So... I turn 30 next week

That's right, RIP my youth.

As I turn the page to the next decade of my life, I find myself thinking a lot about how I spent my 20's. All in all, I really can't complain about the last 10 years of my life. Some highlights that I'm proud of:
  • I spent my entire career in the gaming industry, which is what I've always wanted (6 years at PlayStation, and now 6 months in my new job).
  • I graduated from working on Pokémon on Smogon, to working on Pokémon IRL, which is still crazy for me to think about (I would appreciate if those of you who know what I do kept it private).
  • I met the love of my life, who is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside, and we're engaged to get married next year.
  • I traveled to 12 countries and more states than I can be bothered to count right now.
  • I lost 60lbs after deciding I needed to make a lifestyle change for the sake of my health.
  • I maintained friendships with the best people on the planet and strengthened bonds with my siblings.
At the risk of this coming off as a brag post, I'll leave my highlights at that. Now, to the real point of this thread:

I'd be lying if I said that Smogon and competitive Pokémon didn't play a big role in who I am today. I don't know whether I should be embarrassed or proud of that, but I definitely can't deny it. I recently went down a rabbit hole of old posts and PMs of mine from when I first started here in 2008, and everything was so cringe-worthy (I wonder how many of you will try to look up my post history now). Yet, Smogon's sink-or-swim culture really helped me grow into maturity, as ironic as that seems for a website dedicated to "a kid's game."

I don't even want to know how many hours of my life I've spent browsing these forums, writing novel-length posts, contributing for precious pixels, building teams, competing, and socializing on XAT, IRC and now Discord. It's in the tens of thousands, I'm sure. I've spent more time with some of you than I have with my closest friends IRL, and I still cherish every:
  • Late night spent laughing instead of studying.
  • Serious convo about love and relationships.
  • Stupid bit of drama between users and groups.
  • Match watched together in secrecy while at work.
  • Minute in #brofessionals (RIP).
  • WCoP and SPL season getting to know new teammates.
Don't get me wrong - I have a lot of gripes with Smogon. Those who know me well have suffered through my vent sessions and tirades about how shitty this place is sometimes. But despite all the garbage that comes with the territory, I've grown quite fond of this community.

I'm not nearly as active here as I used to be, and I guess that's just life. Most people that were around during my active years have also moved on, which makes me legitimately sad when I think about it. Still, there's rarely a week that goes by without me doing a drive-by on these forums to see what's new. I wonder if there will ever be a point in my life when I stop checking here for good. I guess I'll report back on the week that I turn 40 and let you know.
 

Taylor

i am alien
is a Top Team Rater Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus

you-are-turning-30-soon-funny-birthday-meme6354 (1).png


well, phil, you've achieved a hell of a lot more than most have, buddy!

gratulations to ya and hope ya celebrate it like a boss ^_^
 

Stallion

Tree Young
is a Tiering Contributoris a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnusis a Three-Time Past WCoP Champion
My bad for any contributions to your Smogon drama haha.

You've been an excellent contributor to this community for a long time now, and I'm genuinely stoked to hear how well life is going for you. Congrats on the big 3-0.
 

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