I feel like I say this every year, but it’s still crazy to think we’ve made it another year here at Geek World Order. It feels like a lifetime ago that I started the site back in the summer of 2010. Changes in life, friends, circumstances and a wealth of experience have shaped the past 13 years and it’s truly amazing to take this journey.
When we celebrated last year, it was just after I had come off the mend from a hospital stay and recovery that caused me to miss a lot. It was rough but I resolved to come back tougher. I feel like I did that for the most part. A crazy summer ended with another successful DragonCon and from there, it’s been relatively quiet this past year.
I continued in my role as Commanding Officer of Task Force 27, Florida garrison of The Finest G.I.Joe Costume club and it has been a good year. My hospitalization was right after I had completed two events as CO, but this year has been better. Being in this role has given me more insight into conventions and events and how they operate. It’s been interesting to learn how to build relationships with shows and vendors to give us a base to work with. Out most recent show was out in Tampa with Florida Toy Shows and Expos. Jeff and his group put on fantastic shows and we are proud to be at any show we are able to align schedules with. It’s an amazing experience to interact with G.I.Joe fans and revisit nostalgic memories as well as raise money for the amazing K9s For Warriors charity.
I took another step in creating more original content for the site. In addition to the photography work, I have also been more active on YouTube doing toy reviews, Disney vlogs and convention experiences to provide an even deeper look into the experience of geeky life. I set out on a goal in 2023 to have at least one new video out every week on the channel. This has been accomplished so far with a new video released every Tuesday at 8:00 AM as of the writing of this blog with videos already recorded and scheduled into August. I have even exceeded that as many weeks have had two videos come out. Even just over half way through the year, I have already had my most successful year on YouTube in every statistical category.
As I look to the year ahead, the site is officially a teenager. Will the site be wild and rebellious with a new cause or settle into a wise era as I myself have grown more experienced and wise. A lot has changed from when I was 24 starting the site to the 37 I am now. I always have ideas in my mind it’s just a matter of executing and doing so when the time is right. I will of course be plugging away and keep consistent with the content I do provide but always thinking of how it can be better.
I certainly thank you all for continuing to follow me on this journey. It has been a long road getting from there to here. I had an idea in my head for this site and after that fateful weekend at Nerdapalooza I set out on this journey. to the new friends I have made, welcome to the journey. The ride has truly been amazing and as many of these yearly blogs go, I feel a sense of renewal. As also with many of these updates, things are going on in my life but this site and what I experience along the way make this a source of strength and a place to forget what is wrong in the world. A place where geekiness shines and it’s okay to be a geek. I am proud and unapologetic to be a geek, a collector, a content producer. It’s a Geek World Order taken at no one’s expense.
Live Long and Prosper,
-Randy
