EPTI'm leaving ESPORTS, guys.
But seriously, folks, let's look back on my long and illustrious career as a TL poster. I may not be the most prominent member of TL, and may, in fact, be especially less-prominent, but I like to think I've made some mediocre contributions full of empty promise and non-constructive utility.
My first thread on TL was about Starcraft's lore, and my last was a blog explaining why NASL sucks. It's an interesting trajectory; I've gone from competitive obliviousness to Format Critic Clenching His Mouse In Anger.
If I had to narrow my largest contribution to ESPORTS down to a single paragraph, it would be this one:
coL calls two surprise witnesses -- CombatEx and Deezer, to testify against Destiny's character. Destiny has his 12,000 fans all call Deezer's cell phone while he testifies, causing the cell phone to explode. They think it's a bomb, and the episode of Judge Judy is cancelled as everyone is evacuated from the building. The United States opens an investigation of Haypro.
Reddit explodes for a third time. The United States opens another investigation of Haypro.
Reddit explodes for a third time. The United States opens another investigation of Haypro.
Note that this is fan fiction. Without even realizing it, I became one of those people.
I also filled out the SC2 writing team as a pinch-hitter for when they needed somebody to promise they'd write something, put it off, eventually write something at the last-minute right before the deadline, and then contribute almost nothing else. I was also good for any MLG fluff pieces that relied on zero-to-nothing game knowledge, so I could bring my Platinum-level analysis to full bear. You've probably heard of me.
I do, however, have the distinction of having two separate posts spotlighted at the same time: this one and this one. I'm something of a celebrity in my room.
So why am I abandoning such celebrity? Trust me: I'm not leaving just to start a drama storm, so that I can come back and start another one while saying 'seriously guys I'm leaving', and then come back and post more anyway:
On February 13 2012 07:16 Milkis wrote:
some post that he wrote today
some post that he wrote today
I need to refocus some things in my life. I have a 7 month old baby boy now, and I'm beginning to realize that if I don't really go after my life goals and dreams right now, not only will they probably not happen, but I'll have to one day explain to my kids why they didn't happen. I've known since I read my first book that I would be a writer, and that's never been a question in my life until now, as I realize that I very much have a non-writing career and several non-writing hobbies, in addition to a wife and kid to take care of.
I don't want to imply that teamliquid or SC2 are wastes of time. On the contrary, the SC2 scene has strengthened my desire to set goals for myself and work hard to achieve them. You can't read about and be fans of people like the pros in my signature without examining your own life and wanting to work hard on your own dreams.
Following competitive ESPORTS has been rewarding; it requires you to think hard, to learn why and how one person is besting the other without such obvious cues as Points. It requires you to develop critical thinking and respect the critical thinking of others.
Watching people like Naniwa and White-Ra approach their professions from the sidelines has been inspiring. But now it's not just inspiring me to click the "Find Match" button, but to look at my own goals and take to the keyboard with similar determination and work ethic. I have to cut some parts of my life to do that, just as they have for their dreams.
While I am certainly an attention whore (an unsuccessful one, which is even funnier), this post is more for myself than for you. When I hit some writer's block, I can't very well come back here and distract myself after making a post like this.
So I'm off to bury myself in my aspiring speculative fiction. I expect it will be a long and hard road, but that's part of why I want to take it, I think. If there's one thing I've learned from this scene, it's this: "More GG, more skill."
As final shout-outs (since I've always wanted to do them): TL for being awesome and amazing, the TL writing staff for volunteering their time and talents to something that gives them very little recognition and even less money; specifically, heyoka and waxangel, who helped me with my little things I wrote for the site. Waxangel, imo, is probably the best writer covering ESPORTS anywhere, and he takes way too much crap considering the level and consistency of his writing. Also the TL mafia folks Qatol and dreamflower for inviting me into a TL mafia game, which was super fun but maddeningly stressful and time-consuming.
I also want to thank the professional players who work hard. I don't even know if there are pros who don't, but stories of your diligence and motivation are what actually drive the community, and give it some substance and make it something more than just another gaming website.
I deeply respect all the people who volunteer their time and efforts to making ESPORTS not just a community worth participating in, but a community that actually inspires people to make goals and follow their dreams.
Peace out, yo!
