Along with everyone else going through the pain of 3 original members leaving it made me want to write a bit since I didn’t know what to do with these emotions. Seeing change and seeing all that has happened and is happening even when we are stuck or limited in action. This news made me examine myself and what I’ve accomplished as well as plans I’ve yet to, knowing whatever I would do the influence from Giant Bomb would be there.

This hit me at a time when I was at my worst low in my health. I was in and out of ERs for a month and still on writing on this I’m not 100%. So when this news hit me it consumed me and kicked me while I was already down. Bouncing from doctor’s appts. To pharmacies all while being in a toxic house and away from my wife. Made the perfect storm to hear the news and for some reason it was the last straw. Breaking down all while still trying to come back on my own health issues this hit me and I didn’t have anyone in person to share this with.

GB was the show(s), Podcasts and clips I would always put on after a long day. Along with Waypoint this family was what kept me company when I felt alone, needed to de-stress, unwind or just wanted to laugh. This relationship I had with the great personalities over the years was one as close as any friend if not more so. Filling my head with quotables for daily life, jokes to laugh at with myself and even something to share with my little brother.

It is personal yet something I share with everyone. I came to the site around 2016-17 with Waypoint, and fell in love. Jeff Gertsmann I immediately connected with from love of Hip Hop to perspectives as well as loving Vinny‘s pure kind yet chaotic self and the rest. Picking up pieces of shared interests a member would say off hand or for a joke knowing me and Vinny read a Hero with a thousands faces or how Ben and Jan came up in Toonami like me or catching every Hip Hop reference Jeff makes or how Austin’s political stance lines up with mine, etc. Forming a connection with each one only deepens with time and accessibility to them with things like social media and podcasts. That creates something I don’t know any generation pre internet could experience but also that could be my 90’s baby ignorance. Either way it’s something special yet so tormenting of a sad feeling that you’re losing someone or thing you never actually grasped.

I knew I found something I could relate and get back into gaming at a time when I just changed career paths from doing one where I knew if I continued I’d hate every day going into work. Fresh into committing to my passion of music and having some time off I took time to get back into something I hadn’t had time for. A self care of video games GB and Waypoint curated to just set sail. Meeting my wife, getting my music degree, being happy all whilst having GB playing in the background or on TV as I worked on my art.

It’s amazing how much a person can impact you when you never met them and may never will. I’ve felt this before with music artists but this was something so unique even among friends knowing I blew up their timeline with something they were alien to. So with this news looking at the great past and a future of GB I just can only stay on the ship Jeff is sailing and cry thinking back on all the memories and even many In the back log I’ve yet to see. I am happy to see them happy yet know this hit me to the point I can't stop binging GB East content.

Hate I wasn’t on GB sooner, that I never attended a live event, never saw a live PAX but also it isn't over. It is still here and much like everyone in 2020 I had all the time to binge shows. I appreciate being apart of this community full of fun and love. This appreciation goes to every individual member to all those in the orbit and echoing this to other related groups like Waypoint.

Much like how I feel with music artists that influenced me, I would love to meet any of the staff one day to simply say thank you; Thank you for keeping a brown kid you never met before company when he needed it most. God Bless

o7 <>