(I have been browsing and searching for something like a "New Member" board, but since I couldn't find any I figured this the best place to introduce myself.)
Hi and hello, dear Shenmue Dojo!
I am CodingGenesis, I am 26 years old and I live in Vienna. I've been following this community since 2002 and it quickly became my most important Shenmue resource. I always appreciated the efforts of this community and the fact that it still exists and that there are still so many members keeping it alive is just great.
I have always read the topics of this board and the main site's news with quite a share of mixed feelings over the years. On the one hand this board shows how many Shenmue fans there are and how much they love it, on the other hand it is kinda like a mirror of all the hope, disappointment, anger and dreams we all share.
I was 14 years old when I played Shenmue for the first time. To think that today I am 26, still playing Shenmue and still wanting the story to come to an end feels a bit strange. Sometimes I feel like that teenager again who was so engrossed in those games, playing them again and again, each time discovering something new. Today it feels like an old memory, even if I just finished Shenmue II again, it instantly feels like an old memory and I can't deny that sometimes I feel a little sad, too.
I am a student at the University of Vienna, studying Japanology / Japan Studies and Sinology / China Studies. I am hugely interested in languages and in translating texts. Some of my hobbies include programming, books, music and video games.
So, why have I registered now of all times and after all these years? Well, the truth is, I can't really explain it myself. I just kinda have the feeling that now I should do it. That from now on it is a good time to be able to take part in discussions.
Well, that's it for the time being. If you have questions feel free to ask. I feel happy to finally be an "official" member of this community!