People have asked me “what’s the point of having a website if you’re not making money?”
I’ve often wondered this myself. But only occasionally and more recently. When I started out online, probably back in like 97 when Geocities was all the rage, I think my narcissistic tendencies are what drove me to create my own personal space online. My first online spot was dedicated to drawings, cool “animated” gif’s, poetry I wrote, and cool links. But I never intended it for making money. I suppose I started it simply to be famous in some sense. Like declaring my existence to the big void of cyberspace: I don’t know what I’m doing or where this is going, but I’m here, darnit!!
Well, that’s not really true either. I was born an artist I guess, in love with drawing and artsy stuff. So when computers started becoming more accessible and popular, the internet being a new creative outlet for sheltered kids like me, who couldn’t always afford more canvases or be featured in galleries - it seemed like the perfect opportunity. Graphics, design, and all that creativity could be expressed easily with clicks and taps. Truthfully it all started because I saw an animation online about Jesus’ resurrection on “easter” Sunday. I was really amazed since it seemed like a simple animation, and I was determined to figure out what this “Flash” technology was and how I, a wannabe cartoonist and animator, could use it. From that sprung my self-education in the web world.
Never wanting to work with computers, I ended up studying filmmaking in college, but never gave up the computer stuff, and strangely always working in some sort of computer graphics environment, and now a web content specialist (basically a webmaster). How the heck did all this happen?
And now I toy with the idea of going back to my roots as a cartoonist in love with art, and wanting to make beautiful movies.
Sigh. I do believe I’ve digressed greatly here.
So I don’t make money off my site/blog. In fact, throughout the years, I’ve never considered it to be a blog. My site has always been a hub for my creative work. A spot to post my doodles, videos and thoughts, I never intended it to be a blog, although I have always kept some sort of recorded commentary and updates on the site. For a few years, I kept the same cartoony flash interface, until I got sick of it and switched to a cleaner ‘bloggy’ look. Now I’ve no time and/or am too lazy to redesign it to the look I have in my head. And now, strangely enough, analytics tell me that I had a ton more visitors back when my site was all cartoony, with games and sound effects. Also, I used to sell a few t-shirts from that site back then as well. Now that I’ve gotten all ‘wordy’ and ‘texty’, only a few people visit (basically my mom and two kids from Norway who keep asking for peanut butter).
Alas, complacency and comfort have been my bane. I have a good job in the Silicon Valley and my time for artsiness and pursuit of a film career seems to be less and less. I am a part-time movie critic, and I suppose that makes me feel like I’m being both creative and connected to the film industry at least once a week. But it’s not enough. I must find the time to fuel my passion.
I should have titled this “All over the place”.
I started out when geocities was all the rage too - Ha! You shoulda seen it, my site was disgusting.
Actually since I started posting more pictures on my blog, My readership has increased too - coincidence?
Anyway, I saw you on 20-somethings, so I dropped by to say Hi.