February 12, 2011
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My Final Year On the Xanga
This year may be my final year on xanga. I have enjoyed my time on here and it has been over 6 years.
I have just been telling myself that I will leave before I hit 40 for some time. I turn 40 in November. I probably wouldn’t leave xanga completely. I would probably just stop posting. It has been a great time.
I really don’t want to be that old man on xanga. And 40 would be turning the corner and I think it would make me too old. We need young blood on xanga and other people to step up. Plus by that time I expect to be pretty active with my website.
I am not sure I will actually leave but I have given it significant thought. Sometimes I wonder what I am accomplishing anymore. I still love people that are here. But I also miss some of my original friends on here. I used to brag for years that all of my original 20 commenters were still with me. Now not one of them are left on xanga to my knowledge.
Maybe the end of this year will be the time to turn the page.
Comments (144)
Whoa, never thought I’d see the day
We’ll miss you, Dan!
If you feel the need, feel like you must. Do so. It’s your choice in the end.
No!!!! Age doesn’t matter. You are one of the people who holds this place together. I believe if you left it would fall apart. More importantly, I’d miss you. Maybe the original people are not here, but new people always arrive. I like you, and I would be sad if you left.
You should post a picture of yourself for us, so we know the face of the person whose commentary we’ve been reading nightly for a half decade. =]
I can honestly say you leaving would be sad. But progress is progress, if you have better things to spend the time on, do it.
All great things come to an end.
Just the other day, oddly enough, Kett and I were talking about how there’s no way you’d ever leave. There are people here well into their 70s. I don’t blame you for wanting to leave by the time you’re 40, though. Xanga is on the decline. Shit here has become pointless.
That would be… really weird. And sad.
damn it all to hell, didn’t anybody ever tell you that 40 is the new 20, and by that measure 20 probably isn’t even precum yet.
I think you’re just having too much winter, even in Houston. Once spring takes off you will be back to your old self. We had a balmy 40 degree day today and I spent 45 minutes just standing in the trees. There are buds already forming. Spring is nigh.
40 years old is not old. My grandpa is 82 and he doesn’t think he’s old yet. Maybe some Prozac for the depression, no?
You can’t leave! Then who would people who can’t write bash in order to get comments?
But Dan! Too many people will miss you!
I understand you are one of only 3 original posters to my site who are still on xanga. And I really miss those old guys
If you leave Xanga, it will seriously collapse.
theres advantages to that – taking time to pass the torch but why be a rhyme of those who’ve been? asm jettisoned – theo dan became an old man, dearest dearricky gave hisself the boot – one big kicky. and many many more for now to go unmentioned.
Don’t leave! At least not completely! If you do decide to post less when you hit 40 (which is luckily still many months away), maybe you could at least do one every month or so.
D:
@TakingxOverxMe - It has been prophesied after all.
@airbornerose - Will a phoenix arise from the ashes though?
@ItIsAllGravy - Twas foretold in the scrolls of the final night, mon frere.
@Sunrise_Hope_Joy - There there. Everything happens for a reason non?
@Jacques_Duclo - Oh, I’m sure.
I hope you choose to stay. Age should have no bearing.
40 is not old
Age is just a number.
Xanga is what the people on here make it.
Without Dan the Theologian, xanga will be a different place.
Why let the fact you’re turning 40 matter? Age is a only a number!
When did age start to matter? When did 40 become old? What will we do without seal clubbing photos and boobfests? Xanga also needs mature bloggers who appeal to all generations. I will dedicate the next nine months to convincing you to stay.
I hope you stay! I always have enjoyed your posts. It will be a sad day when you leave.
If you leave, that will really be the end of Xanga. I think of it as a Red Giant star right now, past its prime but still a lot of energy output. Without you it will contract, shed its outer layer of gas and dust and become a quiet White Dwarf, dim and insignificant.
P.S. can I have dibs on your traffic, you know, if you do decide to go?
