I discuss the crossroads I am at as a pro wrestling fan in this article. I am still leery of the article and feel in some ways I come across as too elite and preachy but it does accurately describe the gambit of emotions I have been experiencing the past couple of weeks: http://placetobenation.com/wrestling-with-expectations/

Great read.

 

I do hope the deficencies of the modern scene doesn't dull your passion for all wrestling. Easily one of the most passionate people about pro wrestling on this board, and given some of the people who frequent this place, that's something.

Loved this piece. Your concerns are unfounded, Chad. You come across as someone that is unsure of the road ahead when it comes to one of your biggest hobbies. Very relatable.

My only real piece of advice is that you keep in mind your expectations for yourself, first and foremost, and don't weigh yourself too heavily against them. There's no right or wrong way to enjoy something. Maybe you feel that one way is purer or more direct than another, that it taps into the energy and meaning of something more, that there's more heart than head involved, and that's ok, but it's perfectly fine to go the other way as well.

 

If you're enjoying a hobby, then you're doing it right. If that means getting drunk and screaming at heels, fine. If that means staying sober and putting a bag over your head and turning your back on what you feel to be an overpushed babyface, then you're being an ass, but that's probably fine too. If that means taking notes and writing essays later, that's fine too. So long as you aren't impeding anyone else's enjoyment in the moment, then the most important thing is that you enjoy yourself

 

On a personal note, I do think you underestimate how your child growing into a toddler and beyond will affect your life in this regard, both in becoming something that eclipses any obsessiveness you put into wrestling and potentially your own Dylan (the younger) as someone who share in the wonder of it all with. The former has affected me far more than the latter, mind you.

 

Final thought is this, you've seen a lot, very broadly, and your best of lists attest to that. I have places I can explore that are brand new to me, whether it be Continental or joshi or UK or when I took a year and watched a ton of Portland or what I've done with lucha. I'm not sure you have that many avenues left, but I'm sure you have a few, and maybe it makes sense for you to dive into one of those.