- I wouldn't have known IaMP, which was how I accidentally got into the fandom (
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UySaJa0-5o8 , if you remember me saying how I was searching for the "Ode to the 2-hit Combo" video )
- I wouldn't have gotten to challenge myself after seeing Dracil's IN Extra replay, and have acquired (at least not through Touhou) taste for shmups, and realization that the genre's not poorly designed, being actually possible to 1cc. Also, Touhou made me want to look for other shmups for comparisons, and that led me to discover the joy of scoring mechanics. (ironically, I'm bad at scoring in most Touhou games)
- very likely I wouldn't have brought myself to participate in the 2009 STG Tournament held in the shmups.org forums, since I wouldn't have developed shmup abilities (abilities? More like some ability, and lots of re-runs), and would be too afraid of hurting my team, with a bad performance. It turned out that the tournament was VERY fun, and I look forward for the next one!
- I wouldn't have gotten to meet one of my favorite characters ever. (see my avatar :p)
- wouldn't have met some nice people and respectable players here, and in the imageboard (I've started using #shrinemaiden last..)
- wouldn't have stopped playing MMORPGs as a hobby (more like social compromise, due to War of Emperiums and item hunting for WoEs, etc..), at least through Touhou
- wouldn't have gotten to play/watch Phantasm Romance (!)
- wouldn't have gotten to know (at least not through Touhou) about doujinsoft, and the amount of fanworks that can come out of events such as Comiket (every, or most aspiring manga artists -- or con-goers -- have heard about fan magazines, but most wouldn't perhaps understand -- I believe I still don't -- how things are, there, for comparison)
- perhaps would've spent more time thinking of my original (non-Touhou) story, however Touhou has helped me with some inspiration :p
- not having known about the amount of existing doujinsoft (not exactly Touhou-related), I would believe that it would be too hard for someone to create a PC game (outside of some independent developer examples found not through Touhou fandom)
- wouldn't have gotten motivation to create an account on nicovideo and pixiv :p
- would perhaps have spent more time trying to draw better (nowadays I rarely practice drawing)
- would've missed a series that have lots of potential for fanworks, due to its oriental atmosphere and characters; I don't remember getting interested in japanese culture like this, if not through Touhou. Also, would've missed the fanworks themselves, such as videos (A Day in Hakurei Shrine, Bad Apple stop motion version, gameplay/match videos, etc.)
tl;dr: I would've missed lots of stuff, but sometimes would probably change my preferences through something else. Still, i'm glad to be here