Like everyone on here, the news has genuinely shaken and upset me, and really had me reflect on the time I've had with this site
Although they alluded to it on the Bombcast this week I thought it might be heartening for the staff to know exactly what GB has meant to people on here in their own lives. So, if you'll indulge me...
2005 - at university in Scotland (University of Glasgow) I got fully into On The Spot. It would air at 2am in the UK and I would stay up for it. I believe I was the first person to get Ryan Davis saying "Martin From Glasgee" as opposed to Glasgow when referring to my comments.
2008 - a real tumultuous time in my own life, involving moving from my home town of Glasgow to Edinburgh (1 hr away but having lived in SLC as a kid I know that's nothing to the USA people) and a big breakup, to start teaching really usurped me. It was the same time that Arrow Pointing Down / GB was forming and I felt a strong identity with their whole discombobulated nature. I believe I joined GB as a member in 2008 and my profile picture has never changed... that's me at 22. I was very active on the site in those days, completing quests and the like as it was a rare outlet for me.
2013 - on holiday with my then girlfriend (now wife) as we checked into our hotel in Croatia, I read the article (and I will never forget the name) "Giant Bomb Has Suffered a Profound Loss". Reading about Ryan Davis' passing really upset me - he was a joy to watch, and I remember trying to articulate it to my girlfriend as to why I was upset.
Bizarrely, one of my favourite Bombcast moments is tied to the week after, when Jeff spoke about the 3DS Street pass Rabbit. Both those events are intertwined in my head.
2014 - before I was promoted in my current job, I became a marker for the Scottish exams. During this, I had to stay at a hotel marking English and Media papers. During this time I took part in the famous Bombcast "beef" thread and wrote a screed that was read against Primary / Elementary school teachers. I also extolled that History teachers could *drink*.
I apologise now to Primary / Elementary teachers.
2015 - episode 3 of the Beastcast. I listened to it on my wife and I's first of 4 trips to Tokyo. These were planned as "once in a lifetime" and we were very lucky in that we gained friends who let us use their place as we went on. But that first one was in a tiny room, and I remember rocking back from Akihabara with my first Super Famicom, Mickeys Magical Quest and an unboxed Final Fight as I listened to episode 3 and drank a Strong Zero. I still count many Beastcasts it has been since that date to remember it, every week.
2017 - we owned our own house and Ben and Abby did their first e3. I still have that t shirt with them dabbing on it, and it cracks me up thinking about their absolute bemusement at the whole event.
I should also add at this point that Dan and Austin are both lovely. Austin is particularly someone I still follow as he is so articulate and thoughtful.
2020 - mid lockdown, I remember watching Alex trucking live on my TV. I was building the crib for our (now 9 months old) baby. It was the most cathartic thing I've ever watched, as I struggled with IKEA instructions and the omnipresent dread of putting that thing together and who would be in it.
2021 - here we are. My baby is 9 months old and I wonder what he will do every day.
I feel lucky that I got a couple of emails read this year- one about videogame characters heights, and one about Speedtree, a couple of weeks ago. Everything is in flux. He's this close to crawling. Giant Bomb has changed again. I wonder what the future will bring.
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