Post by pawl on Nov 25, 2023 12:36:15 GMT -8
So a couple of days ago marked 20 years of this account being here! I was actually registered a little while before with another account, but I was under 13 then so we'll not talk about that!
So I'm back! For a minute at least, anyway. These days I don't seem to really be active anywhere online despite lurking in a few places, and I've little doubt that the GT of today is very different to the one that I still remember fondly, regardless of any rose tint it might have.
I actually stumbled on this place again a few weeks ago, having not looked in for years at that point. It was quite an odd experience: I was immediately nostalgic for the halcyon days of my youth, yet also very aware that unfortunately the chapter in my life where GT featured is very likely still over.
Like many around at the time (and probably a the current inhabitants, too), GT played a big part in my teenage years. From being a young kid in a foreign country, living miles away from anyone I knew, to being a socially-uncomfortable youth with nothing better to do, the people in GT (and various related communities, plus the likes of MSN) were very much my home away from home. I met some incredible people (both on and offline, some of whom I was very close to), no doubt did some stupid things, managed to (at least briefly) distance myself from a lot of my own insecurities and unhappiness, briefly sat on the Mod team, and most importantly had an absolute shed load of fun.
I don't really use social media these days (deciding to stop logging into Facebook left me a much happier person!) and I've never been good at keeping in touch with anyone, so unfortunately I've all but dropped off the radar and I don't really talk to anybody anymore. Some might consider that a good thing! xD
As I've said, some of the best people I've ever had the pleasure to know are old GT regulars. The likes of iGeorge (there are very few people that will ever be as cool as Gorgeous George. Including George himself!), winter weezland (who is probably still jealous that Neil Hilborn likes me more than him. Though it wouldn't surprise me if they perform together or something now!), naomi. (who is probably still writing and performing when she's not busy being one of the coolest people I've ever known, and generally kicking the world's arse <3 nomiikins also kinda gave me my name, so y'know!), Minime (who I am contractually obliged to say is "awesome. Her inspiring wit, charming personality, and ravishing good looks are aspects that one would usually be jealous of.. but because of her genuine sincerity and loving nature, it's impossible to hate her." minime will always have all the love though! Also I'm not a hooligan!), Graham (I definitely still owe him a pint, but I'm not entirely sure what for anymore! Graham was always a cool fella though, as anyone from the time can likely attest), Kami (kami will always be a favourite, though I'm sorry that even with the latest job change I don't ever seem to be around!), Less.Than.Three. (who was an endless spring of optimism and reassurance at times when I probably needed it, and I hope that things are going as well for her as when we last spoke!) and plenty of others are all people that I should have made much more of an effort to keep in touch with over the years. For any that see this, I'm sorry I didn't!
There are of course a load more people who should be on the list. The likes of D, (actually all of the OTW crowd), CheatAreZee, Brian, Shady, The Dark Knight (have you taken over the world yet?), Artemis, Martyn Dale, Syko Nachoman, **hp, Stinky666, Vicky (who is definitely still short!), sh0elaced (who deserves so much more than can be said here), ~»tobi«~ and no doubt more all deserve to have words written about them.
All the above and more were people that I'm incredibly thankful to have known at the time that I did. I've little doubt that they've all grown up a bit in the interim years though - likely done all that adult nonsense and found proper jobs, started families, bought houses etc. As for me?
Well, it must have been a decade since I was a regular here. I think back then I had a dancing pikachu avatar, if that helps those who still have no idea who the dude with stunning hair up there is 😜
In that time I worked most of the 16 years or so I was in hospitality. A good few of those years are rather hazy thanks to some concerted efforts at self-destruction, though I finally managed to get shut of the industry about a year ago. These days I'm working for the NHS, and the change is still something I've not quite come to terms with!
Until a couple of years ago I spent most of my summers hitting as many festivals as possible (so 4, basically!), and along the way I've made some fantastic friends (one of whom recently passed away, unfortunately). Typically a couple of years ago real-life pressures put that on hold indefinitely, which is slowly killing me!
I'm almost 34 now - a number that still doesn't make sense to me! Still single, still usually broke, still trying to get my life in order, and still failing miserably. I did recently become an uncle though, so that's pretty cool.
All told it could be worse. I'm still paying off old debts, but I'm usually much less miserable than I used to be. My job role is a little unstable at the minute, but my job is secure. I've once again accepted I'll likely never own a house, but I've kinda made my peace with that (I struggled for a positive here 😅). I still dress like a teenager, but I do so unapologetically!
So anyway, rambling aside: GT used to be cool - thanks for that! =] I don't know what the regular crowd is like now, but I hope they have something as magical as the atmosphere we did back then. And I also hope that I don't have to see it, because I'm sure we were a bloody nightmare for anybody much over the age of 20!
