Retrospective?

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SirMustapha
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Retrospective?

Post by SirMustapha » Fri Dec 24, 2004 12:06 pm

It's a scientifically proven fact that I talk a lot. And I don't know if I should be writing this post, and I don't even know if I know why I'm writing this post, but here it goes anyway. If you're easily bored, I recommend you to turn away. Otherwise, read at your own risk and draw your own conclusions.

Well, today, it's the end of my two (three, in practice) year course. I'm graduating. Yipee. (no graduation party or anything, though - I'm doing another course next year!) My stage job is reaching its end. When I look back, I can see that the three years of this course were quite... um, special to me. One of the reasons is that my arrival on the course more or less coincided with my reentrance on the Club - the moment when I turned a real regular. Also because leaving school was, unarguably, the best thing that ever happened to be. School sucks. Classmates suck. In every possible way. The period when I was in school was the worst period in my life, and I'm glad it's over. When I entered the course, it was a new era beginning to me. I joined the Club. I knew nice people on the Internet. I was studying things because I wanted, and with mature, intelligent classmates who didn't throw bits of chalk at me. It was quite fun.

The thing is, just as I feel that my arrival at the course was the beginning of a new era to me, I feel today is the end of that era, and the beginning of another. It's silly, I know. But I've changed, in many ways. My behaviour in the Club changed, my participation decreased, and I don't think I'm even as fun as I used to be. But that's not because I'm getting old and bored. I'm just changing, and I can't explain it well. I'm growing up, you know, and you know what? I like growing up. Being a child is awful, and I like growing up and feeling resposability, having things to do and all of that. I like being someone, having opinions, tastes, having a job and getting money for it.

The strange thing is, I'm rediscovering lots of things from my childhood now. Watching kids shows on TV (and I mean those Discovery Kids shows like Peep and the Big Wide World, Jakers!, Little Robots and whatnot) has become fun, remembering Woody Woodpecker and other things I watched with I was a kid is commonplace, and... well, it's pretty weird. I think I'm being a child again! I'm rediscovering myself, I think.

Why am I posting this here, anyway? Well... I'm just not sure about how important the Club is to me now. I don't know if it's the Club itself that's not as lively as before, or if the problem is in me. I just don't know what will happen now. I don't want to forget how important this place and its people were to me during three years, and just vanish like it never happened. I just don't think this is my "home" now. I think I've got a real life now, outside the Internet. I'm just afraid that I'll become boring to this place, and that I won't be contributing much to the community.

Or maybe... maybe I want to cut down all links I have with my early teenagehood, which includes The Simpsons. My fanatism with the Simpsons and fanfiction was during my school time, and I fear that's why I'm losing interest. I hate my youth, I hate who I was at that time, I hate school, everything. But I don't hate any of you because of that. I fear things are becoming mixed. I don't want to forget about this place, and how I used to love it. I've just got lots of other things in my mind, and I'm enjoying it. I don't know what will happen next year, but I know that it will be a brand new stage of my life beginning. I guess I'll just wait and see... I'll be away from this place for about two weeks, but I will come back here. For now, I wish you all have a great Christmas Eve tonight, and that next year will be much, much better than this one to everyone. I don't know if it will be better to me, but I know it will be different. Like I said, it's like a new era beginning.

I think I'll celebrate it with some Sigur Rós... þetta er ágætis byrjun! :)
Last edited by Anonymous on Fri Dec 24, 2004 12:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re:Retrospective?

Post by c_nordlander » Fri Dec 24, 2004 1:02 pm

Ooh... no matter where your life will take you now, I'm happy for you, Fernando. Growing up is a great thing. Graduating is... hooray!

And I know how you feel (though frankly, I've never been able to, well, move on). Anyway, we've all got to move forward, not backward, and so on and so forth.

A merry Christmas and happy New Year to you, Fernie, wherever you are. *walks off under the lampposts*
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Re:Retrospective?

Post by Tony_Baritone » Fri Dec 24, 2004 1:53 pm

Wow.

I don't know if Fernie is channeling my thoughts, but I could have said at least 75% of what he just did, only a lot less diplomatically (if you don't believe me, check the avvie). Maybe not everything, but a good deal of it.

As for the Club...well, nobody can make anyone stay, but if you need a break, take one. We all need it, and I'd say most of us are glad to know you as a writer and a poster. We'll be happy to welcome you back. I for one don't consider OFF and Futurama exclusively kids-only diversions, and I think the tastes of most people here run enough toward adult topics that it can be thought of in those terms. Granted, there are a few here who continue to enjoy, explore and discuss stuff from youth (from Disney animation to comics) from an adult POV, which one could say is the point of places like this, a way to escape the seriousness of the world while maintaining passionate about our various escapes. ;)

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Last edited by Anonymous on Wed Feb 02, 2005 4:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re:Retrospective?

