So what’s happened these last 25 years?

[duffman91]

I’ve been poking around at some old threads and there is some hilarious comedy gold out there full of non-sequitur insults. As I looked past the troll comments, I couldn’t help but notice there were a few snippets of real life that came through. This got me thinking….

With quake 3 approaching 25 years in age, and our autistic-like desire to keep visiting these forums ever-growing, I thought it would be neat to get a bit of a personal retrospective from you guys.

In my case, I was most active while in college (2000 - 2005), while working on a bachelor’s degree. After finishing the degree, life came fast. I climbed the corporate ladder and got a chance to travel for work. That gave me the opportunity to meet Dark Matter, Puff, Obsidian (…I think?…), and Mazda in 2010.

I never left Vegas, despite trying. However, I had the privilege of some great fun. Many of the house DJ’s you guys would post about ended up having residencies here. So I was able to see Tiesto, Sasha, and many more. I don’t think I would have known about them outside of these forums. I’m confident it was the Dutch membership going on about Trance music back in 2001.

Family life with kids is where I’m at today, but I still flex that q3w muscle trolling the teenager and his friends from time to time.

You?*







*mad?

[Mat Linnett]

You touching on the trolling thing is something I'll always be grateful to Q3W for.

Looking at the way people interact online these days, I can see that learning how to be on the web via this forum hardened me the fuck up, and basically made me immune to social media and the stupid amount of misinformation surrounding it.

Q3W's firm but fair approach to moderation is something I rarely see reflected anywhere else these days. People can talk about pretty much anything, but if they go full moron, the hammer comes down quick, both from the community and the moderation team.

It's given me a level of internet pragmatism I'm eternally thankful for, and it makes me chuckle when I see some of the amateur attempts at inflammatory behaviour on other, lesser internet haunts. It also makes them incredibly transparent.

Virtually everywhere is "Baby's first flamewar" compared to this place in its hayday.

There's so many people I know who get suckered in to conspiracy theories or other general misinformation because they have no idea how to spot it.
And they've not had someone like Dave, raw or DooMer smacking them back into place when they get stoopid (despite Geoff being the most obvious, I still think of Memphis' descent into dumbfuckery as being one of the best and tragic examples of such.)

Anyway, circle-jerking aside, 25 years ago I was working as an AV Technician at a nuclear power station, local to where I grew up.

Now, I'm living in London and working for one of the world's largest media organisations.

My route here has been random as fuck, and if I've learned anything in life, it's that there's no point whatsoever in trying to predict where you'll be in the future (I would really make a shit careers advisor.)

Take it as it comes and try to enjoy yourself along the way.

[Κracus]

I went from driving for the mafia to working for law enforcement. Fun stuff.

[scared?]

I went from a simple poor with one kid to a multi-millionaire with over half a dozen kids... jellus?...

[scared?]

the funniest thing about this thread so far is that Matt actually believes my troll posts...

[duffman91]

I went from driving for the mafia to working for law enforcement. Fun stuff.

This is great!

[Whiskey 7]

This is great!

Gold

I am busy for the days ahead. Mentioned somewhere here, on my plate, I have a painter in our apartment come Monday followed by carpet replacement then visitors from the other side of this small globe we inhabit. Fun days as you might appreciate.

Looking at a new PC, having top spec & custom built. When the dust literally settles I will be looking for a new motor and EV, Hybrid, petrol & diesel variants are still on the table. There's no hurry.

OT ... what’s happened these last 25 years, that's a tall order to fill so I will think about a considered reply.

[Mat Linnett]

the funniest thing about this thread so far is that Matt actually believes my troll posts...

Nah man, I actually suspect you'd be a really nice guy IRL, and someone good to have a drink with.

[Eraser]

The only thing I learned in 25 years of Q3W is that you're all a bunch of sad cunts.

[Κracus]

lol you sound like you should go for a bike ride.

[duffman91]

The only thing I learned in 25 years of Q3W is that you're all a bunch of sad cunts.

