How much has your life changed since you first logged in?

[boyst]

Not only that, what do you first remember about the posters that will choose to post here.

 

I remember some heartbreak stories of lost love here, a few rekindled and I know 1 has a family through all of that amazing journey.

 

Some have been here a long time, 20+ years now.

 

What's new?

 

Me: married, soon to be 8 month old daughter, went a few places never expected and some roads I never knew about but only once have left the US, took over the family farm in '04 never expecting to do so when I joined here, lost my dad 3 years ago at 69, and buried a few too many friends.

 

Edit and in case you don't remember me.... I used to post as jboyst62. I just got rid of the j because 🤷🏼‍♂️, and 62 because I'm not playing high school football anymore. 

Edited May 11, 2023 by boyst

[Westside]

What an awesome post! Thank you for starting this.

I’ve been posting here for over twenty years myself. I was married to my beautiful wife with three great children.

I’ve been a widower for over nine years now. I met a wonderful woman whom I married last year and I am a proud grandfather to two beautiful baby girls.  Life is good again. 😊

[Buffalo716]

I live in a van down by the river 

[boyst]

1 minute ago, Westside said:

What an awesome post! Thank you for starting this.

I’ve been posting here for over twenty years myself. I was married to my beautiful wife with three great children.

I’ve been a widower for over nine years now. I met a wonderful woman whom I married last year and I am a proud grandfather to two beautiful baby girls.  Life is good again. 😊

I love this westie.

[Gugny]

I’ve had 3 different jobs since I first registered here. 
 

Got divorced. 
 

Made some true friends through TBD. 

 

Never did get a kayak, and my dog died anyway (RIP, Chloe). 

[ExiledInIllinois]

1 hour ago, Buffalo716 said:

I live in a van down by the river 

I see you followed in my footsteps! 

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Over 20 years here too (guest since 1998; registered first screen name in 2002).

 

sort of amazing; can’t imagine there are many other websites and message boards with as many long-timers members as we have here? 

[Bad Things]

What a great idea for a thread, Boyst.

I'm looking forward to reading what people have to say.

 

For me, I've been a coming here since day one, and was a member of whatever website preceded TBD.

Can someone remind me about the the message board before this one?  Was it on a local newspaper site? I only remember that it was early internet days, and I was psyched to be able to get up to date info and talk to fellow Bills fans, while living in Broncos territory.  Before that, I had to rely on the SHOUT! newspaper to arrive each week.)   

 

Anyway, I signed up in the late 90's.

Back then, I was newly married and living in Colorado.  (Born and raised in Rochester and moved to CO in 1990)

 

Since then...

• Son born
• Moved family to Washington State
• Daughter born
• Moved family to New Zealand.

It's been over 17 years since we moved to NZ and both of the kids have now grown and moved out.  (Daughter in Uni.)

The wife and I are loving this latest stage of our lives, which we refer to as "Empty Nestin' ". 

 

When I think back to my Colorado days, it feels like it was another life ago.  So much has happened since then... births, deaths and other major life events, including the challenges of being an immigrant to a new land. 

 

Throughout all of the years and all of the events, there have been only a couple constants.  One, thankfully being Mrs Bad Things... another being TBD.

 

I honestly have no idea why/how this place can hold such a sway over me.  (Especially during some of the really bad drought years.)  Just about every damn day, I have to at least log in to see what's going on over here.

 

That said, thank you SDS and all of the moderators for everything you've done through the decades. 

You've help me waste countless "productive" hours of my life.   (Oh, to think of what I could've become, if TBD never came into my life...)

 

 

Let's go Buffalo!!!

 

[DD4Bills]

Joined in late 2011 (but lurked unregistered for quite a bit before that). Lots of big things since then, including...

- Changed jobs a couple of times

- All 3 kids survived their teenage years (one of them just barely). Oldest served 4 years in the USMC and is now happily married and recently gave me my first grandchild. Second son married, youngest (daughter) successfully "adulting" two years after college

- lost one dog, but gained another

- survived a heart thing

 

I'm not a huge poster on this site...vast majority of the ~700 posts have been in one of the fun Off The Wall topics (like this one), but TBD is a multiple times a day destination for me.

