As some of you may already know, today is my 21st birthday. I think this is as good a time for reflection as any.
I have a very dynamic personality. I went through a major change in my life around my senior year in high school, which basically moved me away from being an introverted social outcast to a friendly-to-the-point-of-annoyingness social whore. 
Over the past year, I went through another big changeā¦ perhaps even greater in magnitude.
Hereās a few things that happened to me:
<ul>
<li>I let go of a whole lot of bitterness that had been built up over the years (bitterness toward people who had more interesting social lives than me).
<li>I dropped all the stereotypes I had carried over from HSā¦ made friends with jocks, surfers, frat boys/sorority girls, and other people I used to hate simply because they followed (purposefully or not) some image.
<li>I got my driverās license, bringing me even closer to my goal of total independence. Oh yeah, and Iāve signed the lease for my apartment for next year.
<li>I accepted the fact that othersā opinion of me does in fact matter to me. However, I learned that you cannot make people like you.
<li>I learned that Bacardi 151 is an alcoholic drink that should never be ingested by anyone.
<li>However, I found that drinking responsibly is very fun.
<li>I began dating for the first time in my life, and discovered that it came very naturally to me. Being in a relationship made me feel better than I had ever felt before about myself.
<li>I got not one, not two, but THREE nice jobsā¦ all related to my major (Comp. Science). I get paid fairly well, and I like the people that I work with.
<li>Dancing: I used to hate it, now I found that I love it. Go figure. Thereās a lot to be said for going to the parties where they play the right kind of music.
<li>I opened a new chapter in my ābook oā life philosophyā. I feel like I am finally on the right road now. Iām not sure where my road leads, but at least Iāve got some good hiking boots.
</ul>
Perhaps most importantly, I learned that there is nothing more important in life than good friends. My family has been woefully inadequate in providing me with support, role models, etc. ever since my parentsā divorce 5 years ago. (I blame my parents mostly for my late blooming in the social department.) But friendsā¦ friends, you can actually <b>pick</b>. You can look up to friends. They can be your big bro, your drinking buddy, or just someone to play Q2 with.
I feel complete and fulfilled as a human being. No greater gift could have been given to me. I didnāt do it myself, though I suppose I can pat myself on the back for taking some important steps. Mostly, it was my friends (new, old, IRL, online) that helped me alongā¦ they helped me to help <b>myself</b>.
Conclusion: Best. Year. Ev0r. And now that Iām 21, next year could be even better!
Thanks Dragon God, for being my dealer in that wonderful drug they call āgame soundtracksā.
Thanks Skankinā Garbage, for general encouragement and advice, and for keeping my life from getting too serious.
Thanks Sinistral, for listening, and just being really chill to talk to.
Thanks StarStorm, for being a āsonā I can be proud of.
Thanks Booken and Dragon Tear, for all your huggles. ^.^
Thanks PKT_Paladin, for huggles as well as some really good advice.
Thanks Wertigon, for your recommending Debian to me.
Thanks Black Ninja, Otakon, Bahamut, and other old-school RPGCers, for listening to some of my problems and being cool in that really old-school way.
Thanks Kagon, for making a certain Truth or Dare session really memorable. ^^;
Thanks Xelopherisā¦ even though you scarred me repeatedly with goatse, you make me laugh most of the time.
Thanks Hades (yes, Hades) for also listening to some of my problems and reminding me that nothing can kill a samurai, not even an H-bomb.
Thanks RPGC, for existing, and not forcing me to give up my real friends to have you.
The IRL club:
Thanks Frameskip, for providing me with hours upon hours of fun gaming times. I can always count on you for your honest opinions and advice.
Thanks Kraken, for being wacky, and infusing my life with said wackiness.
Thanks Jo the Mighty, for [see above about the wackiness].
Thanks Sean (not on the MBs), for correcting me when Iām wrong, putting up with my sometimes erratic temperment, and introducing me to many many things which I now love.
The 624 crew:
Thanks Jason and Garrettā¦ you guys were awesome friends and housemates in 624, and Iām sure youāll be great roommates for next year too!
Thanks Judette, for putting together the best dorm-thats-not-really-so-much-a-dorm-as-a-big-house.
Thanks Jasper, for being a great roommate, for introducing me to Nutella, and for putting up with all my German jokes.
Thanks Dave, for accompanying me on that fantastic pilgramage back to the āholy landā, and for having a great sense of humor.
Thanks all of 624 Hilgard, for opening me up to all sorts of new experiences!
Thanks to my friends of the past, in Boy Scouts, school, Rieber 2N, and the Health Sciences Store.
Thanks Yukikoā¦ should I call you my first ātrueā love? Thanks for showing me new things about myself that I had never appreciated before. Thanks for all the wonderful times, short lived as they were. Thanks for giving me self-confidence. Thanks for just being you.
Sorry if I forgot anyoneā¦ I guess I should just thank the whole human race, to be on the safe side.
Well, thatās out of my system. And not a tear shed! (it was a close one thoughā¦ I was waxing really sappy, wasnāt I? :P)
Now itās your turn. Iām doing a kind of blend between the āasking questionsā threads and the āwhat do you think of meā threads. I want you to recall one or more events that comes to mind when you think of me. Just quick little anecdotes will do. So, for instance, TD would recount any of the times heās made me look like an ass on the chat (pick any day of the year, youāll find one). It could be something silly I said, or something that stuck in your mind. And you can also ask a question if you want to.
Well itās good to hear that youāve had a great year, just donāt expect things to get too much better in life, sounds like youāve already peaked!