Since Berlin Major what have I been doing?
Baking bread... Ughhh ahhaha
Had a family vacation which was really great!
Belgium, England, Scotland. The origins of the trip was to see Hans Zimmer, My wife getting tickets to the Brussels show! My son is a huge fan and has been pretty bummed that his tour was not coming to the US.
I have a couple reels that show off a bunch of pics ! Really great time.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CuQMYegsjXG/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CuQp1E3LEQG/
Back home for a few weeks of bread making and home stuff.
I got the news after going back and forth id be there then no then yes.. Finally confirmed the IEM Cologne CSGO event. Which was an amazing event and a milestone I am so glad I got to be a part of . Even with Liquid not progressing to the main weekend.
Image stolen from IEM post
I will for sure be looking at the flights closer in the future. As they are booked not by me. The point being with short layover times on connections I missed a flight on the way and one on the return.The former keeping me overnight in Chicago (as luck would have it I had a buddy with a hotel room I could crash at teaching balloons !!) and the latter thankfully just delaying me a few hours, leaving plenty of time to be ready for the weekends festivities!
As far as the event went it was a ton of fun! For sure a bit of a different vibe to my usual DOTA2 event (not bad just as friendly just a bit more masculinity?) . My last CSGO event was Oakland 2017 (a few people I met at that event were at this one !)
For this event they wanted me to be mobile. The plan I had was to bring my apron and work out of that... I forgot said apron ... I ended up taking over a gaming chair from the help desk that I pushed around the arena (making sure I got a good calf work out!)
Being mobile was nice I was able to go visit the amazing crew working the TL booth. Seeing Olivia and meeting Chris and Rikard and .... I am so bad with names ..the young lady working at the booth as well! I got to visit with 3klicksphilip we had meet back in Oakland he does some great content on youtube covering CS stuff!
I had to convince a couple people that I was never a pro gamer... hahah not sure how that started also had to correct a few people I am just a long time forum member never having been anything other than a contracted worker once (so far
Rikard and a cool fan (forgot his name) Chris in the background watching a game at TL booth
Phil and I
I did not get very many pictures of the event as always.
Hotel room TL gear photo shoot
Post event .. Back to work at the bread shop. Wanting to start streaming now that Ive started converting the spare bedroom from my daughter moving and son switching rooms.
Wife and I have started counseling....we want to work on communication etc. Their is a lot to wrap up in it. Finances, shared interests, the big one is the kids are older and or out of the house. For so long our lives revolved around the kids and with them being more and more independent we need to refined ourselves,amongst all the other goings on in our life. Its pricey and boy they warned us some meetings we will leave anger, and mad at each other or events etc...but man... its hard ...really hard...
I hope you all know I am 100 percent real and honest ( at least from my view as I know things)
This site, this community and the larger gaming community as a whole mean the world to me and having balloons as the bridge that allows me to continue to be involved in said communities is humbling and the biggest honor.. I hope I represent gamers and balloon artist in a positive and honest light...Beyond thankful and beyond privileged...
<3
View from hotel in Cologne
Balloon dog earring given to me by Steph and Michelle !
Dinner with my daughter after getting back to AZ
https://www.instagram.com/balloonsforgamers/