I’ve Been Thinking…
*first person* Uh-Oh! I’ve been thinking. Dangerous. Very Danger. 1
First off, I’m kind of getting sick of “Mari” this and “Mari” that. I’m sick of what I’ve done on this site, and on the Internet. I’ve managed to accomplish a pile of crap, and it sickens me. Not only have I gone in a terrible direction with this site, adding half-unthought-out features and writing posts that a 4 year old could have articulated better, but they’re in third person. It was cute for a while, but after about the first half of the first post I wrote in first person, it fizzled out and got annoying.
I’ve seen people getting in trouble with prospective employers for having websites and sort of worrying about getting in trouble for having websites, and it’s been worrying me. Maybe I can’t get hired in part because of this silly shit2. Because, seriously, it probably looks to anyone like I’m a total and complete moron3 with a weird asian fetish. I mean, a layout based off of some silly boy band pop song that’s in Japanese?!! Any self-respecting employer would run screaming, and burn my application.
Perhaps I just need to separate the silly Japanese fandom crap from this site? Or maybe I need to keep a few legacy posts4 and start over with a more serious, grown-up tone? Or maybe I need to remove my legal name from my websites, and go only by Mari5.
Plus, the legality of the celebrity contents of any of my sites and my hostees sites, and the sites that I link to, is a big issue now. I’m 19. I could very easily go to jail if found to be in violation of the law. I mean, I suppose there’s no real legal way to be watching doramas like I am6, but would NTV go so far as to sue me for having pictures from episodes of Hokaben7 posted on a subdomain blog? Perhaps. Could I get sued for posting pictures of JE idols on any fangasm journal I may keep in the future? Quite possibly.
It’s all quite dizzying to think about. I’m about five more “Reasons to delete all site contents and start over using a new alias” away from actually doing so. However, until what I’m doing here is 99% destructive to my reputation8 , I’ll seek to correct instead of destroy. I’ve burned bridges all the way up until now, but there will be a time when I can no longer disappear and leave no trace of myself, and it’s approaching fast.
In Conclusion:
- I am strongly leaning toward (99%) blogging in first person9.
- I am leaning toward putting into effect an immediate ban on all celebrity images (50%), or putting much stricter controls on them10 (100%).
- I am leaning toward much more professional content on this and all sites written by myself (95%).
- I am toying with the idea (30%) of almost completely axing hosting services until I can get my own sites in order. Everything is an utter mess right now, and I still have not reinstated many hostees, for which I am deeply sorry. I’ve let 90% of you down tremendously.
- I am entertaining the idea (15%) of completely deleting the content of all my websites and starting over, or completely axing all my websites (5%).
The only reason I haven’t taken drastic action yet is that I still have a few months before I need to have a presentable world image. It doesn’t particularly matter if someone googles me right now, because I haven’t applied for any jobs recently. But when I go to apply for a possible specialty college, they will most certainly Google me if they already haven’t, and this could be quite damaging. Perhaps the best thing to do would be to remove my legal name first…
Do you have any advice for me? Please say you do, because I have absolutely no idea of where to draw the lines to keep myself out of trouble. I’m truly an idiot like that.
- Yes, I just referenced Aiba Masaki in Tensai! Shimura Doubutsuen, in the same post that I’m saying I’m an idiot for liking JE. Fondness for boy bands has warped my mind. [↩]
- It doesn’t help that I’ve never had a job before and have shit-tacular grades and no skills to speak of [↩]
- I won’t deny that part. [↩]
- AKA finish my best of page and keep those posts, delete the rest, and delete/edit the crap that’s in third person [↩]
- and ask anyone who’s still linking to me by my legal name to change it for my sake [↩]
- because they’re currently airing on Japanese TV, and there’s no legal method to watch Japanese television in the US save for buying the DVDs when they come out, and obviously I couldn’t have possibly done so except for any older series I may write about. [↩]
- which were from their website and clearly credited, but that’s in English… [↩]
- Hah! What reputation?! I’m just “that girl that disappeared from school” in senior year. [↩]
- as well as editing all third-person contents to be in correct grammatical format, which will be a bitch, but will greatly improve the quality of content here [↩]
- For instance, disclaimers required, etc. [↩]
Uncategorized 
9 May 2008, 21:11
employers google you, Japanese media, JE, Johnny's Entertainment, legality of having a websiteYou can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Teehee I has a pingback! Btwe, just so you know, what happened to me was nothing to do with an employer, it was to do with the university!
