Os cariad yw llafur, 'n annhymerus' gwas 'tan y diwedd.

I know that there are some (hell, probably most) who won't pay attention to or like the contents of this blog, but I feel I need to get it out there anyway. I realize that the honesty and subject of it may bore, it's just that I know there are a few out there who will appreciate what I'm writing, and who will read through it all and respect my views. It's for these few I'm writing, as well as myself.

So, I was laying in my bed the other night, listening to some music while trying to go to sleep. I was also quietly thinking back on things that happened that day, as I usually do... things going on around Bulbagarden, some plans that I'd made with a friend to have him visit... and then a ludicrous, yet still quite unnerving thought occurred to me.

What if Bulbagarden were to... be shut down?

I know it won't happen. It's just a favorite pastime of mine to think of situations that would highly effect my life, and think of how I would react to them. But it certainly made me realize how much this place has changed me in the little time I've been here. There are so many interesting people that I've met here, I can't imagine life without them now; most of them are even greater friends to me than any I have ever met offline. I'm extremely glad that I stumbled across this forum, and at the time I did. So now, I've decided to just lay out all my cards and tell a few things that make BMGf the place that it is for me.

Integrity

The integrity of this forum astonishes me. Nearly every member has put in effort to make this forum civil, to make everyone feel welcome, and to allow room for both opinion and error. Sure, there are some bad apples in the bunch, but we can't let them spoil it, can we? The moderation in the forum, on the whole, seems to me to be fair when issuing warnings and infractions, and quick to catch spambots and troublemakers before they ruffle too many feathers. There's always some misunderstandings, of course, but those are to be expected; after all, we're all only human, and what you'd like to say doesn't always go down right into text.

One example of the integrity of BMGf came just last month, when it was announced that the staff is finally taking a stance on homosexuality. It was a noble thing to do, and I'm glad it was done. It's a great comfort to know that there are people that are by your side. Being inactive in preventing harassment puts you close to, if not on the same level as, the one causing the harassment. Being active shows positive encouragement, it shows that people are out there that understand you, that hope to help you be who you are. The integrity of Bulbagarden is something I deeply respect and enjoy, as well as something that helps this place earn its spot as one of the greatest chunks of the internet.

Possibilities

We are, at the time this blog was posted, 41,747 members strong. This may not seem like a lot, but think about it: Each new digit added to that count is a whole new personality, with their own array of likes and dislikes, their own myriad of faults and perks. Sure, many don't do much before they leave for good, but it's the ones that stay that really stick with you. With each new member added to that count, a whole new range of possibilities await for them and the people they interact with. And each of the sections of the forums hold a different assortment of people, some of which you'll find in other sections, some of which you won't. Each section provides a different set of interests, different chances for discussion, and new people to meet. As time passes, more and more posts are made, more interactions occur, and more possibilities reveal themselves. It's a wonder that you get to stumble through it all, to see everything people have said, and to see everything you can say. Bulbagarden may not seem like a big place in the web or the world, but it's still amazing to think that each post is made by a different personality, sitting behind the computer, thinking of what to type.

People

You've probably had enough of my rambling by now. But I must go on with this last section, as it's the one I've been looking forward to the most. The people I've met on Bulbagarden are some of the most polite, sincere, and wonderful people I've ever come across. I'll list each of the members I interact with most and say exactly what I feel about them.

@jokool; "You rival the evilness of lukewarm coffee, and are just as cool. You place on the evil list slightly above cooked salmon. Ciao!" Oh, man. This is what being Dimentio does to me. These are the words I (jokingly) used to describe jokool when he created DenialShipping (then known as EagerToGetShippedShipping), which is the pairing of NfiNity and I. Well, he knows where that's gone now. He was one of my first great friends here, and he still is up there. Although I haven't seen him around as much lately. Nyeh! Why don't ya get around F&G more often?

@Lief; When I first met him (in the "User above died of....." thread), he was known as BulbyRed. I'll admit, I used to think he was quite annoying. Always bringing up Erdrick everywhere. However, once I got to know him a bit, he turned out to actually be a great friend. He's quite the regular at The Planetary Pit Stop (I believe he was one of the first members there), and he's kick-started some of the greatest events there, including a recent "soda party" and a (canceled) online wedding. One thing that bugs me, though, is he seems to have a bit of a temper sometimes. Not anything major, just overreactions to certain trivial things, but other than that he's one of the greatest users I can think of.

@Jack Pschitt; His user title is false. He can be immensely funny at times. His brand of humor is something I admire, and it's always great to hear his sarcastic view on whatever's going on. The dude's got a great music taste (we really need to get around to syncing our paranoid androids, man), and he's always got something to add to the conversation. Including the occasional allusion to his not-so-secret asexual platonic broski love of Pyradox.

