This three-day period of March 20-22nd marks the 10-year anniversary of MIGeekScene’s public debut. Which event did I make my debut at? That event was Shuto Con 2015. Technically, the Grand Rapids Comic Con of 2014 is the first convention that I covered, but it was under my old Grand Rapids Geek name. While the GR Comic Con gave me a taste of what comic cons were like, Shuto Con introduced me to a whole new world of what a con was capable of. Late-night programming, which included 18+ Q&A panels with guests, incredibly impressive gaming setups, and very solid music programming, were just a few things that I didn’t know existed at conventions on that scale. To say that my mind was blown would be an understatement at the time. After that, I was off to the races to hit up as many Michigan conventions/expos/events as I could.
During March 20-22nd, I saw Mega Ran perform for the first time, and that marked the moment when we first met, too. All these years later, I can easily say that Raheem is one of my friends. Which leads me to my next point. Since I started MIGeekScene, I have met and become friends with a lot of special individuals that I would not have met if I hadn’t taken a chance to follow my passion for connecting with geeks and nerds. There are too many people that I could list, and I would be here all day. For the true friends that I’ve made along the way, I’m very appreciative of you. For all the positive acquaintances that I’ve made, it was nice to meet you as well.
Over these past 10 years, I’ve experienced a lot of awesome things. It is hard to count all the fun events that Michigan has offered over the years. I’ve been to ren faires, furry events, maker faires, comic cons, video game cons, anime cons, steampunk events, and a whole lot more. While my website did not turn into a full-time paying job, which I hoped it would, I still treated the coverage of Michigan’s geek culture with all the respect and integrity that it deserves. A decade later, I don’t regret going on this journey, overall. I learned a lot of lessons, both good and brutally harsh. As I’m getting older, I don’t know how much longer MIGeekScene will continue. At some point, it will sunset. Until that time comes, MIGeekScene will stick around for the time being. With that being said, 10 years is quite an accomplishment.
Before I go, a few thanks are in order. I’m thankful that JAFAX played a part in inspiring me to start up a website. A MASSIVE THANKS goes to Scott for helping me turn the idea of a Michigan-centered positive geek culture website into a reality. A COLOSSAL THANKS goes to Cassidy and Tracy for creating my excellent logo. A GIANT THANKS goes to Mark, Stefanie, and Joe for giving a relatively unknown geek journalist a chance. A HUGE THANKS goes out to everyone who has shown love and support for MIGeekScene. I’m truly grateful for all of you.
Joe