*cunts/dicks


I identify as an autist, actually.

[Eraser]

lol you sound like you should go for a bike ride.

I was actually contemplating taking the day off and riding to wherever but reality quickly caught up and I realized I'm far too busy to be doing that. Need to get stuff finished before going on vacation.

[roughrider]

Vacation? What is this thing you speak of?

[Eraser]

It's something us non-poorians can afford

[tnf]

We all got old. That is what happened.

[seremtan]

I went from driving for the mafia to working for law enforcement. Fun stuff.

can't believe i missed this gem

[Don Carlos]

We all got old. That is what happened.

Damn....

[Transient]

Looking at the way people interact online these days, I can see that learning how to be on the web via this forum hardened me the fuck up, and basically made me immune to social media and the stupid amount of misinformation surrounding it.

Couldn't agree more!

Looking back at my time on the forums, I remember how deadset I was against ever being in debt. No car loans, no mortgages. I didn't want to owe anyone anything. Now I'm on to my 2nd financed vehicle and I own 4 buildings, with 3 mortgages. I can see just how naive I was about how to make money and earn a living when I was a teenager on this message board. I also thought I'd never ever do any drugs (LOL) or ever be so brash as to get a tattoo. Now I smoke week most nights and have a near-full sleeve of comic book and video game tattoos.

[Whiskey 7]

Weed methinks Transient then you're probably under the influence.

TL;DR, I have enjoyed these last 25 years

Well as I look back on just 23 years, I can only comment how fast they have flown by and that is scary

Looking back, I can say I have enjoyed this place as a little 'bolt hole' and not that I have been under any stress or pressure. It is a weird sort of voyeurism in many ways and to me at least, pleasant.

Best thing, I did find a pen pal here for many years and I do miss lars63

I probably mentioned, have you been listening, correctly reading I wonder, quickly, I returned to casual employment after 8 or so years in retirement doing what retirees do I guess. That was 3 years gone in a blink of an eye. Why work you ask. No, I was not bored or needed the money. Just wanted 'something' is the best way I can put the urge (if it was an urge). I retired from the full time workforce Christmas 2012 and moved into our beach-side apartment then sold our river side apartment in the city. Just love it up here as it is sill reasonably quiet, then we do notice the increase in traffic and people about. The city, when we visit, is hectic. We tell ourselves, if we stayed, the change would be gradual & unnoticed.

Now, I have said (typed) here before I am sure, "I feel like a 40 year old, just got to catch one". As the calendar says I approach the big 70, I have no real concerns getting old. I need lose a few kilos and get more exercise. Who doesn't, put up your hand... Every days passes so quickly but I have mentioned that up there ^^

That heart attack 17 years ago, now a distant memory and lucky me, I still enjoy good health & fitness. Oh, I have missed the bite from that COVID bug to my amazement too.

Recently, having near completed minor renovation works about our home, AC replaced, holes plastered, rooms painted, the carpet replacement happens tomorrow and the I get to set up my office again. Two new PCs & screens, one for other half and the beast for me, then back into some games. Adapting to Window 11 might slow me down a little but it just an OS. I have always enjoyed the FPS shooter gaming, The 3d person perspective, well, doesn't work for me. There are the movies and TV shows/series to revisit too, knocking about 3TB. Oh the joy of NVMe all on the new G8.

A new car might be coming, no rush, petrol, diesel likely as I remain unsure regards EVs and no, I don't invite retort.

[duffman91]

Looking at the way people interact online these days, I can see that learning how to be on the web via this forum hardened me the fuck up, and basically made me immune to social media and the stupid amount of misinformation surrounding it.

Couldn't agree more!

Looking back at my time on the forums, I remember how deadset I was against ever being in debt. No car loans, no mortgages. I didn't want to owe anyone anything. Now I'm on to my 2nd financed vehicle and I own 4 buildings, with 3 mortgages. I can see just how naive I was about how to make money and earn a living when I was a teenager on this message board. I also thought I'd never ever do any drugs (LOL) or ever be so brash as to get a tattoo. Now I smoke week most nights and have a near-full sleeve of comic book and video game tattoos.

