I can tell that this is going to be a bit of a long-winded post, but, given what this post represents, I think you can forgive me for one more "essay".
Well, the time has come. I almost didn't think that this day would come, really. The layout and "look" of ATRL hasn't changed in a
decade. The server is so outdated that we were talking about replacing it when TC was still admin. This upgrade is so overdue that, one day, when we're looking back at the upgrade well after it has already happened, we'll wonder what the hell took us so long. And yet, as I make what will be my final post on this old version of ATRL, I can't help but feel a little sadness that something that has been a huge part of my life in the past is being archived and retired. I mean, it's a necessary move, one I've wanted to see for years, and it's not like ATRL is shutting down or anything along those lines, but it's almost like a big chapter in my life is ending with this upgrade.
I know that I've said in the past that internet forums are, well, just that, internet forums, and they're not real life and all of that...but, along the way, ATRL became real life to me, mostly through the people that I met through this very forum. I mean, I've hung out with TC in real life so many times, at this point, that he might as well be a long-lost relative. I will always, ALWAYS hold a soft spot for ATRL because of the people I've met, either just online, or even in real life. I've been on other forums, I've interacted with other communities, but ATRL is the only one I always find myself coming back to after all these years, and it's mostly because of the community. You guys have always been the most fun and wonderful people on the internet. You may get a little crazy (or a LOT crazy), but, when push comes to shove, we're all one big, dysfunctional family. That's been the case since I first joined TRL By Sarah (the precursor to ATRL, if you didn't know) back in 2001.
Fifteen years. I've been posting on ATRL on and off (and that's putting it mildly in recent years) for over
fifteen years. At this point, I might as well be Grandpa Pickles talking about how, "back in my day", there were only dozens of posters, instead of the hundreds and thousands today. I remember certain things about the old days that only a handful of people might even
vaguely remember: The ATRL Prom, ATRL High, Fantasy Billboard, Yale Nate, Fonso, The Britney vs. Christina Wars, Power DJ Jamie, The Old Member vs. New Member Split...so many memories that so few of you have even heard of, let alone experienced. And that's not mentioning the later day memories, like actually meeting some of you crazy people, being a long-time (and also on and off) moderator, and, of course, hosting a silly little podcast with another long-time staff member. Hell, I remember having some of my most fun memories just a few years ago, when I returned to the mod team. I met a new generation of members when that happened, and I found that, even though the lingo and the personalities have changed, the spirit and the passion of the community remained.
ATRL is my home. It will always be my home. And, though this version of ATRL is finally hitting the old dusty trail, I will always cherish the memories that this version of ATRL has given me. I love you all, and I'll see you over at the new forum.
Oh, and because there's no way I can have a post on ATRL without one of my smileys...yeah, there's no easy way to segue into this.