 

Of course, what hasn't changed is my love (and sometimes hate, but mostly love) for the Bills, and a couple of years ago FINALLY made it to a game in Buffalo for the first time since 1974.

 

[Beck Water]

11 hours ago, Gugny said:

I’ve had 3 different jobs since I first registered here. 
 

Got divorced. 
 

Made some true friends through TBD. 

 

Never did get a kayak, and my dog died anyway (RIP, Chloe). 

 

Sorry about the loss of your dog

[Captain Caveman]

Let's see, I joined in 2008

in August of that year I was hired as an employee at my current company (had been a consultant, most consultants were let go at the beginning of the crash that year with the rest of us hired as FTEs.) I started in 2005 answering phones for the guy who ran our department, I now run that department. 

I got sober

Still married to the same wonderful lady (celebrated our 17th anniversary last month)

Had 2 kids, both boys, the oldest now goes to games with me 

Have traveled to Mexico, Brazil, India, Iceland (amongst other places)

in 2008 we were living in a rented apartment in Jersey City, NJ, we bought a place at end of 2009.  We sold it in the fall of 2020 and moved to Central NY.

Became a season ticket holder in 2021

After 25 years of playing drums in bands, I started making and releasing my own music in 2019, and am currently putting the finishing touched on my 6th record.

[Augie]

20 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

Sorry about the loss of your dog

 

He’s more upset that he never got a kayak. He really had his heart set on a kayak. 

 

I kid! I kid! He’s not really a horrible person, but you want to keep your car doors locked when he’s around, just in case. 

[muppy]

my tenure in chatrooms began in he 90's when the Buffalo Bills began offering an official  chatroom. I posed there until ti went POOF and have remained active here as well as a spot called billievers since 2017.

 

a ton has changed since then mostly all good 🙂 Kids are grown and pursuing careers. We retired in 2015. Life is grand here in americas finest city

 

A new major change is muppy is going to be a Grandma this July :-)))))

 

 

Edited May 11, 2023 by muppy

[DrW]

I joined nearly 20 years ago, for a long time only lurking. In March 2023 we had moved from Rochester to Lubbock, both my wife and I looking for a tenure-track position. Well, we managed that, and are now still teaching and doing research. We will have our Silver Anniversary in October.

 

The kids were 3 and 4 when we moved here. One has just graduated from UT and is working as mechanical engineer in Germany for a couple of years, the other will get her B.S. in geology in December. The son is an avid Bills fan and even flew up to the game against the Jets last season.

 

We have been living in the same house since we moved to Lubbock. For more than 15 years I had been mowing the 1 acre lot with the same John Deere lawn tractor. Two years ago, I finally upgraded to a JD zero-turn mower, which cuts the mowing time in half.

 

As an avid birdwatcher, my life list increased from about 400 to 550 during the last 20 years. 

Edited May 11, 2023 by DrW

[Punching Bag]

On 5/11/2023 at 1:24 AM, Bad Things said:

What a great idea for a thread, Boyst.

I'm looking forward to reading what people have to say.

 

For me, I've been a coming here since day one, and was a member of whatever website preceded TBD.

Can someone remind me about the the message board before this one?  Was it on a local newspaper site? I only remember that it was early internet days, and I was psyched to be able to get up to date info and talk to fellow Bills fans, while living in Broncos territory.

 

Likely it was on Rochester D&C board which many early posters came from.

 

There were Bills forums before the internet browsers were created.  I was posting during Superbowl era complaining that after Washington Superbowl my car was covered by red and yellow tempura paint. 

Watched games at Grevey's which was a famous sports bar in area which now is a Five Guys. It was so busy I needed to sit at table outside during winter sometimes.

 

I married a woman from Hong Kong in 1998 who I proposed on first date and got okay from her to ask permission from parents / elder siblings a week later.    We are still married.

 

Moved to Social Soviet Republic of Reston a year later n 1989 which was closest place I could afford and buy a standalone house. 

