How Are You Different From When You First Joined CAA?

[Zarn Ishtare]

I joined CAA in 2004. I remember emailing Ashley looking at the old site, then her responding and redirecting me here. I went through alot since waaay back then; joined the military, went to a foreign country, got prettier and smarter and I dress better and I'm nearly as funny lookin' as I was when I was 14-15...I'm 23 now.



So, how have you changed?

[Neane]

I had somewhat of a tough time earlier this year that I don't feel comfortable talking about, but I am okay now, and I am taking more College Courses, have somewhat of a new job and hopefully I am less of a jerk since I joined this site. (The anti-pony league wasn't my brightest moment. )

[Atria35]

I've switched colleges (and then graduated with my B.A.!), gone through some major religious changes, and have traveled to England. I've moved across the country.

As for personality and the like, I couldn't say. I'm very bad at tracking those sorts of changes.

[Xeno]

I graduated high school, moved thrice, have held five jobs (three major and two transitionary), gone through four girlfriends (this sounds like a tacky way of phrasing it), owned four cars, gone through major religious and theological changes, gone though political and social-belief changes. And many other non-quantifiable things that make present day me almost completely different than the 17 year old Xeno that joined CAA in June of 2004.

[Zeldafan2]

I only joined Jaunary of this year, so I haven't really changed all that much.

[armeck]

I was young. immature. awkward. I haven't changed at all lol. in all seriousness though. I no longer claim ti be a part if the religion I held. my political views have changed, I've moved twice, graduated high school. graduated vo-tech. started college. started dating. stoped dating. I've changed a lot since the 14 year old me that joined

[SilverToast]

I've joined this site 4 months ago in June. I notice that I'm learning to be more considerate to others and to really think carefully about what I post. I feel like I'm maturing slowly from what I experience on CAA spiritually and as a person. Hopefully that makes sense.

[blkmage]

Then.
Now.

[metolosophy]

It's been a year, and I'm still socially awkward as ever~!

[Makachop^^128]

When I first joined I was kinda a emotional wreck.....I hopefully have matured since then. And I'm still silly as ever

[FllMtl Novelist]

I joined when I was 15, and since then I've finished high school, started college, changed various beliefs, developed a couple social [s]survival[/s] skills, seen a bunch of anime, finished maybe three more novel drafts (including one of two NaNoWriMo wins), and learned many things. \o.o/

I think I've also gotten to be generally more confident/assertive and junk, though I'm not sure if that really shows.

[SierraLea]

I've switched schools since I started. I went to a community college for the first year, and now I go to a university. I graduated from High school and my youth group, and work on the leadership team now. I listen to things besides Christian music, and my little sisters now tease me and everyone else by referencing anime.
My sister got her license, I started cantoring at my church, and have officially losst contact with all friends besides the ones on this site.

[K. Ayato]

Looking back, I don't see a lot of differences. I was pretty direct in my posts back then. I guess somewhere along the way I became a bit cynical (which does show at times, I'll admit) and still don't always say what's exactly on my mind. The cynical part, while I'm working with it, may never change 100%.

A bigger thing I've noticed is how easier it is for me to break down Scripture in both posts as well as PMs or other means of communication outside of CAA itself.

[Nate]

I'd say the biggest, and most notable change is that my views on politics, religion, and my worldview in general have become extremely liberal. While I was never staunchly conservative, I did hold at least a few conservative viewpoints as far as religion/politics, which would probably be slightly evident in some of my earlier posts. I've gotten quite far from that, and that is probably the largest change.

I've become a bit more socially comfortable, my first couple of years on here were marked by awkward situations and really dumb posting. It's a miracle the mods didn't just flat out ban me for some of the idiotic things I did and said. I've gotten a bit tighter control over my responses on this site. Though probably not as much as they would like.

Also, on sort of the opposite end of the spectrum, I've become a bit more callous and laid-back with my posting. I try to not get too serious in threads, and would rather make a joking remark or "light trolling" I guess would be the best description, since I now peruse image boards more often than when I first joined. I try not to be too hurtful or malicious, though I don't always succeed in that, which is to my dismay.

That's the ways I am different, I guess I could go into life events, but since I'm reading the thread title a bit more literally than others, that seems out of scope for this thread. If it was "How is your life different" then yeah I'd probably go into jobs and stuff but since it's just about how I as a person am different, I'm taking it to be more about personality and posting style. Of course that stuff is influenced by the situations in my life and how they change, but the details of how the change isn't important, just what the change is. At least how I see it.

EDIT: Ah, I almost forgot! I'm not quite as big into anime as I was when I first joined. I'll still check out the occasional series, but I'm far more into tokusatsu these days and rarely bother with anime, unless it's something that grabs my interest.

[mechana2015]

I'm older.

Slightly more seriously, I'm now on the admin team.

[rocklobster]

When I joined, I was in my junior year of college, I think. Either that or I had just gotten out. I'm still working with my dad and living with my folks, but we have a different dog from when I started (my dog I had then was killed by a train ). I've met many people on this site who've all helped me to grow as a Christian. I have two blogs, one for anime reviews and one about my faith. When I started, I had a geocities site, but I discontinued it and I think my blog is a better format.

[Vii]

Since I haven't been here all that long (about a year and a half), all that's really changed is that I'm less n00bish than when I started. I have a better understanding of how the site works n' stuff.