@Holly
I knew it wasn’t an employer, but it was something you wanted to do professionally, and you didn’t get to because they’re close-minded about blogs. It got me thinking, but I didn’t know how to phrase it without talking about them specifically more, and apparently that would make them mad.
(I know! It’s so awesome getting pingbacks and trackbacks. Most of mine are spam nowadays, though…)
I’ll the the off topic part out of the way first: Big danger! Car! I go back car! Aiba is ADORABLE.
First off: TAIYOU NO NAMIDA IS LOVE. If I had an ounce of creativity I would try and use a JE lyric and turn it into a respectable looking layout, but I don’t and you have, so don’t bash yourself up over it.
If NTV were going to sue you for Hokaben screencaps, they might as well sue all of the JE fandom on Livejournal, Vox and everywhere else on the the internet as well for making icons, photo manipulations, distributing calendar and magazine scans, videos, fansubs - all of which I think are worse than capping episodes of a TV show in the hopes of getting other people interested and entertained. I’m not saying that using their images is perfectly fine but they’re not going to worry about a little blog that is pretty much publicising their television programs (and now I think I should watch it for the Shige XD)
When I was feeling particularly down about my site and everything on the internet (http://chrasy-vendredi.livejournal.com/73034.html) I received the best comment ever, and I quote: “You will never derive joy from making or updating a site that is not representative of your own personality.
1. Change the layout. This is your site. Screw the sheep-like, BORING, unoriginal CSS designs everyone applauds.
2. Fangirl. Who cares if other bloggers upturn their pretentious noses at you. It’s your site.”
And that is the advice I’m going to give to you. If you don’t want to write in third person any more, don’t! If you want to write drama reviews and flail of NewS, do! If you feel it’s best for you and your future employment prospects to go by Mari 100% of the time, then do that.
がんばってね、マリちゃん！
Hey Mari, but I need third person!
It´s a disaster :’(
For one, employers should already be amazed that you have a website. I know mine get all excited when I show I have some useful skills for the internet. It’s also YOUR blog.
If you do feel the need to change, I would write in first person. While it is /your/ blog, writing in third person is unbloglike imo
Like Tracey said: がんばってよ～！
Would an employer really google you to see if it’s worth having you or not ? It would be the first time ever I hear this, and if he really do that, then sorry but he/she is really stupid because a website isn’t representative of the work a person can do.
My advice would be : Do what YOU want to do with it. It isn’t the website of someone else, it’s yours but if you really care about this much of what your website look like, I would say having a more professionnal layout for your website surely help ^^
To reply to Johnathan above: Yes, depending on the employer, they just may.
First off, it’s your site you should be able to do whatever the hell you want with it, whether or not people like it. I’ve just discovered your blog, and I don’t see anything wrong with it. Referring to yourself in the third person isn’t all that bad. PerezHilton.com does it all the time. You don’t have to say “Mari” though. Go with she, etc. sometimes.
There’s a website called Wireimage.com, that allows Bloggers (Web publishers, etc.) access to “celebrity photo’s” for free or for a price. I have access to one of their paid subscriptions from my blog network and they are amazing.
Sometimes starting completely over isn’t always a wise idea, really think about it first.
