to the beginning about the domain the reigning queen
willpower network upcoming projects to say farewell

About Ishiryoku + History

This is the eighth domain that I've owned during the course of my web-life and my goal is to make it my most successful. I've always planned on making various websites and how I'd want to go about them, but I could never execute it well or at all, so I ended up with a lot of shoulda-coulda-woulda projects. Hopefully, this time I will finally be able to complete some of my long-standing projects and share with others the passion I have for the subjects they're based on. Oh, and last but not least, the hosting for this domain is provided by the lovely and gracious Misaki of Three-Words. If you need hosting, I highly recommend using her services. Fair prices, reliable up-time and she's quick to respond if you need assistance or have concerns with your site. This domain nor any of its sites would be up without her fantastic services, so I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to be hosted by her.

I purchased this domain from Namecheap on April 2nd, 2014 with the intention of returning to the web design world, but due to lack of focus and time it essentially just became a place for me to host my latest fanlistings and random files used for work/school. Honestly, this domain would still most likely be nothing more than a blank index page if it wasn't for the insistence of an old friend. I reconnected with my old friend Emrys, and we got to talking about shrines and ideas. Next thing I knew, I was grabbing a notebook to jot down these ideas, and opening Photoshop to try and make something resembling a layout. I also have to give credit to Crystal, as she's been a driving force behind me finding motivation to get things done around here. I'm kinda out of the loop on what's hot or 'trendy' with shrines and the like, so her insight and suggestions on my projects has been super helpful. She's also just all-around fantastic for listening to my whining and random thoughts about my sites, and I told her she'd be getting an honorable mention for putting up with it. Hah!

A Little Insight on the Name

What's in a name? For me, a name represents the core, the very core of the subject matter. A character, a username, a site - no matter what it is, I always try to put thought into the name I select, and when appropriate I enjoy including a bit of myself in it. For this domain, I spent a good amount of time brainstorming potential ideas before deciding to move forward with Ishiryoku. So what was in the name? Quite a bit, this time around.

Ishi-ryoku (意志力) is a Japanese word that essentially translates to strength of will or roughly meaning — willpower. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, willpower is defined as the ability to control yourself or a strong determination that allows you to do something difficult. For examples and more information, see here.

Choosing to go with a name that means willpower wasn't a random choice. When I knew for sure that I wanted to get back into making websites, I wrote down all of the names I'd used previously. As I read over them, I noticed a reoccurring theme — all of my old domains sported names that I'd chosen purely because they sounded cool. Not that selecting a name based on its appeal or aesthetics is bad, but I wanted something more meaningful this time. Easier said than done, but then I got to thinkin'. A certain level of personality and love goes into the sites you create, so it only felt appropriate to use a name that I felt embodied that same amount passion. On that train of that, I made a list of words that I felt expressed my goal with the domain, as well as a smaller list of words that also summed up an aspect of myself.

Willpower was the word that stood out the most, both for my projects and also as a way to describe me. I've had a rough life; been through things that have more in common with a tragic Korean drama or Lifetime movie than most would think. But I've made it through most of the trials tossed at me through sheer willpower alone, more often than not. My strength of will has allowed me to rise above the many negatives, to find a place in this world where I'm mostly content with not only my life, but also proud of myself. When I had nothing or no one else, I had my willpower - and that is what drives me even now. Considering how many times I've attempted to make sites and failed at maintaining them, I felt naming it Ishiryoku might just be the inspiration I needed. A little extra motivation to push through my procrastination and doubt to finally make a site I'm proud of. One that is brimming with love and dedication. Suitable, no?