Tuesday, July 22, 2008

NineMoons Thinks Out Loud: Multiple Lives

[I know, another serious post, but please bear with me.]

So lots of things have just happened to me as NineMoons: I opened a mirror of this blog at IGN.com, I just scored a "50k-hit combo" as a friend of mine puts it [thanks, Blacksword], and I'm putting together several new and exciting posts, not to mention that LOL-GEs screenshot response contest coming this week.

I have even had to fend off people wanting to campaign for my becoming community manager, whether in jest or for real.

For the LAST TIME, kids:
NO NO NO NO NO absolutely not or I kill all of you NO NO NO NO JUST NO. I'm dead serious. I DON'T want the job.

The strange/funny/sigh-inducing/head-scratching thing is that all those accomplishments don't really exist, at least not out in my real world, where I have to earn a living.

I've been criticized for keeping GE-focused blogs; people have called it a waste of time, that it means nothing unless it earns [they think it's easy] money. I've never earned a cent from the Blogger site, not even with the ads on; I've just opened the IGN.com Vault site so I have no idea yet if it's capable of generating income.

I work on a website and generate content for them; specifically, I serve on the staff of ScoutAreaOnline.com. The calling card gives my official titles as Editor, Writer, and IT Consultant. As the publisher prefers to run this new-media venture as something akin to traditional tri-media, however, I kind of can't work on the site the way I do on this and the Vault mirror.

Meaning, I can't experiment with ScoutAreaOnline.com, or put in stuff that might help its circulation, or advertise it through more standard-ish online means, or contribute to its search engine ranking, or tell all the world about it. Publisher's fiat prefers that the site be advertised offline, via flyers and posters [despite the site's claim to be "100% environment-friendly"], and to a limited audience.

But with the two "Granado Espada: Dispatches from the New World" blogs, I've had amazing and clever and wonderful things happened to me. The email from the good folks at IGN.com that got the Vault mirror started. The Fantazzztic Film Awards 2007. Being named a heroine. Friends from all over the world.

So that's the dichotomy of my life - or at least, just the most pressing one to me as far as my living expenses, and Granado Espada of course, are concerned. My "day job" [actually, the work on ScoutAreaOnline.com tends to take place all day for most of the work week] is supposed to pay the bills. The GE blogs are work done on the side, but I love the idea of "Granado Espada: Dispatches from the New World" more than the work that pays me a monthly salary.

I really do find this odd, and I don't mind putting the sentiment here where the general readership can see it. I wanted to think that doing all my work online might have been mutually beneficial to the two jobs, but that's not the case. I keep wishing it were so.

I'll keep going as both as I can in both jobs, though. Someone I love and look up to once said that my work on the GE blogs was going to take me to places I never expected to go. It looks like that's more than true for the GE blogs; where the Blogger and Vault sites intend to lead me back in the real world, I'm waiting to find out.

I hope you can keep sharing the journey with me.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Ninemoons,

Just want to let you know that I really enjoy reading your blog :) Your enthusiasm for GE has always been inspiring and has encouraged me not to be afraid of pursuing something that I feel passionate about.

Please don't be discouraged by those unfounded criticisms! I strongly feel that blogging about one's passion is not 'a waste of time', but rather, a way of generously sharing one's knowledge and enthusiasm.

I really hope you will feel encouraged by this :)

Looking forward to your next update,

Staark

PJ Punla said...

@ Staark

wow, you're quick to comment ^^

thank you so much for your wonderful words. i'm touched and pleased that i've been a help to you in some way or another.

i will go on, so long as there are people like you who support the blogs ^^

thanks again!

Unknown said...

so help me god imma kill you if you stop blogging about GE. :p

you know what i mean. *hug*

PJ Punla said...

@ desanggria

i consider myself warned.

seriously, though, i sort-of signed a contract with the IGN.com people. i can't stop - the Vault blog has to prosper first ^^

Reimaru said...

keep it up ^^

wait till you get the 100k hit combo hehehe

PJ Punla said...

@ richard

thanks ^^

......100k hits? *falls over dead*