After 5 straight years of consistent blogging, rarely going more than a week without a new post, I finally have to put MAY on hiatus for an extended period of time. As for why that is and when you can expect to see a new post again, read on…
There’s really just one reason for the hiatus and that is…next month I’m going back to school! I’ve been thinking on the idea for some time now but I finally decided to go through with it. As many of you who have been following my blog for a while know, I’ve already had five years of college and have an A.A. in Liberal Studies and a B.A. in East Asian Languages and Literature. When I graduated in mid-2009 but wasn’t accepted into the JET Program, I decided to just look for any Japan/Japanese-related jobs I could find. Right away I came across an after-school teaching job through the YMCA where I taught elementary school kids about Japanese and anime in a 9-month series of enrichment courses. It was fun, and after that I just became a teacher’s aide for the YMCA classes. But I didn’t enjoy that job and the pay and hours were awful. So I quit in mid-2011 and then started job hunting again…for the next year! I must have sent in at least 120 job applications during that year, and only about 30 of them ever got back to me, and only one decided to hire me in September of 2012, which is the super market cashier job I currently have.
I’m sure some of you are thinking, “You know Japanese and have a B.A., you can find other jobs where you can teach English in Japan.” But the reason I haven’t applied to any “working in Japan” jobs is because, at some point after I graduated, I felt that I’m just not ready to live in a foreign country for a long period of time. I’ve been lucky enough to have a very consistent and relatively good lifestyle for as long as I can remember, and I would miss that terribly, as well as all my real-life friends that I’ve been seeing regularly for a long time. But mostly I feel that I need to be around for my mom. Besides one very old aunt in Florida, we literally have no family here in California, or anywhere else, besides each other. She’s gonna be 70 years old soon, and although her health hasn’t been too bad lately, the times where she’s needed my help for things, whether it’s driving her to and from medical tests or just helping her with physical work or technological problems around the house, have been steadily increasing. She would struggle a lot without me, and I would without her too, as she still insists on taking care of me like a mother should, always cooking and cleaning for me. I don’t know how much longer she’s going to enjoy decent health so I really want to spend as much time as I can with her in these latter years of her life.
But even if I don’t want to work in Japan, at least not yet, another suggestion I get is “You can be a translator. There are lots of Japanese and American companies that want someone who can speak both languages.” I did encounter a few jobs like this when I was searching, but the problem with those jobs is that they don’t want someone like me who knows some Japanese; they want someone totally fluent. I did study a lot on my own during the year I was unemployed, and last fall before I took (and passed) the JLPT N3, but even so, it’s hard to become fluent in a language without constantly having to use it on a daily basis with native speakers. As of now, I’d say I’m about 40% fluent in Japanese, which isn’t gonna nail me any serious translator jobs. Rather than get my B.A. in something I’m personally interested in, sometimes I wish I had gotten it in a field that would be more useful for getting jobs.
The reason I took the current job I have despite it being a grueling one where I work long hours for minimum wage, is because after a year of unemployment, I just wanted to earn money and experience somehow, not intending to stay at it forever. Seeing as how there’s very few well paying jobs available here unless you know how to do something specific, I started thinking about going back to school just to learn a trade where I could get a better job. Unfortunately all of the private trade schools in the area are crazy expensive, so I decided to just go back to my community college to get certificates. And the field I decided on is computer technology, specifically web site design and networking. I already have a bit more knowledge about web design than the average person thanks to all the years of working on my web site and blog, plus it’s something that I enjoy doing (I’ve already been teaching myself through Code Academy courses). So I made the fateful decision a couple of months ago to reapply to community college and get myself signed up for the summer/fall semesters.
Which finally leads to the reason I have to put MAY on hiatus: starting next month until mid-August, I’m going to be taking a summer course, as well as continuing at my current job. It’s only one class but it meets twice a week, so between that and working at my job, my free time is going to be cut short. I still want to have time to watch anime, see my friends, and everything else I like to do, and not having to worry about blogging will take a good deal of stress off of me. So that’s why I decided on the hiatus, but I will withdraw it briefly in early July for my Anime Expo coverage. Once September comes, I’ll be starting the fall semester with a full plate of four classes, Mondays through Thursdays. However, I’m planning to quit my job then and just focus on school. Thankfully I’ve saved money over the two years I’ve worked and my mom doesn’t charge me rent or anything…I just won’t be able to buy myself lots of goodies like I always do XD Basically, this is what my future blogging is going to look like:
– June 1st, 2014 to July 6th, 2014: hiatus
– July 7th, 2014: will come back from hiatus briefly to post my Anime Expo coverage, either this day or a few days later
– July 8th, 2014 to September, 1st 2014: hiatus (I’ll be done with my summer class on August 8th but I’ll be taking a trip with a friend the following weeks)
– September 2nd and on: I’m planning to come back to blogging at this time, however it might not be as often as I’ve been doing. I’m gonna try to make it once a week, but it might end up being once every week and a half or every two weeks. I’ll have to see when the time comes.
