Two years later...

[Irridium]

And I'm still here. Wow, I've been on this site for 2 years starting today. And as we all know, 2 years is about 63 years in internet time. And honestly throughout those 2 years never before have I seen such an amazing community. I would like to thank you all for all for making the past 2 years awesome as all hell.

And before I continue, I'm not copying Sassafrass or Insanum. I've been planning this since the beginning of the month. Those two just seem to have impeccable timing and are intent on sabotaging me in one way or another. Their toilet scheme last time failed, so now they posted huge "thank you" threads right before my 2 year anniversary thank you thread... Instead of seeing this as a rip off/copy/me being a poser/ect., see it as another reason why this site, and everyone on it, kicks so much ass.

Anyway, moving on.

I came to this site 2 years ago through, like most, Zero Punctuation. More specifically his Halo 3 video. After watching it and laughing my ass off, I decided to explore the site. I read one article I liked, then another, then another, and watched some more videos, and lurked for a bit in the forums. Before I knew it I had an account and was sucked into this amazing community.

I've seen a lot here, and seen a lot change. I managed to survive 2 March Mayhems, seen fantastic members come and go, watched as this site grew, and seen so much more. Hell, I've been here well before the more prolific members. I've seen many debates happen, many trolls, and many bans. And all throughout, almost every thread I've seen either made me laugh, or made me think, sometimes both. But almost always there has always been some form of good discussion. And I have had some great discussions/debates with members here. On most other sites this is rare, but here, its relatively common. Very few people are able to debate on the internet without that debate turning into a large flamewar, but people here seem to be able to walk that fine line.

This is a place where everyone from all over the internet, people who play on all consoles and platforms, people who play all games can come together and have a good time. And thats a very rare thing indeed.

This site has given me so much. So much laughs, fun times, and other things. I've met some really good people. And I'm glad to call this place my internet home. Wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Sure its not perfect, but nothing is. And compared to other game sites, its miles better.

So to all you community members, thanks for the best 2 years I've had on the internet, and here's to 2 more amazing years!

Spoiler: And I guess I have some people to thank for making my time here especially amazing. If I missed anyone(I know I did) feel free to complain in your comment :)

The Escapist TF2 PC group and everyone in it [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/view/The-Escapist-Team-Fortress-2-Group-PC] - Full of amazing people, and have given me many laughs on many games. Seriously, all you guys are amazing, and make the group easily the best on this site.
Danny Ocean [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/Danny%20Ocean] - Your PC group thread [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.81348-The-Escapists-PC-Group-Prop-Hunt-WAR-Brink-Previews] got me to pick of Team Fortress 2 on the PC. I don't think I need to explain how awesome that is.
FactualSquirrel [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/FactualSquirrel] - Your asking for Oblivion mods got me back into Oblivion I'm now having much fun with it! So thanks!
The Root of all Evil [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/The_root_of_all_evil] - Oh Root, its great playing with you. On TF2 and L4D2 I'd say more, but then this would take too long.
Neonbob [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/Neonbob] - Chemistry buddy
Onyx Oblivion [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/Onyx%20Oblivion] - You know, I don't remember why your here... I guess I'll take you off the lis-ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD.
Vrex360 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/Vrex360] - Best. Halo 3 fanboy. EVER!
manaman [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/manaman] - For letting me use his little EULA speech.
Sleekgiant [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/Sleekgiant] - I remember when I first saw you in the forum games. So new, so full of life, so naive... And now look at you. Owner of the Avatar Store. In 3 months you've made a bigger dent then I ever have in 2 years. Not sure why I'm thanking you for making me look inadequate...
PRIATE [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/view/P-R-I-A-T-E] - Thanks for many laughs.
The Asylum [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/view/Asylum-open-mic] - Also thanks for many laughs.
Kouen [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/Kouen] - Its fun talking with you on Steam
BlindChance [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/BlindChance] For great debates, and that other thing that will happen soon
Baby Tea [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/Baby+Tea] - Best. Cab driver. EVER! [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.131828-Listener-Mail-with-Frankie-the-Cab-Driver-Episode-29-Now-with-Extras]
Souplex [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/Souplex] - For being fun to talk to
Ironboot [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/Ironboot] - For having the best hair on the site. Seriously... damn son!
Sassafrass [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/Sassafrass] and Insanum [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/Insanum] - for posting they're big thank you's right before mine... hopefully it will add to the love. But it will likely have people calling me a poser.
Diagonal Horizontality [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/Diagonal+Horizontality] - for making me an avatar for the holidays. Thanks!
Kross [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/Kross] - For keeping those TF2 servers up and running
Sir Ollie [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/Sir%20Ollie] - OBJECTION!
The rest of the Staff(mods included) - Seriously, I can't think of any game journalist site that interacts with its community like you. All of you kick ass.

And, most importantly, You [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view] - Yes, you. For you make this site the best one on the internet. So thank you for being so damn awesome.

I've made it two years, and plan on staying as long as possible.

