I've survived my first year!
A year ago today, I decided that I should probably do something with the Blogger account that my school made me set up for a project. I'd toyed with the idea of starting an anime blog before, but I never went through with it. I'd been a lurker for some time and was a little scared that I'd get caught up in some internet drama or wouldn't be able to dedicate enough time to it and flame out pretty quickly. But a year ago, for whatever reason, I shrugged and said "Why not." I put up the shortest post on this blog to mark the occasion.
The original name was "Another Anime Blog," which lasted all of a day before I realized how silly and self-depreciating it sounded. I decided that I wanted a title that reflected how I viewed myself as an anime fan. I wanted this blog to be an outlet for all the thoughts I had pent up about the shows I was watching. I had learned to internalize a lot of these feelings, so while inside I sometimes felt like the stereotypical fawning fangirl, outwardly I tried to make sure that no one could guess unless they already knew. Eventually I settled on "Subdued Fangirling." It felt right. It still does.
Looking back, I'm amazed how much has changed. This blog has come a lot further than I ever thought that it would. I've met a lot of great people and fellow bloggers online, and I even get to write figure reviews for OrgASG! Getting through the first round of the Aniblog Tourney unscathed was nice too. I also like to think that my posts have gotten more interesting to read since my first picspam attempts with [C]-Control and Hanasaku Iroha that no one should read (no seriously, don't read those). I've learned a lot about why exactly I like these crazy Japanese cartoons and how to articulate it. I can pinpoint what I like in a show and what I can't stand. And I've had a lot of fun.
I know that every blogger says that, but I can't see myself stopping anytime soon. Anime is my go-to source for entertainment, and I don't think that I'll stop having opinions on it. As long as that's true, this blog will be alive. If someday I can't keep up with the weekly episodic schedule, I've thought about gradually switching over to editorials. Right now though, I like a deadline. It keeps me motivated. "People are waiting for this post! All five of them!"
On a serious note, thank you. Thank you to everyone who reads this blog, from commenters to lurkers to fellow bloggers to the people who hang out on Twitter and Google+ and to any combination of the above or any other category that I forgot. Thank you for indulging this outlet for my thoughts. It's been a great year, and I'm looking forward to the next!
Images from Safebooru.
