Why do you come here every day?  To promote yourself? To Troll the forums? To check news? Here's my story if you want, if you don't care, then skip it and just tell me why you come here.  But I think you should read it.  It might make you think.
 
Every week day around 8:45 am, I sit down at my computer at work, open up Google Chrome, and up pops giantbomb.com; It's a website, about video games.  I sit at my computer all day doing whatever it is that I'm paid to do, but all the while constantly refreshing Giant Bomb.  Opening up the forums, checking for news, watching videos, updating wiki pages.  I have the site open the whole time I'm at work, for 9 hours straight I'm online.  Then I go home, take care of anything I have to (cut the grass, open mail, eat, clean, etc.), sit down at my computer/gaming area, and start gaming.  I game as long as I can, whether it be my girl friend's attention or sleep that stops me.  I wake up the next morning, go to work, sit down and load up Google Chrome.  Wash. Rinse. Repeat. But I rarely visit on weekends.
 
I had never visited the site before I started working this day job and it will be a year that I've been here come the end of September.  I'm not really one to watch my post count or anything, but you can't not notice when it's starting to get up there.  I've never even participated on a forum before, and I found a place where I'll be able to rack up over 2000. 
 
But it has got me thinking.  What  really is Giant Bomb to me?  Why do I come here every day?  Is it something to do while I procrastinate at work or has it become something more than that?  Maybe it was a great distraction when I first started, but now that I actually participate has it become a place of comfort to me?  I know a few people's personalities by now, I can tell it is them by reading their post before even checking their name.  I've seen people join and become Giant Bomb famous for changing their avatar for a few days, and seen people leave by choice and by force.  I see new posters come with their low post counts and look down on them when they start pointing people to the rules and FAQs for attention and to fit in.  There is drama and arguments and everything else that comes with a community, but in the end, none of it matters.
 
People seem to love forums because of the anonymity, so is that why I'm here?  You can truly be yourself when you are hiding behind a mask and there are no consequences to your actions.  But I can honestly say that anything I would say on here, I would say in person as well.  I'm not here to hide behind a mask or troll forums (though I do find it hilarious).  Can it be called a comfortable place if no one would notice if I was gone?  If tomorrow I stopped visiting the forums, and only checked the site for news, I would be lost in the archives forever and no one would remember fwylo. I would go on living, affected by what I've seen on here and who I've met.  But is anyone who's ever seen one of my posts, ever going to think back to it like it affected them in some way? In all reality I'd hope so, but I don't really care. 
 
I've found there are two types of people on the internet.  People who want to be seen, and people who don't care if they're seen.  Honestly, there is nothing wrong with either type. But do you know which one you are?  Do you come to Giant Bomb to put yourself out there and hope someone notices?  Or do you come to give your opinion that people can take to heart or throw it away? 
 
All in all I've found a place that I like to be.  There are many laughs to be had and many good conversations to participate in. I came here for a distraction, was held in by the staff videos and their personalities, then became a part of the community that I enjoy so much. Giant Bomb has become something to me that I never thought it would as well as something I never thought I could actually be a part of.  I come here to be myself and help others when I can.  I can take a joke and like to think I can tell a good one as well.  I LOVE this place as much as any of you.  Something you can pour your whole soul in to and will always be there to return the favor. 
 
As much as I hope I've changed an opinion or two, made someone laugh, pissed someone off.  In the end, I don't give a damn. If tomorrow I tried to log on and all the whiskey sites were gone forever, sure it would suck, but my life would easily go on. 
  
So I must thank all the TOP MEN and all the amazing staff for what they provided for us.  You have given us all something I can guarantee you never thought you would. 
 
So tell me Duders (I hate that word), why are you here? 
 
-Respect.