Writing.  I've been dreading this activity for what seems like forever.  The last time I actually blogged about something significant and interesting was back in late 2005.  I stopped after some co-workers had found my blog while googling and brought it to my boss' attention.  Yes, I was one of those idiots that didn't put his blog on a privacy setting.  Unlike most situations where work bosses discover a blog primarily used for venting about the job and fire the blogger however, I wasn't disciplined or anything along those lines.  My boss told me he was glad I was "letting it out" about the workplace so I wouldn't keep my emotions bottled up inside.  It was pretty nice of him to say that, but still, from that moment forward I thought twice about writing.  I slowly stopped caring.  After a while, I had pretty much given it up altogether. 
 
Do I still have your attention?  Forgive me...the thought process is a little rusty at churning out the stuff.  It feels like I'm trying to wring an already-dry washcloth for some water.
 
There would be some occasional flashes of inspiration to put pen to paper, but they quickly came and went.  Nothing was passionate enough for me to write about.  And to top it all off, I was too lazy to start looking for, and to set up and configure, a new blog site.  However, if there was anything I was still interested in over the years, it was video game coverage.  It could be game news, reviews, previews, videos, or just humorous presentation of any of those things - they all kept me interested and thoroughly entertained.
 
For me, all of that entertainment came from GameSpot starting in 2003.  With guys like Greg Kasavin, Jeff Gerstmann, Ryan Davis, Alex Navarro, Brad Shoemaker, Giancarlo Varanini, Matthew Rorie, and Rich Gallup providing the content (really that list could be stretched even further), every published item was something unique and engaging.  It was fun to be a fan of the website, and a fan of video games in general.  Things would stay that way until late 2007 when a certain controversial issue occurred at GameSpot involving Jeff Gerstmann.  Slowly, my favorite group of editors began to scatter and leave the website.  The published content no longer contained the same pull and draw I expected it to have.  In a nutshell, none of it was fun anymore.
 
Fast forward to early this year.  I had heard that Jeff, Ryan, and Brad were part of a site called Giant Bomb but I hadn't really checked it out because the interest had been dormant for a while.  At any rate, I started reading up on game reviews, downloading the podcasts, and then I checked out the archived Quick Looks. The Quick Looks I absolutely loved; they gave the viewers a playthrough of certain video games without giving too much away.  The commentaries from the editors were also a nice touch - they were sometimes funny, sometimes insightful, and always entertaining.  The New Super Mario Bros. Wii video comes to mind with all four editors in on the gaming action.  Also, I already knew the editors were funny, but even Dave Snider (someone I knew nothing about) had a few gems.  I'll never forget his struggles during the Family Feud 2010 video where he was having difficulty with the Wii remote inputting answers, and the "garbageman" vs. "garbage-man" confusion.  Laughing hysterically, I immediately became a fan of the Whiskey Media designer and developer.
 
The next piece of content I got hooked on was the Deadly Premonition endurance run.  The editors took a technically mediocre game, struggled with it, and brought out the amazing heart contained within.  I remember thinking the game was just a never-ending joke-fest with its cheesy dialogue and myriad of technical problems.  About a quarter of the way through the run, the story was drawing us fans in.  By the end of the run, we were left wanting more.  I know the staff said no more endurance runs, but I'm still holding out hope for another one to come along soon.  Just for kicks, I've already started checking out the Persona 4 endurance run videos.
 
The Quest system was another piece of content I was addicted to.  I would spend hours looking for the games that would be the correct answers for site quests.  It was a simple activity, and yet it drew you in.  It was like an online scavenger hunt, but more fun.
 
While Giant Bomb had all this interesting content to look at, little did I know that it wasn't the only site in the Whiskey Media family that was worth checking out.  I started checking out articles under Comic Vine, Anime Vice, Tested, and Screened.  It was like a chain while I was browsing these sites: one clicked link led to another, and another, and another.  I know I sound like a broken record, but the articles were all informative and entertaining!
 
With all that being said, I have to say congrats and kudos to Shelby Bonnie, his team, and all the men and women who have put together this fantastic network of media sites.  I love that all the editors and staff aren't held back, and can say whatever they feel about the topics they cover.  The passion just pours out and it's hard not to love.  And now with their new office digs, I expect the camaraderie and content to grow.  For me, these sites have just made surfing the net interesting and fun again.
 
I hope they all keep up the great work!