It was October, wasn't it? Or possibly November? ... Regardless, I remember it was spring. And it's spring now.

I always remember in spring. Looking back through my post history, I notice that most times when I come back it's this time of year. No matter what's going on in my life, I always think of this place. I think it's the strong memory of change that does it. Spring, the break from TGC, my first year at high school, the endless possibilities that the galaxy held. I often forget how big of an influence this place had on my formative years.


Ok, so I've been sitting here for the last fifteen minutes trying to elaborate on that last sentence and I just can't. This place was too much to me. It was safety and acceptance and exploration and excitement and great stories and better friends. I don't think I want to get more specific right now. But I felt tingles when I typed in my username and password to post this. And I think about where I am in life now and I remember how much of that was shaped by who I was here. And I'm grateful, truly grateful, that this place was what it was.

Looking around the boards it seems like TRF is a lot less active than it used to be. And that's ok. People change, people move on. Places change. But I still recognise some old names. Maybe I'll come back in a few weeks or months and finish my Loyalties story. Probably I won't.

This thread is to remember and to celebrate. It's about the here and now and the future as much as it's about the past. TRF gave and continues to give us all a space to be and do amazing things, and I wanted to acknowledge that.

Happy birthday TRF. Ten years old, around about now. Double digits. It's good to see you again.


Now. How's everyone doing?

http://therebelfaction.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16943

(I don't think you can see that, but, you are truly missing out. We named a forum after you!)

Chau!

Hello you superstar you.

Nope, can't see a thing.

Hey Ahnk, how's it going?



Edit: Also, I like to imagine that this phantom forum is devoted to mocking my antipodean accent. Nothing else.

Hey! 10 years? Sounds about right... I joined TGC end of October 2001 and the split happened just after that and I joined TRF May 2002 so its rather close to ten years!

You're still here in spirit, Chau...

For the Glory of Ming, sorta


10 years... wow. Who would have thought we had that many stories in us...

Ming-a-ling!

Where the hell are you living, mang? Its fall, you bastard. Good to see you, ol buddy ol pal. Admittedly, we're far less active than we used to be, but our stories are significantly more grandiose as well, so it evens out. Stick around for a bit, maybe write with us. The galaxy has changed, man. Would you believe the Empire isn't top dog anymore? (Unless you're an Imperial, and then this is all part of the "plan")

And whoa hey! I never knew I had been around longer than Bane. Not by much, though.

Chau Ming

Nope, can't see a thing.

It's since been renamed, but that forum used to be known as The Chau Ming Memorial Banquet Hall. I named it after you when I noticed you'd been gone a while. I always hoped that someday you would come back and I could say "Hey, look, we named a forum after you!" but Seth and Omnae wanted to rebrand. :P

Chau Ming

Hey Ahnk, how's it going?

It's not so bad. I posted my own topic like this not that long ago; sadly, it, too, is in the former Chau Ming Memorial Banquet Hall, which you don't have access to.

Chau Ming

Edit: Also, I like to imagine that this phantom forum is devoted to mocking my antipodean accent. Nothing else.

I don't think anyone has ever heard you talk? We did, though, once theorize that you chose your name because you are charming, and then simply sounded it out until you had a name. Charming. Chaming. Chauming. Chau Ming. Chau Ming! Jackpot!

Man, a memorial banquet hall? I'm honoured. I wonder what it's called now...

It's not so bad. I posted my own topic like this not that long ago; sadly, it, too, is in the former Chau Ming Memorial Banquet Hall, which you don't have access to.

Good to know I'm not the only one in a reflective state of mind.

Hi Zark and Simon! Like I said in the OP, its good to see that the old faces are still around, hacking away at the galaxy one post at a time. How're you guys keeping?

And Zark: New Zealand, same as ever :) Might dip my feet back in the battlegrounds in a few weeks when I finish studying. This newfangled long-form roleplaying sounds intriguing. Would certainly make it easier to keep up with the goings-on in the galaxy. I noticed a thread by Simon that had been going on for over five years in there. Is this standard now?

Ahhh! I knew it must've been somewhere around there, but I kept thinking "I didn't think Chau was Australian." so that makes sense.

I've been well. I'm now King o al Jediz, so that's pretty cool. Although, to be fair, I think that's mainly because I'm one of three still remotely active. (Four if you count Irtar, who is very remotely active.)

But yeah, honestly posts stretching into multiples of years is pretty much the norm now. In fact, I can't remember the last thread I've seen that concluded in a years time, except for the occasional standard planet grab. But those are getting more and more scarce. Right now we're kind of at the point where everyone is fighting furiously over what they have, not trying to grab onto more.

Right now we're kind of at the point where everyone is fighting furiously over what they have, not trying to grab onto more.

Oh, so that's what I've been doing wrong.

And hi guy who I've never actually met before! I ran into some of your stuff researching the Empire back when it was secretly my mortal enemy, and I've heard people talk about you in random contexts that made me feel completely out of the loop, so in internet terms I've known you for something like four years now, right?