Yup, even if I don’t understand half of what I’m reading and my comments sound like I’m trolling, it still helps me nevertheless.
Sure, I’ve asked myself a billion times why I continue to blog when life outside the web has so much more to offer, especially during practical PE classes when I’m being extremely out and active — I always tell myself that this is what I should be doing; running outside and getting fit and having fun at the park (I’m quite good at basketball, even for a shortie). But I always tell myself afterwards that I really have nothing better to do when I get home except watch tv and do extra homework and re-read books (I hate borrowing from the library). At least writing/blogging serves better benefits than playing shooting games or watching dramas non-stop like some of my friends do.
I suppose that in real life, sometimes you can feel like people are ignoring you or that you somewhat don’t feel right today, and force yourself to be left out. I think that because you can’t really tell if someone has read everything you written (50/50 they did or didn’t), at least you know that they could’ve. Knowing that alone makes me feel more accepted in society, and there are some people you can only meet through the blogosphere. I don’t plan on abandoning blogging ever as of yet (in fact, I really want to make an anniversary post so I should at least survive for another 8 months or so), but I may try to restrain myself from staying too long on the computer. I realize that most of the time I spend on the computer I just visit blogs and revisit blogs because I’ve got jack-shit to do on the net apart from blogging, reading posts, and downloading anime, and drawing “crappy sketches”.
I… fuck it, I’m trackbacking this, get back to me in a couple hours!!!
21st Century Digital Boys last blog post..Apparently I’m Not Allowed to Have Comments Unless I Post
Genius? Aww, you’re way too kind. When it comes to theory, IKnight and Lelangir blow me away. My stuff is just opinion with a veneer of neat vocabulary. But thank you.
Why do I blog? Because forums are useless for (semi-) intelligent discourse. And also so I can have the honor of having Cruel Angel Theses articles lambaste me.
Pontifuss last blog post..Some reviews, for a change, starting with ∀ Gundam
[...] actually did something right and made me want to post about why I blog. I’ll tell ya right off, unlike her, I didn’t [...]
We blog what we like, so there!
It’s impossible to blog for others when you start out because you can’t possibly know what all these fussy readers want… It’s when you start sharing what YOU like and people of similar interests (or those who like your writing or ‘crappy sketches’ regardless of the topic) start gravitating to your blog that that even becomes a consideration.
But of course we should never stop blogging what we like, how can readers love a blogger who doesn’t love what he/she’s blogging?
Blogging can eat up a lot of time, especially if it’s just your hobby. I forced myself to restrain because I have so much else to do. But in the end, if that’s what you like, no one else should tell you what your time would be better off doing. How would they know anyway?
Caitlins last blog post..Natto Bagel
KEEP ON TRUCKIN’ BAYBAY
Well I’m glad my blog [our blogs] is helping you improve your written English. That’s one good thing you can’t deny.
[sweet @ being mentioned twice]
And I liked the carpenter story.
lelangirs last blog post..[Round Robin #2] Our Lethargy and Hypocrisy
I guess I blog for the collective social experience I’m not getting from my school life as much as I’d hoped. All my school friends my own age left for University and I’m still stuck on the Pathways Program doing my HSC. But that’s not the only reason I blog. I blog because I hope that somebody out there cares about what I have to say. Unfortunately this caring about what I have to say usually gets picked apart from Lelangir or the like, and I feel miserable about it for hours.
But I keep on doing it because I know I have something worthwhile to say. Perhaps it is masochistic to continue blogging sometimes, but I don’t do it because I enjoy pain at being roasted by other bloggers, but because I’m being involved in something bigger than my RL sphere.
newgeekphilosophers last blog post..A Question of Curiosity: So Why Blog Anyway?
I blog for the same reason I do anything else: Revenge.
Baka-Raptors last blog post..The End?
@Baka-Raptor:
I sent you an email because I hadn’t heard from you in a while. But here you are.
You and your revenge, lolz.
newgeekphilosophers last blog post..A Question of Curiosity: So Why Blog Anyway?
While blogging, I learn more from the others and more about myself. The more I write, the more I know more about myself and the others. In my review posts, I usually ask myself what I like about it and what I don’t, hence, pushing me to think deeper and to analyze the pros and cons. It’s a good way to keep my brain running since I need the analytical skills once my school term starts and this holiday that I’m having is too long to be true. I also learn more about others from the comments they give. If it’s some troll comments, it pretty much speaks for itself.
