One of the biggest questions that I’m always asked is, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” To be honest in the last ten years I’ve been asking myself this very same question. After turning 28 just a month ago, I’m now starting to realize that I’m getting older – although that shouldn’t be much of a shock because we’re ALL getting older. In Fall 2010 I got an AA degree in IT/Multimedia, also known as Information Technology and Video/Graphic Design. It was then that I wanted to work in Post-Production and Broadcast Graphics, however after bouncing from temp job to temp job for 2-3 years the idea of being a Multimedia Specialist seemed pretty dim.

Instead I found myself taking everything I learned at ITT-Tech (which no longer exist) and applying it to my one-man business of creating videos of parties, conventions, weddings, and more. The name of that business was D.J.L’s Media Services, with me as it’s founder and creator. I would shoot, cut, and edit various clips together to tell a story of whatever I was filming at the time.

As I got better I started getting paid to do it, and believe me had I not done so, I wouldn’t have had the money to go to Otakon as much as I did from 2008-2016. Although I was proud that I had a business to call my own, it wasn’t financially consistent – meaning I only got a couple of gigs every 2-3 months. Despite this those gigs as well as the temp jobs kept my anime convention trips going – even more so now that I’ve got a part-time job.

It’s funny that during our elementary school years we as children knew what we wanted to be when we grow up, and about a fair percentage of us manage to make that dream a reality. As we grow older some of the dreams and aspirations we had back in our youth seem to get placed on the sidelines as responsibilities get bigger, and heavier.

We were all asked the dreaded ‘Five Year’ question sometime in our lives, and for most of us we had an answer. My best friend of 13 years and I started this awesome anime blog in the beginning of 2016, and next month will be our two-year anniversary.

Do I still want to have my very own anime convention with A. Goldman and I as it’s founders and creators in the next ten years? Yes! Do I see myself going for more than just a certification in Audio Engineering? Yes. Do I see myself moving out, driving a car, getting a place of my own? Yes! Where do I see myself in five years? Doing all of the above and more, that’s what!

No matter what I do or where I find myself in the next five years; I will always love anime and manga, I will continue to be one of the founders of D&A, I will continue to work on my dream of becoming a DJ/Producer, and most of all, I will strive to be the best ‘Me’ that I can be!