TPM U Missed

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

As TPM's 17th anniversary is here, you surely want to share memories on our beloved forum. But this topic has a little different approach on our history. Have there been times when you didn't come to TPM? Perhaps your interest on the forum was down, or perhaps you were busy with other things. Did something happen when you were away?

I joined TPM in September 2001, and my first absence started from autumn 2002. The EzBorad period had ended recently, and Sailor Moon anime had finally began in Finland. I came back in January 2003 as a 'Renewed Restoration' as my title said. I don't remember if anything big had really changed. I do remember the Shipping Forum, but don't remember when is was taken down.

My second absence started in autumn 2004 when I entered Finnish army and a month after that, hospital. It wasn't until late 2005 when I was able to post at TPM again. Spring 2006 came, and I had to give it up with TPM for a while because of sleeping difficulties. I returned in early 2007.

I remember more clearly this absence for several reasons: September 2009, I was hospitalized again, until March 2010. When I came back, I saw Mt. Moon arisen and shazza's thread 'Where in the world is Mikachu Yukitatsu?!'

My newest downtime lasted for one or two months only. I had a short hospital period in 2015. I figured out I was able to post with my cell phone.

[Lady Vulpix]

There are only two things I recall missing and hating having missed them, and it actually happened on AIM but had an effect on TPM.

The first was back in early 2001, when the Dragon's Guild was at its peak. And the event was - as hard as it may seem to believe it - the creation of the Dragon Tamers! It was arranged overnight on AIM by the rest of the Dragon's Guild and 2 other Adoption Centers, and when I got on TPM the next day I thought this big merger had taken place and I had somehow been left out of it because I hadn't been on AIM the night before. After complaining for a while - since I was a Dragon's Guild worker - I was allowed to become a Dragon Tamers worker, and I was the only worker who remained steady for the 15+ years that the Dragon Tamers lasted.

The second was in 2005 when Suzie decided to get rid of AC/CC because she didn't understand it, so she just closed the forum. Again, an overnight decision in which I had no voice. We had to move to Tsuyoi's Lair for a while until we were able to make her understand that nothing else on TPM was quite like AC/CC and we were allowed back in.

[shazza]

[glow]Bring back the glow[/glow!] #16yearsinexile

[Lady Vulpix]

I think you mean

"Bring back the glow!"

Anyway, that's off-topic.

[Knight of Time]

Well, I don't like talking about it (and I'd rather if you guys would try not to mention anything about my past here that could potentially embarrass me; I'm still emotionally sensitive these days and I don't want a revisit of my bad memories here), but after almost leaving TPM in early 2004, I missed a bunch of stuff here, and right now I can definitely say I regret it. But I've come a long way since then, and I'm thankful you guys have accepted my disability (asperger's syndrome) being a part of me. Life sometimes can be really, really difficult for someone with asperger's (not sure if Shonta or Mikachu would agree with me since they have asperger's too from what I recall)...regretting blunders made is easy enough, but moving on from some of them isn't as easy (thankfully the one where I almost left TPM was one I was able to move on from; I feel like changing my username from DarkPrince the Dark Knight to Knight of Time was like a "new beginning" for me in a way. I'm definitely not going back to the former username; as this one is sooo much better IMO). If I had to leave TPM behind for a second time, it would definitely be much more painful for me than the first time.

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

Well, seems like TPM is important to you, Knight of Time. As it is to me too. However, bear in mind that in my case, my scitzophrenia has affected me much worse than my asperger's ever did.

[Knight of Time]

Well, seems like TPM is important to you, Knight of Time. As it is to me too. However, bear in mind that in my case, my scitzophrenia has affected me much worse than my asperger's ever did.

Yeah, in a way TPM is important to me (it's like a second home to me). Even with various areas slowly dying off (ASB and AC/CC really come into mind here), at least we still have the GGG forum alive and well despite some key people in that forum absent these days, as well as Misc. and Mt. Moon being active too.

One thing's for sure, I can definitely say I'm not surprised anymore with how much TPM has evolved since the early days.

