What were you like when you first joined this forum?

[some hero]

I joined in 2009 again after quitting Smogon mostly just to post stuff in WI-FI here and there. Sometines sharing my thoughts on certain Pokemon. Then eventually i stopped liking Pokemon and moved on(again) but this time i logged in once in a while keeping this profile alive. After lurking i decided to start posting again in the NFL thread. And became focused on the thread simply because i was tired of talking about the Giants in other forums and wanted to talk about other teams. I just started posting in other threads after lurking got boring, wanting to share my opinions. That's where i am now. Just a nice guy posting sparingly his humble opinions.

Have i changed? Yeah, i used to be kind of a douche. Making fun of other posters and constantly getting infracted and banned. I have changed though. I am a very civil poster now and try to avoid confrontations. I guess i've matured.

 

[DM]

When I first joined, I was coming from the Uber Forums where I was a big fish in a little pond. I had a huge head and internet ego from posting there, so when I came here and got smacked down, I didn't take it well and I ended up leaving for a few months. I only came back because of a great thread one of my Uber friends posted, and then from there I slowly won over the community by A. sharing my awesome taste in music, and B. relentlessly mocking the community punching bags. Want status on Smogon in 2005? Just tell cookkirby and Basics (or The_HaVoX, JESUS remember that fucktard?) to go fuck themselves. BAM, in like Flynt. I eventually got Socialization mods because chaos took notice.

So, yeah, I was a huge dick for a long time. I had tried to get into irc early on but it moved too quickly for me, so I was mainly a forums guy. That all changed in 2006 after I left college and worked an overnight shift. I got into irc hardcore, and the summer of 2006 is easily the greatest of my life. I quit my job in June and would stay up until 4am or later every night chatting in #smogon. I got to know so many great people that summer and made friendships that will surely last a lifetime. At the end of that summer, I went to JAA with Arti and Fish and met a bunch of other Smogoners, and that solidified my love for the community. Been here ever since.

Although I can still have an abrasive edge at times, I have mellowed out greatly. I no longer jump down the throats of bad posters, because hey: THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY HAHAHAHAHA

thanks for reading

Zracknel, BROOOOO. I will never forgoet your first thread, I pushed so hard for you to get the artist badge after I saw your work. In my more immodest moments, I like to think that I kept you around the community, which led to your future contributions. :jump:

Come to think of it, my join date isn't entirely accurate since I've lurked before on another long-forgotten account before making one with a better name...

What was it? That's what this thread is all about, plus us oldies will probably know it.

in contrast I was a five-star user and then went horribly downhill like metallica or something

Yes Cookie Crumbz, I agree.

 

[Zracknel]

Really good post, Zracknel. I remember when I talked to you on IRC I encouraged you to post more. I wasn't aware of your past history on here, so it all seems to make sense now. Hopefully other people that are in a similar situation will read your post and take your suggestion.

Thinking about it, I haven't changed as much as I thought I had. Reading Zracknel's post made me realize that. And it's about the only reason I'm posting here now.

These posts and those who have reached out in PM have helped me feel validated in posting what I did earlier. I just wanted to say thank you

Zracknel, BROOOOO. I will never forgoet your first thread, I pushed so hard for you to get the artist badge after I saw your work. In my more immodest moments, I like to think that I kept you around the community, which led to your future contributions. :jump:

You need not be modest at all; you were a very positive and encouraging influence for me back in the day, probably more than you realize. And if I can point to anyone being a role model in my meeting up with smogoners irl, it would certainly be you (although I've only done it a few times)

I think that a lot of people, message boards or not, underestimate the effects of being that kind of positive influence on others. Just being nice to people when you are given the chance can have lasting, potentially meaningful effects.

 

[Furosuto]

I agree with zracknel about being nice. You wouldn't know how much it could actually affect someone after they had a long aggravating day, or if they've just been feeling cruddy that particular day. It can really uplift people when you are nice to them, since it's normally a change to the stuff we see on the internet normally.

 

[omgocd]

I used to think every single comic posted in the comic thread was the funniest thing in the world (hi VGcats and c+h). Now I only think some are funny. I still lurk here occasionally and still only play pokemon every once in a while.

 

[Glen]

i've definitely changed a lot

i made my first account in 2005 under the name trun3wbster (or trunewbst3r im honestly too embarrassed to check) for reasons i've long since suppressed the knowledge of

i became better known by my gamefaqs name so i made another account here to reflect that, and after a few months i jumped on irc where people seemed to take a shine to me (the most notable one being chaos, who gave me mods, and i'm still riding that wave like five years later despite not having been involved with irc in about as much time). one of my fondest smogon memories was when people thought i was someone's alt because i fit in so well with the irc crowd. shucks.

as much as i discountenance my old musings in my thoughts thread, i'm glad i wrote them in that it's a reminder of the people i once was. i think the posters here, especially those who have been around for a while, are missing the salient part of this e-reflection; they've changed as people as much as they've changed as posters.

that said, i realize now that somewhere down the line my posting style changed from funny to self indulgent, so what does that say about me???????

 

[Mountain Dewgong]

Can I indulge in you sometime, Glon?