You Guys

No doubt there will be some animosity on here in the coming days and weeks depending on the results of a couple of football matches.

I'm in a funny mood this morning, so before all that kicks off I just wanted to remind us all what a splendid place this is and, with very few exceptions, what a superb bunch of Internet pals you are.

I remember my initial foray into the old bbc606 and then my early skirmishes on here. Not being a great user of social media, this was something unexpected to me. I remember reading about the early 606 nights out. For ages I wasn't sure if they were actually happening or if the whole thing was just made up patter.

Even when I came to my first one, at the Admiral, I was still thinking, as I walked along Waterloo Street, that the whole thing was probably an elaborate hoax. As we all now know, you can't take anything for granted on here.

Anyway, several years later, I can honestly say that this place has changed my life for the better. OK, I've probably spent less time with my wife and family than I might have done and I've certainly been less diligent about work but these are far outweighed by the positives.

This bunch of random strangers, a microcosm of society, has helped each other and the wider world in so many ways.

Guys just needing somebody to talk to.
Thousands raised for charities. Especially Yorkhill, from which so many of us have benefitted.
Learning from such a pool of knowledge that we all bring together
Some of the best laughs any of us have ever had.

My own personal experience has surprised me and everyone who knows me.

I'm not the most personable or social person. Yet my wife and I ended up at Madison square garden on a Friday night with a guy I met on the Internet and his wife. What are the chances of that?

I tell people about Jinky and some of the various nutters on here. I've been able to spread the laughs.

Last year I got STB a ticket for a match at Hampden that I know he really enjoyed and where he met the son of one of my real world mates. This year, one of the finest gentlemen I have known, that i met on here, came up with a ticket for hampden that will let one of my sons get to the game tomorrow. Karma on the Internet. Unbelievable.

And also shows how people outside our circle find themselves effected by what goes on in here.

Anyway...not really sure where I'm going with this but thanks to the admins who make the whole thing possible.

Thanks to the fabled clique...it's been a pleasure to meet all of you. Even Curly.

As for the non-clique guys,I'm sure some of you are ok too.

This place is close to Internet perfection.

If it wasn't for those pesky bears......