DDRMAN! Hey! I remember talking with you so many years ago, I hope you've been doing good.
Hello everyone. It has been quite a while since I've been able to login, and I finally found my login information after I thought about sscoasters the other night at work, I then went home to find it. To my surprise I was able to get in, and I was elated.
My last login was 4 years ago back in 2019, and that felt like returning after a long time, but it feels like nothing compared to now. I went back through a lot of old posts, and re lived a lot of the memories I had with the many people I interacted with.
What I couldn't help but notice though, was how disrespectful I was as a person through the majority of the time I spent on here. People would point something out to me, and I would argue because I couldn't accept being proven wrong. Looking back its so obvious how hostile and rude I was being, but at the time I didn't feel that way. I see now how I conducted myself very poorly earlier in my life, and since then I have started to change a lot of things. I wish I could go back with a clearer mind to be the person I feel like I should be and am now trying to be.
I started projects that were never finished, argued with the people who only wanted to help me. It was immature, and it was unfair. I used to blame it on the circumstances in my life, but I was short sighted and wasn't taking accountability.
I wanted to apologize to anyone that might come back to check on SSC that I may have interacted unfairly with.
Despite how cringey or unbearable my younger self was, I made many friends who I talked for hours with for many years. Now that I have lost contact with many people, it makes me miss it even more.
I think of this site pretty much daily, and I'm always wondering how some of the people I used to look up to are doing.
I miss all of you, thank you guys for all the time spent in the chatrooms, forums... its so nostalgic. Browsing this site was enough to bring me to tears remembering all the memories behind the posts, and profiles of people I talked with.
I don't mean to make this too sappy, but this site and the people on it meant a lot to me. And if anyone logs back in quick, I just wanted you to know this.
I've been decent, thanks for asking. I think on the arguing, seems like a lot of us joined in our preteen/early teen years, aka the cringiest years of our lives. Digging in my old posts would certainly reveal lots of cringe, assuming I haven't deleted everything (I did try to purge all I could at some point). Looking back and cringing really shows that you've grown, though. This site meant a lot to me too, and I'm glad that our interactions meant something to you. Major props to BGT and all the other staff for putting up with us.
Thanks for the post Connector. This site has meant a lot to many over the years. It's a shame kids these days aren't into building things like previous generations.
I agree. I'm trying to subtly get my niece and nephew interested in building toys, kinda. They're both loud, sticky toddlers though, maybe when they're like 5 they'll be more receptive? We brought out some of my childhood toys last time they visited, including a marble run set and my Thomas the Tank Engine wood train set, and I made something for them (not with them since they're, you know, 3 lol).
I think another thing that's awkward is how internet discussion is going; I think it's fracturing towards extremes. On one end, the major platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Reddit are only getting more popular. You do see a couple coasters on the knex forums on Reddit, which is the closest thing to a niche community that's like this forum, but you can tell they're not members of here (except Chaos is still active outside of this site). But for the most part, Reddit doesn't really allow for progress and feedback like this site does. Then Facebook and Twitter are... Yeah.
On the other end, and something I'm seeing in Magic the Gathering, is that focused discussion is happening more on discord. Which is good for tight knit communities but makes it difficult for anyone to stumble across what you're talking about. Like, how many teenagers are going to find this site on accident? They'd need an underlying interest. Or something, I don't know I'm just rambling at this point.
Either way, I'm glad this site still exists, it's meant a lot to me despite it being almost 10 years since finishing a coaster, and thank you for keeping it going. My boyfriend and I are living in our friends' spare bedroom so I don't have space to build, but I do have plans for once we get our own place (after I graduate. Don't go for a Ph. D.)
Holy smokes I can't believe I still remember my log-in info!
man it's been too long since I've last came here, lol
In that time I did 3 years of Mechanical Engineering, dropped out, started Architecture (luckily only 1 year left before graduating!), got into a band! (And we released an album too!)
How have you guys been? what's the news?!
Once you graduate, don't look back lol. Focus on your strengths for the workforce, I made the mistake on focusing on my minor and it hamstrung my career for a year before going back to grad school. Congrats on the album, that's awesome.
Well, for me, I'm currently storing pieces by snapping connectors to rods (to take up as little space as possible). I'm going to be moving at some point in the relatively near future. If I still have enough building space in the "new" house, I have a plan to make something ridiculous like a 5-way dueling VV coaster.
On a side note, I've been absent from this site (and the Discord) due to my brain being really mean to me. In short, my low self confidence became so bad that I felt bad for existing, and that any post from me anywhere would just be a bother to people. I'd tell myself that people only pretended to like me and that they all worked together to keep up the illusion. I've only recently been able to escape this. I no longer believe that everyone secretly hates me. I'm also now more content with the fact that not everyone will like me, and that's okay.
Last thing for now: This is the time of year when pests start coming back into your homes. For this week only, I will be offering $6.90 pest control service for 42 consumers. Just give me a fake address, a random time, and an MS paint drawing of the infestation so I know you're not lying. The only thing you'll need to do on your end is leave out some snacks by the TV and the clicker on the couch, as these pests are often found on TV due to their intense attraction to them. Together, we can get those pesky legos out of your house! If you have any questions, call your own phone number and one of our professionals will pick up immediately.
I'm glad you were able to escape the self loathing, that's a difficult thing to break. Good luck with the move.
