Another Extra Candle to Blow...

Ain' nobody got time for dat (TLDR Version):

So yeah. Tis my day of birth, indeed.

No, I am not actually 89, I'm way younger than that. Let's get that out of the way first.

It feels weird, having gone through another milestone. I don't think it has fully hit me yet...I suppose it will the day before my birthday next year. I do like to thank you all for the birthday wishes, either on here or on the different messengers. I'm thankful for all and the others that will come later. Possibly.

I like to use this kind of day as a time of reflection and considering I have just passed a full two years here now, I figured I'd use this time to get a few things off my chest. To you guys.

My time in AFW is like a rollercoaster. It has its highs and it has its lows. When I first started, I was completely new to the whole forum RP thing. I wasn't quite sure I was going to hack it, with the first few months being quite slow. In fact, I didn't make an introductory post so that could also be the reason...anyways. In time, I learnt much, made friends here and started to become part of the community here as well as getting into my first PPV match not long after. So far so good, right?

Well, that's when 2018 came. Anyone who is close to me would know I was really in a bad place, with my previous job, insomnia and depression being the key factors. It started to affect my writing, my decision making and also pushed away a few people who I would still consider friends.  I couldn't take it anymore and I soon went on a half-year hiatus. I didn't think I would come back and in my mind at the time figured people didn't care that I left. Not that I made a goodbye thread anyways.

There were times that I thought about coming back but those would be pushed to the back burner. One time I thought about it, one of my dogs died, which really rocked me. So any hopes of a return would be put off. But I talked to a few on which I consider true friends, even doing one of our thread matches on IM. Slowly, but surely, my interest in RPing came back. I soon got the confidence back and eventually pushed myself to make a return to AFW in December last year.

That time I kept things low-key. No "I'm back" posts of the sort (seems to be a recurring theme there), I just wanted to build back the trust of you guys and get back to the stuff that I enjoy. Cause we know that there's nothing worse than making a post hailing your return and not appearing after two weeks later.

Which brings us to here now, still going strong. I may not be perfect but I do try. So yeah, there's my rambling done about the past. There are still a few things I wish to do so I am looking forward to that. All I know is, I'm not yet done here.

But I really want to say this. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for sticking with me. Especially through my two name changes. And I love this community. This snarky, fun, creative, kind, caring, helpful and welcoming community. And there's you Caboose. Sure, not everyone gets along. Not everyone likes each other. But still, at the end of the day, we are all here for each other and we're here together, united under our love of wrestling.

And fighting.

Okay, and fighting.

And hentai.

That too. Anyways, we may not have the same tastes and we like different things and styles of RPs but we remain united under the same reason. AFW is unique and there's no place like it. And that is why it will still be here for now and many more years to come.

Love you all, ya beautiful bastards.

*Huggles the Brit*

I love you more~!