16 years..

I like to call you a bit Spunky at times. We have all been there and done that for sure. Congrats on your 16 years. I have 9 or 10 here just don't feel like looking it up to know for sure. lol. I will be over 80 to get to 16 so we will see. Hopefully SD will be around because skinning helps to keep me active.

Happy sweet 16   

Wow you are now old enough to be groped by the creep of ur choice.

I'm coming up on 16yrs in a about a month. I've seen a lot of people come and go. A lot of great skinners and then poof they're gone, I often think of what happened to them and for most of them their skins are gone too.

I'm 3 years behind you and looking to go 25 or 30 years hanging around... if not more.  I found WC quite by accident while looking for something to dress up Win 98, however, that was a few months before I actually signed up to become a member.  That came when I upgraded to XP and couldn't stand its Fisher Price look any longer. 

I thought 98 was bland, but XP went to the other extreme and was gaudy, almost to the point of nausea.  That's when it was ' look out Wincustomize, here I come'.... and the place has never been the same since.  You poor Yanks didn't know what hit ya's, what with my warped and sick sense of humour... not to mention the correct spelling.

Yup, it must have been some culture shock.  I mean, how many of you needed [still need] tranquilisers to help you sleep at night since my arrival?  I even got PMs from a couple of the big cheeses to tone it down because my Aussie/Brit style humour might have been too much for you's all.

Anyhow, here I am, 13.5 years later, and sure glad that I popped in all those years ago.  Apart from the great skins and themes the fantastic artists here produce, the company's pretty darned good as well.... from all over the world.  Like who needs social media sites when you have the WC forums.... and no, that's not a question, it's a statement.  

I might take time out for personal reasons - health issues and the like - but I don't ever see not coming back... unless there's an 'urn' between me and the keyboard, LoL.  My whole internet experience would be all the poorer for not coming back, so like it or not, you poor buggers are stuck with me, hehe.  Nope, I don't plan on getting in the urn for a few years yet.

So, thanks to all the skinners and members for making WC a great site to visit, and thanks to Brad, the staff and mods for maintaining a great site to visit.  It is my one online social outlet and I'd be lost without it. 

In fact, the local nuthouse has a strait jacket and padded cell awaiting my arrival if WC ever closed down, that's how serious my dependency has become, LOL

Congratulations to you for lasting this long. I'm into my eleventh year and am just as keen now as I was then to change everything on my desktop.

WTG, Buff!!!

Congrats, Phoon. You've been an inspiration to me since I arrived on site, mostly due to your outspokeness. You don't candy coat crap and don't let others change your opinion while allowing them to have their own. Fine qualities IMHO. 

P.S. Happy Holidays to you, Sir.

Precisely!  Well Said Randy, well said, they are fine qualities indeed.

And another thing, Phoon, you have a great sense of humour and don't mind getting a bit sassy, a bit rude and a bit out there.  Also fine qualities IMHO.... so long as nobody's hurt or offended.  Like they say, laughter is the best medicine, and you've provided me with much laughter over the years. 

Thanks, old friend.    

You'll all be happy to know that I'm safe to be around 16 year olds....

CAMS [an affiliation of FIA] has decreed that a Race Track is a work place environment and not everyone involved is always over 18, so we're all now required to have a 'Working With Children' police check...and get a nice little photo ID card to go with it....

Seems I passed....

I think the first time I met Valentino Rossi he was about 14 or 15 ....so 'kids' also includes the racers...;)

Young 16 year old Phoon is safe with me....;)

[congrats, BTW]

I'm, only 3 years behind you, Duane. That makes me feel old, since you're ancient....lol.

Happy Sweet Sixteen Phoon. Just think...the prom ain't too far away now. LOL

Well, you got me beat by a couple of months, I just made my 16 years this month.  

Loved every minute of it, met a lot of great people here, and hope to meet many more. I too have seen a lot of great skinners come and go, mostly go, a lot of them are certainly being missed, such great talent they had, I'm sure there was good reasons for leaving, and I know that some are no longer with us, but they have left a great impression here in the WC community, it was an honor to know them, and to experience their great talent/work, that's what got me into skinning, and I haven't regretted it for one minute. Anyway, congrats on your 16 years.    

Nice?   Who are you trying to kid?  For a start, you were no oil painting to begin with.  However, those official-type photos never do justice even to the best looking folks.  I recall my first drivers license photo.  It made me look like a criminal.  I'm sure they do that on purpose, so that when you get pulled over the cop's already got something to hate when he/she asks for your license.

As for me getting a kiddy-safe card, well it's not likely.... and not for anything untoward, either.  I intervened and gave my former brother-in-law a thumping when he was beating on my sister.  I got charged with assault and it has stuck with me ever since.  That was 32 years ago, but it still goes against me whenever a police check is done.

Oh well, I don't wanna work with kids anyway.  It's said that one should never work with kids or animals [cos they'll steal the show] and I'm taking that advice.

Phoon has been a pain in teh ass for 16 years?  Wow!

WC couldn;t ask for a better curmudgeon. 

Here's to another sixteen years of the same!

Congrats, Phoon.

Puttin' yer walker together now.

cur·mudg·eon

Most of the people on this site are old.  That makes it hard as so many people pass away.

Yup, that's the thing about getting old: you gather a lifetime's worth of knowledge, wisdom and values, just to take them to the grave with you.  Seems like such a waste... especially when the young of today could truly benefit if they listened and embraced it all.

16 years here also, although I became a lurker over time. Had my highs and lows here also.

16 years here also but mainly lurking the last few years

So we should call ourselves WC's Old Farts?

turns around and runs away really fast

You can run....

....but you'll only die tired...;)

Well I'm right.... can't run anymore... but then, being I'm slower than most, I may get trampled in the rush and die anyhow.

Oh yeah, it's great to see older members coming out of the woodwork to say hi, but it'd be greaterer if they stuck around longer and added some fun to the place.... Phoon and MadDeez in particular.  I've missed you blokes.