EPTWhen I think back to this whole event, I got to do everything I ever wanted and thought doing for the past 4 to 5 years. I got to experience great parts of a major event, meet a variety of people with a variety of personalities, self-worth and perceptions of others. I got to take on tasks I thought I would never get to do and immerse myself with enthusiastic social worlds that are so new to me. I got to hang with press, hang with casters, major players, major fans, volunteers, heads of major organizations, companies, community heroes, community members and best of all; I got to be the most of myself. Yes, this is a brag blog, the kind that is both enlightening, yet exhausting to review so extensively. I’ll see about keeping it short, but that’s 100% not a guarantee.
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Not the tallest, but definitely in shape and size, this monument stood before me with its scenic skirt and stoned silence
My main goals coming here was meet all the people I looked up to in terms of commitment, their seniority with this scene and those who put in sweat and hours and hours to make sure everything goes right. People like Mike Ulaky, Elliot (sorry if any misspellings), Barbie, Duran (Xeris), Russell and Mark are just incredibly hard-working. The volunteers of E-Sports Canada were beyond happy to help, ready to see the finished product, dying to be in a place that was a staple for this country’s determination to be the forefront of E-Sports. Another goal was to try new areas of work. I’ve event planned some large events, but never a national to international event and I thank CyberActiv for giving me the chance to see it with my own eyes. I got to be interviewed (thanks Girls of StarCraft) where I made a complete and embarrassing fool of myself and I got to interview someone for the first time (Ostojiy, thanks to D-Esports for both the chance to try my hand at it). I, too, looked a bit awkward and uncomfortable doing it and a new wave of respect goes out to people like Rachel and Slasher for doing what I thought seemed easier than it really was. I learned a lot about myself, a lot about how people see me and behavior. I learned that parts of me people value are those I undertone or ignore. I learned that although I see myself as just a community member, people like Frodan butter me up with compliments and flattery, whether entirely true or just courtesy doesn’t really matter because it still felt good. Everything is face-value and everyone is incredibly nice, tolerant and accepting. I’m just a community member, a fan of everything in this field and yet, I got to be on levels of commitment that I know some would be jealous. I made a fool of myself in more ways than one but talking with Rotterdam, brushed by both his frequent smiles and laissez-faire attitude just tells me that 1. The moment is the moment and to reflect after is to spoil the dish that comes after and 2. Better to try and fail than to always ponder the what-if.
The first few days of setting up were a bit dull. Do this, do that, talk with him/her/them, then drinks. I got to drink with Russell and Mark, Barbie and with my friend and hard-working boss: Roch Turgeon (Cyberactiv.ca). We chatted about E-Sports, the future, ideas, places to go, travel, sports, economics, politics. It was casual, lounging and cool. He drinks something called the Wild Turkey while Barbie had something unique that didn’t quite meet her standards, but kept the mood positive! Xeris came a little later with his Joseph-and-the-Technicolor shorts that ended up drying with a pink crayola (just teasing man!) and still looked good pulling off the blazer. Some people took their jobs too seriously before and during the event, but whatever keeps them motivated, so be it. No judgment here and that’s something I learned after this event: judging. I used to sit back and armchair judge people, not even those who made initiatives to new fields and areas, but just people doing things not quite as up to par as my high and pretentious standards. I used to judge carelessly and it really made me come off as more opinionated than I really needed to be. After this event, after wearing so many colors (Staff, interviewer, interviewee, writer, spectator, fan) and being a bit too outspoken, I can see where I’ve gone wrong and I hope that I’ve said in the past about others just dissolves and people just associate that with my personality (now revised).
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Closest I've been to the CN tower and where I felt most at home.
In any case, the days of setting up were long and hard. The technical crews were beyond perseverant and really made a lot of finishing touches that added a level of immersion that you can tell the difference in comparison to the years before. The rehearsals on Friday gave me the chance to meet Mr. Bitter, Gretorp, Frodan and Rotterdam. I never formally introduced myself to any of them on that day except for Mr. Bitter where I was graced with his E-Sports book; getting anyone to draw in it about anything E-Sports related. He radiated an aura of being someone you could naturally approach. I raised my hand and drew Elly the E-Sports Elephant because I cannot draw humans for shit (and apparently elephants neither). Signed my username and he instantly recognized it, told me I should have formally introduced myself as Torte de Lini. I then soon proceeded to pick up new eyeballs at the end of the night due to my previous ones popping right out. Since then, I introduced myself as Torte de Lini to everyone! Got some hits and misses, but it still felt great that people I knew, knew me and vice-versa. Not just “celebrities” but also a lot of community members and sometimes hanging with the community members was a lot more comforting and fitting for me than the top top dogs. But the idea of an “old boys club” was not apparent at all here at NASL. If there is an “old boys club”, it’s definitely stratified and different than how people perceive it and I think that’s something you should all be aware of. However, this was my first event, so take that perception with the biggest grain of salt.
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Amongst all these industrial and modern buildings lied this one with stairs reaching to its naked height. All around were just the breeze and the dried ground. It was quiet, remote, floating above the bustle of the traveling world. This was what life was just before going to the NASL venue. In the distance, someone's reading a book, preventing the echos of the city perturbed her imagination.
Friday evening, I opted for pizza with the CyberActiv crew, friends and some Team Killing Spree guys (the French casters and qualified player: Jig!). They’re all Quebecois friends, so it was like a real family. I noticed when it comes to Ameica and even Toronto, there’s a different level of linking or relationships between members than Quebecers. I had Quebec neighbors all around my hotel room and we acted like best friends; everyone was my best friend from Quebec and even though I was born American, stayed for 12 years in New Jersey, I felt more Quebecer than ever. I’m sure I’ll feel the same in America if I ever get to go; I’m sitting here now with 3 great Quebec guys from Skyzo Cup and SC2QC and I feel at home than if I ever went back to America. I think that's just due to the state of my ages and life, but nonetheless, there's a certain cultural backbone to Quebec that gives it its sort of "small fish/big pond" effect when we finally meet one on one. It also helps that my French has improved enough to imitate real French-speakers (non-Stephano speakers). Before heading out, I got to meet Kennigit from Team Liquid, someone I've been talking to recently on Skype as well as in the past from time to time. We've shared similar views on things, but in reality his experience far surpasses my own, giving his words a lot more weight and meaning than mine who acts like a university schoolgirl. Shook his hand, said my name and his eyes did a double-bulge ((O_O)). "You look nothing like I thought you'd look like!" he exclaimed! Mr. Bitter chimed in with a mutual feeling. The running phrase was akin to that feeling of surprise. Disappointment even? A lot of people seem to have thought I was a caucasian male for some odd reason (I've been saying I'm multi-ethnic since forever [American, Italian, Swiss, Ecuadorian, Egyptian]), what did they expect? It was comedic after the first few times and I tried to one-up the big surprise with a joke, but then it seemed to sprout everywhere I go with people doing double-takes. I wasn't too bothered, just taken aback by how different people's perceptions was of myself in comparison to how everyone was comforting for me to meet (no one shitted or insulted me, which is always good!).
That was the days of setting up. Hard work, relaxed cool nights and the feeling of belonging; for once. What I thought was the most momentous part of my days, ended up being just the start of further meet-and-greets and checkmarking all the people I anxiously wait to meet!
Awesome event had a blast! I'll most likely see you at the next barcraft, keep doing your thing!
