Hi everyone
When Shejes started this forum I thought I would start writing long posts within days, but somehow I've been slacking off for a while now. I guess I was busy with life and work and then summer? And I also have a tendency for perfectionism when it comes to writing, which also holds me back. But I'm simply gonna start here...
My life after SnoopyCool:
When I joined the site I'd just been accepted to art university, I'd sort of gotten over my clinical depression (but not really), my mom was pregnant with my little half sister (and both of their lives were at risk) and my life was both hopeful and an overall mess. It was a difficult time and back then manga, anime, Japanese... that whole weeaboo thing that I'd suddenly discovered was a major escape. And so was SC.
I enjoyed the community on the forums - it was fascinating because it was so international, but also surprisingly warm and personal. And I enjoyed the work, too - to this day people think I got my Photoshop skills at uni, but most of what I know I actually learned in order to merge pages perfectly
I think I can also credit SC with some of my organization skills. I really like how me managed workflows back then and for someone who didn't have a lot of work experience that was formative.
So what happened after SC? „Just a lot more of a messy life“, I’m tempted to say. But here are the major things that actually happened:
* I did psychotherapy. Two years bi-weekly therapy sessions just to get over trauma from my childhood and to manage my messy life. And then after a few years, another year of therapy. And then, after another break, more sessions whenever I need it. Doing therapy is one of the things I’m most proud of in my entire life because it was so hard start it, and so hard to continue doing it, too.
* I studied abroad for half a year, in London. It was a short span of time, but it was a very precious experience and I found friends for life there. I’m pretty much a hobbit: I want to travel and find new experiences, but I also really like having a nice and cosy home to come back to. So that’s why it was so far the only time I actually lived abroad.
*I finished uni and decided to become a teacher, not a researcher. Writing my master thesis was great, I loved the process and I’m quite proud of the result. I was told I could make a career as a researcher, get funding abroad, etc. But as I said, I’m a hobbit, and I wasn’t ready for that kind of academic life (and most likely never will be). So I became a teacher, and that actually merits a new paragraph:
* I became a teacher! There are few things that I kind defining about myself, but do like saying I’m a teacher. Teaching defines my life in so many ways, and it can be quite exhausting, but it’s also very rewarding. When I announced my intentions of joining the teaching program my mom said to me that I would never be happy as a teacher. Well look at me now! I love my work because it’s such a versatile, proactive, social and political job. I’ve always wanted to do my part in making the world a better place, and I design my classes with that thought in mind. So the next paragraph probably makes sense in that context:
* I started climate activism. I’ve always been political, but for a long time I’d found no cause where I really felt I could contribute. Then I heard about a Teachers for Future group in Vienna (like the Fridays for Future movement started by Greta Thunberg, only for teachers) and I joined and immediately started doing a lot of work. I’ve always cared about the environment and taking responsibility for our actions as humans, so after I understood what was at stake not doing anything wasn’t an option. I spend a lot of time on the movement, developing ideas, writing papers, talking to politicians, answering emails, doing graphics… And also:
* I published a book! Okay, I didn’t actually write the whole book. But I can now call myself an editor in the publishing sense ;-) I co-edited a book on climate change and school, and I also wrote an article for it. I’m very pround of this because I’ve always wanted to publish a book, and I worked on this one for over a year… And I think most of the work was actually emailing other people. So now I’m thinking of doing another book on my own. It sounds easier ;-)
And what else fills up my life? Surprisingly, after a long period of no weeaboo activity, the pendulum actually swung back:
* Anime: I don’t watch a lot this season, but I do follow the reviews on Anime Feminist and over the last few years I’ve actually caught up on a lot of anime.
* Manga: I started drawing comics a few years ago, and while I’m too lazy an artists to turn out much, I got interested in comics and manga again. I don’t buy a lof of manga because I’m cheap and they take up too much space, but if I like a series I’ll loan it from the library and get the first volume for reference.
* Japanese: I’ve been studying for… I dunno, maybe three years now? It’s such a slow process! But I suppose I do get better over time.
* Gaming: I actually bought a Switch! Even if you read this far, you probably just thought „What’s the bid deal?“ but let me tell you: I was not a gamer in the past, and the Switch has sort of converted me to it. At least I’ve played over 160 hours of Breath of the Wild and I made first place in Tetris 99 (…once).
* Other hobbies include: Hiking and… Okay, it’s mostly hiking to be honest! I love being outside and being active, it helps balance out my couch potatoe tendencies. In the past I was mostly a bit afraid of high mountains and preferred walking around hills, but I’m working up to the 3,000 meter peaks.
So that’s my life until now.
There are also a lot of things that didn’t happen: I didn’t get married and I didn’t have any kids, and that was mostly because relationships are hard for me. But I did learn to do better, and to choose better, over time. So now I’m actually in a relationship that I think has the potentioal to lead to both marriage and kids. I’ll be 35 in few weeks, and if I want kids I’m gonna have to make a big decision soon. My sister just had a baby, so could also choose to be an aunt and be happy with that… We’ll see
I loved being able to bring some joy to fans who would otherwise be unable to share in it or be completely lost at conventions (like I was and still am today XD)
I think I can also credit SC with some of my organization skills. I really like how me managed workflows back then and for someone who didn't have a lot of work experience that was formative.