 

Moved to Alexandria after living in Reston for 5 years when my daughter was 3.  It was a choice between moving and looking for new job and I liked the job more than Reston. 

 

Visited friends in Herndon and saw a sign at a bar (1998?) that they would start showing. NFL games and specifically Bills games next weekend.  Showed up next weekend and was one of five first attendees who listened to game on TV for DirectTV did not work.  Ended up forming first Bills Backers group in area.  Found TBD during first year it was started.  Went to TBD tailgates for 10 years until Bills stopped selling tickets to fan and Bills Backers groups.   Met some good friends here including departed Cindy Fox who got my jersey signed.

 

 

At one point I found another job from connection on this board and I worked there for 7 years.  Spent a lot of time on road for work and visited a number of Bills Bars around the country where I worked or were driving distance from work.

 

Do not travel as much as I used to.  I used to drive solo to Buffalo for a weekend and on one such weekend I picked up @R. Rich who I never met before and drove him to event at Orchard Park.  Feet do not allow easy travelling anymore.

[plenzmd1]

I do not say this facetiously, outside of my kids being grown, I am still the same idiot I was 20-some years ago.

 

Lots of new friends, lots of people passing...but overall i am the same  basic dude

[boyst]

14 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

I do not say this facetiously, outside of my kids being grown, I am still the same idiot I was 20-some years ago.

I don't think we ever doubted that here.

[todd]

Started here in 2001, although I think I was involved in a previous generation of this site. I remember seeing SDS and other on the old USENET groups many years ago. 

 

Since 2001:

• Got married to the best girl in the world. Still married.
• On my 5th job, and career is going great. 
• Introduced my parents and my (the future) wife's parents at a Bills game. Where else?
• Had two dogs, RIP to Sophie and Hudson
• Watched my wife as she started running and then ran 45+ marathons, ultramarathons and triathlons. She kicks ass.
• Watched my wife have a stroke due to a torn vertebral artery after a triathlon. She's fine now, that was 12 years ago. Recovery was tough.
• Got a rare form of cancer called chordoma in 2020. Had a 10 hour surgery to remove my tailbone and 1/2 of my sacrum. Then two months of radiation in Boston summer of 2020. That kicked my ass. Out of work for 5 months.
• Recovered, and then had to go out of work again for two months after having severe side effects from radiation.
• Got a great job at Paychex, and I love it!
• Kicked cancer's ass.
• Recovered enough to play golf and worked on my game and now a single-digit handicap, despite having half my ass removed. So I'm a half-assed golfer!
• Started building electric guitars & basses, and found a new passion.
• Started recording original songs for an upcoming EP. They are mediocre, but I have fun.

All along, loved being here and rooting for my Bills through all the changes life throws at you.

 

Edited May 12, 2023 by todd

[rockpile]

I have been involved with TBD in various ways since day one. 

 

I am still married to my best friend.

My four kids have all grown up and gotten married.

Three kids are still married.

I have ELEVEN grandchildren - ages three to twenty-seven.

One grandson is married and just got back from being deployed to Germany with the Army National Guard.

One granddaughter is engaged to be married this fall.

One grandson is a childhood Leukemia survivor.

 

I have been retired on disability since I was 62, but I am doing fine.

I am still waiting (since 1967) for an NFL Championship!

 

I met some of my best friends right here! 

[Augie]

3 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

I do not say this facetiously, outside of my kids being grown, I am still the same idiot I was 20-some years ago.

 

Lots of new friends, lots of people passing...but overall i am the same  basic dude

 

He’s not kidding. I can vouch for him on this one.   😋

[Buffalo716]

Still in a van down by the river 

 

Can someone please bring me a bagel

[Johnny Hammersticks]

April 22nd 2009.  Weird.  First time I’ve looked at my “member since” date.  I was living in Charlotte.  I found out my wife was pregnant with my son (our first child) around this time bc he was born on 12/28/09.  
 

Wife and I had just been RIF’ed by our school district, so we were looking for jobs all over the country.  We ended up in Fairbanks, Alaska where we lived from 2010 to 2013.  That was wild.  I actually loved it there.  Moved back to the lower 48 in June of 2013, closed on our house in Vermont in August of 2013, and my daughter was born on 11/1/13.

