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Post by wyvernxk7 on Jul 21, 2022 12:41:22 GMT -8
Hey there, folks,
Some of you saw my Facebook post back in April, some of you might not. I know most people don't check in here anymore, but since he played a role in the history of TGP, I felt it was fitting to post this update here.
My good buddy A.J. Birtwistle, AKA Juice1300 on the forums, was reported missing on April 13th. In subsequent conversations with his wife Paula, it has become clear that the most likely cause of this is that he jumped from the Lionsgate Bridge to his death (according to the police, the body is often never recovered in such cases of death by suicide due to something involving the currents in the area. The lack of definitive closure is yet another point of hurt here for his family and friends.). It's really painful to know that one of my closest friends from a certain period of my life (specifically when I was in Japan) and someone I've admired and loved like a brother ever since is gone. His goofy sense of humor and penchant for making everyone around him better are things I will always cherish and dearly miss. I thought you'd all want to know.
I hope each of you are doing well and know that I think of you often, and that I'm always just a message or a phone call away. Gabe
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Post by Fleck on Aug 13, 2022 0:48:40 GMT -8
Goddamn.
I don't really have anything to say. I hope you're doing alright Gabe, both in general and in light of this news.
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Post by wyvernxk7 on Aug 29, 2022 7:42:41 GMT -8
Thanks, Kyle. I had a hard time of it for a couple months and I was already going through depression of my own at the time, but for the first time in my life, I started therapy at the beginning of the year, and between that and being around friends and family I care about and love more frequently in the past few months, I'm doing pretty well and continuing to move in the right direction on pretty much every front. Beyond that, there's nothing that needs to be said... it's just nice to know that even if it's only once or twice a year, I'm not the only one who comes back and visits this old house on the internet.
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Post by Bob on Sept 15, 2022 5:42:22 GMT -8
Oh holy shit you guys still peek in here? I feel like such a chump now for not coming back! I checked every once in a while back when, but since nobody posted I stopped checking. Today Kristy started a Google profile and looks like she took over mine and I saw the The Goat Pen pb link and was like "well, may as well check" and you two ARE still alive! Good to hear from you! I keep thinking about sending y'all messages and such, but fb is really not the best platform.
Really sorry to hear about AJ, Gabe. I remembered you posting that he was missing and was really hoping for good news at some point, so it's sad to hear that this is the assumption. I didn't know him too well, but he seemed like a great guy.
Hope you both are well! I think I'll need to reactivate this link on my own Google profile and check it every now and again. TGP forever! I think we all need a "what's been up the last like 8 years" post. But I have work in a few minutes, so I'll post later. I got my Master's though! Woo!
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Post by wyvernxk7 on Sept 27, 2022 7:31:50 GMT -8
Yeah, Facebook is the worst. Coming here - even when there's nothing new - is like stepping into a little time capsule or internet bubble where everything isn't awful and/or ads all the time. It's a comfort thing as much as anything else - TGP was a place I turned to as an adolescent when I really needed a place "of my own," and it still feels that way.
Anyway, thanks for your kind words, Bob. It sucks, but what can we do but live on? When I think of A.J. (which is still pretty often), I try to bring just as much or more of his warmth to mind than to the cold of his absence.
As for me, doing well but crazy busy. Definitely would like to catch up sometime or even to have a virtual hangout (I know, I know, after the last 30 months, that prospect is... ugh, but still) and chat and play games - who knows when time would permit that?? But it's fun to imagine in the meantime.
As for you, congrats on your Masters! What did you get it in? Master of Goat Corralling?
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Post by Bob on Sept 28, 2022 6:09:52 GMT -8
Ugh, I wish! Master of Goat Corralling is such a prestigious degree, I could only dream of it! I went for a Masters in Educational Technology, like the peasant that I am!
A gaming session or something would be pretty fun, but I'll bet we'll be hard pressed to find common time to play. But never know! Any of you fellow young people on Discord? I have a work account I use for coaching esports and I have a personal account that I hardly use. It would be good to get some mileage out of the personal one. If so I'll share my username in a DM either here or Facebook. Even though I'm pretty sure nobody could find this forum, still don't want all the bots to see it. Not that Discord could ever replace this epic forum that reminds me of that time Blank attacked Ellone for 75,051,630 damage or Fleck the face stealer!
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Post by Fleck on Sept 30, 2022 0:28:34 GMT -8
I'd be down for games or Discord or whatever. Contact me through Facebook or through here or whatever works and I'll find a way to make it happen, even though it might take a while. I recently played an FFVIII run where I was only allowed to use items/magic I obtained through Triple Triad and through refining cards. It was an interesting way to play the game, to say the least . It was amusing to have it be where "level grinding" meant walking up to random characters and playing them for cards. But once you get to the point where you're getting the best cards that refine into OP items it became rather easy. Planning on doing a "no Gil" run of FFVII and IX and eventually getting around to a No Sphere Grid run of X. It's funny how I am simultaneously so much better and so much worse at video games than I used to be. Fortnight, League of Legends, or stuff like that? No idea. Speed runs of Final Fantasy or Resident Evil? Easy peasy.
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Post by Bob on Oct 2, 2022 12:03:51 GMT -8
Same. I'm pretty bad at a lot of video games nowadays. I think I just don't have time to learn them inside and out like I used to. Although I'm pretty good at Clash Royale! I'm playing Fire Emblem: Three Houses currently and it's just...not...FF Tactics... Enemies group up and I just want to use area spells and such, but this game has very little of that. And critical hits are just unfair, whether I'm landing them or hit by them. They just ruin the game imo.
But yeah, I'll send you both my Discord via PM on here. Might take us forever to actually do anything together, but at least we'll have the info.
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Post by wyvernxk7 on Oct 18, 2022 16:20:42 GMT -8
Hey-o! I totally hear that about being better and worse than ever with video games, and I think you're spot on with the part about having less time to learn them inside and out. Every now and then, one breaks through, but mostly, especially if it's a long game, it's gonna take me foreeeeeeeever. I'm currently over a year in on my playthrough of Nier: Automata. Have I reached the first ending? I have not. On the flip side, I recently got the steam deck and blasted through Mega Man X twice over the course of two separate afternoons - once on an emulator and once on the MMX collection. So it goes!
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