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| Signed up: |
7 years ago (3/23/06)
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17 hours ago
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| raz0rblade |
 | RIP Ridley |
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That One Defining Moment........Everybody at RvBTO has their one defining moment that makes the preparation & the planning for the event worth it. Most people have several of them, and I have many of my own to choose from. But my favourite is probably represented by one picture in particular:
Of course we all recognize the tall, handsome gentleman in the spectacles and the plaid shirt. Burnie Burns is the reason why we are all a part of this community and why we've been getting together every year at RvBTO in the first place. If he hadn't come up with the idea for Red VS Blue and helped create Rooster Teeth, life would be very different for all of us.
The young lady standing next to him in the picture is Cassie, and this wasn't just her first RvBTO, but her first RT fan event of any kind.
When I met her for the very first night at the Madison Pub she and her boyfriend were mostly keeping to themselves........a little bit overwhelmed and not entirely sure what to make of all the craziness going on all around them. And while her boyfriend was forced to leave shortly thereafter and would ultimately miss out on the rest of the weekend's festivities due to illness, she stuck around and ultimately ended up having the time of her life.
I know this because this happened to me 6 years ago at my first RvBTO. I was the awkward stranger sitting in the corner who had no idea how to react or what to say to all these people who I'd seen online but rarely interacted with. Slowly but surely, I was able to start coming out of my shell and allowed myself to have a little fun.........thanks to two people who shall not go unnoticed. To John Lebow and Jack Edathil, I say THANK YOU. I wouldn't have enjoyed myself nearly as much at that first event if it weren't for the two of you.
And ever since that fateful day more than 6 years ago, I have tried to follow their example to the best of my ability. Whenever I've seen someone sitting in the corner by themselves who haven't quite been able to muster up the courage to say hello to somebody, I've gone on to break the ice for them. And I'll be damned if they didn't end up having the most fun of their lives after that, just like I did.
And because I was hosting a few people at the apartment this year, she was able to make even more friends just by hanging around our little entourage:
We played pool, kicked some ass at Super Smash Brothers and laughed so hard from playing Cards Against Humanity that I'm pretty sure I lost my voice for the better part of a day! It was some of the most fun I've ever had at an RvBTO event before, and I have Cassie to thank for introducing me to that game.
I can honestly say I've never seen such a dramatic change in a person's demeanor as I have with Cassie this weekend. One of her biggest concerns was that she was worried about her braces showing in her pictures, and so she wasn't smiling all that much. By the time I managed to introduce her to Burnie she simply couldn't stop grinning from ear to ear.........I have a feeling that we wouldn't have been able to remove it with anything less than a sandblaster! And that's because you all made her feel like she could be herself around us and that she shouldn't be worried about anything besides having fun and making memories that will stay with her for the rest of her life.
So if you met her this weekend at all, even for just a few fleeting moments, go say hello to her on the site and send her a friend request! When RTO 2013 finally rolls around next summer I want there to be no doubt in her mind that it will be like coming home to a family reunion.........one that she'll never want to end!
Welcome to the family, Cassie! We're honoured, privileged and just plain ecstatic to have you here! Thanks so much for coming out, and going forward I'm looking to making some more great memories with you here in Toronto until RTO 2013!
Much love & respect from your friendly neighbourhood DJ........
Kyle R. Tamminen
 
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Post edited 8/07/12 6:33AM
And I STILL owe you one of those delicious Persians......