Who is going to dominate the front page when you’re gone!? You should sell “rec’s from dan” before you go. Price? I dunno. Naked pictures or something, pretty sure you like boobs.
I think it’s kind of silly that you’re letting something as silly as age make your decisions for you. But if you really feel like you should go at 40, I won’t stop you. I will miss you, though.
;~;
If you honestly think 40 is old, then I’m ancient. There are plenty of us still here. Hang around awhile. 40 is no big deal.
I would have to see it to believe it. But it’s your choice!
Eh, what?
It’s not like you’re being here is keeping new blood from showing up.
Hmm. I refuse to get worked up about it. We’ll see how you feel in November.
wish time goes as fast as it is going – hahahah
@Rob_of_the_Sky - Rob_of_the_Sky
I have been on xanga for about 8 years (two different accounts), and i have been subscribed to you since you started. as a 16 year old, i didn’t really have much to say, but i enjoyed and learned a lot from all your posts. thanks for all the time you’ve invested in this. you are very much the intuitive person, and I don’t think you’ll regret whatever decision you make in the future.
So you “may” leave here or “probably just stop posting.”
Dan’s totally gonna pull a Brett Favre. Not by sharing dick pics, but I mean by stringing everyone along with a series of will I or won’t I move on posts. It’s better to retire one year too soon than one year too late.
I think you should post a photo of u too! (:
DOnt leave!
I’ve been thinking about this…..there is datinglish and momaroo and lovelyish….but no “oldish” or “maturish” ( I honestly hate the highschool childish that sometimes develops here, and poor you — are in the center of it soo often. Those who start it are actually proud of themselves…give me a break ) I tried to escape & get a blogring going on “blogger” and it’s really really hard, nare I say impossible, to get a circle of commentors and readers. Here on Xanga it’s so so so easy. I have friends lock on half the time, trim my friends list and subscriber list often but occassionally open up the door when I have something to say that i want more people to hear (You and some others have been really helpful with recs, on that score! thanks!).
Believe it or not, I actually have a point, lol: Maybe you need to participate differently in a way that is for “you.” Why are you here writing the kinds of things you’re writing? Sometimes your posts are so amazing…maybe you should do “amazing” once a week for you?
I left LiveJournal on my 5 year mark of registering. Left, meaning I don’t update any more. That was nearly 3 years ago and I might have posted like 5 posts and maybe 100 comments while I read my remaining friends page every day. I was really a no one on LJ, so me leaving didn’t matter. But if you leave Xanga, what will become of this place?
I’ll miss youuuu!
Well it’s your choice and I wish you luck with life. But please post a picture of yourself so we can see what you look like
I guess that will be the end of Xanga.
I’ll become the new thetheologianscafe when you leave, and everyone should just come to my site.
what’s your other website?
You do have a lot of choices. You could just quit. Shut down your site and disappear. You could just keep plugging through, drudgery and all. You could post periodically, when ever the mood moved you. You could even do guest blog appearences now and then on other peoples sites. The world is your oyster, and you are one of Xanga’s pearls.
This is one of the great faults of the whole social networking fabric; to blithely say, “Well, that’s been long enough! Time to drop things like a hot potato! Laters!”
If you’re weary of it, that’s one thing. If people are weary of you, that’s one thing. But I don’t detect either one…do I?
That’s too bad, you hold my interest on some posts.
you would be missed!! Hope you decide to stay
Dan, I would hope you would stick around for a while. If nothing else, I want to see you endorse whoever is going to take on Barack Obama next year.
Your posts are 90% of the reason that I still come on Xanga.
Your blog is more about social commentary. Your age won’t affect that. ♥
People have been saying Xanga is pointless since I joined 7 years ago. Xanga is what you make it. I know a few 50+ bloggers with some valuable insights for us younguns.
There will be a lot less “Dan hate” posts… that’s for sure.
I don’t like this post.