Hey, Mari. It’s Pat, one of your old hostees. I moved. ^^
Anyways, I don’t really know what to say on “building a new site” thing. Y’know, starting from scratch. But do what you wanna do - it’s your choice. =)
Would I be right in assuming that some of this recent frustration with the whole third person thing is due to the comments you received in the drama not so long back? Would you admit to it if it were? :p
My basic rule of blogging is to keep it legal, and to not publish anything I wouldn’t want my mum to read (which is kinda convenient, because she does). Of course, it’s not always a great rule to live by because some people have uptight parents :p
What I’m saying is that you need to come up with your own rules of what to blog/what not to blog, based on your own feelings and what’s in your head/heart. Don’t worry too much about professionalism and talking in the first person if that’s not what you want.
I got employed with my blog, I’m sure you will be fine with yours!
@Tracey
Ish Aibakawaii.
IT ISH! ♥ ギラギラ太陽…
I’ve been wondering how no one gets in trouble for the rampant blatantly against the rules stuff, like JE idol images on the Internets at LJ. Maybe the copyright owners just don’t care or maybe they just don’t know. (Not that I’d ever rat them out - I love getting to see what I’d get if I could actually purchase Japanese magazines without first requiring a 70-year loan and my firstborn. XD)
But, on the same note, I’ve seen crazy things happen where media companies/copyright holders attack the sites that are promoting their product/media without infringing as badly as other sites. It worries me to think that even though I’m not blatantly infringing copyright for monetary gain or something horrible like that, they could still go apeshit on me.
Your comment is made of win and Aibaka. It made my weeeek. </ lame JE pun >. It also reassured me that there’s a place on the Internet for my stupid as long as I want there to be.
@Zuzsiq
Really?
The third person has actually been annoying me more than anything.
@Rebecca
You’d think they’d be impressed by the ability to create a website that isn’t made in a template builder, but sometimes they just go insane and have comments like “This is so PERSONAL, you can’t put this on the Internet!!!!” “What the hell is this, cutesy pixeled graphics? This is unprofessional.”
Yeah, it was a challenge to write in third person to begin with. Plus, it actually got on my nerves after doing it for so long.
ありがとうねみなさん！！
@Jonathan
Like Kyle Dylan Conner (wow, using a full name is epic-ly cool. </ dead serious>) said, they may. It’s becoming increasingly common to simply Google someone’s name instantly, instead of asking them about themselves, or trusting what they’ve said.
You’re right. Is my personal website/online persona/online anything really representative of how well I’m able to put groceries in a bag or how well I am at helping people locate things in a store?
I don’t think the problem is what it looks like as seen from other people’s point of view so much as it is how I see it. I see large problems, and things that are starting to really bother me.
@Kyle Dylan Conner
Neat! I didn’t know PerezHilton wrote in third person! (I guess I don’t read PerezHilton enough to have seen the third person bits yet. I only visit there sporadically.)
Actually, I did vary it like that. I may not have a good writing style, but I know how to vary my sentences at least.
Oh. Oh! That’s a really cool service. I’ll keep it in mind so I can use some images if I decide to start writing about Idol and Dancing… Thanks for the tip! =D
However, most of the images I’m talking about are of Japanese celebrities, so there’s no legal method of obtaining them, let alone licensing them to use online. That, and some of the celebrities I would be writing about (quite often) have strict “no images of this person on any web site” rules.
Indeed. Some of my stuff I cherish. I always try to give myself a week to think about decisions.
@Pat
Oh, your new site is so cute!
Indeed, it is my choice.
@Jem
You’re partially right. Reasons: 1) I was getting annoyed with it myself already, beginning around February. It had become too habitual, and got on my nerves when I’d start writing a comment on a non-blogroll site in third person, then have to re-type it. 2) The other reason for my annoyance with the third-person is that I keep seeing sites like yours, and marvelling at how grown-up everyone else’s sites look and sound. I truly envy that professionalism in blogging (and coding) that everyone seems to magically posess.
That sounds like an excellent rule of thumb! Only problem for me is to decide whether I’d go with my mum or dad’s ideas about what is publishable, ‘coz one is definitely a little more relaxed than the other…
Trusting myself on what to post is probably not such a great idea. My boundaries between “extremely personal and not fit for anything save an inward recitation (and even that’s probably going too far)” and “world headlines” are entirely too lax, if not non-existant.
