Some Really Major News . . . .
I haven’t shared this news here, but I have on my personal blog. I couldn’t talk about it for a long time because I didn’t know if I was allowed to, what I was allowed to say and when I was allowed to say it. It has been semi-formally announced, it’s been trickling around the web slowly and I’m starting to get emails about it. Because of that I feel I can now speak about it.
Many have probably wondered why I took down the reciprocal links between here and the soap site months ago. Well it’s because months ago I chose to give up the soap site. The following is a post from my personal blog from about a month ago explaining it all . . . . .
As you may or may not have heard, I have in fact sold my site SoapOperaFan.com to one of the companies that advertise on my site. The sale was actually made months ago, I had just stayed on to continue running the site for the time being until they took over. It now seems they are finally going to be taking over soon, and even posted on the site’s forum about the site being sold and what not. It’s not on the main site yet, but soon changes will be made there and it will become evident. Probably within a month I’ll no longer be working on the site anymore, or if I am in a very limited capacity while they take over and get the hang of things.
I’ve actually been waiting to be bombarded with emails about this from the forum post, but they never came. Most people who post there (the forum) asked me questions, I answered them. I had also written this standard explanation right after the sale and plan to set it as the “auto-response” for my email when the time comes and I start getting tons of emails about what happened. Here’s what I wrote (and posted on the forum as well) . . . .
I’ve been doing my various soap pages (Days, Another World, Passions, The O.C.) for almost fourteen years now. What started out as a hobby essentially blossomed into pretty much a full time job over the past several years.
For well over a year I had been receiving offers from parties interested in taking over or purchasing the page. I turned down initial offers, but a year later when more came along, I was at a point in my life where I had some choices to make regarding my future. As many of you may or may not know, I’ve been in graduate school for a long time now, and I’d really like to finish! The soaps were supposed to be a hobby, not my life and career, but that’s what it started to feel like for me. Due to the fact that I am now on a very strict deadline to finish school, I opted to make the difficult choice to give up the page.
Other issues also factored in my choice. As I have said, it was not an easy choice as the page has been so much a part of my life for almost 14 years now that I couldn’t imagine not doing it anymore. That in and of itself was a major issue for me believe it or not. I felt I was putting too much of my time into the page, sacrificing school, personal time, and well a personal life for the page at times. As many who have been with me for a long time know, I would even keep the page up to date while on vacation. Let me tell you, that doesn’t go over well with those you vacation with!
So all these factors contributed in my decisions to give up the page, and I truly hope you can understand. Again this wasn’t an easy choice for me, but essentially for so long I feel I have put the page first and now it was time to put me first.
-Dustin
All of the above was written by me back in early February. The whole transition has taken a little longer than expected. I honestly didn’t expect to be doing the pages past the end of last year to be frank. This as well as other things caused a mini-melt-down for me recently, which unfortunately has forced me to say goodbye rather abruptly I know.
Sadly all obligations I have to the site have ended. I stayed on past when I was obligated to mainly out of concern and care for it, as it was my “baby.” However the point of selling was for me to be able essentially retire from the daily workings, the updates, the time consumption and the frustrations; to focus on school and moving on with my life. At this point my staying on as long as I have and any further is just defeating that purpose.
So I’ve brought you all up to speed now. The reason I’m posting this here and now is probably evident at this point. I wanted it all out in the open in case people started leaving messages in the shoutbox about what is going on, which they are. And like I said, emails have already started trickling in. The site will continue to be updated, just not by me. The updates should start up again this week with an official explination as to what is going on. Eventually there will also be a sleek new redesign of the site.
Again, I’m continuing with this site as well as all my other personal sites/blogs. I can now focus on my school work from pretty much 9 to 5 and then have time to relax and enjoy myself for once. Once my dissertation draft is turned in and it’s all about editing then I hope to expand this site a little more than the personal blog it is now. As I mentioned before, I’m hoping to pull some others in to blog about shows I don’t.
