I wrote this journal one month ago. Well, I knew it would be writing this eventually. It’s been nearly 17 months now. I mentioned at the beginning of my last, extremely long journal, that users often do a Final Logout when things become too stressful. This journal is here partly because I won’t have much time anymore, but also for quite a different reason. It’s because I feel that I finally got somewhere which I hoped to get to. I wrote my last journal during a burst of optimism, and since then I’ve been active back in Real Life to sort out my perspectives.

While there’s still quite a way to go, I think that I can finish my stay on DA. It’s the butterfly landing, if you remember my analogy from four months ago.

Okay, I’ll give a few more words of explanation. I joined this site because I’m a Lilo & Stitch lover. That should be obvious, right?

But fans like to centre their life on what they are fans of. This is why I generally like to call myself an ‘enthusiast’ (Although to be honest, ‘fan’ sometimes is the word which suits me better). Yet if there’s one thing I do want to say about my real life, it’s this: I don’t make such a big deal of being a Lilo & Stitch lover. Not because it embarrasses me, since I believe in integrity. No, it’s because of a sense of intimacy, which is probably that which lovers of the original movie felt. And it’s a strange feeling for someone who at first hated the movie, then became enamoured with it.

It’s good that I’m a fast reader, because that made it possible to explore Lilo & Stitch’s fandom without wasting much time. I take much longer to write about things, though, which was one reason why I’m so selective. That meant many interesting times, good as well as bad.

I know I’ve never been an ‘epic lulz’ kind of guy , I’m a bit too serious-minded for that. I’m quite aware of my tendency for going into lecture mode, something which I’m not so happy about. My writing can be a lot like that old rhyme about the little girl who had a little curl, right in the middle of her forehead. Either I write well , or I don’t write so well, at all. . Still, in the end, I feel like the good outweighs the bad, at least…

I grew to love the Lilo & Stitch franchise instead of hating it. I remember seeing ~Chris-Dilke’s videos on Youtube. Chris’ link to DA made me find out about the place. But I didn’t join before reading ~Liloexp626’s stories on the Fanfiction.net, a site I discovered a long time after the Tube videos. I don’t think I would have been as interested in FF.net without Viri’s storytelling. What was special about it was that, while I liked the Angel/Stitch couple, I had always wondered if Lilo and Stitch may not be better matched. Reading quality Lilo/Stitch romance encouraged me into doing a very fast jump from passive consideration to active support. (Interestingly, I later found out that that pairing was in fact Chris Sander’s original vision: [link])

After that, quite a lot happened over 5 months. Once again, I have to emphasise that reading fast is an advantage. It would take too long, even for me, to mention everything. Highlights included discovering authors like The Great Red Dragon, Twlightborn1983, WatsonSword, ngrey651, Wormtail96 and MisGelRcy. I don’t always agree with their philosophical or political views, but that’s a small detail. Plus, I can’t forget talking to Liloexp626, 123qaz or GodOfStorms. One thing is true to say, I’ve read far more than I’ve written myself.

(My Expeminator fanfics have been on hiatus for a long time, but I only uploaded three of the chapters I wanted to complete. For anybody who’s interested, the remaining stuff is Chapters IV and V of Story 1, Chapters I and XV of Story 3, and the recaps of the other chapters. There’s actually not that much left to complete, but I’ve been doing some slight twiddling during weekends. Even after this journal, they could still get uploaded.)

I love visiting this place. But what have I been doing lately? There have only been so many new good stories on FF.net. So I’ve been focusing more on DA, and that’s part of my reason for writing this entry. Depending on how you look at it, there isn’t the same kind of intimacy on DA than there is on FF. Don’t get me wrong- I like a good picture, which tells more than 1000 words, so they say. Yet it’s not like reading a story. And of course, DA is a far more interactive website. Since I have no FF account, this is how I can talk with other users, rather than just submitting a review. But it also shifts focus from the art to the artist. That’s not a problem – in fact it’s a good thing for people who want to make friends. But it cannot work for me, at least not indefinitely. Everything on FF and DA feels like it’s done and dusted, and I’ve got plans in Real Life to take care of, so now is the best time to announce my leaving.

I am glad to have made friends through my reviews. We could have done a lot more chatting, but I am happy that we were able to have some good chat while it lasted. Your conversation is something I will cherish for a long time, not just in reference to Lilo & Stitch, but in reference to the most important thing – You. I apologise if this journal feels sudden to any of you, and I have done my best to write it as neatly as possible. It’s never easy to write about this kind of thing. I am sure that you will continue well from here. Having spent the previous few paragraphs speaking mostly about myself, I should conclude by speaking about you. Thank you for everything, guys.

~STORMGOD2 has started his own page on this site. At the time of writing it still is a bit unoccupied, but my page has never been that full either, and these are early days. I wish you a bright future on this site, Storm.

~winkywoo decided to devWatch me one day, and although we never have really talked much since, I appreciate his gesture. Thanks again for the watch!

I see that *123qaz123 has gained recognition and quite a fanbase for his artwork. I am very glad about that, and I think it represents a huge leap forward. With so many other Deviants commenting and faving now, I think I’m no longer needed. Thanks for all the good times, Quentin.

As a last mention, I still will be reviewing ~Liloexp626’s new chapters, no matter how long I take to write. Believe me Viri, I won’t quit on that for a long time.

Here’s one of the most beautiful fanfics I’ve ever read: [link]

Well, I think that just about covers it.

Aloha, Vox

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Favourite Stories:

BlackDragon1588

The Devil’s Hand


Liloexp626

Bring Back My Angel

Don’t Cry Daddy

If I Never Met You

If They Come Back To You

Mistletoe Above!

What’s the Best Choice?


MisRcyLoe

His Choice

Life After Death

Meant to Be


ngrey651

All Together Now!

Lilo & Stitch: Ohana

Nobody Gets Left Behind

Not Just a Hamster, Not Just a Villain


piewolvesandsuch

Never Forgotten


Stitchfan82

Lilo 2.0


The Great Red Dragon

Stitch: Reflecting


Twlightborn1983

Polarity

Thru New Eyes


WatsonSword

Empire of the Pacific

The Only Thing Worse Than Dying


Wormtail96

Son of the King, Father of the Rebellion


And finally…

Chris-Dilke’s videos on Youtube.

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"Why am I me and why not you? Why am I here and why not there? When did time begin and where does space end?"
- Wings of Desire (Der Himmel über Berlin)