Wow, has it really been two years? (a.k.a My Two-Year Annivarsary on AoD)

A few days ago, while looking at Bermanism's blog post about his (official) two years of being on the AnimeOnDVD/Mania Anime & Manga forums, I ended up looking at my join date out of curiosity, only to see that my two-year anniversary post was fast approaching. After mentioning this on his blog, he said that he was looking forward to what I have to say. So this one's for you, Bermanism.

Over two years ago, I vaguely remember stumbling onto the site, back when AnimeOnDVD was its own site. I had somehow heard some things about the site on ANN, which led me to poking around the site, and soon enough, the forums. After reading many threads about various things in relation to anime and manga, I found myself intrigued to the site, and after lurking for a while, I decided to step out of the shadows and create my own account.

Here are some things that I want to say:

1. As I continue to frequent the forums and the site, I've learned many things about the hobby that I and the denizens of this forum enjoy so much, ranging from the intricacies of the North American licensing companies, to the issues regarding the industry that most of us try to support as much as we can.

2. Being on AoD has effectively changed my purchasing habits. Whereas I was once extremely picky in regards to my DVD purchases and refused to buy singles, I now make attempts to buy singles for those particular titles that I really, really like. This can be attributed to being inspired by how various users go about with their purchasing.

3. It's really interesting to read and observe the various posts that go around the forums and blogs, as well as the people who post them. At times, some people have posted very insightful and interesting things, while there are other times when some posts are simply very funny, especially when things go slightly off-topic.

4. Interaction with other people here has also been an interesting experience. Whether it's about the latest episode of a particular series, or about the North American industry as a whole, it's always nice to read what other people have to say about the same topic, whether it's a serious one, or otherwise.

I think it's safe to say that I've been having a pleasant time being on these forums, thanks to what I've written above, as well as things such as the interaction with Industry Reps, and the various games we have around the boards (AD2008 last year sure was fun). Sure, it's not always sunshine and rainbows, but coming here has been very worthwhile.

Here's to another year!