What do keyboards mean to me.
September 18th 2025
About nine years ago, I got my first mechanical keyboard, the Ganss GK 87 Pro. Before that, I was using a crummy old Logitech keyboard, and I had just discovered that there was a small but fast growing hobby around “non-mainstream” mechanical keyboards. I wanted to see what the big deal was, so I bought one. I even wrote a review for it on Imgur, a little foreshadowing maybe?
But I did not fall in love with keyboards right then. At the time, I was a serial hobbyist. I had an itch I could not quite scratch, always jumping from one interest to another. For a while I was deep into audio, then eventually moved on again.
Looking back now, I do not think it was really about scratching an itch. I think I was searching for a place to belong. I was not in a great place in my personal life and felt pretty lost. I poured too much time, effort, and money into “things,” consuming instead of connecting, which only left me feeling emptier.
Hobbies felt soulless, and at the time, I felt soulless. Hobbies felt soulless, and at the time, I felt soulless.
Fast forward a few years. I was twenty eight, depressed, with no savings, and no clear direction. I had a job I was grateful for, but something was missing. More than anything, I felt lonely.
I ended up seeing a keyboard again that caught my eye and decided to try to do a custom build this time. That keyboard was the TOFU. I ended up building the first one with my dad, and it almost felt like a way to connect with people. I know, it’s just my dad, but it was nice building something with someone else and sharing the end project with them. Plus it made for a real nice memory, ya’ know?
From there, I was hooked. I had another board built for me so I could see how an experienced builder approached it, and I loved getting to nerd out with them. Then I tried building again myself, this time with a higher end switch. For once, I was having real fun, and I knew why. It was not just the keyboards. It was the positive interactions with other people, something I had not found in my past hobbies.
I then wanted to get a keyboard that was a bit more boutique, the RAMA M60-A, and I decided to go to the aftermarket to snag one. So I found a listing and spoke the gentleman selling it and it was such a memorable experience that to this day I still bring it up. That person was Mr. Keebs and the time he took to help and guide me after seeing how never I was with the board was unforgettable. Truly this moment really shaped how I wanted the hobby to be for me.
I kept building keyboards, and eventually built them live on Twitch for others to watch. Five years ago I told the few people watching that I wanted to do was create a community that was fun to be in. A place to make friends in and just hang out. To this day, that’s all I really want. I now get to do keyboards full-time and I am so grateful.
The mechanical keyboard has become more than a a simple interest or me. More than hobby. And it has become more than a job. This might sound silly, but this hobby has become a constant thread in my life. It has given me an outlet to talk to people, it has helped hone my creativity, and has become one of the best communities I have had the pleasure of being in.-
Keyboards are not just tools on a desk. They can be art, but they can also hold memories, meaning, and joy if you let them. Keyboards are not just tools on a desk. They can be art, but they can also hold memories, meaning, and joy if you let them.
Some reflecting.
Now, at thirty-four, life looks very different. I have more responsibilities. People have come and gone. I fell in love, and so much more. Looking back at some things in my life, I do wish I didn’t take my family for granted as much as I did. In my efforts to find myself and in all my feeling lonely, I neglected to see how much they cared for me in that moment. I never want to make that mistake again.
I also had a spending problem. I thought I could buy away my feelings. That is something I talk about often on stream now, the importance of being responsible with money, spending within your means, and learning how to appreciate things from afar through your peers.
Keyboards gave me a way to connect, to create, and to grow. And at the end of the day, that is what they mean to me.
Until next time. 👋
