Reminiscing and Recovering
I apologize for the length of this and for not lj-cutting it, but if you're on here, then I most probably want you to read this. Especially those of you I know from/through DDR. Thank you.
Geezers' Tourney was at the Break this Saturday. It was great to see so many people i haven't seen in so long. I think the biggest surprise of the entire time was that New York seemed to have more people there than New Jersey. Everything seemed to go well, everyone hung out and talked to people and any drama or issues were put away for a day.
I decided for the freestyle tournament that I would remake my old Dynamite Rave routine. Which I did. Unfortunately, I choked and forgot a chunk near the beginning and scrambled from then on. There were some changes to whole setup, but it's okay. Things happen, and I'm fine. I did happen to crack the back of my head open on the pads, however. Right before failing. Took a really hard hit, but I'm fine. I'll probably show off the thing this weekend.
I'll admit, I was really upset for a while afterwards. Because I had failed at my performance. I didn't care about winning or anything. I just wanted to put on a good show and I didn't do that. At least by my standards. Irony: I went over the routine a little later that night and remembered EVERYTHING perfectly.
I did make a promise that I would perform the routine once before I was "done" (whatever that means). Since I failed, I guess I still have a bit left in me. So it'll come back out sometime. I do want to get the routine on video, though. Especially after the whole debacle that happened with the video the first time I did the routine.
A lot of people said some really great things to me this weekend, on here and in person. It really made me realize that I've done a hell of a lot where "that stupid dancing game" is involved. I had someone who I really respect as a performer refer to me as a "legend", I had people tell me about songs and routines they associate with me, I had friends watching old freestyles I'd done... it really does mean a lot. And while most of the time I've just shrugged the compliments off, I do want to at least say thank you once more. It really does mean a lot to me to know that I've been held in such esteem by my peers.
Now the freestyle competition scene around here is basically dead. The last competition I knew of was at the last Digital Life a couple years ago. Most of the people who used to compete don't play that much, or even at all. Life has gone on. And that's the way things always go. But still, if the opportunity is there, I wouldn't mind giving it another try someday. After all, there's still a lot of ideas that I've never even TOUCHED yet that still are in my head. Kind Lady, Do It Right, Sync, Pick Me Up And Tango... and that's just off the top of my head. So it'll happen again. I don't know if I'll see another tournament, but if I don't, I've had a good run. I've literally won thousands of dollars in cash and prizes from this game, with events like Hagerstown, DexCon, the Break, Adventure Games, CSA, etc. all contributing. I've met so many people all over the country due to it. Hell, DDR is the reason I've been to E3 twice and why I got to compete ON STAGE in an actual dance competition at Konami's booth one year. It's what got me to go to Otakon, and by extension a slew of other conventions. It's what led to me meeting my friends in the cosplay community, and indirectly how I met Shelly. So unlike some people, I'm not going to turn my back on the whole thing and walk away and disavow all knowledge of ever competing. Dammit, I'm Jim The Fly, and I always will be.
So to all the people and all the places and all the events that have combined to make these last 8+ years of competing so fun: THANK YOU. It's been one hell of a time.
... and it's not over yet. Not until I can't do it anymore.
Geezers' Tourney was at the Break this Saturday. It was great to see so many people i haven't seen in so long. I think the biggest surprise of the entire time was that New York seemed to have more people there than New Jersey. Everything seemed to go well, everyone hung out and talked to people and any drama or issues were put away for a day.
I decided for the freestyle tournament that I would remake my old Dynamite Rave routine. Which I did. Unfortunately, I choked and forgot a chunk near the beginning and scrambled from then on. There were some changes to whole setup, but it's okay. Things happen, and I'm fine. I did happen to crack the back of my head open on the pads, however. Right before failing. Took a really hard hit, but I'm fine. I'll probably show off the thing this weekend.
I'll admit, I was really upset for a while afterwards. Because I had failed at my performance. I didn't care about winning or anything. I just wanted to put on a good show and I didn't do that. At least by my standards. Irony: I went over the routine a little later that night and remembered EVERYTHING perfectly.
I did make a promise that I would perform the routine once before I was "done" (whatever that means). Since I failed, I guess I still have a bit left in me. So it'll come back out sometime. I do want to get the routine on video, though. Especially after the whole debacle that happened with the video the first time I did the routine.
A lot of people said some really great things to me this weekend, on here and in person. It really made me realize that I've done a hell of a lot where "that stupid dancing game" is involved. I had someone who I really respect as a performer refer to me as a "legend", I had people tell me about songs and routines they associate with me, I had friends watching old freestyles I'd done... it really does mean a lot. And while most of the time I've just shrugged the compliments off, I do want to at least say thank you once more. It really does mean a lot to me to know that I've been held in such esteem by my peers.
Now the freestyle competition scene around here is basically dead. The last competition I knew of was at the last Digital Life a couple years ago. Most of the people who used to compete don't play that much, or even at all. Life has gone on. And that's the way things always go. But still, if the opportunity is there, I wouldn't mind giving it another try someday. After all, there's still a lot of ideas that I've never even TOUCHED yet that still are in my head. Kind Lady, Do It Right, Sync, Pick Me Up And Tango... and that's just off the top of my head. So it'll happen again. I don't know if I'll see another tournament, but if I don't, I've had a good run. I've literally won thousands of dollars in cash and prizes from this game, with events like Hagerstown, DexCon, the Break, Adventure Games, CSA, etc. all contributing. I've met so many people all over the country due to it. Hell, DDR is the reason I've been to E3 twice and why I got to compete ON STAGE in an actual dance competition at Konami's booth one year. It's what got me to go to Otakon, and by extension a slew of other conventions. It's what led to me meeting my friends in the cosplay community, and indirectly how I met Shelly. So unlike some people, I'm not going to turn my back on the whole thing and walk away and disavow all knowledge of ever competing. Dammit, I'm Jim The Fly, and I always will be.
So to all the people and all the places and all the events that have combined to make these last 8+ years of competing so fun: THANK YOU. It's been one hell of a time.
... and it's not over yet. Not until I can't do it anymore.