If you have any questions, you can email me or leave them in the comments. Nasty comments will be deleted though 🙂
-Dustin
Hey Dustin, Good for you for putting your personal life first. I was always amazed at how much effort you put into the site. Good for you for doing it for so long and I hope you made some decent money on selling your “baby”. Thank you for what you created and I’m glad that you will still be maintaining this website/blog as I find it quite fun to read. Have a great day and good luck with your other future endeavors.
03.26.2008 at 11:37 am
Congratulations Dustin! Enjoy your new-found “me” time. Good luck in all you do.
03.26.2008 at 11:46 am
Grats on putting yourself and your education first. We’ve appreciated your hard work over the years.
03.26.2008 at 12:10 pm
I’m happy that you are giving yourself a little more personal time. AS someone who has been reading your DAYS site for years I have to say I will miss your thoughts that you include on the site.
03.26.2008 at 3:00 pm
Dustin-
I just wanted to say thank you for all the work you have done of us soap fans. I’m an avid Days fan since my grandmother got me hooked when I was 7 years old. Working full time and going to school, I have zippo time to watch soaps at all and you’ve kept me up to date over the years. I greatly appreciate it and the things you’ve given up for my personal addictions and needs of soap knowledge! I’m very glad you are taking time for yourself and I wish you great luck and much success with school and life.
03.26.2008 at 4:13 pm
I was curious about your thoughts for last week.
now, we know!
well, Dustin, I enjoyed your site for years and years.
i remembered u started the site on AOL.
I don’t think i will continue going to soapoperafan site much longer.
it won’t be the same without u.
in the mean time, ENJOY YOUR ME TIME!
03.26.2008 at 7:15 pm
I’ll miss your work on the site, but I am glad I found your blogs. Enjoy your new relaxing life (if one in grad school can call it that!)
03.26.2008 at 10:52 pm
Dustin…
As always, I wish you the very best in everything my friend! While I quit chatting quite some time ago, I retained a few people who have proven to be very good friends to me – you being one of those! I wish you every success always in all your endeavors!
much love,
Tami
03.27.2008 at 1:38 pm
Dustin,
I will really miss reading your thoughts on Days. That was the main reason I checked your site. I probably won’t read that site much anymore. So glad you are taking good care of you. Thanks for all your hard work. I’m happy to have found this site!!
03.27.2008 at 2:04 pm
Dustin,
Just wanted you to know that the first time I got on the internet in 1996(yes, I remember that first time), I didn’t know what to search for, so I just typed in Day s of Our Lives and I got your site and bookmarked it. I have kept up with it ever since…reading your summaries and thoughts. It is amazing that no matter what happens in life, I will remember the first site I went to. You are earmarked in someone’s history. You should be proud!
I’ll miss you, but happy that you are doing what you want to do in life!
Thanks for the memories!
With love,
Allison
03.27.2008 at 4:55 pm
Thanks Dustin for everything you’ve put into the Days and OC pages over the years. I’ve been a fan for many – many – years now. I understand the need to focus on your most important priorities, and please know I appreciate the sacrifices you made to keep the site running for as long as you did.
Good luck with school – and I look forward to continue reading the Primetime Dish every single day since we share many favorite primetime shows in common! Thanks again!
03.27.2008 at 7:44 pm
Thanks for all the kind words 🙂
03.27.2008 at 8:03 pm
Thanks for all the good laughs and reading of your Days site. You will be missed. So glad you are getting less stress now for your health and well being. Also glad to know you will be doing what you want to do and have to do for yourself. Cheers to you for all the years of giving to others.
03.27.2008 at 8:18 pm
I’m going to miss the site. It’s become a part of my daily life as well! Best wishes for the future! I hope one day the site may return!
03.28.2008 at 12:45 am
I’m always unsure of what to write so I’ve tended lurk and not take part in any forams or leave comments on halo scan. But i have to say thankyou for all your hard work and you will be missed. Goodluck
03.28.2008 at 4:46 am
Thank you for all the time and effort you put into the soap site. I really enjoyed reading it over the years. Your thoughts were my favorite part. I fully support your decision to stop updating that site and concentrate on your education. Good luck with all that you do!