To me who should or shouldn’t enjoy blogging has no tie to age. I think it’s the way someone blogs (uses their Xanga site) that may change over the years. Many Xanga users in their 20s seem to use Xanga as their social life. Like the BIGGEST CHUNK of their social lives. I don’t know if that’s healthy or not, but I see it happening. I don’t blog like that. I jump on when I have time and something on my mind I’m moved to write about. Other times I jump on to read what other people are doing or thinking. Maybe you don’t stop blogging all together. Maybe you change it up, stop writing for everyone else, stop writing for comments, and start writing for yourself. But then again that doesn’t appeal to everyone. My husband would never NEVER blog. It’s just not his thing. He does write his thought in a blog type post format occasionally. Then he emails them to me and wants feedback. But he only does that maybe 4 or 5 times a year and as far as I know, I’m his only audience.
The way you blog makes total sense given your career and internet market interests. So I have no idea if any other blogging purpose or style would be fun for you.
Okay that was rambling, but those are my thoughts in relation to this post. Ha. (grins) Have a good weekend, Dan.
@Rob_of_the_Sky - every time i see your screen name i think of a band called fallen from the sky. seems like one of the guys had a screen name that was like “ryan of the sky” or something extremely similar to your xanga name.
But if you leave, who will I post about to get on top blogs?
I think turning 40 is a dumb reason to go. Devoting more time to your own website is a better reason to go.
Does this mean you are going to be posting some of your more unpopular opinions that you might have held back on in the past? You’ve had a go at depressed people, what’s next, Mexicans?
Should be an interesting year.
This is sad news.
I would be sad to see you leave. When I first came on Xanga, I thought you were actually affiliated with Xanga somehow, you have been so integral to it.
But, it is your life, after all. I just wonder what Xanga would be like without you.
YOU CANT LEAVE ME I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WAAAAAAAAAAH.
old? Puleeze! We need more mature writers here. Besides if you are old at forty what does that make those of us who are in our 60′s? Invisible? Or Ancient?
This is no good at all! You must at least post every now and then….so we know things are still going great in Danville
I was past 40 when I started on Xanga. This week has been very sad for me and many others as we read of the death of Momma Rose. Losing subscribers to death is even harder than just having them fade away. I’m a recent addition to your readers and have enjoyed your daily blogs because most of my “old crew” have stopped daily entries.
OH NO!!!! Maybe The TheologiansCafe can mature into a TheTheologiansbar?
do what you want
I’m sad to see you go! I’ve just started reading your posts and now you’re leaving!
This makes me sad. You’re kind of a symbol of xanga.
Hope you decide to stick around.
time to choose your successor.
You are our “CHEERS”, where we hang out. You would be missed!
When I first heard about Xanga, from my memory you were in the top 50 from premium (base on eprops) for weeks I thought you worked at Xanga since you were always up there.
A break certainly seems in order, and if you think it’s time to move on altogether that’s cool. But I do think the older Xangans have a LOT to offer and I appreciate their presence. I haven’t commented much here in recent years, but it was a really great place to meet new people back when I was first starting out. Xanga needs more sites like that. You will be missed.
You’ve been so melancholy lately… I hope you change your mind. :(
I think you’ll be like Brett Farve – you’ll retire but you’ll come back. -lol
40 would not make you the “old man on xanga!” There are plenty of us oldsters here. You’d be in good company.
@Jacques_Duclo - Stop replying to me you idiot at least until you have actually learned French.
@chaospet - True that.
Sometimes I think that I am too old for Xanga. I guess using my laptop propped up in my nursing home bed might be over staying my welcome.
hm hm…
Good lord, Dan. 40 isn’t old!
@Sunrise_Hope_Joy - lol
it’s too bad you feel there’s an age limit.
