it's been a while...

[awaldock]

It's hard to believe it's been seven years since Blackrock disbanded. Imagine my surprise on googling my name yesterday to see that even in that time my name sake has continued to be active on a micronational level. Not only that but risen in the ranks to leader of the sinister Aquatans! Awaldock even has his own wiki page! Surprised as I was it quickly gave way to a feeling of embarrassment. I made so many friends during my time with whom I lost all contact with pretty much as soon as Blackrock ceased to exist. Giant Squid, Jasonian, Bill3000, CINC Patrick... and countless others that I'm ashamed to say whose names I have forgotten. How could I have known that my name was still being used when I never spoke to any of those guys again? Even Kitchenmit, RainbowJDS and Thomas Hubert (space marine1 if i remember correctly. That, and Jordan Borders, of course!), we had our scrapes in the past and sometimes it got pretty heated but it was always fun, and that's the thing i remember the most.

Sorry if this is sounding a little too nostalgic and melancholy but every now and then something reminds me of that time in my life and I wonder what ever became of these people. I don't even know if they still move in these circles, user names change and life has a nasty habit of getting in the way. I've forgotten so much, even Giant Squid's history of the Apollo Nations feels to me like a vivid dream that gets forgotten only minutes after waking up.

To be honest I don't know what I expect to come from this post. Most of you on this forum probably joined long after I lost contact with everyone and all the forums I used to post on are either inactive or I've forgotten the URL long ago. If anyone out there could fill me in on what has happened to these guys, or remind me of all those guys I've forgotten that would be amazing. There's a lot of bridges that got burned but recently in light of all the changes going on in my life right now I've found myself thinking back on all those months sitting with stodlum in front of our computers having the best time ever. The rough world of adolescence would have been very different had I not had the Republic of Blackrock and all the friends I made through it to fall back on!

Even if nothing comes of this, and at the risk of sounding preachy, I hope that maybe this will inspire those of you still active not to loose contact with the friends, and even the enemies that you've made in communities such as this. Micronations rise and fall, cultures change (I don't even know if the time I've been reminiscing about even means anything any more) but territories ultimately decay. It's the people you meet and interact with that make this experience such a rewarding one so hold on to them.

Anyway, this is all getting very serious. If anyone out there could help me to remember that would be fantastic but if not don't worry about it. It might just have to be one of those regrets that I have to live with.

Thanks for reading and long live the Aquatans!

[Neike Taika-Tessaro]

Hi awaldock! As I'm a complete "newbie", micronationally, unfortunately, I can't even pretend to remember you. But I can sympathise - in fact, I've done the very same things you've done, albeit in different contexts... I've forgotten many of my old internet friends, whilst they've not forgotten me. It's bitter when one realises what's happened - that so many pleasant memories have just popped out of existence. But I suppose that is the nature of "moving on", and by the time you realise you might've liked to keep your ties, they're gone.

For me, it happened in the game Ravenblack Vampires. My name there ("Dread") is gradually dying out - I left after a change in the game put a noticable rift between two groups of players, with the overlap zone I'd grown so very fond of instantly becoming eradicated. It seemed to me like I was being forced to choose one half of my friends over the other - and I was more comfortable leaving all of them behind.

I regret it. I don't know if I would still enjoy the game if I played it now - I probably wouldn't, and would regret staying - but I also regret having left.

Maybe it's a "fucked if you do, fucked if you don't".

Meh! I actually wanted to respond with something uplifting - I guess I missed that mark. I suppose all I can say is do what you think is right, and make the best of what happens. I for one very much hope you're remembered! It's rare to see anyone on the internet harbour such thoughts at all, and they seem, to me at least, to be symptom of much intelligence and soul. My opinion of you - just based on this one post of yours - is thus a high one, with my wishes for your future in accordance.

[hypatias mom]

Awaldock:

You would probably be surprised to note that some of the people you remember are still members of Shireroth. Giant Squid, aka Scott of Hyperborea; Erik Metzler, our founder; GmanRussell; Andelarion; and others; are still here and active in micronations. You are encouraged to visit and even join with us. We would love to hear tales from the old days. I'll bet you would have lots of great ideas. I am a relative newbie myself, but the old days sound like a fascinating period.

