Well that was fun

Usually in a post like this I would say something insignificant like "I'm taking a break for a bit", but this isn't just a break, it's more like an extended hiatus.

2 years and some months ago, I released the first episode of Mel the Office Gamer Girl. Since then I've released 42 episodes (minus 1. You'll never get to see episode 41, IT DOESN'T EXIST!) and I've been writing for various blogs, websites, etc. The videos were the meat of my content, at least that's what I figured. But my selection of games was too much of a niche thing and I guess there's just not that much of an audience for it. It's cool though, I had fun making these videos, and I made them to where I could go back and watch them again myself. That's to say, I don't think they're complete shit. The thing is, with videos like these, they take time. Time that I find myself having less and less of nowadays. (Of course, I'd MAKE time if I were being paid for content, which I'm not...) I'm needing to spend more time on my own professional goals. Don't get me wrong, I love video games, always have and probably always will, but one of the main things about creating this series that was exciting for me was getting to learn new things about the games that I was finding. It was just as much about finding the facts and clues as it was playing the games themselves. It was also for the creators of these games. A lot of time, love, sacrifice, and dedication goes into doing what they love to do, so it would be a shame for some of these games to go unnoticed. It was that thought that started the entire project. But since no one but a small handful are watching, I think that it's time to move on and do other things for a while.

Last year I started making pixel art. Again, there was the fact that yes, I do love games, but there was also the fact that I was creating something. That's my other thing, I like to make stuff. Not just videos, but art, sculpture, I love to cook, mix drinks, and just share my creations with anyone that was willing to partake. Now this pixel stuff has been fine too, in fact I did make a little bit of money, but it was only enough to fund my trips. I also love to travel, and this year has been one of the most amazing for me. I traveled to 4 different states in the last few months, and I met some of the most amazing people. Of course there are all of the amazing new friends that I've made at each event, you are all wonderful, but I also got to meet some people that I'd been wanting to meet for a long time! I met Walter Day, Tommy Tallarico (twice), Voltaire, and even Yahtzee Crowshaw (sigh). Seriously, it was unreal, and everyone was just as awesome as I suspected they were. I want to travel more and meet more amazing people, but that's not going to happen where I'm at now in my personal and professional life.

So then where am I going? Well since we've already established that I love to learn and I love to create...well, I was a bartender for a while, but most bars around here don't pay well enough to do anything but survive (barely). So I've decided to work towards a career in the culinary arts. In a couple of months I'll be moving to Hillsboro (a sort of suburb of Portland), where I will live in a small studio apartment and put myself through a somewhat prestigious culinary institution on my own dime. It won't be easy, but nothing worth earning ever is. While I'm doing that, I will probably continue to play and write about video games, but I won't be doing any video stuff at all. I will probably still make and sell game related art to help pay off my fees, and if I'm lucky I may find time for an expo or two. I'm already off to a good start as I'm now working in a kitchen up until the time that I leave. I love when things work out like that. It's like I earned it or something. Anyways, thanks again to everyone that has been watching over the last couple years, I'm glad that at least a handful of people have enjoyed my work. Rock on.