…and so it goes.
Well, that’s that. With today’s release of the 122nd episode of Starkville’s House of El, my podcasting journey has come to a close. We’ve recorded the last SkyNext, though it hasn’t been released yet, and I won’t be returning to 10th Wonder or SHoE in the fall.
Nobody outside of Steve and Kim really knew about this decision, and it’s one I didn’t enter into lightly. We recorded last night, had a few good laughs, a few long standing bits from SHoE’s history, and then it was time to say goodbye. It wasn’t as sad as I thought it would be. I had a ton of people to thank for the past three years, and that took most of my focus. Steve said some of the nicest things that have ever been said to me, the music played and we ended it, like any other show. Even during editing, I really didn’t feel much. I wasn’t thinking that would be one of my last times in front of a microphone in a long time, I wasn’t thinking a lot of things at all. People stared slowly listening today, I guess. I saw some posts on the site, some forum threads, and we got some emails. I don’t want to go reply to every single one and make it look like I’m waiting around on some feedback, but it’s hard not to wonder at the same time. I got some really great personal messages via email today, and even then I didn’t really get sad about what I’m leaving behind me after doing this every single day for the past 3 years.
I got home from work tonight, fixed dinner, turned on TV and there it was. The opening credits of Smallville. Silly, I know. Completely pathetic and even more so probably cliché, but when the theme song started it was hard not to think about everything. All the people I’ve met, the work I’ve done, and the folks who have touched my life. Not to mention the opportunities I’ve been given and am so thankful for on a daily basis. I think I’m writing this more for me than anyone else, no one comes here. But there’s one email I recieived today, that I want kept on this site for all time so I can be reminded that this meant something to someone. That’s all I ever needed.
Dear Derek,
I hope that you’re able to get this e-mail. It’s now 12:30pm on Thursday, June 11, 2009 and I’m sitting here in my cubicle with a few co-workers that listen to the podcast. I hope you know that you mean to world to people that you don’t even know. Even though it took a month for us to get a new podcast, we were all excited to hear it and as soon as we pressed play, it’s as if no time had really passed since the last podcast. Everything was just like old times, and were enjoying every minute of it. But I can honestly tell you that the room got super silent when you broke the news to all of us that you were not returning to do anymore podcasts with Steve. By the end of the podcast, we were all sitting here sad and teary eyed. Of course we were wishing you the best in all your successes, but also we were feeling a sense of losing a friend. Times have been very tough here at Long Beach Community College (where I work), and Shoe, 10th wonder, and Geek Out Loud are the 3 podcasts that all of us here look forward to hearing, mainly because it brightens up our spirits by the way you and Steve get along so well, joking around and making us feel like we’re all a part of a family. Believe me your laughter and bits got us through some very tough times here when people were getting laid off left and right. We’re all gonna miss you man, and we really do wish you would reconsider your decision to leave the podcasts. I hope Steve finds a way to convince you to stay. Maybe we should start a petition and see how many people I can get to try to make you stay on. You are a very important part of the shows, and life without Derek just wouldn’t be the same.
On behalf of everyone here at Long Beach Community College, we wish you the best in everything, and we thank you for the time and dedication you gave to all the podcasts. Take good care of yourself man…
Gabriel
Proverbs 18:24 “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
-Thanks for being a good friend to us Derek…
Filed under: Personal | 3 Comments
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I come here. I read your posts and look forward to them as much as I look forward to all your podcasts. I’m gonna miss you dude. Pure and simple: You’ll be missed.
I hope you’ll still guest appear on Geek Out Loud every once in a while…
That being said, Good luck with everything you’ve got going on, man.
- Adrian James
Derek, I come here all the time, even though I don’t comment. I look forward to when you update, and it’s in my RSS feed catcher so I don’t miss it.
Maybe you don’t realize how much you mean to a bunch of strangers, maybe you do – but I know that personally you made my days a lot brighter at work. I’m a financial crimes investigator – do you know how boring that is?? I’ve had to put my head down on my desk and laugh silently as tears streamed down my face. When my co-workers think I’ve gone off the deep end I say, “it’s just Derek and Steve”, and they nod in understanding.
I’m not trying to make you feel bad about your decision – I support it 100%, just know that you did make a difference in my daily life (I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve played the “Bruce Wayne” bit).
I’ll miss listening to you – but most importantly I hope you never lose your dream of becoming a writer – and when you do I’ll be there, Kindle in hand, waiting to download!
Take care,
Archer
Ditto for me. I don’t even watch Smallville or listen to SHoE, but when I heard about your final podcast, I immediately downloaded it to listen. I’ll probably save the final SkyNext for a rainy day.
I read that AP article about you that Ashley posted on Twitter, and I know you have difficulty understanding how all of these strangers are so attached to you, but fandom is the unfortunate result of being really good at what you do. And you are. I consider myself a big fan, but respect your decision (and won’t show up at your house).
Good luck with everything! You will be missed.
Rachel