View the original post at RubyPseudo.com Video games, once touted as the perfect antidote to a long day spent in the classroom, have now become a blossoming, viable profession for the highly skilled. The world of eSports is so rapidly growing that it’s hard for us everyday folks and elderly millennials to keep up. I sit down, computer to computer, with Nathan Ragsdell, eSports head coach at Midland University to find out what exactly eSports offers and why any of us should care what’s flourishing in the Midwest of the United States. It’s evening here in Berlin, but an early afternoon in Omaha, Nebraska, the home base of my sister Susie and her soon-to-be husband Nathan Ragsdell. I call Susie first; she answers wearing pajamas with messy purple hair and a stylish pair of glasses. Nate’s voice echoes in the background; he’s rummaging about, linking our chat to his computer and on the two big-screen TVs hanging from the living room wall that they usually use for side-by-side gaming. A black cat appears and rubs its head on the Go-pro. Susie puts the camera on a headset and faces Nate, serving as an intermediary for our interview. I already know a decent

Continue readingINTERVIEW WITH AN ESPORTS COACH

View the original post at RubyPseudo.com It’s 2019 and the presence of social media in our daily lives feels less like a tool to keep up with old friends and more like a glossy portfolio showcasing the careful balance of our professional successes paired alongside curated personality bites. Play the game right and your career has the potential to skyrocket, reaching a large audience from the comfort of your unkempt bed [just don’t Instagram it — unless, you know, that’s part of the persona your loyal followers demand]. Opt-out of this newfound hierarchy and you’re an anomaly, one who likely will receive social and professional punishment for not being a part of the system. Though the ripples of social media touch nearly every profession, artists, authors and fashion industry specialists were some of the first to see their long-term careers wane as follower count overtook. “As a photographer, I have been told by agencies, all LA ones, that they won’t consider any photographer with less than fifteen thousand followers. I kinda get it, but it seems like an odd and not very reliable way of judging whether someone is right for a project. The beast is here to stay.” Henrik, Photographer In 2009,

Continue readingTHE JOB KILLER