Post by Robbie » Fri Dec 24, 2004 3:26 pm

Is anyone here besides me a bit nervous that we're fast approaching the year of "Lisa's Wedding?" How would the writers deal with Lisa still being eight years old on the year that she was forecast to be a university student?
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Re:Retrospective?

Post by Marco » Fri Dec 24, 2004 4:49 pm

More or less Fernie, you wrote what i should have written a couple of months ago, too. My situation is a tiny bit different of course, but i guess my feelings about this place are pretty much the same. So i can say i understand you perfectly, and i admire you even more for being able to speak your feelings so openly and clearly with this board and the peoople in it, me included.

Have a happy Christmas.
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Re:Retrospective?

Post by Sheana_Molloy » Fri Dec 24, 2004 5:13 pm

We'll still be here, Fern. Merry Christmas. :)
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Re:Retrospective?

Post by Dana » Fri Dec 24, 2004 8:34 pm

Hey Fernie,

Just remember everything goes in a circle and if it doesn't, then it's irrelevant and shouldn't be dwelled upon in this message. :P

Enjoy yourself growing up, making changes, meeting new people and discovering new loves. It's what we're all here to do.

This is for Marco, Crimson and anyone else in here feeling the need to move on. The people in here are the main reason for hanging around and I hope that someday, when the Simpsons are no longer doing "New" episodes (2020?) and the final dvd set has been released (2040), I hope this place still exists and that we can always find our way back to see who's doing what and...y'know, getting filled in on topics like "What's Uncle Fernie been up to?" ;)

I wish you all the best, Fernie and whatever you do in life...enjoy it. :)

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Re:Retrospective?

Post by Tigersrock144 » Fri Dec 24, 2004 8:39 pm

wow, I sometimes feel like that(well I think I do) People keep telling me to not draw,watch(or anything) Simpsons as much and at school I feel like the only true Simpsons fan and I am sure I am the only one who goes on this website out of my whole entire county!! So half of me dosn't want to grow up and half of me does!! It's weird.... I'm lost with what the hell im saying here!! I mean as you said it will be great adulthood cos I too like the responsibility, I have started using bank cards and passports and getting money matters and jobs sorted out which I find in a way fun and exciting through my eyes but then I wish I was a child again sometimes as everything seems fantastic!!! The whole world revolved around me. I better shut up now it's nearly christmass!!!!!!!(yey!!!!) and I want to go to sleep so I can wake up early(using Barts old trick with the water, I am really going to try that this year!!!)
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Re:Retrospective?

Post by aoifestorm » Sat Dec 25, 2004 12:05 am

Aww Fernie, we will miss you a lot, but you have to do what you feel is right for now. Like Sheana said, we'll still be here! ;)
Last edited by aoifestorm on Sat Dec 25, 2004 12:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re:Retrospective?

Post by Neodium » Sat Dec 25, 2004 12:09 am

You just do whatever you think is right for you. There's absolutely nothing that can stop you, except for yourself, but I guess you already knew that ;). And... who knows, maybe you'll rediscover your youth just like you did with your childhood, and then it will not seem as awful as you think it was now. And yes, we* will be here for you in case you do, so don't worry about that! :) Then again, a "brand new" stage of your life doesn't mean you will just leave everything behind, so don't take this as a "good-bye"

All this might not fully represent my feelings on all this (I'm not very talkative and my social skills are next to nothing), but I just wanted to tell you I'm impressed by your ability to express yourself. You're too valuable to fail. Just open your heart, follow it and the path will be shown to you.

Since I just found out I'm talking nonsense, I'll end this post and wish you good luck at everything you do, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


* As a community, not necessarily the exact same people-- what the hell I'm saying!? This post is as cheesy is it is and I keep on writing! Meh. I'll just post and hope nobody notices ::)
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Re:Retrospective?

Post by Andreas » Sat Dec 25, 2004 2:58 am

Fernie, I absolutely know how you feel regarding to the Forums - it's more or less the same I've been thinking for about some months. My contributions have dropped to an occasional comment now and then, and looking at my current life, it might be better to leave the internet behind me and care more for real-life. But this forums (and others) have been such a nice place, so I always come back, even if I'm more of a lurker than a regular poster.

Graduating from school is a great thing, and I wish you the very best for the "new era" you're just about to discover. As others said before, we won't run away, and you're always welcome here. :)
Andreas

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