As for discussion value, a few things: Who here makes this site awesome for you? How long do you plan on staying? When did you come to the site? What brought you here? How egotistical does this post make me look?

Anyway, thats all, shorter than I expected... but oh well. 2 years and I'm still alive here. Now kindly get off my lawn

Spoiler: And before I forget...

 

[Armored Prayer]

Congrats man and well done.

Heres to more years of aweswomeness that is the Escapist!

 

[TheNamlessGuy]

DELETED

 

[Klarinette]

For some reason, I thought the topic was going to be something along the lines of, "What was your life like two years ago? How did it differ from now?" I don't know why.

Anyway, congratulations on your 2-year-iversary Here's to many more.

 

[asinann]

Yay, we're twins!

 

[UnusualStranger]

Hell yeah man!

Happy birthday, I guess.

May the next 200 years kick just as much ass as the rest of them.

 

[Irridium]

[sub]Copycat[/sub]

AHEM

Anyway, congrats on being here for 2 years! That's two years you could have spent looking for girls, but no, you spent it with us. Wise decision.

So congrats, friend of mine (who didn't mention me. But I'm not bitter. No, not bitter at all.), on being here, and also having perhaps the greatest avatar on the site.


As for your discussion yoke. Everyone makes this site great. This is by far, the best community I've ever seen on a website. Sure, we have our assholes, but so does everywhere on the net, actually, so does everywhere in life! Thankfully, they mostly get what's coming to them, and the nice people around here shine. I plan to stay until they drag me away.

I lurked here from about December 2008, because I was too nervous to join, but I forgot about it around February. I remembered in May, and joined then.

And this post doesn't make you look egotistical at all! Perhaps if you claimed to be a forum legend, or reviewed yourself or something stupid like that! That would be just arrogant. But no, this is fine.

I could have mentioned you, but then I chose not to. Your ego may crush us all

And I agree. Reviewing yourself is just silly [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.168221-Furburts-Well-thats-just-your-opinon-man-reviews-Furburt?page=1]

 

[Hazy]

Who makes it worth being here to me...mostly everyone on my friends list, but without imisspotatoes, I would not be here right now. The people I talk to the most are again, about everyone on that list. 2-3 pages of PM's a day reflect that...besides imisspotatoes, the one that I talk to more then any other is Hazy.

If I wasn't a pale shadow of my former self, I would have a huge smile plastered on my face.
Ah, screw it, I do anyway.

Anywho, cheers, Irridium. You've been a great poster, and a great friend. I give you my thanks.
You, as well as the others on my friends list[footnote]Big thanks to Aylaine, Sleek [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/Sleekgiant], Commi [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/IdealistCommi], Bob [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/Neonbob], Radeonx [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/Radeonx], and the rest of you[/footnote], and even a few who aren't, keep me coming back to this site again and again.

 

[Optimus Hagrid]

Here's hoping for many more bountiful years of dancin'.

 

[TheNumber1Zero]

I would have to say that just about everyone made this site Grand for me. I love (most) of the Communtiy, from the ones I looked up to during my days as a new User, to the new ones that show promise.

Although everyone at PRIATE helped me become even more entertained, as well as the Users over at the Forum Games (And RP) section.

I came for ZP, venturing in all of 2 Threads that caught my eye. I decided to join when I obtained my own Computer, which had very low specs. When I found that it could run this site just fine, and I came here quite often, I decided to join.

And you seem fine, although it might be the Kung-fu dance making me see you in a positive light. congrats on lasting 2 Years, I plan on staying until either the site dies or I do.

Well, I suppose their is only one thing left to do in my Post.

And that is to RELEASE THE KRAKEN![footnote]Why yes, I did feel the need to do that[/footnote]

 

[Jark212]

And may we survive the next two years comrade...

 

[Irridium]

Yay, we're twins!

I'm twins with Jesus!

SCORE!

Cheers mate.

You've been here for about 7-8 months longer than me.
There's only a few survivors from -08.

Rejoice, my man.
And here's to many more.

Spoiler: glug glug

Indeed. I must keep my people alive. Being one of the last Timelords -08's is an honor!

Hell yeah man!

Happy birthday, I guess.

May the next 200 years kick just as much ass as the rest of them.

For some reason, I thought the topic was going to be something along the lines of, "What was your life like two years ago? How did it differ from now?" I don't know why.

Anyway, congratulations on your 2-year-iversary Here's to many more.

And thank you and thank you

 

[Sassafrass]

I don't want to get off your lawn, it's super-comfy! *Rolls around on lawn* Mmm~ So fluffy.
Er...moving on from that weird moment.

Many already know the people that make the siute awesome for me.

Spoiler: But I shall list them again.

