So you actually want to know why I'm shutting down, huh?

I've touched the surface of my reasons, but I'll formally explain my reasonings...

Feedback. When I first started maintaining this page, I got tons of feedback, many of it encouraging, people telling me that they liked my format, thought I was interesting, or just plain thanks and/or other positive comments. I guess you can say that I got hooked on it, and it's what kept me building onto this page throughout four years. However throughout the last year, and the past few conventions, all feedback came to a standstill. I changed the format. Nothing. More conventions came and went...nothing. My reason for continuing came to a dead stop.

Taken for granted. When all feedback stopped, I knew what was happening. My site had been around for a couple years already, it was going to last for a long time, right? Wrong. Because I'm stopping it right now. Do not take me for granted. Just because my site exists, does not mean that I am a garden for you pluck whatever images you want to take and then leave unnoticed. I'm not here to feed costumers' egos, infuriate convention staff, or be mischievious, despite what you may think.

Thieves. The pictures I put on the web do not have an ugly watermark and/or label of property on them. I don't own the people I take pictures of, so I don't feel the need to do such things. But when I surf around the web and find a random costumer's site and think "hey, i've seen this person before," and then realize that the pictures they have were taken and edited from my site, I feel discouraged. A little link and/or some small credit was appreciated, but not necessary. All I asked was that if you wanted to use a picture, to simply e-mail me and ask me. I have never turned anyone down, and I doubt that I would. But even that small task was too obstructive for the hungering egos of certain costumers.

The biggest mistake I ever made with my page was the addition of a guestbook and counter. They were great when I first added them, so I could see how many hits I was getting, and so that people who visited my site could leave their messages. However, this turned completely against me in the long run, when I would see the same amount of hits coming in, but no feedback, and more pictures getting taken from my site. 32,000+ genuine hits in four years, but how many of them were me, while reloading when updating? How many of them were costumers who came to steal pictures of themselves?

Cosplay. Well duh. I quit costuming at the beginning of this year, and it happened two cons too soon. It was no longer fun because it is now something that is taken so seriously to such an extent that people develop deep animosities for other people. Sometimes people become different people when behind pieces of cotton, silk, satin, vinyl or any other material... and those people are people I have grown to not like as much. You're not obligated to costume, you don't "have to" go change into costume. Conventions revolve around cosplay seemingly nowadays, and for the costumers themselves, social lives are sometimes hurt by this obsession to make something they're just going to say "could've been better." Don't misunderstand me, I love seeing great costumes. I love it when I see a Yukino Miyazawa costume, I love seeing costumes that make me laugh. But this is all supposed to be fun, not so bitter. "Oh you can't do that costume, because so-and-so has already done it." B-F-D.

..People. If they can be called that. The people that go to conventions to do nothing but drink, sleep around, fill the halls with the stench of pot, slovenly disrespect others, hit on and harass others, abuse power, authority, and anything else that can be perceived as negative. You're probably thinking "you're one to talk," with the behaviour I've shown at conventions, but you'll notice that I don't disrespect others intentionally... I feel like I'm in high school again.

Morals and standards are at an all-time low, and I'm finding myself having more fun outside of the conventions while they're going on. No, I am not going to put a five-dollar bill in the cleavage of a 13 year old. No, I am not going to pull your finger. No, I do not want to guess how many years I can get just by looking. No, I don't want to try this drink mixed with god-knows what.

Thank yous go out to Jennifer, Holly, Scott, Paul, Julia and Aimee as the individuals who sent me support and encouragement in my time of judgement. Out of 30,000+ visitors, I thought that there would be a little more response to my deciding to shut down. The most unlikely of people still remained silent. My decision has been made, and this site will no longer be updated.

I leave you with some parting words, for the time being:
If there is a unique site out there, that you really really like, don't hesitate to let the maintainer/creator of the site know that. Do not assume that your message will get completely overlooked, and that there are hundreds to thousands of people already doing so, because like in my situation, that was hardly the case, regardless of what flattering words people would tell me in person. Use counters and guestbooks at your own discretion, because it might become depressing in the longer runs. Webmasters do like feedback, no matter what they might say. It at least lets people know that people notice when things are done.

Comments, Flames, and/or anything else, E-mail.

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