In the fall of 1999, I fell in love with DBZ and decided to try my hand at making a site. It was a failure. As I started browsing through more and more DBZ sites, I eventually stumbled on the likes of Planet Namek, VegettoEX's Homepage, and Temple O' Trunks. Now mind you, I didn't know that these sites had a certain position in the strange hierarchy of DBZ sites-I only knew that they were really good sites that I liked. When PN and ToT did not accept my link submission (EX scared me), I rethought things and made some changes. I couldn't find a decent Goku shrine. The only one I liked was last updated in 1997. So I decided to do that. I tossed out a bunch of pics I'd gotten off other sites and started using my own scans and/or screen captures. I tried to come up with cooler ideas to be interesting or funny. Not long after that, PN had another links submission opening so I sent mine in...and I was accepted.

At that point in time, there were what some called the Elite. Elite sites were ones that people ("everybody") knew-they were kinda famous. PN, ToT, EX, Vegeta Insane, DBZ Uncensored, and more. The group would vary from fan to fan. Sometimes Greg Werner's The Ultimate DBZ Information Site would be included or Dragon Ball Blast or Toriyama.org or others. The exact group was never set but I had an idea of who they were. And I'll be honest. I wanted to be one of those sites. When people talked about the best of the DBZ sites, I wanted for them to include Cat of Goku Central. Man, I wanted it. Maybe it's a silly desire since really and truly, it's far more important to have a good site than a known site but nonetheless, I had it. FYI, this was all between February and May of 2000. In late March, I wrote an editorial about voice acting in DBZ. I submitted it everywhere in creation. To EX, to ToT, to Kienzan's Edge, to Fate of Vegeta-to Saiya-jin Fusion Empire which was working its way up very quickly in the DBZ online community. Mostly I got positive feedback via e-mail and still do on occasion. EX declared mine as insanely cool crediting Cathy Michaels and cut out the link to my site in the editorial (which is fine now since that URL died not too long after). Sean Kendle credited me but said that I was from Planet Goku. He corrected it after I told him though. Heh heh. I got Editorial of the Week at Kienzan's Edge. Meri posted it up on her site-this was before she linked me though I sent in both submissions at the same time. Anywho's, I was Cathy Michaels who had written this good editorial and had a DBZ site. Maybe some people knew I was Cat from Goku Central, but it seemed like most did not.

Time passed. In May, I found a home of a message board at BBA/ToT not long after Meri added my link. The place became a hangout of sorts. Though I would still work on Goku Central, it was no longer that important to me about how many hits I got or if I'd ever achieve the level of the Elite. I was busy making friends and relaxing. I'm a bit of an introvert and didn't talk to many people online until then. Being a regular at the ToT board, I got a chance to talk to Meri more often. She and I grew to be good friends. For quite some time, she was the only DBZ webmaster I spoke with on a regular basis.

Well, I let my link submissions build up for...oh...maybe three months I think. Other stuff happened around that time. ToT and EX had to find new hosts. PN had a massive server bill. SJFE announced its closing at domain name expiration. DBZ Uncensored was up but fading away. Things looked pretty grim for our DBZ online community as some call it...didn't they? I disagree.

I'd already linked to DBKenkon awhile ago and liked Vej right away though I only knew her vaguely. She and I would stop by occasionally at each other's message boards. As I went through one link and another discovering several that irked me, I also found one (there was actually more than one but this one was special) from someone who said that she'd already linked me and had been a long time ago. This was a good site. Aku No Nawabari. And do you know what I found there (aside from a very cool person running it and other spiffy stuff)? I found an editorial that used Acting Analysis by Cathy Michaels as its basis. That was one of the most flattering moments in my time online. I had actually inspired someone. Do you have any idea how cool that is??? DO YOU!???!?! Since Lena had found the editorial off of EX's site, she did not know that it was by the same person who ran Goku Central. I had a very cool coincidental moment telling her about it. Like Vej, I don't get to talk to her that often but it's always a pleasure when I do. Soon after that lil' occurrence, I stumbled onto Savage Z. I signed the guestbook and linked the place. In doing this, I also met MG as he e-mailed me not long after to thank me. He is incredible. I gave him my AIM name and we started to talk on a regular basis-not so much now since I'm not even on AIM that much lately. We had some cool conversations. He gave me my very own Goku cola machine too. What a guy, huh? And sometime between then and now, he invited me into a chat where I got to meet ADawg (recently announced presence of Majin Seishin at MG.com), S4 (MajinGohan.com), and Lordess (Twisted World). There was someone from DBJapan there who said about two sentences while I was there. It was an interesting experience since I kind of knew who they were though I'd hardly directly spoken to any of them beforehand. Vej was there too at some point. I didn't know her AIM name so I felt pretty silly when she told me. Anyway, S4 asked if I had a site. I told him that I did and gave the URL. I knew he'd already been there at least once since my site was going to be reviewed before his site closed. He thought it was pretty cool. Well, the chat eventually ended. I only hope that I will get the chance to join in such chats again.

Future Foretold, The Lunch Box, SaiyanBrat's Lair, The Jinzouningen Temple, Nani, Planet Z, Southern City, DBZOA, GotenMYz DFW, The Nimbus Cloud, Sailor Balls, and Starwolf's Dragonball Z Domain are some other good DBZ-related sites that I would like to mention in addition to the ones already noted in this editorial. I know I'm forgetting some beyond those. While it's true there may be a decline of interest in DBZ for some, it's shown to not hold true for all. Even at that, some who aren't interested in DBZ still love to work on their sites. The Elite of the time when I entered onto the DBZ scene may have changed, but awesome DBZ sites are not lacking. I'm tempted to go so far as to say the Elite no longer exist. Sure, several sites that were a part of that group are still around, but now there are so many more good sites out there. And that group just isn't the same. You know what I've come to realize in the past few months? I've established myself. When I speak, people listen. Not everybody but more than I thought apparently. Though no one's ever said that they look up to me, they have expressed respect for me. I like that. Perhaps my site is not the legendary awesome one I wanted it to be, but it has made its mark as a good one.

Since that November evening when I opened a whee little site devoted to DBZ, I have seen many changes. I have seen sites come and go before I ever really had a chance to peruse them. Of ones that I do get to look through thoroughly, I have seen some stay, grow, and/or die. Or retire in some cases. And in my case, I have seen my site grow-yet there is still so much more to do.

~Cat

http://www.gokucentral.net