[Scott of Hyperborea]

Yeah, Scott is my real name, but I'm the guy who used to be Giant Squid.

For you, it's been a long time. For me, I just fought you for control of the Ruby Sphere last night. Seriously, if you haven't played the new Control of Destiny yet, you really really really need to do so. Check the bar with the evil tree on the top of the forum for the links.

By the way, I went to college in Ireland for a year. I met stodlum and Eoin and Spooky Guy and maybe one or two other Blackrockers; it's all kinda hazy. Stodlum had a girl over at one point and they tried to convince me that her name was Alana Waldock and that you had only been pretending to be a boy, but I didn't fall for it.

I also was in Blackrock once or twice for various reasons and I spotted a Waldock Jewelry Store or something in the mall there and suspected it probably had something to do with your family or something. I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to meet while I was there.

There's a "summary" of the last seven years of micronational history at http://www.raikoth.net/Shireroth/html/S ... oscope.doc if you want to get caught up.

Ummmm....as individual people go...I dunno if you're still in touch with Shane and Eoin, but last I heard from them they were both okay. Eoin's in Trinity; he came out to America to meet me last summer. RainbowJDS was in Russia for a while for some reason, got a Russian girlfriend, and is now running one of those companies that sells essays to students who want to cheat - I always knew he'd amount to no good. Jasonian changed his name to Harvey IRL and is studying something having to do with rubber in a college in Michigan and designing computer games on the side. Bill3000 actually got WAY more normal and sane, turned out to be some sort of supergenius, and is in college studying physics and bioengineering. UEC's real name is Erik, and he's in college studying psych in California. Gman'll probably be by here in a few minutes so he can tell his own story. Kitchenmit, Hubert, and Foley have AFAIK disappeared completely. And I am an English teacher in Nagoya, Japan.

Anyway, stick around Shireroth, play CoD, and contact me on AIM sometime; my SN is GSquid314.

AND YOUR PLOTS FOR AQUATAN DOMINATION MUST BE STOPPED! TO THE BLACKBIRD!!!

[Gman Russell]

Haha, Gman Pinky was my name... waaaay back in the day (my real life) best friend's name was, 'The Brain', GET IT?! HAHAHAHA! *ahem*

I work two jobs and go to college now. Not quite as big as some other people's lives, but it's mine.

Anyway, you proly don't remember me, we didn't talk much, but I do remember you, and wish you the best in your life.


...If your REALLY HIM!?!?!

[Ryan]

So the one and only Alan Waldock has made an appearence? Interesting.

Patrick Foley joined the navy IRL.

Tyler McClelland (kitchenmit's real name) left micronationalism after the death of the PBF and a brief stint in the LoSS.

Thomas Hubert got sucked into the EverQuest games but makes brief appearences in micronations, most recently Troy Thompson's Chinese-themed Xinguo (now dead).

You might remember me as WarVoid. Now also in college as a student in international studies and doing part-time journalism.

[dr-spangle]

Hi ryan!

[awaldock]

Hey!

Man, that is a blast from the past. It's great to be able to catch up with you guys! And thanks Neike Taika-Tessaro for the kind words.

I must say it's great to hear what you guys are up to. Scott, would you believe I only hear you were in Ireland for a year last week? Stod an I don't see each other that much since we went to college, so I didn't hear about it. It would have been nice to meet up with you, make sure to give me a shout if you're ever planning on coming over again.

Gman, i knew the name was familiar when I read the members of Shireroth, true we didn't speak that much back in the day but I do remember you being around!

And Warvoid, didn't recognise you there without the awesome screen name. Don't wanna sound like a suck up but I did always envy it. Contractions of real names didn't really cut it back then!

As for me I'm in final year of college doing graphic design, I don't see much of the old crowd anymore except for the odd time I might see them in the bar in Trinity.

Seriously though, It's cool to catch up with you guys again, I would often wonder what had happened to all of yous. I don't think I'd be up for another stint in micronational politics but I'll definitely stick around the Shireroth forum in future!

[Jonas]

There's a "summary" of the last seven years of micronational history at http://www.raikoth.net/Shireroth/html/S ... oscope.doc if you want to get caught up.

This will become something as the codex of Justinianus.
Maybe I will translate it in Dutch(for the history lessons)