Wednesday 15 October 2008

15 October 2006.


It has been exactly 2 years, to this very day, since I signed up to YouTube. Back on October 15th, 2006, I had no idea what a significant, life-changing decision that would be.

I originally signed up just so that I could comment on random music videos, clips of the tv show friends, and other generic videos of the sort.

I then stumbled upon an underworld of vloggers talking to their cameras.

itsSelvo was the very first person I subscribed to, closely followed by renetto... followed by paperlilies, and many others...

I started leaving comments on their videos, but then I began to feel guilty that they would have no idea who I was, because my channel was completely bare.... so I started to make videos of my own.

After 3 months of making vlogs, I got featured on the global front page of youtube, and gained hundreds of subscribers over night.

Since then my subscriber number has continued to grow, to the point now, where I have over 18,000 subscribers.

Youtube has played a significant part in my life over the past two years. I have travelled up and down the country because of it. I've gone to London to meet up with fellow vloggers, been to Thrope Park theme park, stayed with Charlie in Bath whilst going to see him in his play, been invited to the RNLI headquarters down in Poole for a weekend packed full of fun lifeboating activities...

I've made lots of great friends on youtube both in the UK, and overseas...

It's strange how youtube could be described as "just" a website on the internet, and yet, it's played such a big part in moulding me into the person I am today.

I know today is just a day like any other on youtube, and it doesnt really matter that today is the 15th of October, but the date has made me feel awfully reflective and nostalgic...

I guess the point of this blog post is to say say thank you. Thank you to YouTube. Thank you to everyone who has watched my videos, who has commented, rated and favourited, and all those people who have subscribed to me. I'm blown away by the fact that I have so many people watching my silly little videos on youtube. It means the world to me.

I wonder where Youtube will take me in the next 2 years?!

...

12 comments:

Barry Aldridge said...

You deserve it Johnny, You are brillant to watch mate.

Anonymous said...

I dont really know you, you dont know me at all... but I just wanna say you look like a real nice person, and you really amuse me while i'm watchin your "silly little videos on youtube"!

greeting from a 20yrs old unknown guy from Portugal!

thank you;) [[[]]]


Ps.: And u also like Scrubs.. so.. xD

Anonymous said...

It makes me happy to know that your audience is able to make difference in your life just as much as you do ours. I still tell people about random acts of kindness. :D

Thanks for sharing your videos with us and entertaining us, even if we do have bare channels like you once did. ;D

May the next two years bring more than if not equal awesomeness to the first two. ^^

Happy youtube birthday "JohnnyDurham19", hehe.

Simply Jalyn said...

Happy Anniversary Johnny!

Anonymous said...

Congrats Johnny! Happy Anniversary. I love YouTube and the people it's put me in touch with. =)

Kylie said...

Happy Aniversary to you, Johnny! I'm very glad that you did join youtube, because without your videos I would smile quite a bit less :)

Hugs! <3

SHANELLE said...

It's so amazing how one site can change someone's life. And don't forget the impact your videos have had on your viewers because your videos are amazing. :]

Angela Chong said...

You really do deserve the 18,000 subscribers, Johnny. I don't mean to come off as self centered, but I'm guessing it's the massive amount of support you get from us subscribers that keep you going? XP

LOL, well anyway, I really like your videos. They have a sense of random humor to them which is something I don't see often.

Happy 2nd anniversary, JohnnyDurham19!!!

CathyDirector said...

Hey Johnny, congratz to the 2nd year. I know you from the beginning. :)

You make great Videos. In the Past, on the beginning too.

Wayne said...

Congrats :)

You were like the second person I ever subscribed to I think and that has to be nearly 2 years ago. It was just after you got globally featured I think.

Its amazing how big a part youtube can play in your life if you let it.

Kiky said...

Kudos for your anniversary, Johnny-e!

I concur with you: Youtube can easily change your life overnight. One day you are unknown to the world. and the next day you are a cyber-idol. Astoundingly, there are many ways in which your actual life can be modified by something that does not physically exist, something virtual, unmaterialised... and you epitomise such possibility.

From the emergence of the television to the Internet, technology is embedded in the lives of millions around the world, and consequently affects their behaviour and schemata. It has had repercussions in a myriad of activities people do, such as creating relationships, spending their leisure time, getting things done, acquiring goods, communicating with other people, etc.

And since everything that alters or influences human behaviour should be opportunely studied, Cyberpsychology takes on.

Cyberpsychology is the study of the human mind and behaviour in the context of human-technology interaction. It encompasses all psychological phenomena that are associated with or impacted by emerging technology.

And that is what I am interested in. I am really looking forward to seeing how these technologies are going to become part of our daily lives. They are already doing it, but not to their fullest extent.

etnobofin said...

congrats on 2 years on YouTube - look how far you've come!

I think I was among the first few hundred subscribers... and proud to have been on board near the beginning of JD19 journey. Keep it up!

Richard