@Baby Eater: For the highly entertaining randomness and the fact he helped me through a hard time a while back.
@Blizzaga19: For that night on a thread in Forum Games where we spent all night talking all things Final Fantasy. That was awesome.
@BloodyThoughts: For being a damn ninja posting reviewer. DAMN YOU!!!
@Demented Teddy: For being quite good at arguing without offending anyone and also being a good Admin in PRIATE.
@El Poncho: For being Scottish and amusing.
@Empireth: For amusing me so in Forum Games and keeping me in the dark all that time.
@Fat Man Spoon: For bringing me to the site in the first place, which let me experience all this for which I am thankful for. And PRIATE stuff as well.
@Furburt: For being crazy, Irish, funny and changing his ways so he doesn't end up in ban-hammer heaven. And PRIATE and avatar stuff as well.
@Guitar Gamer: For being very amusing, imaginative and friendly to those around him. Plus, being Canadian is always a big plus.
@Hubilub: For bringing the much needed sexy to the Escapist. And being also funny. And hiding my ego under his ego.
@IdealistCommi: For everything he did to help me out when I joined, the quote fights which I shall miss a lot and being a useful Admin for PRIATE.
@Insanum: For always having an avy that is entertaining and letting me nick his idea for this thread, sort of. I'll pay you later on.
@JulianKing93: For the fun we've had in PRIATE and the gaming chats we've had a few times.
@KingTeabag: For being kind enough to be the first person I didn't know to befriend me
@Lambi: For being a riot, helping me through the tough times and having an avy that makes me sway from side to side. It has me in its grip.
@Last Of The Chinchillas: For making me 0_0 at the stories he has shared with me and for being one of the reasons I didn't leave in early Novemeber.
@LordCuthberton: For the 'Behind The Avatar' thread, general awesomeness and being a massive part of PRIATE's influence. You can stop advertising it now, you've done well, soldier.
@Lycanthrope321: For being a creepy dude at times. Seriously.
@Maxieon: For being just plain awesome sauce.
@Mr. Mudkip: For having a memorable way of saying hi for the first time back when he was Soh.
@Neonbob: For his general musings and his weird, wacky and lovable sense of humour. And his love of mass whale genocide. And SPARTA KITTEHS!
@Pararaptor: For making me freaked out more times then I can remember. Not that I want to remember those times.
@Pimppeter2: For helping me get started in my reviewing work. And being sexy.
@Rainboq: For avatar changing funniness. And mental scaring due to a certain RP.
@Ren3004: For smexiness and random musings.
@SeanTheSheep: For bringing much needed maturity to me and for being sensible and calm. Most of the time.
@Sleekgiant: For reminding me so much of me with his posting speed and the fun he brings with him.
@SomeGuyNamedKy: For being the ultimate forum ninja.
@Swollen Goat: For being another reason I didn't leave in early November. And for being really weird, strange, funny and also caring.
@TheNumber1Zero: For being an awesome guy. And the fact he is advertising PRIATE in his avatar.
@VaudeVillianVeteran: For being funny, putting up with me and my silliness the last time we saw each other and being another one of the few that helped me through those tough times.
@VENN724: For having the awesome ability to type without being able to even see the screen. And a cool avy and weird sense of humour. Well, I find it weird.
@WafflesAndBacon: For being an awesome guy and keeping the immaturity alive and well.

As for how long I'm gonna be here, I'm not really that sure. I know I'm probably going to be around for a year or so, maybe a second year after that but it does depend on how many of the users in the above spoiler leave, if they do, and if I make some more great friends.
I know I have come close to leaving a coupla times, mainly due to personal reasons but the community and close friends I have made here have persuaded me to stay around and enjoy the roller-coaster of madness that is the Escapist.

As to when I got to this site and what brought me here, it was one fateful night on the 24th August 2009 when I was chatting to [user]Fat Man Spoon[/user] on The Vault, the Fallout Wiki and he linked me here. And as you can no probably tell/see, I have been here pretty much ever since and have borrowed into the site like some borrowing thing.

And as for the egotistical question, not very.

Have a great two more years, Irridium and long may love have that rather awesome avatar.

 

[Dok Zombie]

Hey, we joined at almost the same time! (I just looked at my profile out of curiosity). Although I'll never know how some people reach such high post counts short of insane voodoo magic...

Anyhoo, have a drink on me man, cheers!

 

[AboveUp]

Happy Escapist Birthday, Irridium!


Ah, one more month before mine. Time to prepare for my own thread which will be much better. It'll have imaginary cake and pictures of hookers. Actually, forget about the thread.

 

[Hazy]

Here's hoping for many more bountiful years of dancin'.

Oh come on, how was I ninja'd to this?!

Still, it's from a fellow Mother 3 fan, so it's not all bad.

 

[Plurralbles]

!!!!WOW, that's a very, very long time

but now you're in your terrible two's!

I liked the, "You" part, especially. makes me feel special in teh, "no one is" kind of way.

 

[Misaek]

I see you decided not to use my speech, very well, I will go through a 6 year journey to find a parachute in another dimension MYSELF! Oh well *raise glass*

 

[Vitor Goncalves]

Cheers Irridium! For many more years of the escapist!

I am still a freshman atound here!

 

[Blasphemous Rex]

Zero Punctuation brought me here, of course! I made my account, but I greatly regret not joining the forums until late December. I shall stay for as long as I can. This place has so many things to offer and so many great people to meet.