Today in Facebook Memories my account displayed that it was first created ten years ago. While I originally had a personal Facebook page back when one needed an .edu college e-mail account in order to create an account, I was now moving on to a secondary one. It was a new era and one that would see me opening myself up to fellow writers and creators. In short, people who didn’t want or care to see family memories or discussions about Thanksgiving dinner on Facebook. Now there was one for the “real” me and one for the writer. This culminated in transferring my attention from the original site, Hellions Magazine, into what you see before you in Team Hellions.

See, I wanted a name that could encapsulate wrestling, comics, and any other topics that might come along the way. Rivals, Versus, all sorts of names were tried out. A friend of mine called our group a bunch of hellions and I latched on to the name. I saw the site as an online magazine before blogs blew up and then deflated. Before the world saw blogs as online magazines. So that part of the name went away. By that logic you may think why call it a Team?

Well, for awhile it was. Numerous people have written here over the years and then moved on or no longer write. I think the one to be most thankful for is Rob. Rob started off writing here about comics and music. He got this site so much attention, more than I could have dreamed of at the time. Articles he wrote here years ago still bring in hits daily. Now Rob is the creator and host of the Our Strange Skies podcast. This must be what good teachers feel like. Seeing the beginnings all the way to success. I envy where he is now and hope to one day catch up to his output and respect.

Not to say I haven’t done things. Published comic book writer, magazine article writer, posts for other sites, podcast guest, podcast host, member of blogging collectives, moderator, and writer of thousands of posts here that have received millions of hits. Not bad.

Now the goals for the next 10 years. This took me through my 30’s. Through moving, marriage, becoming a father, far too many jobs, and all that the world has been through as well. As my life and the blog chronicles my 40’s my biggest lesson is not to put down any of it.  Yes, sometimes I’m let down or give something a hard time but if any piece of media is worth talking about here then on some level I loved it. I just spent 10 articles on a silly video game movie. I have no room to tell anyone they’re dumb or lesser for anything they enjoy. Our enjoyments don’t have to cross over, there’s enough for everyone to enjoy.

In the end I want this to be bigger. Not only financially, although of course that too, but to lead to more opportunities and notice. I have tried some things and failed. Those aren’t defeats, they are life lessons. I can write and create in certain ways but not in others. Instead of trying to do everything it’s more beneficial to stick to themes I do well. One of those things is sharing love and excitement for something. I would rather stand out by helping people to find their new favorite than by sharing things other bigger sites have already posted.

The goals are more hits, maybe a podcast soon, and a Patreon wouldn’t be a bad idea. One of the lessons of the last 10 years is to have a plan. While I want to do all of this now I would rather wait until any ideas are fleshed out.

Thank you to everyone who contributed an article or a hit. Every bit of it makes me feel like a lone voice from the middle of no where New York has been heard.

Bonus:

I asked on Twitter for any questions and received one from a certain William Bruce West.

“Um, what’s Will West like?”

I know he wrote it as a joke, but I’m going to swerve him. With the truth.

I don’t know what Will West is like because unfortunately I have yet to be in the same room as him. However, thanks to this crazy thing called the internet and social media and a circle of like minded bloggers, he is one of the closest people in my life. I can vent, I can trust him, I can say things I shouldn’t and know it goes no farther. I can disagree with him and know that every thought he has is backed up thus even in differences he still gets only respect. For someone I have not actually met, I would feel comfortable handing him the keys to my place if he needed a place to crash and he can even watch the kid. Of all the experiences over the last 10 years somehow cultivating a friendship is maybe the most unexpected yet cherished side effects of writing about guys that fight in their underwear.