Also, I saw that Poleon has been on in the last couple of years - I'm glad to see he's still around =]
So I'm back! For a minute at least, anyway. These days I don't seem to really be active anywhere online despite lurking in a few places, and I've little doubt that the GT of today is very different to the one that I still remember fondly, regardless of any rose tint it might have.
I actually stumbled on this place again a few weeks ago, having not looked in for years at that point. It was quite an odd experience: I was immediately nostalgic for the halcyon days of my youth, yet also very aware that unfortunately the chapter in my life where GT featured is very likely still over.
Like many around at the time (and probably a the current inhabitants, too), GT played a big part in my teenage years. From being a young kid in a foreign country, living miles away from anyone I knew, to being a socially-uncomfortable youth with nothing better to do, the people in GT (and various related communities, plus the likes of MSN) were very much my home away from home. I met some incredible people (both on and offline, some of whom I was very close to), no doubt did some stupid things, managed to (at least briefly) distance myself from a lot of my own insecurities and unhappiness, briefly sat on the Mod team, and most importantly had an absolute shed load of fun.
I don't really use social media these days (deciding to stop logging into Facebook left me a much happier person!) and I've never been good at keeping in touch with anyone, so unfortunately I've all but dropped off the radar and I don't really talk to anybody anymore. Some might consider that a good thing! xD
As I've said, some of the best people I've ever had the pleasure to know are old GT regulars. The likes of iGeorge (there are very few people that will ever be as cool as Gorgeous George. Including George himself!), winter weezland (who is probably still jealous that Neil Hilborn likes me more than him. Though it wouldn't surprise me if they perform together or something now!), naomi. (who is probably still writing and performing when she's not busy being one of the coolest people I've ever known, and generally kicking the world's arse <3 nomiikins also kinda gave me my name, so y'know!), Minime (who I am contractually obliged to say is "awesome. Her inspiring wit, charming personality, and ravishing good looks are aspects that one would usually be jealous of.. but because of her genuine sincerity and loving nature, it's impossible to hate her." minime will always have all the love though! Also I'm not a hooligan!), Graham (I definitely still owe him a pint, but I'm not entirely sure what for anymore! Graham was always a cool fella though, as anyone from the time can likely attest), Kami (kami will always be a favourite, though I'm sorry that even with the latest job change I don't ever seem to be around!), Less.Than.Three. (who was an endless spring of optimism and reassurance at times when I probably needed it, and I hope that things are going as well for her as when we last spoke!) and plenty of others are all people that I should have made much more of an effort to keep in touch with over the years. For any that see this, I'm sorry I didn't!
There are of course a load more people who should be on the list. The likes of D, (actually all of the OTW crowd), CheatAreZee, Brian, Shady, The Dark Knight (have you taken over the world yet?), Artemis, Martyn Dale, Syko Nachoman, **hp, Stinky666, Vicky (who is definitely still short!), sh0elaced (who deserves so much more than can be said here), ~»tobi«~ and no doubt more all deserve to have words written about them.
All the above and more were people that I'm incredibly thankful to have known at the time that I did. I've little doubt that they've all grown up a bit in the interim years though - likely done all that adult nonsense and found proper jobs, started families, bought houses etc. As for me?
Well, it must have been a decade since I was a regular here. I think back then I had a dancing pikachu avatar, if that helps those who still have no idea who the dude with stunning hair up there is 😜
In that time I worked most of the 16 years or so I was in hospitality. A good few of those years are rather hazy thanks to some concerted efforts at self-destruction, though I finally managed to get shut of the industry about a year ago. These days I'm working for the NHS, and the change is still something I've not quite come to terms with!
Until a couple of years ago I spent most of my summers hitting as many festivals as possible (so 4, basically!), and along the way I've made some fantastic friends (one of whom recently passed away, unfortunately). Typically a couple of years ago real-life pressures put that on hold indefinitely, which is slowly killing me!
I'm almost 34 now - a number that still doesn't make sense to me! Still single, still usually broke, still trying to get my life in order, and still failing miserably. I did recently become an uncle though, so that's pretty cool.
All told it could be worse. I'm still paying off old debts, but I'm usually much less miserable than I used to be. My job role is a little unstable at the minute, but my job is secure. I've once again accepted I'll likely never own a house, but I've kinda made my peace with that (I struggled for a positive here 😅). I still dress like a teenager, but I do so unapologetically!
So anyway, rambling aside: GT used to be cool - thanks for that! =] I don't know what the regular crowd is like now, but I hope they have something as magical as the atmosphere we did back then. And I also hope that I don't have to see it, because I'm sure we were a bloody nightmare for anybody much over the age of 20!
Also, I saw that Poleon has been on in the last couple of years - I'm glad to see he's still around =]
This is my signature achievement.
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