Moving On

Since 2002 sometime, I've been going to the meetings of the comics and animation club at UVa (CAINE), despite not being a UVa student.  I've been fairly involved in one way or another pretty much every year since then.  But, as with all interest-based things such as this, there comes a time to say goodbye, and that's exactly what time it is.

There's a few reasons, but they're all pretty simple.

First: I turn 35 this fall.  I've already been feeling kind of creepy hanging out with people close to half my age, might as well stop now.  That age gap is only going to get bigger as time goes on.

Second: Despite what CAINE says in its promotional materials, Western comics and animation are rarely touched upon, in favor of anime and manga from glorious Nippon.  I've had significantly less interest in watching anime and reading manga over the past few years.  You may have noticed that the MyAnimeList signature image that's currently at the top of this blog hasn't been updated in forever, my lack of interest would be why.  For the record, I basically had no interest in Western comics and animation to begin with.  The only remaining interest I have that's aligned with CAINE is tangential, though related: video games.

Last but certainly not least: I need a job, and I need to move out of my parents' house for the second (and hopefully final) time.  While CAINE wasn't really holding me back in that regard, I feel like having my schedule clear of all obstructions is most conducive to getting a job, earning an income, and moving out For Real This Time™.

So to anyone in CAINE who's stumbled across this blog and was wondering why I've disappeared, the above reasons would be why.  If you wonder why I deleted my forum account, that's also related, and technically a fourth point.  Yay, post organization.

Point the fourth: I've had a hand in managing CAINE's website for a very long time, and my interest in doing that has also waned over the years.  People don't use it anyway, so really, what's the point?  Just to have yet another page on the internet for UVa to find, declare to be in their jurisdiction despite not being hosted on their servers, and forced to add text to every page saying UVa has no control over our actions, despite the fact that if we don't add said notice, they can get rid of our club status, thereby indicating that on some level, they have control over our actions?  Nope.  I wasn't the only admin, so since the other admin happens to own the domain, it's entirely under his control now.  I don't care anymore.

I might show up at a meeting if it's absolutely necessary for me to be there, but I can't fathom why my presence would be needed at this point.