03.28.2008 at 11:11 am
I really enjoyed reading the updates on Days…I will really miss your writing.
Just wanted to say a quick “Thanks”!
& Good Luck!
Take care,
Jen
03.28.2008 at 10:18 pm
Thanks for doing the site as long as you did. You gave a lot of enjoyment and provided a lot of people with exposure to other sites (including my former site).
Good luck and enjoy your “retirement”.
mike
03.29.2008 at 4:46 pm
Your site was my first site on the net and where I found and learned about other sites. For the first three years I was on the net I started my day by opening and reading your site. Thank you so much for all you did for us soap fans. Good luck to you and let us know when you finally graduate.
03.29.2008 at 7:23 pm
Crap! You will be missed.
03.30.2008 at 2:53 pm
I just wanted to thank you for all your hard work. Your site introduced me to many special new friends. Good luck with school.
03.30.2008 at 7:28 pm
I’ve been reading your Days page for years. I will miss it so much especially your thoughts. In the past week, when the page wasn’t updated, I was worried something had happened to you (since normally you’d let us know when you were on vacation etc…) I’m glad you’re okay. Thank you for all your hard work & dedication. I wish you well with everything in life!
03.30.2008 at 10:08 pm
Again thanks all 🙂
I really wanted to post something on the page about what was going on, but honestly I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to or not. There is a lot I basically probably shouldn’t talk about, so I won’t, let’s leave it at that lol.
Given the news is out, that’s why I finally started posting what I could where I could, to give an explanation. I know some people are pissed at me, well what can I do. I spent many years learning you can’t please everyone, no matter how hard you try 🙂
03.30.2008 at 10:12 pm
Good Luck to you Dustin. I will miss your thoughts. I always enjoyed reading the thoughts more than anything. I hope you enjoy your “me” time.
03.30.2008 at 10:16 pm
Good luck with your future endeavors. I always enjoyed your soap site and reading about Days. I appreciated your post here and the explAnation behind you selling your site. Again, good luck!
03.30.2008 at 10:41 pm
Hi,Dustin. I just wanted to thank you for all the years that you put into your website. I’ve read it for years and years and like other people said, my favorite part was your comments. So, you will be missed, but I’m very happy that you were able to sell it and concentrate on other things in your life. I don’t know how your kept it up for so many years! Good luck with everything and thanks again!
03.31.2008 at 6:40 am
You will be missed on the days/passion site! I always loved reading your comments. Best of luck to all you do in the future.
03.31.2008 at 8:02 am
thank you for all you have done to keep us working fans updated on the ongoings of DOOL. You will be missed more then you know, although I for one am more than happy for you to be pursuing your personal goals in life. I wish you all the happiness no matter where you end up. I do hope that you continue to stay in touch with all your fans you have earned over the years with your hard work and commentment to soapoperafan.com. All my love and support.
03.31.2008 at 8:59 pm
I’m sorry to see you go…you’ve always been so helpful with info I’ve sent to you concerning Bill and Susan Hayes. Good luck to you Dustin, I believe you will succeed in anything you decide to do.
Lana
04.01.2008 at 1:47 am
Dustin –
I have been reading your site for the last 12 years back when i first started college! you kept me up to date on days when i couldnt watch it while in class! you will be missed but best of luck to you and your studies!
04.02.2008 at 10:55 am
Hi Dustin,
I had been wondering if something was going on since the site had not been updated in awhile and am glad to find out that everything is OK and you are just at a bit of a crossroads. I had wondered how long you would do the page, since you seem to juggle so much at once. I will definitely miss your personal touch on the site and wish you the best.
04.03.2008 at 2:09 pm
Your thoughts were the only reason I went to the website, I loved reading it! I will miss your opinion for sure!!
04.04.2008 at 9:25 pm
Thanks for keeping me entertained for many years. I looked forward to reading your thoughts on Days. You will be sorely missed! And thank you for the sacrifices you made to keep us informed and enlightened. Good luck with finishing grad school and whatever you choose to do after grad school! Again you will be missed!!
~Missy~
04.12.2008 at 12:59 am