Holy Fuck, I've been doing JIMSMASH! for 20 years!
This started off as a way to share things with friends when I was working insane hours and never saw them. Then I noticed others started reading and chiming in, which made it super fun! This was before Geek Culture went mainstream. This was also before the "Internet Troll" was a thing - so the idea of me getting "angry" over dumb nerd shit was silly fun.. This was before Social Media hit and began destroying the Western World. Before everyone spouted out their own angry opinions everyday. The Internet has changed so much over the past 20 years with much of it making this blog redundant. Social Media itself pretty much killed my readership, even amongst friends.
I used to say if I ever hit 20 I would end the blog.
For now, I guess I'll keep it going for myself and the remaining 3 readers (you rock!).
20 years... my god...
I need to take a good hard look in the mirror...
Anyway, I want to thank everyone who reads this silly blog (the 1st post), has contributed to it, has bought me Aliens Novelizations to feed my "Insane Mission" and those who take the time to leave comments!
Also, since I've turned the Decade Corner, I'm abandoning the tradition of positing a Wookiee Playing Baseball - It's becoming too difficult to find those pics. However, I'll continue with the Wookie-themed imagery.
Anyway, 11 years...
please do not allow me to reach 20.
I'm not sure if I should celebrate or be depressingly embarrassed that I've kept this blog going for so long. Maybe a little of both.
When I first launched JimSmash, it was a way to share fun things with a handful of friends. Soon others discovered it and to my surprise actually stuck around, contributing via comments and content! Thank you all for that. YOU are the reason why this silly blog still exists today.
JimSmash Trivia: "JIMSMASH!" was almost called "EMPEROR JIM".
Looking back, Geek Culture and Internet Culture were such a different places 10 years ago.... The Geek Explosion hadn't quite hit yet and gone mainstream (ie, you were still ridiculed for liking comics, toys and sci-fi). Marvel hadn't been rebooted yet and DC was still existing in the Post-Crisis Universe. We now have more Star Wars than ever before, an onslaught of superhero movies, $5 comic books, and sequels/reboots/remakes and sequels of rebooted remakes! It almost seems that everyone is into geek stuff and those who are not are now ridiculed (madness!). It's either the best time to be a geek or the worst, depending on who you ask. For me, it depends on the day.
10 years ago Geek Culture on the Internet was still relatively small. There weren't a lot of websites that highlighted geeky stuff... not to say I was a pioneer (I was most definitely NOT), but there wasn't the huge range of geek news sites around, creating daily "Top 10 Lists", etc. A few times I began blocking out plans to advance JimSmash to the next level(s), but decided to keep it as a fun hobby on the side. Life had a hand in this decision as well, as I moved through my 30s and into 40.
Also, the overall Internet Culture was more subdued and somewhat more civilized back then (exception: The H.E.A.T. fans on various message boards). I don't think the Internet Troll had been birthed yet, or at least I wasn't aware of it. There was a time when Trolls began rearing their ugly heads that I considered shutting down JimSmash. My tongue-in-cheek "smashing" was quickly being lumped in with Asshole "Nerd Rage". I think the tone of JimSmash shifted a bit around Year 5, and when I re-read many of my old posts, I'm embarrassed how I sound.
I don't know what the Future of Geek Culture holds for us, nor can I foresee my involvement as a blogger and consumer. But for now, I stand in amazement that JimSmash still exists 10 years later from that fateful September 25th in 2005. Thanks again for helping to keep this blog fun for me, which in the end, is all that matters!
Uhhh, so that's all I have to say, really.... To be honest, I was ill-prepared for this 10th anniversary. I don't have a big celebratory post in place, so perhaps a quick recap of the things we've learned over the past decade...
"JimSmash Clubhouse Rules"(so to speak):
* The Theatrical Cut of 'ALIENS' is the best
(but the SE Sentry Guns are awesome)
* The Force is an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together.
* The Predalien is dumb.
* Iron Maiden is the only religion you need. Up the Irons!
* The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Or the One.
* You got The Touch. You got The Power.
* Crom laughs at your Four Winds.
* 'The Terminator' > Terminator Sequels
* Friends don't let friends watch the Special Editions of the Star Wars Original Trilogy.
