Twenty Years

On June 21, 2002, I wrote my first blog entry. Twenty years later, here I am, still doing it, every day. What the hell's wrong with me? Who does something like this? Someone opinionated who can't stand not expressing every fucking thought, I guess. Well, I don't waste your time with everything. But it is rare to find another human being who can honestly put up with everything in your head. I suspect everyone, everywhere has had more than a few thoughts that would horrify or disgust all their loved ones.

Blogging is an especially useful tool while living in Japan, where maintaining a false front is recognised as a normal and healthy part of social interaction. Oddly, in some sense, it's freeing for being less hypocritical than western modes of operation can be. Non-Japanese people I've met and spent time with in Japan tend to be very guarded by contrast, it's much more difficult to get them to express themselves openly than the Japanese people I know and work with.

Anyway, I was talking about blogging. And my twenty years of it. Of course, I can't imagine how my life would be different if I hadn't been blogging all this time. I definitely think it's made me a better writer and a better English teacher. Possibly it helps keep me sane, or confirms me in a roughly manageable madness. Who knows? Anyway, I wanted to mark the occasion. I forgot to say anything on the ten year anniversary. So here it is. Here's to 200 more. Or so.

This year also marks twenty years since Attack of the Clones was released. That's a movie that's really grown on me, I don't care what anyone says. Those prequels are just so weird and full of life, and they seem to get weirder and weirder every year.