The Town of Odyssey

Mr. Whit's End wrote:

Baragon wrote:For those of you who don't know me, I was at one point Continental Admiral and somehow my name was changed to Baragon and it never really got changed back. I wasn't really a fan of the ToO when it first opened... As some of you know, I hated AiO, so when this board came along that was basically all about AiO, I wasn't overly thrilled. But, I signed on. Thankfully, I did! Although I could go back and cringe as I read through my old posts, I'll skip that step and just say we've all changed a lot over the years, but some of those changes might not have happened without this board.

Ehhh...why did you join if you hated AIO?

Because we are (were) awesome people! CA was one of the members of the Town Hall, a forum that came before this one. She goes way back!

Also, she loves it that Shadowpaw hates her.

10 years? No way. I'm getting so old. I'm going to go off and be old now.

EK! Bad news. You're ancient. But still less ancient than some of us, so take some comfort in that at least.

CA! EK!

This is like the best possible version of a high school reunion.

Baragon wrote:As some of you know, I hated AiO,

Hated, as in past tense?

Wow, to hear all the memories.

I started on the TH like CoT/Baragon did. I was 13 at the time (I'm going to be 26 in a few days). I had no friends. I was homeschooled and my homeschool group broke up and the friends I did have dispersed, making new friends and doing other things. My parents finally let me on the internet and that is where I grew up.

I remember chatting with CoT, Top Crusader, Tim, Dan, Jared and a bunch of others. I always got into debates with Jared and that has helped me a lot in the recent years. The chat also helped me learn how to type (you had to when you were in a chat with 40 other people. ) which made my mom really happy.

When The Too came about I wasn't too sure about it because I never listened to AIO, I actually didn't know what that was until I came here, and I believe I only listened to one episode, but I couldn't get into it so I still don't listen to it. But this is where all my friends went so I followed and had the best time of my teenage years ever!

I played in a few RPGs (Red Horizon and Lord of the Rings) I also was (and apparently still am) a leader of the Maxwell Alliance faction which also helped a lot in leadership and also helped me find my love of writing.

all in all, I love this place and no matter what I will always come back. I might be able to stay, but I will always come and check in once in a while. I regret not doing that in the last few years, but the past is the past....won't be making that mistake again.

P.S. my mom isn't a big fan of the internet and it took her a while to give in to let me on. I want to thank everyone for being so kind to me, it help a lot and my mom is actually grateful that I had you all. Especially when my grandma died and other things happened in between the age of 16 and 20 (when I got married). I didn't really have anyone to go to during those time except those on here and I believe one other site.

Well, it is great to have you posting around again, Mountain_Girl! =] I'm glad you never forgot about us.

I love reading more and more memories that people have about the place!

Mountain_Girl, did you mean CA (Continental Admiral/Baragon) instead of CoT (Cowboy of Texas)? As far as I know, CoT was never on the TH.

Yes, CA. Sorry about that.

American Eagle wrote:My life has changed so much since I faded away from this place. No one here would recognize who I've grown into. I'm even more physically mature. If you can believe that.

Thank you all for the memories and friendships. You helped make up who I am. I have nothing but best wishes for you all.

*sniff*

I think for a lot of us who, for better or worse, were homeschooled throughout their developing years, the ToO community certainly stood in as an essential social ingredient. Whether we posted like obsessive addicts or stayed in the shadows and nurtured careful, edifying friendships via PM, chatroom or groups, the ToO essentially braced (and is bracing!) many of us more sheltered humans for "real world" social maturity. It was here that I explored my worldview through hours and hours of intellectual exercise in CCDS. It was here that I experienced the consequences of lying and betrayal at a young, experimental age. It was here that I made friends and fostered relationships that are meaningful to this day.

It's a little humbling to vocalize just how meaningful the ToO has been to me on the heels of so many real-life meetups and marriages; frankly, the ToO just never bled into my real life in an explicitly tangible way like it has for so many others (although I'm still saving myself for Shadowfax). My actual friends and social circles have always been entirely removed from the world I existed in on here. And it could just never be explained, you know? As my life has chugged along, jobs have changed, opportunities have come up, relationships have come and gone, the ToO (and subsequent relationships) was always the most constant thing. A loving community. At times, practically a family. At others, a church.

Since I'm basically a product of that awkward second generation of ToOers that saw something of a reformation following the Golden years of ToO history, and have since mostly died out, I feel a bit alien to this thread. But the sense of followship is kindled, if only out of nostalgic obligation Thanks, everyone.

P.S., it's purely by accident that I picked today to log in and discover this thread: my seventh anniversary as a ToO member.

Jelly wrote:

American Eagle wrote:My life has changed so much since I faded away from this place. No one here would recognize who I've grown into. I'm even more physically mature. If you can believe that.

Thank you all for the memories and friendships. You helped make up who I am. I have nothing but best wishes for you all.

*sniff*

I think for a lot of us who, for better or worse, were homeschooled throughout their developing years, the ToO community certainly stood in as an essential social ingredient. Whether we posted like obsessive addicts or stayed in the shadows and nurtured careful, edifying friendships via PM, chatroom or groups, the ToO essentially braced (and is bracing!) many of us more sheltered humans for "real world" social maturity. It was here that I explored my worldview through hours and hours of intellectual exercise in CCDS. It was here that I experienced the consequences of lying and betrayal at a young, experimental age. It was here that I made friends and fostered relationships that are meaningful to this day.

It's a little humbling to vocalize just how meaningful the ToO has been to me on the heels of so many real-life meetups and marriages; frankly, the ToO just never bled into my real life in an explicitly tangible way like it has for so many others (although I'm still saving myself for Shadowfax). My actual friends and social circles have always been entirely removed from the world I existed in on here. And it could just never be explained, you know? As my life has chugged along, jobs have changed, opportunities have come up, relationships have come and gone, the ToO (and subsequent relationships) was always the most constant thing. A loving community. At times, practically a family. At others, a church.

Since I'm basically a product of that awkward second generation of ToOers that saw something of a reformation following the Golden years of ToO history, and have since mostly died out, I feel a bit alien to this thread. But the sense of followship is kindled, if only out of nostalgic obligation Thanks, everyone.

P.S., it's purely by accident that I picked today to log in and discover this thread: my seventh anniversary as a ToO member.

*sniff*

*came in to make sure AE made a physically mature joke, is pleased*

the ToO was so influential in my life that i stopped posting on it.

...and then that was a terrible thing, so you came back to tell us about it?