sgdq2025_thoughts

SGDQ 2025 Thoughts **

Not sure how wordy I'll get since I yap and ramble. I learned a bit more about myself, have some self-reflection and so on.

It's easy to say starting AGDQ 2024, the event has only improved and gets better each time. The move to Pittsburgh was a good one. The venue isn't perfect there, but the practice/gaming room set up is peak as one giant/mega room. Each event I meet new people, whether they're brand new, or faces I've seen and have been introduced closer. Sometimes GDQ feels like a real life Persona game. Where my social links are sometimes new, or increase in level on new meetings.

As my age increments, I've been looking at taking more time off each year. I went to SGDQ quite early. I usually get there Thursday or Friday, but I got there Wednesday. I wasn't at the main hotel, I had a different one with the idea of just chilling with seckswrecks, do some gaming, and maybe do some exploring.

I got to see Panda for the first time in 9 years. A friend of seckswrecks that ironically bridged our original friendship together. We hung out at Hard Times Cafe* and had good times at the hard times. It was really cool to see him and his sense of humor hasn't changed.

I got to walk around a portion of the city and hit up a brewpub with seckswrecks, which I'd like to do again at future summer events. Maybe rent a car and go hiking on the outskirts.

The week was mostly a culmination of practice room shenanigans and hangouts.

Peeps & Shoutouts **

I got to see Biglaw and zzrules in person early on, afaiRemember, my first time meeting them in person and it was good to catch up since our last discord conversation. I think one thing to note is most of my re-unites with friends is that it was just left off from last time. Not much of greeting beyond, "hey, what's up." But I always attribute that to real friends. Like, we just pick up from 6 or 12 months ago. Like a day in-between hadn't happened.

I know each year I visually see EBC at the SGDQ venue and we both grin as we greet each other and I hear his eclectic game recommendations. A friend I roomed and met my very first GDQ at SGDQ 2016.

seckswrecks pulling up on their bike and getting straight into the uniqueness of the city itself and I'm always interested in hearing their adventures in creativity. You can always tell there is deep passion behind their tomfoolery.

Saying what's up to Starwin in the lobby as he arrives. Even though he came to visit me locally a couple months ago. Someone I met in 2018 and ended up being permanent GDQ hotel roommates since AGDQ2020 and very close friends with.

Seeing MadMegaX laughing at all the stupid shit I do and say, like I'm some goddamn comedian, when my absurd dry words and actions breathe life into his eyes.

That's not to say anyone I haven't mentioned yet is worth less. All friends and people I've met through GDQ have left a mark on me, whether they think or know it or not.

UltraUberness from the X community. A person of excellent storytelling, but at the same time still instilling his righteous yet no-nonsense virtues. Also introducing me to awesome new food. Stay true to yourself, stick to your convictions and you will accomplish all you set out to.
Metal_Waldo - someone I've only really spent a bit of time with in passing, is a really cool dude.
Conduit_official - someone I met through volunteering at SGDQ a few years ago that releases awesome music on spotify (shoutouts from LV)
Flajjin_lounge and Trey - bros from the AGDQ 2018 days. Really cool people that are like distant brothers to me.
Sharif - I never got to really talk to you too much before, but I could feel the exchanged quips and conversation build off of something to where I can call you friend.
Clay - for being short-king Clay and allowing me to give you comfy hugs.
tbcr - been watching this dude for years on twitch and gdq and only recently been able to hang out with him and watch his amazing Amiga runs in person.
t0uch- for being t0uch. I gotta brush up on my deathball skills for next year, as well as my riffage skills.

Everyone at World9, mainly Red/Mike/AJ/Delly. Those dudes are true homies that welcome me every time. They've helped me out countless times. Whether its supporting my dumb runs, helping me out with intricate console mods, or even just simply taking the time to talk to me.

