Good morning/afternoon/evening, whenever you're reading this!

Just a little update and reflection regarding the wondrous event that was RPGLB 2017.
Firstly, made it back nice and safely; Flew from SLC to Seattle first, and then from there to London. Slept 15 hours when I got home. RIP Monday.
(Fun fact, because of the reality that is the shape of the Earth, Seattle is actually closer to London than SLC. :P)

So, it's been a bit of a crazy year for me since last RPGLB. A lot of growth, support, physical stress, and career switching.

To glide over the small details as you wanna hear all about RPGLB 2017: Came back from RPGLB 2016, had a week off, and went on a theatre tour (A role that was confirmed for me minutes before I flew out to the event, so I was already excited) - This tour went really well for the most part, but about halfway through I hurt my back pretty badly, doing a difficult lift. I'm very precious about my back and always intend to lift correctly; It however was very tough to maintain correct form with this lift. After a while the pain was too much for me to effectively continue, and had to come off the tour a month before it finished. Shame, but hey.

This was a particularly annoying thing as it was my first theatre job back since I lost my mother in September 2015 so it was more of a tour to say "I can still do this", however, I failed, and it seriously took a toll on me. With my back out, and no major physical exertion in mind, I decided to focus on my stream a lot more and in August, I was working really hard and pushing the stream until I finally managed to achieve the rank of Twitch Partner. It was a huge effort and impossible without the help of my friends. I've since worked diligently and effectively with the streams and feel I'm at a fantastic level, with the goal of growing even further!

Alongside this, I decided that i'd take a short hiatus from the theatre. Still a little bruised from the tour. I wanted to still freelance and put all my skills from the theatre to good use, and went much more direct with my presenting.
For those who don't know as much I work as a presenter in the video game industry, one of my bigger clients being Nintendo, and have been doing that, eSport commentary and voice over for a while now, this is much more pronounced.

Fast forward a few months, and it's once again time for RPGLB. I'm a bigger channel, a lot more established in both Twitch and Presenting, and ready to really push myself to the limit, SO-

RPGLB2017 stats:

Runs performed: 2, Terranigma and Secret of Mana (6 hours total)
Hosting Slots fulfilled: 2, Shadow Hearts: FTNW, FF Mystic Quest (6 hours total)
Runs Commentated for: 4, Golden Sun: The Lost Age, Xenoblade Chronicles, BoFV: Dragon Quarter and Shining Force (19 hours total)

TOTAL TIME: 31 hours on the couch/mic

Firstly, I didn't think I could learn so much about so many games, but I really went out of my way to focus on learning as much as I could about these speed runs, and hope I surprised a lot of people with this, and hope I did the runners proud in being able to support them appropriately.

My runs were fine. Terranigma was a very close estimate at 4:05 on the English version, went over by a couple of minutes, which, for the kind of run it is, is fantastic.
Secret of Mana would have been a new Co-op WR if Stinger, Yaga and I hadn't already got a 1:48 beforehand.

Last year Puwexil did literally everything, this year it was RPG Bowie Break. Pretty sure my arse is imprinted upon that couch now. (it was SO DAMN comfortable, I'll tell ya!)

It was a pleasure to share Terranigma with the American audience, and hope a lot of people decided to pick that bad boy up. It really is cool. Lemme know if you're playing it and enjoying it.
But to run Secret of Mana alongside Yagamoth and Stinger; THAT was amazing. Two great runners and people who taught me everything I know about that game. It's my favourite game of all time, to play it that optimally was awesome, and I really cherish how well we all did, despite the few hiccups. (We went on to get a 1:46:00 in the practice room after, so it's all good.)

A played a BIT of Rando, with Goose, RPGc, Takaze, Muttski/KRob, Cereth, MLSTRM, and many many more. It was honestly hilarious and awesome in equal measure to spend that time and enjoyment of a game with such lovely and funny people.

