I've worked very hard for a lot of things over the years. School. A career. A social fan site. Music. Wrestling shows. And I've often find myself overwhelmed with a barrage of hate and problems from people. Either people who you only hear from when things go wrong, or seemingly, people who just seem to love to start shit.
But in the meantime, though few and far between, I find myself being approached by several people who inspired me to do the things I have been doing to give props. And in the days of some turmoil in trying to get things to float outside of my day to day career, I think back to all the good.
For almost 6 years now, I've run a fan site called WesternPAJuggalos.com. Admittedly, it was in response to wanting to be involved in this then newfound Juggalo internet community, and was partially inspired by PittsburghJuggalos.com/.net. I got together with some guys from school (Snackz, JuggaloJohn, Dingo) and started AIP Juggalos. That became WesternPAJuggalos.com, and we continued. Mini Gatherings, Juggalo Comedy Shows, and music. There was a period of turmoil where my inspiration was attacking us, claiming we had stolen some of their ideas. Putting our names on their events was the supposed accusation, I believe. And that I recall, I helped to co-promote their events through the communication with one of the site's creators, Kryptik. But alas. A couple years back, at a Twiztid show, I'd guess, I ran into NedenSpredin, whom I thought was one of the guys that used to be against me in this whole thing. At this point, PJ had been long gone, and I hadn't heard from anyone for a bit. But this ninja told me he respected that I had kept thing going and blew things up beyond where they had been. And that WPAJ was one of the first Juggalo sites he came back to. That had meant a lot to me, and justified all the hard work that I, and the rest of the WPAJ staff current and past, had done over the years.
And for the Mayhem Show and music, it's been a similar role. Luckily, those are done for the fun of it, not knowing where it can really lead me in the long run. But when a fellow musician tells me they dig our crazy stage show, or the album, or a wrestling fan comes up to me at a show or Podcamp and tells me they never miss an episode. Or hearing the expectations for our panels at "Unconferences". That is payment you can't measure in this thing.
And if there's something you are enjoying. Be it that podcast, or small time band, or other medium. Leave that positive comment. Because there are more vocal haters than fans out there for anyone's medium.
For all the hatred there may be, nothing can stop my shine these days from all the good and hard work I know that my peers and I have accomplished together. And I have a better group of people than ever to get things done for all of us. This is a great time, friends.
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