40 isn’t that old. There are plenty of people on Xanga who are much older than that, so your age reasoning is quite flawed. XP
However, if you’d like to take a break and get into something else, maybe that might be for the best.
aww that would suck if you left. You had some pretty interesting points in ur posts, and you recommended blogs that I actually took the time to read =P
Dear Dan,
I’m going to turn 58 on May 1st, about 30 days before my 7th Xangaversary. I see no need to “leave” myself, but I scaled down my participation in social networking here a few years ago. I still post when the creative bug hits me.
I always said I wanted to be a Xangalebrity, you know, like you. But with that comes drama, and I’ve managed to stay away from that.
Good luck.
BTW, 40 ain’t “old”. In fact, at 57 I don’t really consider myself “old”. I keep up with current trends in music, art, and literature. I’m a man of my time, whatever that time may be. So if I’m not “that old man on Xanga”, nor are the correspondents of mine who are older than I, then you certainly arent’ “that old man” either.
I’m sure you will find new adventures on every page, as we all do, as we read the books of our lives and of others.
Michael F. Nyiri, poet, philosopher, fool
(and still on Xanga [and a bit crazy] after all these years, to paraphrase Paul Simon)
@Randy7777 - again and again, and again. like a turd that won’t flush.
so that would make 4 years on xanga? n00b.
why wait a year? why not just leave now? Are you really that much of an attention whore?
@Sunrise_Hope_Joy - Mademoiselle, I’m sorry that my obvious charm keeps sending you the wrong message, mais I can not be your valentine. Forgive moi?
Your blog has been the only one with comments that interest me. I haven’t tried; are there others like yours that have interesting posts and heart felt comments? I just started reading your stuff daily, comment after comment (I got laid off recently) and for me it was like finding a pool full of women who like you for being the intuitive understanding type. As I explored deeper into xanga, i found that it is like a mix of confident socially, to some with serious cases of disorders. That is why I come here, to check out other’s psychological make up, while being aware of the limitations of my own. By the time you leave, hopefully i will have a job
hahahahahahaha i laugh at my own jokes.
@a_strange_wind_blowing - it is compared to all the minors on this site.
@RulerofMasons - what about with ENTRIES that interest you?
@ItIsAllGravy - Me. I would. Xanga and I have been around long before Dan came here. It’s bullshit that everyone equates Dan with xanga because he’s such a n00b. Maybe not to you, since you’ve been here less than a year.
@ShamrockLover - So it really doesn’t matter if a 40 year old has sex with a 14 year old. after all, age is just a number.
I hope you stay.
aww, no! there are people much older than you on here you know!
Completely understand.
Good luck to you if you do leave!! But Xanga is quite addictive
i don’t think you should leave xanga. maybe post once in a great while (after november) and i’m sure you will have lots of people who will respond no matter how sporadic your posts because you have so many readers who like you.
Hey Dan, I think you should stick around.
if it’s not fun for you anymore or it’s boring for you now, yes you should go. personally i think the age thing is a copout. but hey, we still have almost a whole year to actually get to know you!
wish u good luck
As an oldschool Xanga user (formerly pedrothepoet), I’m with you. I quit visiting Xanga consistently a couple years ago, though I always stop back to upload photos, audio and occasional videos. I still consider Xanga my main photo blog, but that only consists of logging several times a year. I think that Xanga lacks the streamlined polish to keep up with Blogger, Twitter and Facebook.
Oh please, that’s not old. And we could just more people that aren’t just running hormones and tempers around here.
by your reasoning, i should have left before xanga even began…
Sometimes its good to let go.
I’ll probably be leaving this year too.
Good Lord.
Would that mean that McScarry may someday find himself on the front page?
I hope not, but do what you need to do!
40???? You’re only turning 40????
When you turn 48…. then we can discuss ‘old’ age!
40 is NOT old.
ps…what website?
We shall miss you, Dan. Once in a while, one just stumble upon an outstanding writer which writings you get addicted to. And that was the case with your amazing write ups! The best to you!
Now just a minute Dan we need young and old on Xanga and actually we need whoever is here to keep things going. Old people bring a richness and young people bring a new life to the old so welocme all ages.