 

My son is 13 and my daughter in 9.  Wife and I have been married for 15 years.  A lot has happened!  Good thread idea @boyst.

[mead107]

Joined in 2003

2004 was first tbd tailgate. In the Hammer lot 
Have met a lot of people from tbd over the years. Became close friends with a lot of people from all over the place. 
started 518 lunch club. It did slow down because of Covid.  Have to fire it back up. 

started TBD PARKING THREADS for games back in I think 2013. For people who come in from out of town. 

season tickets going back to 92. 

 Last year only went to 2 games. 
booked room for the home opener. Yesterday. 
only $105 at Aloft near the airport. 
 

2 granddaughters 

2 granddogs 

retired in 2017. 

 

married 45 years ago today. 

 

 

Edited May 13, 2023 by mead107

[Augie]

20 minutes ago, mead107 said:

Joined in 2003

2004 was first tbd tail gate. In the Hammer lot 
Have met a lot of people from tbd over the years. Became close friends with a lot of people from all over the place. 
started 518 lunch club. It did slowed down because of Covid.  Have to fire it back up. 

started TBD PARKING THREADS for games back in I think 2013. For people who come in from out of town. 

season tickets going back to 92. 

 Last year only went to 2 games. 
booked room for the home opener. Yesterday. 
only $105 at Aloft near the airport. 
 

2 granddaughters 

2 granddogs 

retired in 2017. 

 

married 45 years ago today. 

 

 

 

CONGRATS on the anniversary, young fellah! 

 

This place has helped me find some people I can bond with. I’m not in WNY, so I don’t get that every day Bills stuff. I’m not complaining, at least it’s available now. There was a period before the internet where any Bills news was hard to find. 

 

A lot has changed. We’ve moved, changed jobs, retired (for me), had a couple grandchildren, started to travel and just generally starting to try to enjoy ourselves before we are too old to do it right. 

 

[boater]

Retired military here, so I have lived in about six places since my first TBD exposure.

 

IIRC, my first exposure was in the Summer of 1996, with an old 80386 Compaq computer, from a dingy hotel room on Route 301 in Bowie MD. Dial-up 9600 baud modem.  TBD was very new then and the forum software has advanced exponentially. I have lost prior usernames here at TSW.

 

In the meantime, I added 3 more children, bought/sold countless cars, bought/sold 3 houses, and got divorced from my starter wife.

 

Could you imagine if TBD/TSW were around during the Kelly/Levy Superbowl runs? That would have been epic.

[Captain Hindsight]

Joined in 2006 so I was a junior in HS. Since then I attended two colleges (Le Moyne and UB) got my bachelors in Environmental Policy and psychology. 
 

Spent time in Yosemite National Park as an intern, that was a pretty sweet gig

 

Worked as an environmental educator in the Hudson Valley for a year

 

Went to school at RIT for my masters in Sustainability Systems. 
 

Have had 3 jobs since then and about to start a new one in a few weeks. 
 

Got Married 5 years ago in June and we just welcomed our second child yesterday actually. My son is 22 months and daughter is a day old 

 

 

[Another Fan]

I'm in the same job/role/home from 6 years ago when I joined.  But I felt joining here was the start of getting my mental health a little bit better on track.  One of my first of many Off The Wall threads on the site related to depression and anxiety which I got good feedback on.  Then I got the official diagnosis of autism.  I still struggle with a lot of things about that label but long story short I have a much better idea of what I'm dealing with.

 

 

Pretty cool to meet @BarleyNY in person and hang out with him a couple times as well 

[boyst]

12 hours ago, Captain Hindsight said:

Joined in 2006 so I was a junior in HS. Since then I attended two colleges (Le Moyne and UB) got my bachelors in Environmental Policy and psychology. 
 

Spent time in Yosemite National Park as an intern, that was a pretty sweet gig

 

Worked as an environmental educator in the Hudson Valley for a year

 

Went to school at RIT for my masters in Sustainability Systems. 
 

Have had 3 jobs since then and about to start a new one in a few weeks. 
 