The people are kind of the point of this pastebin now really. The community surrounding RPGLB is the most important part of the event and without a shadow of a doubt, the reason it is my most favourite event of the entire year. I loved RPGLB 2016 so much so that it made me feel like I was back to my old self/level of happiness before losing my mother, but this year took it even further.
It showed me how much I've grown and how much confidence I've managed to claw back. I may be technically an orphan now, but despite how much I've lost, I still have gained so much. From a new career, to a stable and growing community, and opportunities that I cannot be humbled enough by. I am supported not only by my family and friends but every single person who has ever watched my stream and supported in any way. Every positive vibe, every bit of belief in me as a runner, as an entertainer, every view, follow, tip, sub, everything, has been paramount in getting me to where I am now; This is what I do with my life. I do it because I love it, because I enjoy entertaining, playing games, and meeting new people.

The people at RPGLB are part of a different kind of family, we are joined in the bond of our craft, and our genre. The organisers, the runners, the volunteers, the viewers who show up just to support their favourite streamers and watch the runs. It amazes me how some people travelled halfway around the world JUST to hang out with us. Nuts, but really cool.

RPGLB 2017 was the culmination of all that I've been carrying with me. A great community, whom I love. Great friends, whom I cherish. A drive to entertain, that I cultivate and indulge. A desire to every now and then, surround myself with like minded people (even if they ARE American :P) and share that bond, that energy and love and bring it to a greater cause.

So, NAMI. I'm lucky enough to say I have never had to deal with a clear cut diagnosis of any mental health issues. Sure the struggles i've faced have taken a toll and I've had ups and downs, but nothing so specific. I have however, seen it. I've seen family members and friends go down dark paths, contemplate and talk about things that scared me, so gaia knows what they themselves felt about that. NAMI is an incredibly important charity for a criminally under-represented issue that many people of all ages face today. I love that I can be a part of that somehow. Even better that I can tap into that and join the conversation in a manner that befits me.

We all want to tell stories. Be they our own, others, or just random ones that have no link to us as individuals.
For the last few years since my mother passed, I have tried to tell a chapter of recovery, grit and determination. I feel like with RPGLB2017 over, I can close that one, and start on the next.

RPGLB has been a true delight. I've done runs, done commentary, hosted, played rando, watched new games, met new people, gone to dinner and laughed till it hurt (NEVER put me next to SpikeVegeta at the dinner table again. Two theatre boys in a close vicinity is grounds for a LOUD encounter,) Just stood in a circle in the cold and joked about whatever, reminded people why they're awesome and why what they do is great and important to me and others, and a whole lot more.

No idea what's in store in the coming months. More work and the life, but wanted to get all this out of the way. Maybe It's not been the most clear account of the event, and muddled it up with more personal reflection than actual "This is what happened at the event"... But hey, this is just a stream of thoughts whilst I still have it all fresh in my mind.

There's a shit tonne of people to tag and say thanks for. I'll do my best to tag in Twitter replies, but if I miss any, please help me out and tag them for me. Thanks again yo

For any going to SGDQ: See you there. For those who aren't: See you on twitch.tv/bowiethehero ;)


TAGS: eLmaGus, Gerrick, Rheinhold, Yagamoth, Stinger, Ty, NoWorries, Puwexil, Bob, Freddeh, HS, Enker, Chaos, Muttski, Cereth, MLSTRM, Cyd, TurboDog, Bich, Feral, RPGc, DavidK5, Obda, Wrambunxious Hope, Kyo, Luzbel, SpikeVegeta, Primitive, Jhobz, Ghoul, GhostKing, Takaze, BGG, Meta, Edobean, Tide, Aithere, Highwinds, DDR, Gyre, Tonic, Zetonegi, Ely, Tojju, Hoishin, DragonDarch, Vulajin, Gedrith, Kiwi, Angie, Gamer, Angelo, Tawl, Felly, Gramora and many, many more. Gosh, I wish I could remember every name that came into play here. Sorry to any I missed out!