Monday, January 4, 2016

A Long Overdue Goodbye

I haven't posted here since June. I started a long, sentimental goodbye post in the fall, but then I got distracted. So here I am.

The short version:


I'm officially done writing on this blog and officially done reading comments. If you want to check out more of my writing, see my column at Beneath The Tangles, where I write about anime and Christianity alongside a great team of fellow Christian anime fans.


The not-so-short version: 


I started this blog in May 2008. I was a freshman in high school, not even 15 years old yet. A lot has changed in the past 7.6 years. I started to struggle with depression and anxiety and continued to struggle with them until after I graduated high school in 2011. I was a train wreck, so I took a year off before college—which I started in the fall of 2012, as a math education major.

After trying various classes and thinking through my talents and dreams, I became a creative writing major at the end of 2013 (creative writing—stories and poems—is the reason I started this blog in the first place, but I later doubted that writing could have a big place in my life). Earlier in 2013, I started my first weekly column, and I generally kept to my blogging schedule here until I started a column at Beneath the Tangles in February 2015.

About a month ago, in December 2015, I graduated from college with a major in Creative Writing and a minor in Biblical Studies. I didn't get a ceremony yet—I'm walking with my classmates in the spring—but I've completed my undergraduate studies.

It's time to officially move on from Annalyn's Thoughts. But to what?

I'm still aniblogging. I post weekly at Beneath the Tangles—my column is called Annalyn's Corner. I love being part of the staff there. You can hear some of the reasons why in the latest podcast, if you want—it's easy to identify my voice, since the other four ladies at BtT weren't able to participate.

The links over on the "Connect with Me" page are still valid, too (as of this post, at least), so you can find me on Tumblr and Twitter if you want. I'm not sure what I'm going to do about my Facebook page for this blog. I might keep it going, just so I have a way to connect with Facebook folk and share my BtT blog posts without using my main account. We'll see.

Annalyn's Thoughts will always be dear to me, full of precious memories—like a combination of a physical location and a journal. I did a lot of growing up here, gained a lot of confidence, learned a lot... Someday, I may start a new blog. But I think it's important that, should that happen, it's a fresh start.

To those who have read my blog up until now: Thank you! I've really appreciated your support. It means a lot to me that you've taken time to read my writing and even comment on occasion. Thank you for your kind words over the years. Those of you who have commented are a part of some dear memories here, so special thanks to you.

5 comments:

  1. It's sad to see you go. I appreciate all your writing and you've put up a whole lot of great material. It really puts things into perspective for me when I realize that I was older (23) when I started my blog than you are now... I feel so old! Anyway, I will miss your blog, though of course I still read your weekly column at Beneath the Tangles. Thank you for all you've done.

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    1. Thank you so much, Tommy! Your support has been much valued over the years. We "met" soon after I turned my blog's focus to anime (2011), so when I think of the Christian aniblogging community, you're one of of the first people to come to mind—I love the newer crew, too, but you, Zeroe4, and TWWK are the ones I have more history with, and it's been cool to watch each other grow and change through posts and comments.

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  2. I never really had much of a chance to get to know you before I came to Beneath the Tangles a couple years ago, and even then Charles was always the one who connected us. But since you've come on as a writer, I've thoroughly enjoyed the time I've had to gain a friend. You're an incredible writer and an ENORMOUS asset to the Tangles crew. Whatever happens to your personal blog, I'm happy to know that your writing will continue.

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    1. Thank you, Japes! It means a lot to hear that from you. I remember not knowing what to make of it when you first joined BtT (I think you were the first new writer there, or close to it), but I quickly came to enjoy your writing and all that you added to the site. And since joining BtT, I, too, have enjoyed becoming friends. I look forward to our continued work (and play) together in time to come!

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  3. This feels so sad! I've been following your blog for so long! But of course, I'm so glad Beneath the Tangles is now home for you!!

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