* Yay, Aquaman!
* Hail Cobra.
* Space Jockeys (ALIEN) have NO connection to Engineers (Prometheus)
* You know what, just fuck 'Prometheus' in general.
* I can never have enough copies of the ALIENS Novelization.
So speaking of Insane Mission... It recently hit another milestone - Shelf 3 is days away from being complete (5 more books are currently on their way)!
The collection is absolutely bananas and from a distant looks like total crazy. Which it is. Most of those books were donated by JimSmash Readers and I am constantly in awe at the generosity. Whenever I have doubts about JimSmash... whether it should continue and/or if anyone even reads the stupid thing anymore.... those shelves filled with donated Aliens Novelizations reminds me of the great friendships with awesome people (that's you) formed through JimSmash. Whether you've contributed to Insane Mission or not, thank you for participating in the dorky clubhouse that is JimSmash! I love you all. Except you, Anonymous.
Wow, 10 years.... please don't let this thing reach 20.
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Oh hey! If you don't mind, please chime in and let me know how long you've been reading JimSmash! I know some have been with me from Day 1, others soon after. But I'd love to know when you first started reading JimSmash (if you're still here) and how you discovered this silly blog!
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"So what's up with the Wookiee pic? Well, my first post was a simple stream-of-consciousness thought: "A WOOKIEE BASEBALL LEAGUE would Rock!" I don't like Baseball, but now I'm stuck with the tradition - each birthday I post a Wookiee baseball pic.
9 years ago on September 29, 2005 JIMSMASH! was born!
Thank you for all the support!!!
Holy crap... will this blog reach 10???
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* My first post was a simple stream-of-consciousness thought: "A WOOKIEE BASEBALL LEAGUE would Rock!" I don't like Baseball, but now I'm stuck with the tradition - each birthday I post a Wookiee baseball pic.
8 years ago on September 29, 2005 JIMSMASH! was born!
What a colossal waste of time! haha
Thank you for all the support!!!
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* My first post was a simple stream-of-consciousness thought: "A WOOKIEE BASEBALL LEAGUE would Rock!" I don't like Baseball, but now I'm stuck with the tradition - each birthday I post a Wookiee baseball pic.
7 years ago on September 29, 2005 JIMSMASH! was born!
Wow, 7 Years....
I never thought this silly side project to share stupid junk with a few friends would last this long.
Thank you all for the support!
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* My first post was a simple stream-of-consciousness thought: That a WOOKIEE BASEBALL LEAGUE would Rock! On each birthday since, I've posted a pic of a Wookiee playing baseball. (I don't like baseball, tho...)
5 years ago on September 29, 2005 I did my first post - a pic of a Wookiee throwing a baseball. Since then I've been doing Wookiee/(Star Wars) baseball pics for the birthday posts. Don't know why - I hate baseball.
4 years ago on September 29, 2005 I did my first post - a pic of a Wookiee throwing a baseball. Since then I've been doing Wookiee baseball pics for the birthday posts. Don't know why - I'm not a baseball fan.
To celebrate, take a cruise through the ole Archives! There's some good stuff in there, man!
Holy Moly.... JimSmash turned 3 a couple weeks back and I completely missed it!
Yep, 3 years ago on September 29, 2005 I did my first post - a pic of a Wookiee throwing a baseball. Since then I've been doing Wookiee baseball pics for the birthday posts. Don't know why - I hate baseball.
Anyway, Happy BELATED Birthday, JimSmash!!!
WOW, 3 YEARS!!!
That's a lot of daily geeking out! I hope Year 4 is even better!! And what a perfect time to cruise through the archives, eh?
Big warm thanks to everyone (anyone) who reads JimSmash!
That's right, today JimSmash has been alive and kicking ass for 2 years! WOW!
So keeping with tradition, is the above pic of a Wookiee playing baseball
(1st post, Year 2 post).
Thanks to all the JimSmash Readers!
Here's to making YEAR 3 even BETTER!
*I was going to do a "Best of" post but am currently out of town at a Family event. No, its not a comic convention.... but look for that post sometime next week perhaps. Feel free to email me any of your favorite JimSmash posts since sept 29 of last year! JimSmash@gmail.com
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