There’s a chance I’ll be quitting my job sooner, in which case, I’ll be able to return from hiatus sooner. Will keep you posted if that happens ;)
Anyway, if all goes well, I should get all my certificates sometime by mid-2016. I’m aiming for three: Network Technology, Routing Technology, and Web Development, Programming, and Scripting. Once I have those, I’ll take the tests for CompTIA certifications. Of course, even doing all this isn’t guaranteed a good job, but it’ll certainly increase my chances and open up my options. Every company uses computers and web sites nowadays, so I know my odds of getting a decent job are much better with good computer knowledge than just knowing some Japanese (I still want to keep up my Japanese studies but it’ll have to take a back seat to this for a while).
I apologize for the hiatus. After so many years of consistent blogging, I was hesitant to do it. But in the end, I have to do what’s best for my stress level and performance at work and school. To be honest, even without starting school again, I feel like I’ve reached a point where I’ve run out of post ideas. I feel like I’ve literally posted about every editorial-type anime topic imaginable by now, and the past several weeks have really been a struggle for me as far as coming up with new post topics. So perhaps some months away from blogging will give me ample time to come up with new ideas and psyche myself for them. I’m still gonna be watching the new anime that comes out, but I guess I just need a break as far as blogging so I can build up a new queue of post ideas.
So until July, see you all later~! And as always, I’ll still be posting on my Twitter with any site or personal updates, so you can keep up with me there ;)
Good luck with all your upcoming endeavours! Sounds like a lot of work, but I think it’s leading you to a path with lots of opportunities. And after five years of hard work, you do deserve the break!
Hey, it’s been a while ^_^ I’m flattered that you still follow my blog/Twitter. Thanks so much for the encouragement! =D
I think taking a break from blogging is a good idea. Despite being fairly new at it, blogging is actually quite stressful for me, so I like to take breaks every now and then. I await your return.
Thanks!
Yeah, thinking back on it, I’ve really been dedicated to the blog all these years – I don’t know many other anime blogs that have posted so consistently for so long. I’m still dedicated of course, but even I need a break some time and I feel this is the right time for one XD
We’ll be here when you get back, should you choose to do that. Best of luck :)
Thanks for the well wishes, and for being one of my long-lasting readers ^_^
I wish you luck in your studies and I understand the job market is kind of a mixed bag. Of course, I will finally be finishing my graduate degree in Information Technology Security and Administration this fall and of course and hopefully I will have an easier job getting considering that I think there is a high demand for computer jobs.
Of course, if you need any help, feel free to ask as I already took a good amount of networking and computer courses for my degree. As always, I look forward to your return.
I hope that by this time 1-2 years from now, I’ll be as knowledgeable about computers and web design as you are =D Thanks as always for your help all these years! Good luck with your studies too!
I hope you are well during your hiatus. Good luck with your classes and your life – I look forward to your return. :)
Thanks for following my blog all this time ^_^ I look forward to coming back when I can~
Good luck in your studies! I’ll keep the page in favorites so I’ll see when you get back :) I think it’s great that you are investing more in yourself, and also your immediate family. So take your time, and I think you are getting into a good area. There really is a high demand for IT related people. I read somewhere that IT related jobs are expected to grow like 400% in the next few years, so you are pursuing a good area. So good luck in everything you do!
Thanks for the encouragement…and for being one of my longest-lasting and best readers XD I know that the passage of time without new content will make some people forget about my blog, so it’s good to know that you won’t ^_^
The job market out there is tough, even when you have a good resume. It took me two years to land a teaching job and hundreds of applications. That being said I’ve thought about teaching abroad, but haven’t for the same reasons you stated. I wish there was a 6 month teaching post I could take, though with my grandmothers in their upper 70s, I get nervous being too far from home.
Good luck with your classes and changes coming your way! See you in July and looking forward to hearing how things are going.
Thanks so much =) I’m glad that you were finally able to nab what I assume is a good teaching job. It’s a struggle, but I’m just glad that I’m able to take time off from work to focus on school and don’t have to be stuck at a minimum wage job my whole life >_< Anyway, I look forward to coming back briefly in July to post my AX coverage.
We’ll await your return, then! Nice that you kept blogging as much as you have.
Thank you =D
Everyone needs a break. (Though in my case I just quite entirely, haha. Oh well.)
Best of luck to you! And thank you for that Code Academy link! One of my friends has been trying to convince me to possibly start learning to code things as well.