Eh….I’m 37. Does that mean I have 3 years left? Well I’m coming up 38 so 2 years left then.
you accepted a role in leadership here whether you intended to or not. many people take the ideas for their own blogs from the posts you put up. when a leader steps down, they try to leave the place better than when they came. numbers on xanga aren’t important – quality is. i think you can incorporate a blog site on your dot com. who knows? perhaps you could one day start xanga 2.
xanga should be paying you
Nooooo *hugs*
DANNY NOOOOO!
Shewww this doesn’t seem right.
40 is nothing…I am 50 and plan on staying until the day I die…us old have a story to tell and its important that we share it! Sorry to hear tha you are leaving us!
Hi, you’ve visited my page a few times, and added me as a friend.. I still wonder why, but you’ve commented on one of my entries, and I thought I should return the favor. This title just caught my interest.
But really, you post things everyday. If you need a break, take one. You’re almost 40, but I doubt being that old man on xanga is the problem. You just sound like you’re disappointed in the way you’ve been doing things so far, maybe not everything, or even most things, but something. I say take a vacation, whether it be Hawaii, California, Alaska, or just sitting at home, drinking coffee, and taking walks along the neighborhood..
I don’t know you very well, I’m not an avid follower. Barely do I touch upon your blogs, no offense. So, I will say something, as if you’re my uncle Dan, that I rarely get to see, instead of blogging master, Dan the Theologian. Explore, have fun, be young, walk with your back straight and stand tall. The thought of being old, is either the thought of being wise or the thought of being unhappy.
I know you never said you’d leave completely, that you’d just stop blogging. If you really feel that way, I say tell everyone you got arthritis, if you think you’re going to feel guilty with responsibility. Then take a nap, a nice long one, wake up and ask someone to pour you a nice bowl of Honey nut Cheerio’s.
Sincerely, this child who thinks she knows everything.
P.S. If you didn’t take any of this seriously, I hope I’ve at least made you laugh.
P.S.S. If this is a mid-life crisis, I’ve heard that buying a motorcycle helps.
Your wisdom is needed you are like a pillar in the world of Xanga I respectfully ask you reconsider.
You’re an icon here and I’m sure you’ll be missed. You’re absolutely right though, xanga’s front page needs new blood. I’m very sick of seeing the same posters every time I log on. When you go, take ricky and all the other lame asses with you please.
You’re far from the old man on Xanga, but if you leave this year I would understand. Hope you don’t though, of course.
Yeah! You’re way to old dude! 40 – sheesh!
Ouch. I am turning 50 before you turn 40, so I guess that makes me extraordinarily ancient (in addition to being a Xanga Relic)
You’re going to train a successor, right? Because otherwise anyone could fill the power vaccum you leave behind! lol j/k (…sort of)
I remeber reading your blog back when my Xanga was young in 2006. Whatever you decide, I wish you well!
@Jacques_Duclo - “Will a phoenix arise from the ashes” .. j’espere!
WAIT YOU STILL GOT BALDMIKE TO BEAT!!!
I hope it’s your final year. I’m tired of you ripping off articles from fark.com.
I’ve been on xanga since 2003 and I just keep on changing names. I remember you
sad to see you go.
Grampa Dave, Brick and I are the Old Men of Xanga. You’re wet behind the ears, Dan.
Dan, does this mean that October 2011 is the last boobs month on Xanga???
I’m with everyone that says age is just a number. So what if you’re forty?
Xanga will be lonely without you.
I’ll miss your postings.
@nyclegodesi24 - I agree!
But, then there won’t be a Xanga God here and we’d all feel abandoned D: haha.
In seriousness, I really would miss your regular posts. You’re one of my favourite Xangans!
may you rest in peace old soul. can we have a Houston meet up party for your birthday though?
40 Hmmm….I did not know we had an expiration date.
Aw, well I hope to still keep in contact with you.
hmm. Sometimes I miss some interesting stuff over the weekend.