@Pyradox; Speak of the devil... she's quite a riot to have around, to be honest. Her morbidity is always in stark contrast to whatever the hell's going on, and she's always got something to say. No matter how much she doesn't want to say it. She's got great taste in music (she recently got me listening to The Agonist), and overall is great to have in a conversation. And by the looks of it, she may have settled on her username for awhile, which is good.

@Truthseeker4449; I'll be honest here, we seem to disagree on most things; but that doesn't stop him from being a great person to have around. He's always spearheading the latest development in the Pit Stop, and he seems to especially like pummeling others in battles in The Cage. I know we may disagree a lot, but I still respect his opinions and all his quirks. He was a major player in preventing the Magikarp Apocalypse, and really is a fun guy to have around besides the fact you feel like he's ready to kill you any second.

@mwto; One of the people you'll see most in "Last Poster Wins [v5]." Despite joining only a month and a half ago, she's already earned her place around most of the other users I'm familiar with. She's always flaunting her emoticon whenever someone mentions V/DenialShipping/etc., and is really just quite an interesting personality. Although she does seem to get easily offended at times, it doesn't make much of a difference on how good a person she is to have around.

@Locked In My Asylum; Anyone who can simultaneously remind me of lima beans and Disturbed is awesome. I really think she should post around more, she's an interesting person to have around and always adds her own little something to the conversation. Whether it be pestering Lief (who she's claimed as her online younger brother) or getting covered in soda at the party, there's always something that she adds to a discussion that gives it a little kick.

@Kakuna Matata; Gotta be the cheeriest person around, despite what her themes may tell you. She's got a great sense of humor and always brings a bit of light to the place (and she's especially good at finding images to fit the discussion). She's also a fair moderator and is always poking around to make sure people are keeping it tidy. It's always fun to read her big wall post replies in the Pit Stop, because they bring back discussions that ended awhile ago and breathe some life back into them, if only briefly. Really, she's a great person to have around, and always has something to make me smile.

@HilbertCressLover; Biggest DenialShipper I know. She's always butting into my conversations with NfiNity, although it's always quite funny as well. We typically end up talking through my VMs with NfiNity (since she stalks them so much looking for hints), which is always fun to keep up with. I kinda wish she'd post more around F&G and the Pit Stop, she'd bring a lot to the conversations. While I usually refer to her as HCL, NfiNity has caused me to forever refer to her in my head as a "shoujo gossiping thing."

@Nobunaga; He's an... interesting fellow, to say the least. I tend to disagree with him at times, and he can be quite strange to be with, but he's always driving the conversation along. He's had some rough times in the past, yes, but now that that's gone, he's gotten better. He's always got something unique to say, whether it be disturbing or in .gif form, and he can really be a riot to talk with sometimes. Once you get to know him a bit better (or maybe if you don't know him as much ), he's a great person to be around.

@NfiNity;... Fin-Fin to me. She's the one I would miss most if Bulbagarden were to be shut down. Every time I get online, it's for her. I'm on here to talk to her, to see her, to know that she's with me. Everything else is extra. I can't imagine life without her now. She's just... everything to me. Every message I get from her, every compliment, every remark, everything she does makes me feel this immense feeling of bliss. She's the only person in this world that makes me feel as though I have a purpose. I live for the next reply, the next VM, even just the next like from her. Each is like a little boost to keep me going, a little burst of energy that pumps some life into me... She's always got something to say that makes me forget everything else, she's always making me laugh, and she's always saying something that makes me feel... makes me feel loved. Nothing else matters to me... When I go to sleep, it's only because I have to. I would much rather stay up all night talking to her than sleep. She understands me like no one else I've ever met... she knows how I feel, she's there for me whenever I need someone to talk to. She puts up with me whenever I suddenly feel depressed, and she understands if I'm ever paranoid. We've had our share of good times, and if there were bad times, I don't remember them, nor do I mind them. No matter what happens, I know she'll be there for me, and I'll always do everything I can to be there for her. I wish I could do more for her than I already do now... She's read lyrics I've written for her, I've told her that I would do anything for her, she's put up with me and how much I care for her. If Bulbagarden were to go, she would go with it. I don't know how to communicate with her outside of here. I don't know where she lives. I don't even know what she looks like. And yet... I'm in love. If Bulbagarden were to go, she would be gone, possibly forever... and I don't think I could take that. It would crush me, take all the life out of me, I'd be useless. I need her. I need her by my side, even if she's miles away.

...I guess that's it. If I have offended or bored anyone, I'm sorry. I just really needed to get this out there.

And now that you have reached the bottom of this, I suppose I should give you a prize. Kittens!