So, I started thinking about all the things that have happened to me and/or my family over the past year and a half and was amazed at just how much excitebots has been apart of it. I've been dealt a few blows over the past couple of years and there was even a period there where everything happened at once, but the one constant has always been my love for this game and the friends I had made racing online even before I had discovered(actually, I was lead) this forum.

I guess it all started 2 years ago, Christmas 08, when my husband went out and bought a Wii for our 6 year old grandson(we have custody). I remember getting a little perturbed that he bought such an expensive gift without my approval and not really wanting to keep it, but I tried to keep my mouth shut and figured what's done is done and bought several games off of ebay. My husband did some research on the internet(if you knew my husband, you would find this amazing in itself.) and told me to find Excite Truck on ebay which I did. Santa set up the Wii for us that night and must have played some while he ate his cookies. The location of the glass and plate gave it away. Anyways, Christmas day was spent playing the Wii of course and needless to say, I WAS HOOKED! I started staying up to the Wii hours of the morning playing Excite truck. And then in April 09, he went to rent a movie and as he was walking through the video games ExciteBots grabbed his attention because of our love for Excite Truck. We became obsessed the moment we tried it.(I saw it as Excite Truck on steroids) but the true obsession didn't start until I went online. Up to this point, there hadn't been a game that I played that was WiFi capable, and because of that I hadn't ever set it up to receive WiFi. Then about a week into my 2 week rental the first time around, I figured I'd set it up and give it a try. MAN, was that the wrong thing to do that day. I didn't move for about 4 hours and was still playing when my husband walked in the door. He said, "Are you obsessed with that game?" He could see the excitement on my face as I said, "OH HONEY, WAIT UNTIL YOU RACE ONLINE AGAINST OTHER PEOPLE!!!" The thrill of playing with real people instead of the computer was absolutely enthralling. Names and icons became familiar opponents yet comrades in the thrill of accomplishment. Certain names would just send me into what I called amateur mode. JamesSk was the king when this game began and racing him meant you had better race perfectly. In the beginning, he was impossible to beat. I figured he must own the game and really studied the courses, but my time was somewhat limited and I was trying to accomplish as much as possible in the time I was allotted. A couple of weeks after we returned the game to the store, I asked my husband to pick it up again to which he replied, "As much as you have paid to rent it, you could have bought it by now." To which I responded, "Well, if you aren't going to stop at Wal-Mart and buy it for me, at least rent it when you get a movie." He rented and I played non-stop for another 2 week rental. Then I seemed to be over it and didn't play for a couple of months, but in August, for my birthday, My husband had bought me the game with a card that said, "BADNANA IS BACK". I remember thinking, "How Sweet" but feeling like "Nah, I'm over it". I didn't even open the packaging for a few days, because I thought about taking it back and getting something else, but my grandson kept asking me over and over if he could open it, so I finally relented. Thus began my Odyssey with all sorts of aspects of this game. September 27th 09, was when things started falling apart around here and to escape everything going on around me, I engulfed myself in this game. I remember the absolute thrill and excitement the first time I ever beat JamesSk. It was Bz. Egypt and I remember thinking "Must be the tree runs that get him soo many points" I, of course, figured out the combos and spins as well as tree runs, but it was from observing great racers I learned how to dance as I raced along. It can be so beautiful when you run a smooth high scoring race. Plus, there was a certain rush in winning. Badnana(as well as Barbie) loved driving fast. I liked my icon(green spiked smiley) and my name, but I had become a little bored with the game, so I decided to delete Badnana and go for a 0 loss profile like James. That is when Barbie was born. The quest for 0 ended when my 1 year old grandson(also have custody) hit the off button on the extra remote while I was racing. So Barbie stopped betting and just became all about the wins. I also really enjoyed racing poker and it became the one place where my numbers were better than Topstars. Finally I was good at something. :lol:

There have been alot of players who have come through, stuck around, and have become almost impossible to beat and watching the evolution of these players created a respect, admiration, and friendship long before communication ever became an option. Again, just I was about to get bored with the game and life was settling down a bit, My computer illiterat husband walked into the room as I was racing GAMSPOT and GO 2 4M and said, "hey I have heard of gamespot. That is where I researched Excite truck. You ought to look it up." I was racing and didn't want to stop so I just brushed him off, but the next day while I was playing on the computer, I thought, O.K., let's see if there is anything to this" OH MY GOODNESS! What I discovered not only renewed my energy of excitement for this game, It revamped my style of racing to include more points.I was completely astonished that there were others just as much in love with this game as myself, some even more so, to the point of keeping statistics on just about everything. (KUDOS TO TOP! You were born to be a leader son.) I can't describe how giddy I was to actually get to communicate with so many players I have watched grow and surpass myself. I was truely overjoyed because Now all of them could actually know when I HIGH FIVED them after a race. The racers on this board have become part of my family to which I will always be eternally grateful for their help(unbeknownst to most) through some pretty traumatic times. The game, and this board, have helped me to maintain my sanity in some pretty insane situations. All I have to say is Nintendo better get on the ball and hurry up with Excitebot 2 because I feel a storm a brewing again. I have even dreamed about an event for the unveiling of EB2. A massive tournament where Nintendo invites the top 50 established EB racers to compete using the all new EB2 courses. Going in blindly, everyone has a shot at winning. What a promo! Of course they will have to hold 2 tournaments- 1 regular and 1 poker. Doubles your chance of winning, but the idea would be...Look at what a group of individuals who loved the game did, spread the word...and it goes worldwide with marketing like they did for Mario Kart. AHHHH, What a beautiful dream and I will keep trying to wish it into reality.

No matter what is happening in my life, I find peace, love and laughter here and on the tracks. I guess my whole point for this blog is to say EB hasn't been just a game to me. It has been an enormously therapeutic escape from my reality and a wonderfully entertaining addition to my daily routine.

I love you guys!