Got Married 5 years ago in June and we just welcomed our second child yesterday actually. My son is 22 months and daughter is a day old 

 

 

The thread of you and your wife is OTW legend. I'm glad it worked out!!!

[ICanSleepWhenI'mDead]

On 5/10/2023 at 6:55 PM, boyst said:

Not only that, what do you first remember about the posters that will choose to post here.

 

If I recall correctly, some years ago you were dealing with (NC?) using eminent domain to take part of your farmland.  I grew up on a WNY farm myself (Bills fan ever since the Jack Kemp days as a kid), and I always wondered how that turned out for you.

 

As for me, I was still working when I began lurking here, but had already retired at a relatively young age by the time I formally joined in 2004.  The day came when I had to make a choice between my ethics and my job, and with the benefit of years of disciplined spending (OK, maybe I'm just cheap) and some decent investment decisions that gave me "walk away" money, I made a choice that I've never regretted.

 
When I later persuaded my significant other to also retire, she and I moved from a very large city to a small but rapidly growing one in a different state, where we built our retirement home.  I've been blessed with a good life partner, a couple good dogs (one at a time), and generally good health.  Somehow we both avoided Covid (the move to a small city probably helped).  We are enjoying life after we each spent many years in good but highly stressful jobs, and we both are enjoying the Bills' resurgence after many years of football frustration.  We've made lots of friends in our adopted city both separately and as a couple, and are hoping to travel a bit now that the pandemic seems to be fading.

 

God's been good to us, and we have a lot to be thankful for.

 

Go Bills ! ! !

[Bill from NYC]

On 5/11/2023 at 10:46 AM, Beck Water said:

 

Sorry about the loss of your dog

Yes, getting divorced and paying out a few hundred thousand is not all that bad. It pales in comparison to losing a dog.

Edited May 15, 2023 by Bill from NYC

[Royale with Cheese]

I think I've been here since 2017?  Well:

• Got divorced
• Lost the family dog but adopted two others.
• Bought two homes and one I'm leasing out.
• Had back surgery.
• Promoted once in Jiu Jitsu and about to be promoted again.
• Got "promoted" at work.

[Toomstone.Part.Duex]

Joined in 1997 or 1998.   On the old school message board.  Name was Toomstone.  Since lost the pw for that account and had to make a new one.   

 

Got divorced

Switched Jobs and moved closer to home (been at this job 22 years) 

Remarried in 2014

Have two dogs, Basset hounds.  No kids 

Got older and fatter.       

[boyst]

1 hour ago, Royale with Cheese said:

I think I've been here since 2017?  Well:

• Got divorced
• Lost the family dog but adopted two others.
• Bought two homes and one I'm leasing out.
• Had back surgery.
• Promoted once in Jiu Jitsu and about to be promoted again.
• Got "promoted" at work.

You forgot lit a bong on cera during an online HR meeting

12 hours ago, ICanSleepWhenI'mDead said:

 

If I recall correctly, some years ago you were dealing with (NC?) using eminent domain to take part of your farmland.  I grew up on a WNY farm myself (Bills fan ever since the Jack Kemp days as a kid), and I always wondered how that turned out for you.

 

As for me, I was still working when I began lurking here, but had already retired at a relatively young age by the time I formally joined in 2004.  The day came when I had to make a choice between my ethics and my job, and with the benefit of years of disciplined spending (OK, maybe I'm just cheap) and some decent investment decisions that gave me "walk away" money, I made a choice that I've never regretted.

 
When I later persuaded my significant other to also retire, she and I moved from a very large city to a small but rapidly growing one in a different state, where we built our retirement home.  I've been blessed with a good life partner, a couple good dogs (one at a time), and generally good health.  Somehow we both avoided Covid (the move to a small city probably helped).  We are enjoying life after we each spent many years in good but highly stressful jobs, and we both are enjoying the Bills' resurgence after many years of football frustration.  We've made lots of friends in our adopted city both separately and as a couple, and are hoping to travel a bit now that the pandemic seems to be fading.

 

God's been good to us, and we have a lot to be thankful for.

 

Go Bills ! ! !