I have a feeling if I ever started a blog it would be filled with nothing but constant, inconsistent, incoherent rants on the anime I’m watching since every single show seems to be annoying me in some way at the moment (except Zettai Karen Children: Hirano Aya + Psychic Abilities = WIN!). Also, I am incompetent with teh Internets e.g I have no idea what any of the tags above this box mean ^_^.
Blogging is a great way to tell others what you think of something, and if they comment negatively on it you can always delete their comments! BWHAHAHAA- just joking.
Let me put it this way; I’ve had my own personal blog (before I started anime blogging, yes I’m noob I know >_<) for nearly 4 years now and I believe the gratifications are the same. Write stuff so that other people will know how you feel. Even if your posts are essay length or like some picture book it’s still your work, still your thoughts.
Like you, some people wonder why I blog about anime (but they don’t watch anime, DIE! =P) and am bothered to write pages upon pages about it. My answer would be; by blogging we’re each putting a bit of ourselves into our work. It’s the same concept; see a good show, tell people about it, read a good book, recommend it in with grandeur, after all communication is one of the basic necessities of man.
Improving your english should probably come naturally to those who constantly write. I also notice I write better in the morning, probably because I’m not as deranged as durig other periods of the day. So, keep your blogging spirits high!
Ezs last blog post..Itazura Na Kiss – 10
I seriously have no idea why did I start in the first place. And you are right about those bloggers who write ’smart posts’, they are tl;dr but surprisingly addictive to read. Not to forget the headaches that come along it.
The Sojourners last blog post..Taken to the clouds above
I guess it’s a means of sharing my thoughts and perversions(lawl) to a wider range of audience not found in other online communities like forums. As already mentioned by posters before me, I guess it would probably improve your writing skills, but for someone who doesn’t read much to begin with like me, there’s only so far I can go P:
Nonetheless, it’s something fun to do, though nowadays it’s begun to take a toll on me, which is why I tend to totally stay away for a day or two to do something else instead and return all psyched up. Also, I guess you needn’t worry about readers abandoning you since you’re part of a team DX
Shins last blog post..Code Geass R2 Turn 10: The Terrible Children
Uh, geniuses? Yeah. That crowd is definitely made of geniuses, lol.
I “Yup, even if I don’t understand half of what I’m reading and my comments sound like I’m trolling, it still helps me nevertheless.” O____O DEFINITELY. Thank God, you have the same feeling as me sometimes. :]
Hoshis last blog post..InuYasha Chapter 558 – Tomorrow (Its the last ever InuYasha!)
@everyone:
Thanks for commenting! I read everything (seriously) but this is probably a troll-sounding comment
Hmmm… I think blogging is a fine sign that you like writing, and society will definitely love new writers (may it be animeblogging or writing in your school paper). It’s a good past time, and you get to find somethings new every time you “blogsurf”
Rakuens last blog post..Now There’s Some Spice
Blogging is the way i share my thoughts with the wider society. I’m a really guarded person IRL.
Setsuna-sans last blog post..The random post that is not so random in nature.
I’ve been blogging since 02-03, but anime blogging was a different creature *as I wane myself off of it* I believe I was drawn by the community, which in real life is quite physically separated. I love the idea of concentration about a general topic (anime), but for myself, I believe there is a more efficient path towards expression, cadence, style, etc [in form of maximizing concentration, while minimizing time and "dancing"].
Whatever the case, if it yields
pleasurezenjoyment, then why not enjoyRyan As last blog post..01: The Sun, our star
Could anyone tell me what the banner at the top of the post (the “boredom” one with the girl sleeping on the desk) is from and whether that anime/manga is any good? I’ve posted this a couple of times, on other posts too, so I’m sorry to bother people with this =]
@tealovertoma:
I’ve no idea, really, so you can just type microphone in danbooru.donmai.us and you’ll eventually find lots of images of her
I just feel that merely being a fan of a certain subculture doesn’t feel fulfilling enough and one must participate in the community.
Punktakus last blog post..Samsung 21.6″ Wide TFT-LCD Monitor (1680 x 1050)
[...] to continue, and that my friends won’t always be available. So I reach out through blogging. So now I want to know about other people. Who do you watch anime with? How does watching with them [...]
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