Perhaps I should indulge my stupidity by using a third-person perspective once in a while, but typing how I wish to type the rest of the time.
Thanks for the advice! =D
Unfortunately, employers do Google their potential hires. It’s not entirely legal but what’s to stop them.
Anyway, one of my old blogs was so popular that it ranked #5 on Google just by typing my first name ‘Ivy’. I was a little uncomfortable with that because I didn’t really censor what I wrote. So, I closed it.
Now, my current blog is #14 on Google when ‘Ivy’ is searched and #2 when my full name is searched. (I also take #1 on Google for my full name but it’s a portfolio and it’s meant for employers to see.)
But I’m not really worried anymore because my blog is written with the intention for all to read - including potential employers. All posts are swept for grammatical/spelling errors (lest I look stupid), and I steer clear from anything too controversial or potentially offensive. If I really feel the need to blog about controversial issues, I just password protect them. I also rarely ‘rant’ about anything, so I don’t offend anyone or look bad by accident.
I know it seems like my blog is really restrictive. But that’s not true. I still can fully share my life with others. It’s just that instead of writing an entry on why X is horrible for doing bad things to me, I’d talk about how I cannot get along with people that do horrible things to me, for instance. I’m not hiding anything or being restricted, I’m merely rephrasing so no one gets hurt, while I still get to vent.
As for you, if you think that you have a lot of posts that are causes for worry then writing under a pseudonym might not be a bad idea. If you think you have only a few posts to worry about then just go back to password protect them. And from here on, you could set some boundaries to your entries. For example, never writing about work life or never mentioning names from your offline life. That way, you don’t have to worry about how your blog entries will seem to your potential employers. Of course, avoiding overly passionate rants (if you do that) might also be good.
Aw man that sucks that employers are stopping you from being yourself and having your own blog. I think you should stay here, please do, don’t let them stop you doing something you’ve worked towards and enjoy.
And if writing in 3rd person if your thing, dont worry about anyone else, go for it.
However I am also seriously considering making up like a new name for me online. Because my dad (long story but i never want to see him again blah blah blah) just googled me, found my msn and email, and yeah can read my blogs, which is a big deal because like I am more scared of him than peadophiles and terrorists and everything everr. I just need to think which name I want to use.
Anyways, don’t let employers ruin something you enjoy and have worked hard on.
Lots of love, X
I agree with the referring to yourself in third person. It’s neat at first…but then gets kinda old i guess.
and thinks for telling me why my site was acting up. I don’t care what you say, I love having you as my hostest!!
Hey! I think starting to write more “professional” articles is a good idea. Although I like what you write now, it’d be cool to see it delivered a bit differently. Change is good! I’m looking forward to seeing these changes.
I’ve disappeared from the internet haha. Things haven’t gone right these past weeks. Bad news seem to be overpowering me.
Ah! Mari, when I first visited your site, I thought it was pretty cool. Then I lost your link, and I found your site again when I Googled something like “mari third-preson tutorial” or whatever. Yeah, it can get boring and annoying, but the only way I remembered your site was that it was the only one in third-person!
I think it is much safer to separate your blog from the japanese stuff to avoid conflict with employers
To be honest, I sort of liked the your speaking-in-the-third-person thing but that is only if you enjoy it. If you don’t then, I guess there’s no point.
If Japanese things are what you really like then I don’t see when you have to distance yourself from them.
The thing is it’s okay to be different. I love your site layout and everything and I think you are such an adorable girl. But if you like yourself to have a mature image that’s fine too.
In the end, it’s just down to what you want and enjoy. There’s no point wanting one thing and pretending to be another.
Everything you have here /is/ pretty silly…but the way I see it, if you can’t be silly here in Internet Land, where can you be silly?
Although you should just do whatever makes you happy
I did that for a while too, typing in third person, I got annoyed with it after a while.
LOVE the layout
I like your site,the name I remember but I’m not sure how often I’ve actually been by,there’s nothing really bad about it..
the fact that you blogged differently seems to have brought you more creativity onlookers