Your memory is correct. That was nearly 10 years ago. Long resolved for 6 figures and the new bridge is way fancy. The large scale project was dropped before it was 25% complete due to overspending by the fed gov on railways. No surprise there.

[Royale with Cheese]

36 minutes ago, boyst said:

You forgot lit a bong on cera during an online HR meeting

 

It was a pipe bro and not a bong.  Major difference bro.

[Fleezoid]

On 5/10/2023 at 9:21 PM, Buffalo716 said:

I live in a van down by the river 

 

You have a van? 

 

[BuffaloBud]

Member since 2002.  There was another board prior to this if I remember correctly.

 

Moved from Raleigh OH to Columbus OH

4 employers since moving. 2 due to "downsizing", other on my own

Been in the same house for 20 years

Divorced since 2016.  Happy being on my own.

Cancer survivor (melanoma)

Picked up cycling as a result of cancer

Traveled to France, Germany, China, Mexico for work and pleasure

Have DTV ST prior to / since moving to Columbus, need to covert to some form of streaming.  Not sure where to go.

Can't think of anything else, pretty basic life

 

 

[PromoTheRobot]

Surprisingly little. Since 1998, when this site was called Hyperbills and was affiliated with the D&C, I moved from Rochester to NH. Became self-employed in 2004. Kids moved out.  Got older and more rickety. That's about it

[Max Fischer]

On 5/11/2023 at 1:24 AM, Bad Things said:

What a great idea for a thread, Boyst.

I'm looking forward to reading what people have to say.

 

For me, I've been a coming here since day one, and was a member of whatever website preceded TBD.

Can someone remind me about the the message board before this one?  Was it on a local newspaper site? I only remember that it was early internet days, and I was psyched to be able to get up to date info and talk to fellow Bills fans, while living in Broncos territory.  Before that, I had to rely on the SHOUT! newspaper to arrive each week.)   

 

Anyway, I signed up in the late 90's.

Back then, I was newly married and living in Colorado.  (Born and raised in Rochester and moved to CO in 1990)

 

Since then...

• Son born
• Moved family to Washington State
• Daughter born
• Moved family to New Zealand.

It's been over 17 years since we moved to NZ and both of the kids have now grown and moved out.  (Daughter in Uni.)

The wife and I are loving this latest stage of our lives, which we refer to as "Empty Nestin' ". 

 

When I think back to my Colorado days, it feels like it was another life ago.  So much has happened since then... births, deaths and other major life events, including the challenges of being an immigrant to a new land. 

 

Throughout all of the years and all of the events, there have been only a couple constants.  One, thankfully being Mrs Bad Things... another being TBD.

 

I honestly have no idea why/how this place can hold such a sway over me.  (Especially during some of the really bad drought years.)  Just about every damn day, I have to at least log in to see what's going on over here.

 

That said, thank you SDS and all of the moderators for everything you've done through the decades. 

You've help me waste countless "productive" hours of my life.   (Oh, to think of what I could've become, if TBD never came into my life...)

 

 

Let's go Buffalo!!!

 

Nice post. May I ask why you moved to NZ and if you would recommend it. 

[Augie]

On 5/12/2023 at 9:48 PM, Augie said:

 

He’s not kidding. I can vouch for him on this one.   😋

Okay, @plenzmd1 didn’t like that, and I understand. I did not know him 20 years ago, so he is technically correct. However, if he was worse 20 years ago, I’m not sure how he got here. Of course, I have no idea how I got here! Dumb luck must have played a factor.

 

On the bright side, he has somehow managed to do a great job of raising part of the next generation of Bills fans, so he gets full credit for that. How he did it is a tale to tell, but he did it!

 

 

And somehow he is still a kid at heart, while most of them seem to have grown up just fine!  🤷‍♂️

 

I’m still working on it, as any who have met me know. 

[Draconator]

I first joined in the early 2000s. I posted updates about Kevin Everett's injury. 

Didn't post for the longest time. Then a bolt of lightning hit me, and I saw the angelic image of @Gugnytelling me I needed to post and drink. So I did both, and I haven't been happier!