I’ll always be on Facebook if you ever wanna drop a message! Perhaps I’ll answer more timely now that I’m on break, haha.
Thanks ^_^ I’m flattered that you’ve stuck with my blog all these years despite us often having different tastes in anime.
I’ve only just started the CSS part of Code Academy – I did all the HTML sections, which were mostly review for me since I’ve been using HTML for years on my old web site. I plan to get through as much of the site as I can.
I’ll be sure to drop you an FB message if I have anything interesting to tell you XD Or perhaps an email?
I’m so excited for you!
I know you mentioned the possibility of returning to school and studying computer technology. I think it’s a great idea! CONGRATS!
I’ll miss your blog posts, but at least you’ll be doing an AX report (as will I, as usual) and I’ll see you at AX. =D
Thanks ^__^ I look forward to seeing you at AX too (and reading your con report!)
Good luck in your various upcoming enterprises, and I look forward to hearing from you again.
Thanks for all the good comments you’ve left on my blog over the years =) I look forward to more when I come back~
As already said, best of luck in all you do. Though I don’t post on EVERY topic, I always look forward to your posts on the weekend. And I definitely understand putting your passions aside to get work that will pay off even if its not something you absolutely love.
Maybe I can find some other blogs to help fill the void while you’re gone…but I doubt out :-(
Thanks so much~ It’s very nice to know that someone enjoys my blog so much ^_^ See ya when I come back!
I’m late with the well wishes… but good luck! I hope you achieve all the success, knowledge and joy that you seek!
Thank you ^__^
I can totally understand your sentiment of not wanting to leave your mother. My parents had also grown considerably weaker recently. My mom had arthritis and my father just had a surgery around last year too, and it’s recommended he don’t move that much (though sometimes he still stubbornly does). Other than financial issues, I have particularly no plans in studying overseas or working in a faraway place or anything, and it’s mostly arisen from the fact that I need to stay with them. I’m actually thinking of going to the city to look for a new job too, since I also don’t particularly like the pay I’m having at my current job, although that’s like an hour or two drive from my town, and I think I need to stay there if I were to do that.. lol. Ahh well, it’s again another thing to think of in the corner of my mind.
Glad someone understands that sentiment =) If I really did want to work abroad, my mom would probably tell me to go and not worry about her, but I would anyway. Plus, like I said, I want to spend as much time with her as I can in these latter years. She’s only gonna need more help as time goes by. She has some friends that she goes out with sometimes, but we do a lot of things together and have a lot of fun.
Aw man, good luck! I do hope you’ll come back though, will be weird not to see you blogging and all…but being stressed out is not good, so ultimately, this is for the best. Looking forward to your AX article!
Thanks…I’ll miss blogging and I’m sure I’ll lose some readers over the months of inactivity, but it’s just what I’ve gotta do now =P Good to know you’ll be looking forward to my return though~
Have fun back at school, and enjoy your hiatus! When you come back I will probably know where I’m going to be working for internship next year, so now I’m doubly looking forward to July. XD
Thanks! And I hope the internship goes well =D
Hey, don’t feel bad! Figuring out life is what’s the most important. Good luck with going back to college!!
“but the problem with those jobs is that they don’t want someone like me who knows some Japanese; they want someone totally fluent. I did study a lot on my own during the year I was unemployed, and last fall before I took (and passed) the JLPT N3, but even so, it’s hard to become fluent in a language without constantly having to use it on a daily basis with native speakers.”
I can relate on this, :( .. Learning Japanese is not that hard but it takes time. If you want to learn a particular language, first of all is we need to know the culture as well, and make the language as our own language and those two things makes learning a language really complicated :D.
That’s good to hear, I’m glad to see your going back to college. Hopefully after you get all of your certificates you’ll be able to find a good job somewhere, I’m currently in college as well and should probably graduate sometime in 2016 as well :3
I wish you the best of luck with your studies and life in general, there will always time for blogging, I look forward to your future blogs :)
Thanks so much! Good luck with your studies too ^_^
Why not trying to transform your hobby and blog into a business?
I’m a bit late with this but I wish you the best of luck! Five years is an absolutely massive amount of time to keep up weekly blogging, especially with the amount of thought you put into your posts and their sheer diversity. I’m probably going to be in the same position as you in the near future (having to cut back on blogging to focus on study), so I have at least a vague idea of the thought behind your hiatus.
Anyway, all I can add to this is go for it! You’ll have a host of fans waiting for you whenever you return, so just focus on what needs to be done to keep your life on the track you want it to be on. Looking forward to seeing you back again!
Thanks! I’ll have my coverage of Anime Expo up today or later this week so you can look forward to that for now XD