stepping down

I'll be stepping down from GDQ staff after AGDQ 2019. This means I'll no longer be involved in selecting games for the events. Don't worry, I'll still continue to attend and volunteer for both AGDQ and SGDQ every year as long as I'm a speedrunner!

First, to start off, please read the paste that I sent to my fellow GDQ staff members on September 9 when I let them know I was stepping down: https://pastebin.com/f3SWQGzg

Those of you who know me even a little can recognize that I eagerly involve myself in many different activities. I get a ton of satisfaction from doing so, but the stress takes a toll. Helping contribute to GDQ, one of the most successful gaming fundraisers in the world and the premier speedrunning community event, is an incredible source of pride, but I also recognize that it's an incredible source of stress for me. As my mental health has taken a noticeable hit this year, I've come to realize that stepping down is the right call at this time.

As for speedrunning, don't worry, I haven't lost any interest in this hobby yet. Along with my good friend puwexil and the rest of the incredible RPG Limit Break staff, I'll continue to help produce that awesome event on an annual basis. I'll also continue to be involved organizing and running Ori tournaments. I'll continue to help out with future editions of the CalFire Relief Marathon (which is happening right now on twitch.tv/speedgaming!). I've even started to help with development work on the Ori and the Blind Forest randomizer. And I'll continue to speedrun games when time permits, of course. It's barely been 5 and a half years since I started speedrunning, so I'm definitely not ready to go anywhere yet. :)

I want to wrap up this message with some thanks and an apology.

- Thank you to everybody who offers any games to any GDQ event. Without you, we cannot put on the show we do and we cannot raise millions of dollars for charities doing important work.

- Thank you to the many, many people who reached out to me to ask game selection questions and who patiently listened, even when disappointed about their games being declined. In all my time answering those questions, none of those runners was even so much as rude to me.

- Thank you, again, to my fellow GDQ staff members for being some of the hardest working people I know. The amount of work GDQ takes is absolutely insane, and my hat is off to all of them for the incredible job they have done and continue to do.

- I apologize, sincerely, for having to discontinue submission feedback this year. One of my big goals in joining the selection committee was to be able to provide this feedback to everyone who asked for it. Unfortunately, doing so turned out to be an absolutely ludicrous amount of stress. Of course, the other public committee members also made themselves available for this purpose, but ultimately this communication was my baby and it collapsed as I collapsed. I'm sorry I couldn't keep it up.

That's all. Thank you very much for supporting me and GDQ. I look forward to once again submitting games like a normal person alongside the rest of you. :)

--
Vulajin