I am very much so impressed by your landlord endeavor. Takes a lot of guts….

I agree with you on the debt topic as well. There is much to learn in finance and accounting that most don’t get in their day to day. My 20 year old opinion was severely short sighted.

[roughrider]

It's something us non-poorians can afford

If I could ever get time off to enjoy said vacation, that would be great. Constantly working 6 day work week, with the occasional sporatic multi-day off (usually never 2-in a row) which happens about once every 5 or 6 months. In my line of work it seems to be a matter of 'importance' that I, for some reason, am always the one to be put into 'play' to fix issues when a co-worker screws up and clients get mad. Mind you, I enjoy my job, just not the never-ending no time for vacation crapola that always tends to happen.

[tnf]

25 years...marriage, kids, 20 year anniversary one of these days in the next few weeks I think too.

Almost 5 years to the day since my cancer surgery - followed by 8 weeks of radiation 5 days a week. Been cancer free since radiation, blood tests every year.

My cancer tale is a cautionary one for all of you guys in your 40s - prostate cancer at 44. Bugged my doctors to get PSA checks because it ran on both sides of my family, but they told me "eh, we'll check you when you turn 50" and that a single PSA isn't a very useful diagnostic marker. No shit. Finally found a doctor who agreed and we got a baseline measurement done when I was 43. All good. Then at 44 I get it checked again - and it was 3.74. Here's the kicker - that number is still in the 'normal' range. But my test at 43 was only 0.39. So the doc decides to wait three months and do another test because it had gone up so much. Next test was 4.0. There is now a blood test that can be done in the event of high PSA values to determine if a prostate biopsy is warranted - since those biopsies suck. So we do the blood test - its proprietarty so I don't know exactly what they look at, probably the expression of some genes. Anyhow, blood test says do the biopsy so we do and I had two tumors.

Surgery in August of 2019, didn't get it all so radiation started in January 2020. Literally finished radiation a couple days before the world shut down.

Here's what my oncologist told me to tell all the guys I know in their late 30s and 40s. Get PSA tests every year. Even if your doctor won't order it or your insurance won't cover it. Its about $100 out of pocket. This can give you a record each year of changes. If you see a big spike like I had, you can follow up. Oncologist has a very low opinion of most general practitioners when it comes to cancer related stuff. They look a bell shaped curves and base all decisions off people who fall in the standard range. But PC is hits guys in their late 30s and 40s, and often times goes undetected until its spread. Had I not pushed for that initial test that gave me the 0.39 value, my second test wouldn't have raised any flags and I'd probably be dying from metastatic cancer right now.

Good news is that I'm healthy as ever (except for the typical aging stuff like lower back issues). Working out consistently for several years now, put nearly all the muscle mass I had in my early 20s before neck surgery back on and feel great. Cancer has a way of re-framing your entire life for sure.

Can't believe we've been here for a quarter of a century.....

[saturn]

You touching on the trolling thing is something I'll always be grateful to Q3W for.

Looking at the way people interact online these days, I can see that learning how to be on the web via this forum hardened me the fuck up, and basically made me immune to social media and the stupid amount of misinformation surrounding it.

Q3W's firm but fair approach to moderation is something I rarely see reflected anywhere else these days. People can talk about pretty much anything, but if they go full moron, the hammer comes down quick, both from the community and the moderation team.

It's given me a level of internet pragmatism I'm eternally thankful for, and it makes me chuckle when I see some of the amateur attempts at inflammatory behaviour on other, lesser internet haunts. It also makes them incredibly transparent.

Virtually everywhere is "Baby's first flamewar" compared to this place in its hayday.

Absolutely true Matt. The trolling, the flamewars, and also the Q3W friendships totally prepared me to take all the internet/social media bullshit with a grain of salt.

[Κracus]

I still get random messages from Aimee Love once in a while. I still wonder which troll it is?