[acgifford]

Well, this was the first site I ever joined and I was extremely shy and timid at first. Now, I am absolutely comfortable on this site.^^ I have RPed a lot in the past couple years and have grown to become a better writer through this site. Aaaaand....hmm...I am not sure i can think of anything else...oh yeah. I'm a lot thicker skinned than I used to be. But that doesn't necessarily have to do with CAA. Just life in general. I am less open than I used to be and am less likely to share myself with others. A lot less trusting.(which isn't a bad thing, or directly caused by CAA) yeah...lots has changed about me since I joined here.^^ Interesting journey. Kind of wierd to think about.

[QtheQreater]

Well that's weird to think about...what was it, six years ago?

I guess I've gone from being a scared, depressed, lonely, insecure high school student (who liked puttering around the CAA forums) to a better adjusted, still socially awkward college grad with a spouse and a kid (and I still like puttering around on the CAA forums). I really don't like debate as much as I used to (I realized I was too competitive to hold a reasonable debate), and I'm more convinced than ever that God loves me and has a continuing plan for my life. That sums it up in a paragraph. Yup.

[Ally-Ann]

I joined nearly two years ago, and while a lot of people on here seemed to have been timid and shy at first, I was... hyper. XD And I didn't think before I posted, so my posts were either stupid, unnecessary, or just flat-out didn't make sense (My posts still get like that, though very rarely). Some of you members who were here when I first joined may or may not remember my hyper-like posts outside of Goof Off. Because I've been on here for longer than a year, though, and I've been going to public school (Yes, public school really changes the way you think if you were homeschooled before), my views are more open-minded and I'm more level-headed on this site (And in my offline life, have no fear XD ).

Strangely enough, I haven't watched an anime series-- or episode, for that matter, unless you consider random 5 minute Hetalia episodes to be actual anime-watching-- in over a year. I don't think I've completely grown out of anime, per se; it's my art style, and getting much better everyday, but I just have no interest to hunt for new anime shows to watch.

[Sammy Boy]

I joined CAA in 2005 after searching for some kind of forum to do with discussing anime from a Christian perspective.

Since then, I finished my Graduate Diploma in Divinity, got married, got promoted at work, and had our first child (and yes, in that order).

I kinda feel old...

[seaglass27]

I joined nearly two years ago, and while a lot of people on here seemed to have been timid and shy at first, I was... hyper. XD And I didn't think before I posted, so my posts were either stupid, unnecessary, or just flat-out didn't make sense (My posts still get like that, though very rarely).

This is me. All of it.

[Sapphire225]

Let's see, I had turned 14 not too long ago when I first joined this site, naive and conservative, as well as die-hard FMA fan. I think I was about to start high school. I was also very socially akward (...hasn't changed that much in that aspect)

Now, I'm 20 years old, a junior in college with a major in International Relations (use to be Biology), a bit more well-rounded, more liberal in my thinking, still an anime fan, but as much as I was when younger due to real life.

Amazing what can happen in six years...

[Davidizer13]

When I joined, Anime Angels had gone down for some update or something and I needed someone to talk to, I guess. Back then, I was in college, I had picked my major the year before, I'd learned how to drive the previous summer, and I was still living at home. I don't think I'd ever watched an anime series all the way through, just bits and pieces I caught on Toonami or whatever at friends' houses, and I knew it was kinda cool, but I was (and still am) more into video games.

Today, I've been out of school for over a year, I've got a great job in my field (geology, if you must know!) and I'm living on my own (not too far from the family, luckily). Last year I was despairing to ever be at this point, but now I'm having probably the best year of my life. AA's been gone for a couple years now, but this place ain't half bad either, I've made friends with some great people here. Over that time, I've developed a taste for prog-rock, I've changed my views on politics and how I see God, I met a nice girl (that was a little more recent - it's nothing serious yet), and now I drive an SUV. All things that I didn't think I'd be doing now back when I joined, but I'm OK with all that somehow. Also, my mom kicked cancer to the curb (again), that was pretty sweet.

God willing, I've got quite a bit more in store for me, and honestly, it seems like I'm the one who's least interested in where it's all going, but that's just the way I roll. I'm a re-actor more than an actor.

[Michael Lance]

I think I was mostly like Ally-Ann - younger, less mature, and a little more insane - when I first started. I remember trying to participate in my first RP - without submitting a character sheet. *facepalm* yes, I've definately improved (to some degree) since then; also, I do believe my writing (and my composure) have also improved since I joined, as evidenced by my most recent (successful) RPG, "Advent: Dawn".

[Panda4christ:3]

Um...i feel a lot more at home here then when i first joined X3...(which wasn't too long ago at all)
Heck, y'all are like my second family~

[Nate]

I don't want CAA to be like a family because if it is then I'm the creepy uncle and I don't want to be the creepy uncle.

[Panda4christ:3]

But every family needs a creepy uncle!!!

[Nate]

Well I suppose it would give you someone to blame for being so messed up when you become an adult but...it seems the negatives would outweigh the positive.

[Xeno]

Well I suppose it would give you someone to blame for being so messed up when you become an adult but...it seems the negatives would outweigh the positive.

It's okay Nate, I'll be your creepy uncle.