Happy Thanksgiving 2018 - What We're Celebrating and Most Thankful for in 2018

In this video, we take a moment and reflect on 2018 and share our top five things we are most thankful for.

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2018 has been a wild year. In the last 12 months in tremendous growth, met some amazing people, and generally had a lot of fun. I don't know that I necessarily expected 2018 to turn out the way that it has, at least to this point. In looking back at what I am most thankful this year it was pretty easy to put together a list of five things that I am most thankful for.

5: Amazing Growth
One year ago, we were just shy of a thousand subscribers. And, wow, that was an amazing threshold, that was before YouTube changed its requirements. Little did I know how important that first thousand subscribers would be. Here we are a year later and we have increased the size of our following here on YouTube by a factor of nearly five. I am truly humbled by the support of everyone who has subscribed to the channel, liked, disliked, shared or commented on videos. Your interaction is what makes this so much fun for me.

4: Amazing Support
With my previous experiences in the world of magazine publishing and being a corporate social media manager, I know how crucial having support within an industry can be. From the earliest days of the channel, we have received overwhelming support from the community. Retro-bit, CastleManiaGames, Gamerz Tek, Eon Gaming, Hyperkin, and many more have stepped up to help us provide amazing content with their providing of amazing products and support. This product isn't free, someone is paying for it, I am just so very thankful that they see value in the content I provide that these companies are willing to provide their support.

3: Amazing Friendships
You know how single player games are a lot of fun, but multiplayer are even more fun? The same goes for friendships. I have met some amazing people over the past 12-months, people I had followed and respected, but never really expected to be welcomed into the fold quite so quickly. Castlemania Ryan, man, this dude, I swear. I wouldn't be enjoying the success I am today without his help, guidance, support, and friendship. He's truly one of the best people I know, regardless of career. He's just a great dude. John Riggs is another one, I don't know what I initially expected when I met him but who you see in the videos is exactly who he is in-person. Warm, kind, pretty tall, and simply one of the most generous in-spirit people I have ever been blessed to call a friend. Of course I can't forget Riff and Gabbo from the Pixel Game Squad. No, literally, I was traumatized during our trip to Portland together, I am unable to forget it! Seriously though, to be welcomed as a peer into this community has been very humbling, and I haven't even gotten to the fans yet. You, all of you reading this, I consider you friends and truly can never express my appreciation for the energy and friendship you share with me.

2: Amazing Travels
I love to travel, it is one of the things I miss most about working for the magazines and working on the social side for my company. This year I was able to attend my first two retro gaming conventions at the MoGameCon and PRGE. To be honest I was going to try to get to the Midwest Games Con in my home town of Milwaukee, but an ice storm prevented that from happening. Being only 3-hours from St. Charles, MO made attending the MoGameCon super easy. I was able to see some cool things at the show, pick up some awesome gear, and I participated in my first panel by being John Riggs' assistant in his "Open Cart Surgery - LIVE" panel. It was pretty awesome.

Later in the year I was able to head to the hot spot of retro gaming, the granddaddy of them all, the Portland Retro Gaming Expo. Here I got to be in the Mecca of retro gaming, hang out with Riff, Gabbo, Riggs, Castlemania Ryan, Adam Korlik, The Game Bois, and so many amazing people. It is an experience I won't forget and cannot wait to get back to soon.

1: My Amazing Ladies
The 2 unsung heroes of this channel are Ginger and Cassie, and boy do they put up with a lot! If we're someplace new I'm always trying to see if there's something retro gaming related I can pick up and check out. I make dorky gaming references all the time. I retell the same stories of conversations with people they will likely never meet. But through it all these two amazing ladies smile, pat me on the head, tell me I'm a good boy, kinda treating me like a dog, and provide their unconditional support. If it wasn't for Ginger's insistence I would not have attended PRGE this year. Prior to the MoGameCon, I had talked about attending PRGE but was leaning towards not going. After MoGameCon Ginger insisted that I was going to PRGE and she helped make it happen.

These just some of the things I am thankful for in 2018, but I want to hear what you're thankful for! Let me know, and from my family to yours, may you truly have a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving.