Goodbye to You[tube]!

Over the past 3 years, give or take some months, I've been an avid collector of video games, systems, etc. And not just retro stuff, but as I've kind of showcased here I'm a collector of almost anything that has to do with video games, in general. So when I felt this little blog wasn't enough I decided to start my own channel on Youtube, spurred on heavily by the number of already established Youtubers who already did what I wanted to do and had inspired me in some form.

So after a year of trying it for myself and watching people go from nothing to the top, watching the top crumble and fall, as well as watching myself go absolutely nowhere, I saw Youtube for what it is. A social feeding ground for people who wank off to their favorite Youtuber and after they've finished they write some poorly spelled, most likely due to the post-orgasm tremors, rant about how they hate the person and video they just wanked to.

But beyond all that Youtube is a popularity contest, how much ass can you kiss, how much shit can you pile on your nose to choke down any bit of pride you may have had beforehand, to become what people want to watch. Obviously this isn't the case with all channels, but as I watch the upper crust, I see what idiots they become when they sit behind a camera just to try and get someone to admit their stupidity was entertaining. Something I never did, which is probably why I never went anywhere.

When it came to the Youtube Gaming community, there were hundreds if not thousands of good channels on there to compete with, a lot of them hosted by genuinely interesting people who had interesting facts and information that was, again, genuinely fun to watch! But there were a few channels that just bored me to sleep, yet these people went from small nobodies to huge in no time, and it seems it was because they were willing to network by pimping themselves out and sucking enough dick to make it happen.

The most common way of getting noticed is to post the same comment over and over on as many videos as you could; "Great (whatever)! I really enjoyed this video!", things of that nature. Another was to do trades or send gifts to other Youtubers, knowing full well they would do a "package" video and your name would be dropped to the mass of their subscribers. The last is just to post videos as often as you can and do all three things above, just make sure they can't escape your face or your channel.

When I commented I honestly felt what I said, I rarely commented. I sent one Youtuber a video game they said they got for X-Mas one year when they were a kid but mentioned they couldn't find it; I knew where one was CIB for cheap, so I bought it and shipped it out, that Youtuber has yet to make a video about it, 6 months on, and hopefully never will! I posted videos twice weekly when I had stuff to show, because I enjoyed showing it off and I enjoyed the 1 or 2 people I was entertaining.

I may be boring, sure, but it seems the reason I never went anywhere was because I value my pride more than I value some fleeting celebrity on an internet based, self published TV program. Do I miss making Youtube videos? Yes. When I picked up stuff this week I got home and opened up the webcam program as I usually did, but quickly shut it down and just went to playing the games I had bought instead.

I guess in terms of "celebrity", I'm a nobody, I was raised a nobody and I'll die a nobody. But in terms of reality, I am who I am, proud of who I am, I won't break my back for anyone other than myself. If I like you, you know it. If I hate you, you know it. And if you don't like me, well go fuck yourself because I'm doing just fine without you.

Just another bit of proof something is watching out for me.

I am by no means a spiritual man, nor am I a religious man, far from it. But I do believe there is something, some power or guidance, that helps me out along my life. Back in January I got yet another gleaming sign of this power in action, no matter how random it may be, proving its always watching out for me.

In January I had a friend who went up to Michigan to see a friend who was having a rough go with the new year, so I asked them to keep an eye open for vintage games and things in thrift stores and other gaming stores that I wouldn't personally be able to check out, given the 300 plus mile distance. After my friend had struck out at every thrift store I kind of felt let down, but at least they tried. Later I had one more trick up my sleeve, Craigslist!

I checked Craigslist and saw the normal, inflated stupidity I see locally, which didn't surprise me in the least. But among the bullshit came a gleaming diamond in the rough; a Sega Game Gear with 3 games for $10. I shot off the email and waited to see when my friend could pick it up!

..Nada! Not a single fuck was given that day, or ever as a matter of fact. The seller never removed the listing, nor did they reply to my email. So my friend returned home empty handed, as did I.

Maybe 2 weeks after that, still sore from the lack of even a simple "Sorry, this item has sold." email, I was cruising the Goodwill Outlet store when it unleashed yet again a good find! Not as big as it has been, but good enough to make me completely forget about the snub from the Michigander Craigslist ad. Not one, but two Sega Game Gears, missing the battery doors, but they were both in good shape, proving that the Craigslist deal fell through so I could get a better deal elsewhere.

One of them was the much cheaper Majesco "Core" Game Gear and the other was the original Sega version. Again, both were missing the battery doors but both were in good shape and worked perfectly! I already owned a Game Gear and a handful of games, but these were both in better shape than the one I originally bought a year ago.

Well it seems that the hand of fate, guidance or whatever you will call it, wasn't done yet! Because a week after that I found yet another Sega Game Gear at the Goodwill Outlet store. Although this time 1/3 of the screen doesn't work. But I love to tinker with shit and if I make it worse it was $.79 a pound, but if I repair it I may be able to repair any others that come my way.

I don't know what it is, perhaps I'm just misreading luck, but it certainly adds up in my mind that something is looking out for me. Whatever it is, I'm grateful to have it on my side. It makes the video game hunting a lot more interesting when I get such great surprises out of nowhere.