LET'S GET #TeamJohnnyComeLately TRENDING ON TWITTER!

Hello, and welcome to my latest blog, and this time around, we have a special topic: Extra Life 2019. For those who managed to miss it, last weekend marked a majority of the site's streaming and participation for Extra Life 2019. As with previous years, there were dozens of "classic" moments ranging from drunken poetry to digital chicken dinners. Nonetheless, the Giant Bomb team has a ways to go before reaching its target of $250,000. Thus, it is always important to point out Extra Life DOES NOT end until December 31st! For those of you who were unable to stream or donate due to financial or personal reasons, you still have plenty of time to help the Giant Bomb team reach its goal.

Likewise, there's no going around the technical issues that beset the event during its "peak hours." As many of you noticed, on November 2nd Extra Life's website was barraged by a detestable DDoS attack. For staff members and close friends of the site, this attack did not prevent them from raising thousands of dollars in a relatively short amount of time. Unfortunately, dozens of community members cut their streams short as donations came to a standstill. Again, it was a shitty situation, and I can only imagine Extra Life did the best they could with what they had at the time. With that in mind, I want to return to my earlier point about there still being time to have some Extra Life-based fun!

As most of you already know, I run the Giant Bomb Community Twitter account (aka @GBDudersFeed). During Extra Life, I spend most of my time trying to promote and advertise the staff and user-run streams during the event. For example, during the weekend of Extra Life, many community members and I took to Twitter and chat to guarantee every team member had at least one donation. Regardless, I have wanted to host an Extra Life stream for a while, but have felt torn about my obligations on Twitter and chat. However, this year, I decided to work with another moderator to host a dueling stream on the weekend following November 2nd. With that in mind, I want to turn my attention to any disappointed or possibly depressed community members. I want YOU to join me in streaming during the weekend of the 8th to the 9th, as well as the 16th to the 17th!

A bit of a disclaimer, I cannot guarantee we will reach our goals. For example, I have personally set myself a fundraising goal of $500 and am all but sure I will not achieve that. Nonetheless, I know many of you have already laid the groundwork for something great. Look, I hate getting emotional in these blogs and try to maintain a jovial and humorous tone as I torture myself with Final Fantasy games, but this is something I feel confident about right now. Having another go at something isn't a "defeat." It's "trying," and I know that might sound cheesy, but that's what I'm telling myself as I run up a mountain I don't know I can climb. Anyways, let's jump into my actual plans for Extra Life!

By The Way, I'm Playing Final Fantasy VIII... AGAIN!

Alright, I know what you are about to say! "But ZombiePie, didn't you play Final Fantasy VIII for charity three years ago?" The answer is "yes," and it was a miserable time! Seriously, the last time I tried to speedrun Final Fantasy VIII, it damn near killed me. But this time around, I know my limits and plan to budget my time wisely! Additionally, I will be playing the game alongside resident Final Fantasy expert, Gino "thatpinguino" Grieco! The two of us will be showing two different speedrunning approaches to breaking the game. Gino, for example, values speed and efficiency. I, on the other hand, prefer to break the game deliberately and thoroughly. How this turns into a "challenge" is the two of us will be trying to beat the game before the other.

Admittedly, Gino is leaps and bounds better at playing Final Fantasy VIII than me. Thus, to make this competition fairer, we have my donation incentives! Each time I raise $25, I will be able to play Final Fantasy VIII more efficiently. For example, as I will be playing the Remaster of Final Fantasy VIII, I will be able to utilize the game's quality-of-life features. This includes playing the game at double speed, disabling random encounters, or using unlimited Limit Breaks. However, even if I reach my fundraising total, I'm still at a bit of a disadvantage. Thus, if you donate to Gino's Extra Life page, you will make his ability to play Final Fantasy VIII far less efficient. Below you'll find each of our donation incentives:

ZombiePie's Donation Incentives (CLICK THIS LINK TO DONATE NOW!!!)

Gino "thatpinguino" Grieco's Donation Incentives (Click Here To Donate)

Now, I can only assume you have a few questions, and luckily I have answers. First, the "helpful puzzles" are tricks and treats Gino physically mailed me without my input. I have no idea what is in these envelopes, though, he has assured me they are nothing that will harm my mental or emotional health. Likewise, you'll note the inclusion of music from the long-forgotten video game, Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. For those unaware, Gino has referred to this game as one of the worst he's ever played, and I'm torturing him by forcing him to re-listen to the game's OST. If you are confused why this is such a big deal, here's one track from the game's soundtrack:

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I Want To Talk About The Hospital I'm Raising Money For And Links!

So, that's most of what I wanted to say about my Extra Life stream this weekend. If all things go according to plan, I'll have a fun stream to share on Saturday and a "punishment stream" on Sunday. Seriously, I don't think I have a chance at beating Gino at Final Fantasy VIII. If there's one last thing I wanted to mention, it's the hospital I'm raising money for, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland. I have a personal connection to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, and I debated if I wanted to tell this story, but here we go.

When I was five years old, I came down with flu-like symptoms that eventually led to an uncontrollable fever. After my pediatrician struggled to form a diagnosis, I was referred to the Children's Hospital & Research Center of Oakland, now known as UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. While there, I was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease and underwent a five-day treatment process. I can say from experience how frightening it is to be a child and not know what's wrong with your body. It is a dreadful feeling. I also can say from experience that the people who work at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital work around the clock to make the lives of sick children as enjoyable as possible. So, for the people who cared for me those many years ago, I hope whatever I raise this year is an appropriate thanks for your hard work and dedication to your profession.

Below are the links to my and Gino's donation pages. Any amount is appreciated, and spreading the word where you are is equally important.

• ZombiePie's Donation Page (that's me!)
• Gino's Donation Page
• Giant Bomb's Individual Donation Page
• Giant Bomb Team Extra Life Page