Giving Thanks for the Year that was 2014

Hey there.  Can you believe that 2014 is nearly over?  Tomorrow is New Year's Eve.  2014 will soon be a memory and new experiences will be made in 2015.  2014 has been an eventful one, both personally and professionally.  Personally, new city, new home, new environment...  Professionally, new schedule, new contacts, new opportunities.  Personal items affect business items.  Moving into a new home really set me back a bit blog wise.  I'm sure you noticed that my posts have not been as routine as they used to be.  But those months spent settling into a new home is now over and a schedule has been set in place to assure posts are done on a more consistent manner.  But I digress...  This post is about giving thanks.  Thanks to those that have made 2014 a successful one for this website.  Also, I want to give a little insight on what is to come in 2015.  So let's get right to it.

First and foremost, I want to thank the sponsors that provide products for me to review and giveaway.  Our good friends at Anker, Mpow, Sharkk, RAVPower, PartnersHub, Golin Harris, Nintendo, Inateck, Havit, Aukey, Etekcity, Flump Studios, and New Trent are but some of the companies that have reached out to me this year, but I want to give a special thanks to Mike, Ashton, and Rosa.  They are but a few of the individuals that I have constant contact with at some of these companies.  They always keep me informed of what's coming andI greatly appreciate the partnership that we have.  If I forgot your company, my sincere apologies.  I've been blessed to be able to work with so many companies that I am certain that I may have forgotten a few.  I extend a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you.  I hope that we can continue to build on our business relationship in the coming year.

Secondly, I want to thank the man behind Dragonblogger, Justin Germino,  I've mentioned before how I've always looked up to Justin and turned to him for inspiration and tips.  Dragonblogger.com has blossomed into a sought after technology/review/entertainment website and I am thankful that I am a small part of it.    But the thing that sets Justin above other admins is that he wants his staff to be successful.  He provides you with the tools to create better content.  Not only in terms of "how to" but also in equipment that he pays out of pocket.  He has provided me with a digital camera, a tripod, laptop DDR ram, (to name just a few of the items) and most recently, a top of the line Logitec web cam.  He doesn't have to do that, but he does.  And not only to me, but the rest of the Dragonblogger staff as well.  He is the epitome of sharing the wealth and I am truly grateful that we crossed paths many years ago and continue to collaborate together.  Thank you, friend!  May 2015 bring you nothing but continued success!!!

Also, I want to thank the wife.  Being a writer/reviewer can be time consuming.  Not only do you have to take the time to use the products, but you have to put those thoughts into writing.  Add podcasting and special event times into the mix and you can see where most of my free time goes.  The wife has been more than understanding and putting up with my writing schedule, recording schedule, and event times.  For putting up with the clutter of gadgets everywhere and for the boxes of stuff that needs reviewing.  But not only that, she also supports what I do.  She encourages me and pushes me to improve on my craft.  Without her support, I know that I would have been out of the game a long time ago.  Thank you, dear, for continuing to be awesome.

The family and I at the Donkey Kong
Nintendo Event at the Los Angeles Zoo

And lastly, I want to thank you, the readers/fans.  Blog stats have hit all time highs and social media stats have hit all time highs.  That just tells me that I'm doing something right that brings you guys coming bank for more...  and I am extremely thankful.  It's crazy to me that there is a small chunk of the world that visits my website on a consistent basis.  It's a humbling.  Without you, none of this would be possible.  A huge thank you for all of you!

So what's new for Metallman.com and what's in store for 2015?  Well, for starters, the giveaways and reviews will continue to be a staple of the site.  I also plan on doing more "thoughts on..." posts.  At least one a month on a film that I saw during the month.  The posts have proven to be quite popular and I would like to offer more posts of that caliber to you guys.  There will also be more gaming posts.  At least first thoughts on games.  I am also going to start a new series of posts called, "In case you missed it."  It'll focus more on games that are about a year old that you may have overlooked when they first came out.  Also, the Get a Life podcast will be making a comeback in 2015.  Brian will continue to cohost with me and talks are set to resume on resurrecting and revamping the show in the coming weeks.

As Metallman himself...  webcasting is in the works!  The Dragoncast crew is looking to add visuals to the podcast and converting the podcast to a webcast!  I'm plenty excited for that!  Also, I am scheduled to have a conference call with the people behind an up and coming sports and entertainment website to discuss becoming their residential gaming expert!  The position will ask that I contribute gaming articles and contribute to podcasts.  And since they are based out of Los Angeles, the opportunity to be a part of webisodes is a possibility as well.  Once the details are ironed out, I'll let you guys in on more info!

So there you have it.  Thanks again, to all of you, for being a big part of the success of this website.  I'm mentally preparing to let go of 2014 and bracing myself for the roller coaster that will be 2015.  Will you be riding with me?  Later!