So I’ve been quiet after the event, haven’t posted anything regarding the LAN or my reactions; with good reason.
I had to take some time and let it all sink in; realize what the LAN and its participants meant to me. Drost summed up the unraveling of events very well, as I knew he would. He did, however, only touch on the subject of why this LAN was so important, the people.
Let me introduce myself first. Hi, my name is Tammy. Yeah that’s me, not PhreAK, not Twisted, its Tammy. Although PhreAK is part of my personality, a very strong part, it does not define who I am, it is however who I’ve chosen to let you all see. This holds true with every member that attended the LAN. PhreAK enjoys the fun, shit talking and gaming aspect of 2old2play, Tammy cares about the site and its members; I care about it all. Could it be possible for such an event as the LAN to change ones perspective of people and life? I think so.
I didn’t just meet Doodi, Drost, RighthandofGod, Dantez Inferno, DSmooth and LBsutke; I met Joel, Cory, Eric, Janks, Derek and Mike. Sure they are the same people I knew before the LAN, many of the same characteristics and personalities, but I got to see much more of who they are. We are different races, from different backgrounds, different religions and beliefs, yet we find a common ground. In Sunrise Room One everything was checked at the door. The people behind the controllers are who make the ground common, not the video games themselves. Now it’s unrealistic to believe that we can all be best friends from this point on; however, respect goes a long way. Personality conflicts will always arise but understanding and respecting your fellow members wins out every time.
I played maybe five games of Halo2 the whole weekend. Yet I still didn’t get enough time to spend with all of the participants and members. This was entirely my fault. You see, where PhreAK can handle the attention and noise, Tammy cannot. I was on sensory overload. I do what I do for the site, not for recognition but for the love of the site, its members and its goals and the appreciation and attention were getting to me. My most memorable moments were not my killtrocity or scores but the quiet time I got to spend with some of the people. Dinner with LB and Drost, meals with LB and RighthandofGod, quiet time with Eksessiv, snacks with EM, Thursday before everything started with Doodi and in the wee hours of Sunday morning outside in the hallway sitting and talking with DDP, Ebola, Mike James, GopherGoat and others.
While spending this time with all of the people I did one thing repeatedly. I sat and wondered what had happened in their lives to bring them to this point and to who they are. I am guilty like everyone else of judging people. I know I shouldn’t but I do. What I learned from actually meeting these people was that we are all a product of life. Some people I didn’t necessarily like I at least understand now. So much can be misunderstood without thinking this way. I’m lucky; I try to always keep an open mind so understanding is always an option.
I also learned that for the most part people can be trusted. The members that attended were basically who they are online and in games, only better. None of the members that came put up a front on the site as to who they were. Malice was Malice; Mike James was Mike James; TaxiSquad was TaxiSquad and so on.
So you may be asking yourself, why this write up and why now? Attending the LAN made one thing clear for me. We are all people. Doodi told me before I left that I need to learn how to take appreciation. He saw me for who I am. That simple statement spoke volumes to me. The reason for this and the timing
of it are simple. Our site is growing by leaps and bounds. I’ll be the first to tell you that some of the threads and flaming going on have made me extremely sad. The LAN and what I learned from it seemed like the perfect opportunity to remind every member and person who just reads our news that we all need to find a common ground. Some of the hateful things that are said and the attacks are sickening. I think about someone posting something bad to or about one of the people that attended the LAN and now I can put an expression and face to that. It truly is a site or vision I don’t want to have.
Isn’t it amazing how a video game event can have such a great impact? After the LAN I think it is important for me to remind all members that the person you see in game or online is only a small portion of that person. Life is not easy and we all get to the point we are in different ways, just to survive the journey. Instead of attacking people try to understand. It’s easy to hate but hard to understand. I understand these people now; my only request is that every member of this site attempt to do the same.
Thanks for the lesson 2old2play.
Let me introduce myself first. Hi, my name is Tammy. Yeah that’s me, not PhreAK, not Twisted, its Tammy. Although PhreAK is part of my personality, a very strong part, it does not define who I am, it is however who I’ve chosen to let you all see. This holds true with every member that attended the LAN. PhreAK enjoys the fun, shit talking and gaming aspect of 2old2play, Tammy cares about the site and its members; I care about it all. Could it be possible for such an event as the LAN to change ones perspective of people and life? I think so.
I didn’t just meet Doodi, Drost, RighthandofGod, Dantez Inferno, DSmooth and LBsutke; I met Joel, Cory, Eric, Janks, Derek and Mike. Sure they are the same people I knew before the LAN, many of the same characteristics and personalities, but I got to see much more of who they are. We are different races, from different backgrounds, different religions and beliefs, yet we find a common ground. In Sunrise Room One everything was checked at the door. The people behind the controllers are who make the ground common, not the video games themselves. Now it’s unrealistic to believe that we can all be best friends from this point on; however, respect goes a long way. Personality conflicts will always arise but understanding and respecting your fellow members wins out every time.
I played maybe five games of Halo2 the whole weekend. Yet I still didn’t get enough time to spend with all of the participants and members. This was entirely my fault. You see, where PhreAK can handle the attention and noise, Tammy cannot. I was on sensory overload. I do what I do for the site, not for recognition but for the love of the site, its members and its goals and the appreciation and attention were getting to me. My most memorable moments were not my killtrocity or scores but the quiet time I got to spend with some of the people. Dinner with LB and Drost, meals with LB and RighthandofGod, quiet time with Eksessiv, snacks with EM, Thursday before everything started with Doodi and in the wee hours of Sunday morning outside in the hallway sitting and talking with DDP, Ebola, Mike James, GopherGoat and others.
While spending this time with all of the people I did one thing repeatedly. I sat and wondered what had happened in their lives to bring them to this point and to who they are. I am guilty like everyone else of judging people. I know I shouldn’t but I do. What I learned from actually meeting these people was that we are all a product of life. Some people I didn’t necessarily like I at least understand now. So much can be misunderstood without thinking this way. I’m lucky; I try to always keep an open mind so understanding is always an option.
I also learned that for the most part people can be trusted. The members that attended were basically who they are online and in games, only better. None of the members that came put up a front on the site as to who they were. Malice was Malice; Mike James was Mike James; TaxiSquad was TaxiSquad and so on.
So you may be asking yourself, why this write up and why now? Attending the LAN made one thing clear for me. We are all people. Doodi told me before I left that I need to learn how to take appreciation. He saw me for who I am. That simple statement spoke volumes to me. The reason for this and the timing
of it are simple. Our site is growing by leaps and bounds. I’ll be the first to tell you that some of the threads and flaming going on have made me extremely sad. The LAN and what I learned from it seemed like the perfect opportunity to remind every member and person who just reads our news that we all need to find a common ground. Some of the hateful things that are said and the attacks are sickening. I think about someone posting something bad to or about one of the people that attended the LAN and now I can put an expression and face to that. It truly is a site or vision I don’t want to have.
Isn’t it amazing how a video game event can have such a great impact? After the LAN I think it is important for me to remind all members that the person you see in game or online is only a small portion of that person. Life is not easy and we all get to the point we are in different ways, just to survive the journey. Instead of attacking people try to understand. It’s easy to hate but hard to understand. I understand these people now; my only request is that every member of this site attempt to do the same.
Thanks for the lesson 2old2play.