[Link]

I remember when these boards went to an EZboard. I really didn't like it, so I didn't post much on it.

[Magmar]

I'm glad that at least none of us are in denial about the fact that this forum has been slowly dying. We're all aware that we're kind of like the last rocky worlds orbiting a star that's past its supernova time and we're watching it slowly fizzle away. And yet we're making the most of it, still having fun, celebrating each other and anniversaries/milestones/birthdays/weddings/babies and mourning those who have passed. It's its own unique thing and I love it!

I did have intermittent absences in the early 2000s but I came back for a bit, and the Werewolf Game and Lingo kept me engaged. I do check TPM about twice per week now.

Also, dang, I guess this means my account is 17 years old now!!

[firepokemon]

I miss when I had no internet and pretended my mum died and was away for 3 months and UPN were invading and all wierd shit was happening.

[Blademaster]

We're all aware that we're kind of like the last rocky worlds orbiting a star that's past its supernova time and we're watching it slowly fizzle away.

Yeah but supernovae are the product of stars with short lifespans (a few million to a billion years). Even after their fleeting outer layers are gone, they leave behind an ultra-dense core: either a neutron star, or in the case of the largest stars, a black hole. These cores are incredibly resistant to evaporation and even decay, and can last for countless eons: the 'shortest' lifespan I could find is 10^67 (10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,00 0,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000) years for small black holes.

So, even though TPM is past its prime, that's okay. It still has 99.9...% of its life left ahead of it!

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

Yeah but supernovae are the product of stars with short lifespans (a few million to a billion years). Even after their fleeting outer layers are gone, they leave behind an ultra-dense core: either a neutron star, or in the case of the largest stars, a black hole. These cores are incredibly resistant to evaporation and even decay, and can last for countless eons: the 'shortest' lifespan I could find is 10^67 (10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,00 0,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000) years for small black holes.

So, even though TPM is past its prime, that's okay. It still has 99.9...% of its life left ahead of it!

*raises hand* I actually knew that giant stars that bang as supernovae end up with either neutron stars or black holes that last for aeons. But I have learned your knowledge at astrophysics is superior to mine. And how you combined it with TPM history, that's a wonderful attitude!

[Magmar]

I miss when I had no internet and pretended my mum died and was away for 3 months and UPN were invading and all wierd shit was happening.

yes! I miss the drama! LOL

[Blademaster]

*raises hand* I actually knew that gi

I don't mean to interrupt, but I honestly don't care.

[Link]

I don't mean to interrupt, but I honestly don't care.

Me too!

[MToolen]

Honestly, I've missed a lot just by being a wallflower. I applaud all of you continuing these conversations. I feel like every time I post, I kill a thread, which pushes me to resist posting. There were several years (from EZBoard through to ~2010) where I never really worried about TPM, but it really does feel like home. I lied about being over 13 to sign up, and got an email containing a randomly-generated password that... may or may not currently be used in several other places online. I was pretty bad at RPG, tried FanArt once, and never got into ASB or AC/CC, but watching people pursue their niches continues to be fascinating to me. I watch my son (18 months this month!) swipe Pokéballs at another worthless Pidgey in Pokémon Go and I hope he can eventually find a community to just geek out like you all do.

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

MToolen, your son should join TPM. Really, my friend born in 2003 did. He quit after like 20 messages though.

[MToolen]

Right now, he has one intelligible word, "no." It'd be fun to get him debating, but I'll wait until he's in school before that. So yeah TPM, just maintain for another 6 years or so for my selfish reason.

[Lady Vulpix]

yes! I miss the drama! LOL

...You do? >.>

I certainly don't.

Anyway, MToolen... we'll keep it up if we can... for our sakes as well as yours.

[Mr.E]

I miss when I was destined to become Admin before Kevin fell into the L_P honeypot. In hindsight, I'm glad I'm still free to just pop in here once or twice a month and see if anybody said something interesting or posted in my forum.

[Blademaster]

Right now, he has one intelligible word, "no."

That's sufficiently eloquent. Sign him up.