A tip of the cap
If you are reading one of these “Recap” blogs for the first time, then you are probably new to Dtoid, or just unaware of the Community Blogging scene that is part and parcel of this site. The Community Blogs, or C-Blogs for short, have always been an important part of the content being produced here, content that is purely community driven. Many of the front-page writers on this site actually started as community bloggers, such as Chris Carter, Peter Glagoski, CJ Andriessen, Chris Moyse, Rich Meister, Ray Porreca, and a whole slew of others.
These Recaps, which are produced by volunteer community members, are meant as a further highlight of the excellent work being done by our users. Indeed, there is, and always has been, a treasure trove of excellence in these blogs. Typically, the C-Blogs focus on gaming-related issues, from reviews to the analysis of game design, but as with any respectable Dtoid comments section, they also veer off-topic into weird and uncanny territories.
Previously, these “Recaps” were daily, with a separate “Recapper” responsible for each day. However, we decided to change the format to better match the growth of Dtoid. As such, we changed the format from daily to this weekly recap you are reading now. The previous format has ended, and a new transformation happened in its place.
Which, not so neatly, brings us to the theme of this Recap.
My time on Dtoid has always been about the site being an anchor, an unchanged place in a crazy changeable world. Despite how the site evolves, it is in small ways that rarely changes the character of it. Volunteering as a recapper is my small way of repaying the community for being such an anchor.
Initially, this was meant only as an introductory Recap, but life can rapidly change within moments. I started blogging on Dtoid around the middle of 2015 and became a Recapper roughly at the end of that year. In that time, many transformations happened in my life. I started a new job, went into an assignment, and became responsible for resolving very stressful project situations. Also, this period coincided with the death of my maternal grandfather, a death that had transformative effects on myself and my family.
Two days before writing this blog, on the 16th of September, my maternal grandmother, unfortunately, joined her husband.
This was, and still is, a big shock for all of us. She was relatively young (30 years younger than when my grandfather died), and was obviously betrayed by a cold and inefficient medical system, which I feel is designed to fail its elderly patients. Her death will mean an incredible transformation in our lives. She was the light guiding our family, the harbor at the night, the bonfire we took for granted to warm our hearts. The person we depended on in our time of need, the cook at our time of hunger, and innkeeper in our pursuit of home.
My grandfather’s death was a sad, but not tragic, event. It was spared the tragedy because of its expected nature, and because of the presence of my grandmother, who kept the house in shape. Now, the house no longer has its anchor, and the family all is lost at sea. It is difficult not to think in selfish ways when a person close to you dies. You think about how your life will change now. Yet, that is not selfish, as it is the sum of these interactions that are proof of the love and respect that was between us. I feel great grief because I can no longer ask her to make me the soup I love, because we will never again taste her secret Ice Tea recipe, and because the yearly tradition of Ramadan meals will now stop. All of those are instances where we took from her and now feel we could never repay her, or worse, that we failed her greatly.
What breaks my heart are the small details that prove just how much of a difference the timing of her passing would make. This year, Saudi Arabia finally allowed women to drive. My mother was ecstatic because it meant she could drive to her mother any time she wanted without having to synchronize with my father or any of her sons, and she did drive there repeatedly. Now, she has no reason to drive, and no one to go to.
Worst yet is my uncle, who is her youngest son and only a little older than myself. His devastation will be very palatable, as she was the only anchor in his life, which now he will have to re-examine thoroughly. Until now, I struggled to look at him without feeling the tears start to swell up. Truly, he will be alone.
My grandparent’s house, which has long been my true home, has lost its warmth. There, I learned to walk and talk, to read and write, and even played my first video game. I was formed in its nooks and crannies and found safety in its beds. There, I found comfort in my hardest times, and found advice when I needed it, and understanding when that’s all I wanted.
This transformation essentially means that life changes into another form. We will continue to live, being affected by the sudden vacuum she left behind. slowly, we will adapt, and we will feel guilty because we did. Humans have an incredible capacity to forget, which is necessary to continue functioning normally.
True to her name, which means “shine” in Arabic, my grandmother was a shining beacon to all of us. Now, the shine is gone, and we will learn to live without it. The best I can hope for is that we learn from her example, and become shining beacons to others in our lives just as she did.
Rest in peace dear grandma, you deserved that rest.
T- True to the pedigree of Insomniac, Spider-Man came out great, and Bit By 8 Bit can’t stop saying good things about it, and about how it is finally a game befitting the iconic character.
F- I did not know Sony needs any free advertisement in the CBlogs?
I am not going to be able to reply to your comments on these blogs, but know that I will read all of them and that I sincerely thank all of you for your condolences and well-wishes.
Last week, we managed to get 19 blogs. These weekly recaps can require a lot of work, which is why we need at least two more volunteers to help out the Recap team. It is a great opportunity to give back to the C-Blog community and to also practice your writing skills.
Please contact us in the comment’s section below if you are interested
Next week, you will get another Weekly Recap, covering the days from 9/16 to 9/22. So keep reading and writing these blogs.
Be Lucky
Rest in Peace You Shining Light, You Have Always Been a Warm Shine in Our Lives, & Now We Hope You Shine Our Way to Meet You in Our Afterlives
Blog Count: 19
Last Posted Recap (9/2 to 9/8)
