[Benjamin]

Ok, it;s time for one of these rare sentimental and actually intelligent threads from me. I was just sat here listening to a song (What's My Name - Rihanna) and it reminded me of sitting in my room back in Exeter high as a kite (when I smoked weed) and walking in the snow, lying in it then coming back into my room with the blue (christmas) lights and messing around on TiBB and hosting The Mole 3.

It was so weird to suddenly realise that this was two years ago, I was at the start of my planning in getting to new Zealand. So much has changed.

In the last 5 years I've done so much, been so many places, changed for better and worse at various times, learned and forgotten a great deal, and crossed and shared paths with so many people.


This time 5 years ago I was in my third year of uni, actually I would have been in Portugal working on my dissertation, I was engaged, and I hadn't yet encountered TiBB.

This time 4 years ago I had been on TiBB 5 months, had broken up from my fiance, been made redundant as the business I managed had gone into liquidation which in turn meant I had to delay my Australia travels by a whole year as I had to spend all my savings to survive until I ended up getting a new job, I had graduated with a 2:1 and waved goodbye to a great lifestyle and some great friends. I moved from Totnes, to Paignton, to Torquay, back to Totnes and then to Exeter.


This time three years ago, I had finally made my savings back up and would have been leaving for Australia in 18 days! wasn't really well known on the forum as much as now, despite being a mod and I kind of left with no real big deal (except Marc who could barely live without me, who I forgot left for ages and only really came back onto TiBB properly to be in Mole 3 and then stayed and glad he did). I'd made the mistake of going back to my ex, we had a fight and he gave me a black eye and chipped my tooth, lesson learned there, although I felt the lowest I had ever felt in my life.

This time two years ago, I had just got back from one of the most epic years of my life in Oz. Backpacking, travelling, chilling, just amazing. The people I met, the things I did and the places I saw were just incredible. I remember coming back and it was so cold and I was so jet lagged, I needed a wee at one of the London stations and didn't have a 20 pence piece (only Oz coins) and had to ask some little old lady for one and she gave me two, bless her. I came back to TiBB at what seemed to be a rather awful time full of fun sponges who liked to spam and bicker, and I remember trying my hardest to bring fun back to here (even though it pissed some people off, like me editing titles, lol) and I managed to somehow after a few weeks of being back and knowing very few people get to #15 in ML. My female friend got punched by a squaddie when I was out and I had to go court and testify, the wanker got what he deserved.

I also got to run my first TiBB game in the form of Mole 3, and it was so amazing ( and a lot of bloody hard work) to be a host of such an enjoyable game, and it was a really good cast of players.

This time last year I had moved to Bristol about six months before and was on my serious saving and working 60 hour weeks to get me to NZ. I was in the planning stages, had no social life, infact spent most of my free time not working on here high as a kite being a dick and messing around (which I miss immensely, fond memories), making silly videos, TC, games and just general banter with everyone. (Oh and my mass fall out with Scott). I remember my job sucked, one of thew worst jobs of my life yet the tips were so amazing so I tried to plough on through and get to the end goal (thank you btw to those that helped support me on here ad tell me to not give up). I was also quite drunk a lot iirc, which led me to Plug quite a lot and then to make more drunken videos.


And this time now. I'm here in Auckland. Travelled around NZ and had an amazing time. Got an amazing job, which offers great opportunities for what I want in life currently, I've quit smoking weed for nearly 8 months and it's been two weeks of not smoking after a bit of a health scare (which apparently is what it took for me to finally quit after 14 years) but quit I have! And I've started writing my poetry again and sending it off!

And I'll be travelling again soon. Wow. Five years goes so quickly and so much happens. I keep remembering so many memories the deeper I think about it. The next five years should be exciting (even though I turn 30 (gulp)).


I'm not drunk btw, just felt the need to share that with you all. I promise you won't get any of this sentimental mush for another good 6 months.