And shoutouts to many others - teddyras and mr. shasta, juho, elipsis (for listening to our bullshit and theories), lrock (being around the buffoonery), metroidmaster, SK (I hope you could practice with my loudness), NPC (thanks for entertaining my dumb submission ideas [I know they're not dumb, they're awesome]), bobby - for being bobby; don't change who you are for anybody, 8butt for being 8butt.

I dearly miss other runners for their reasons for not being there.
ghostkumo
dr swellman
linkums
tenmachi
slurpeeninja
infinite_mystery
crak_atak and the shitass crew
krunchylex (you are sorely missed and multiple people have asked where you were)
yp - so I can bully you while you're drunk and be funny
riskycb - wherever you disappear to, I hope you're doing well
habeechee - I hope life is good buddy
anyone on the NES crew

The Event Itself **

Production was on point. GDQ staff experimented with a lot of different ideas and nailed it out of the park. I hit up the practice room per usual, didn't get as much gaming in as I'd like, but you never get everything you want in. Arcade was lit per usual, but the rhythm game selection could doubled up on the machines. Most only had 1 of each and I don't want to wait at 3am for a game. The artist alley and indie game dev was lit AF. The artist alley was so good, I had to practice not wanting to impulse buy. I ended up getting a bunch of stickers, a few gifts, and one of those amazing shadow boxes.

I made the mistake of taking my anxiety meds and had a few drinks late thursday and all day friday I felt pure illness. Thank goodness it got better in the days after that.

I did better than prior years. I've had to reduce caffeine as it's been making me crash, especially trying at events, and even home. This has allowed me to escape the hotel room more this event and I was very prepared, luggage-wise, this event. I need to get winter clothes for the next event, just because venturing outside in Pittsburgh is brutal and I really don't have any winter clothes.

In terms of volunteering, I may return to it in the future. But I don't currently plan on it. I have to be careful not to spread myself too thin or my anxiety with flare up. I am interested in camera volunteering, so we'll see. I'll have to talk to the lead about it more.

The Future **

I always have thoughts, evaluations, and reflection about the future. GDQ related or not.

Starwin and I locked in a run at SGDQ and I have roughly 1-3 projects cooking outside of that. Mostly 1 and 2 in the early stages. I'd like to hammer out a co-op or race project every event.

Hit the gym more. Everyone says I look good. But my body dysmorphia always gets to me. I'm not as consistent as I used to and I have to get back at it. Muscle-wise, I'm okay, but I need to keep working on the lungs and heart.

Outside of a project here and there, I'm not going to speedrun hardcore as much as I used to. We're almost at 10 years of me in the speedrunning-scene and I'm happy with the output I am at now. I love playing games and I still am constantly playing them. From modern game play-throughs to retro game play-throughs.

I gotta build a new PC. Starwin and I have planned youtube content, that I think a lot of people will enjoy. I got concrete ideas for that project and plenty more on the horizon.

Outside of that I need to grind guitar and bass guitar again. I was at it every day and I need to hold myself accountable.

And I still continue to work and manage my side-business.

Life is chill, but I always have stuff going on and try to mitigate everything to efficacy and productivity. At the same time, giving myself grace and giving myself time to do nothing.


Final Thoughts **

If you've gotten this far. Thanks for reading. If we have a conversation one-on-one in person, this is typically how I'll talk. One branching idea to another. My main job is talking to people and I wouldn't change it for the world. As the world spins, each year I treasure my time more. I value things and popularized ideals less and less. I value you. I value my friends a lot. I hope you all are continuing to do well. Reach your goals and achieve happiness within. A life where you aren't working to make yourself create happiness, externally and internally, is not worth living. And I wish you all the best. In whatever that capacity is. The gym is where I create happiness and mental stability, and I push myself until my body falls to the floor. Push yourself to what gives you happiness and passion and keep going. Self-improvement is key to self-actualization. And you can do anything, no matter the obstacle.

Rock on and I'll see you later. Online or in-person.