Happy Birthday Bitmob!!!
I just finished reading Toby Davis’ retrospective about the first year of Bitmob and, after going through a whole box of tissues, I decided to write my own retrospective/happy birthday post. I have not been as active on Bitmob as I once was, but in the beginning I was logged onto Bitmob whenever my computer was on. Suffice to say, I worked from home a year ago and my computer was on a lot!
I first heard about Bitmob on a 1up post. I had a lot of respect for Demian and Shoe and, after a quick visit to the site and a glance at the about us/about you section, I felt I had found my video game Mecca. The site was amazing because unlike sites like 1up and Giantbomb where user created material is an afterthought, Bitmob allowed the very users who visit the site to help create and shape it! Who could not be attracted to a video game website like that?
As you may have read in Toby’s retrospective, he and I read everything posted on the site and tried to comment on each and every blog. I kept up this marathon of commenting for at least 2 months. It got to the point that when Toby would email me saying he was going to be away from the site I would actually give him shit and tell him I need his help! Why was I reading and commenting on everything? Well, Rich McGrath said it best when he told me that “Bitmob owns my ass!” For the summer and fall of 2009, it really, really did.
In the early winter of last year I changed jobs a couple times, and since then I have bought a house, got married, and nearly suffered 19 nervous breakdowns. With all of this going on I simply could not put the hours into Bitmob that I once did.
When I look back to last May and ponder what I have gotten out of Bitmob the one and only thing that comes to mind, besides great reading material, is the people: Toby (you hornball!), Tommy Ingallinera, Community Manager Andrew Hiscock, Jazz “Mr. PAX” English, Jon Shults, Mark Whitney, Christopher Quach, Patrick “Superghost” Bonk, Cosmo, Intern Jasmine “Maleficent” Rea, the amazing Brian Shirk, podcaster extraordinaire and Editor James DeRosa, Editor Brett Bates (who is one of my favorite writers), Brian Petro-Roy, Davneet Minhas (where are you?), James Thornhill (where are you too?), Editor and Gamemaker extraordinaire Jay Henningsen, Trevor Hinkle, David Matos, Omar (congrats on the intern position), Juan Letona, Chris the Casual Alcoholic, Lyndsey Mosley, Joe Donato (where are you?), Alex Martin, Evan “king of the one-liner” Killham, Tim King, Rob Thomas, Editor Rob Savillo (get on Twitter!!!), Pete Davison, Matt Giguere, Tom H., Michael Rousseau, Nick, Cody Winn, Frank Anderson, Jeffrey “Mi” Sandlin (Hi Jeff!!!), Jon Porter, M.H. Mason, Harold Burnett, Justin Dennis (really, where in the hell are you?!), the talented Suriel Vazquez, Jake Johnson, Daniel Feit, Jonathan Cole, Eric King (best facebook updates ever)……
….this is the point where I realize I should not have mentioned everyone individually…..
…..Jeff Grubb, Derek Lavigne (thanks for Pixel Revolt!), the Brothers Minotti, Cameron Pershall, Evan Campbell, Travis McReynolds (welcome back!!!), Ultan, Aaron Rivers and many more I am forgetting, but it’s late so cut me some slack. One person I would like to single out Is the Great Alex R. Cronk-Young. This guy is a damn workhorse, a loyal friend to many and one of the most dedicated Bitmobbers. He doesn’t get enough thanks for all he does for the site, so thanks Alex!
I would like to especially and eternally thank Demian, Shoe, Rich, Jason, Greg, Michael (who along with James DeRosa has increased my vocabulary by 50%), and ALL of the staff for creating and nurturing this amazing website that I am proud to consider myself a member of. When I visit the site recently I am blown away by the quality of work and the dedication of the staff and community members. I would like to think that Bitmob has made me a better writer, or at least a more conscious writer, and I believe many other Bitmobbers would feel the same. Bitmob is truly an amazing thing.
Happy Birthday Bitmob and congratulations to everyone involved!!!!
