Chef Josh · @TheEsportsChef
12th Jan 2019 from TwitLonger
I'm sad to say that I am leaving coL. Here's a not so short post about it.
Hey everyone, I am writing this to announce my departure from compLexity, and esports in general. After a break, and a lot of thinking, I made the decision to leave my job at coL and continue down a new path elsewhere. This decision was made for personal reasons, and I felt it necessary to step away in order to regain and improve my mental and physical health. I had lost touch with the happy, friendly, curious Josh of the past, and I need to go find him again.
That being said, I'd like to say thank you to a whole lot of people. There aren't enough words for me to properly describe how appreciative I am for the life I lived with complexity, and the friends I made along the way. Because of coL, I was able to leave home as a 17 year old boy who had never boarded a plane or left the east coast, and after 3 years, leave with a nearly full passport with stamps from all over the world and friendships I will never forget. (And that I hope to maintain for years to come.)
Sadly I can't thank everyone who I've met and befriended along the way, or I'd have to write a good 50 more paragraphs, but if I've ever given you a hug, handshake, or even a smile, just know that I'm happy to have met you, and I hope to see you again sometime soon. (This is the end of the announcement portion in case you don't want to read my cheesy thank you’s)
I am going to list a few people that deserve the recognition, because I don't know what I'd be without them.
First and foremost, I'd like to thank Kyle “Beef” Bautista. One of the hardest working, most genuine, caring, and kind people I know. This man gave me a chance in this industry without any previous experience or education, off the word of my crazy cousin Kyle Freedman, and liked me enough to keep me around. He is one of the most valuable mentors I've ever had in my life, and I wish for his happiness and success in every aspect of life. You mean a ton to me Beef, I love you to the moon and back, and I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me.
Next up, I'd like the thank the aforementioned crazy cousin of mine, Kyle Freedman. This is the dude that someone pitched me to the bossmen and got them to give me a shot as a chef in the first place. I don't know how you did it, but I would have never been shown the light of esports if it weren't for you, and I'm forever grateful for that, as well as the invaluable relationship we have built up over this crazy journey we called Dota 2.
I've got a lot more of these, so I'm going to stop leading with introductions, but I'd like to thank the head honcho himself, Mr Jason Lake. He built a platform that allowed me to grow and exceed all expectations of myself in countless aspects of life. With this job I grew as a manager, a friend, and a man. I wish I had been more vocal in the past about my appreciation for his efforts, but at least now he can read this and know what it meant to me. And I promise that in the future I will make extra effort to bring this all to his attention.
I'd like to thank my main man Zakari Freedman for being a voice of reason in a sea of doubt. There are a lot of words I could use to describe Zak, but above all else he was honest. Whenever I felt that maybe I was being too judgemental or too emotional, he would be there to let me know I was right or wrong. As someone who was by your side for several years, I just want you to know that I love and appreciate everything you've done for me and for the team, and I can't wait to watch you walk across that TI stage with a trophy held above your head.
I'd like to thank Sören Vendsahm. He was a guy I knew of for a long time, but only knew personally for the past couple years. He went out of his way to ensure I was doing well, and I wish I had been more honest with him. Soren, you are a great man, a great friend, and I wish you the best in all days to come.
I'd like to thank Linus for being one of my best friends. It could just be that we we're stuck together for all these years, but I've got to say, you're a kick ass dude. From team disasters to nights out at random clubs in foreign countries, you've always been by my side. I can't wait to see the success that will come for you, and I'll be back to ask you about it soon.
I'd like to thank moo for his friendship. David cares about people more than anyone I have ever met. He is the most empathetic, and genuinely concerned guy I know. He will sacrifice sleep, sanity, and anything else to talk to any individual about whatever it is they need, and he will make it known to you that he cares about what you have to say. From nights on the couch in Florida watching you play Breath of the Wild, to nights we spent yelling across a countertop, I can't stress enough how much I value your friendship, and I hope it continues for years to come.
I'd like to thank Chessie for a whole lot of things. A lot of which I can't say publicly. But you're a great guy Rasmus, and I love you to death. I really hope to see you soon.
Simon deserves specific mention because back in the golden days of Chef Josh, he was my boy. We used to do everything together and even though we don't talk all to often nowadays, I will never forget the time we shared and the amount of fun we had. I know for a fact I'll see you soon, but until then, be safe and have a kick ass life.
Special thanks to Scott for being an incredibly helpful dude. Any time anybody needed help with something he'd be there to assist. He even helped me pack up a truck at 7 am without me asking for it. And the fact that he's a goofy ass jersey boy makes it even more awesome.
This is going to be the last paragraph of thank you’s because I don't want to waste all of your time, but I had to mention these guys. Thank you to everybody who played on my teams. That means Zyzzy, Chessie, MJW, WayToo, Simon, Adam, Moon, Feero, Skem, Justin, Moo, Envy, Jimmy, JingJun, and a ton more. Thank you to everyone in the office, Jason Lake, Kyle, Soren, Scott, Matt, Andrew, Jordan, Kevin, Paul, Marco, Patrick, Daniel, Sean, Zak, and the whole CS team. I'd also like to thank Shannon for being awesome. She's not a part of coL, but she deserves a shout-out for being a great friend.
I have love for every single one of y'all, and if you ever need anything from me feel free to give me a call.
That's all I've got for this here announcement, I hope you're still awake this far down. Thank you compLexity, Dota 2, and esports in general for introducing me to some of the most brilliant people and beautiful smiles I've ever seen. I wouldn't trade the last 3 years of my life for anything. I'm sure I'll end up at a Dota event soon enough to say hello to everybody, but until then be safe, and try not to repeat the Shanghai Major.