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"My name?"

Today is my last day as a sixteen year old. I am not writing this topic so I can glory in the "happy birthday" messages, I am writing this because I feel I need to, and for some strange reason I also want to put it in prime. Why? Because this is Fog, and this is what this post is about.

My name was Monkey, I was a biased ninty that wrote only to win gameaday. I used to make a fool of myself to impress my friends...

I started life as a newshunter. I visted IGN, PlanetN2000, and things like that everyday. A sad life of searching for things that seemed to different me from any other kid perhaps in the way of an escape from the partying dance music loving mob that seem to surround my age. No fashion to their ego and no love in their soul, without character and without passion, yes, teenagers.

Stuck alone in a world with no friends, I carried on searching for games news, things to occupy my mind as my life dwindled on, beating down the thoughts of better times with any remaining will power I had left inside me.

Yes, my name was Monkey, and that was my life. And then, through the wonders of the global net that stretched over carrying me with it, I discovered, only on the search for more games news, this. Special Reserve. The Fog.

Things were much different back then. It was a much different layout, with the actual replies headings being seen on the front page as well as the topics... you know the style. If that happened today it would take a few hundred pages just to see the worlds longest thread.

And still my life dwindled carelessly, falling asleep at the wheel, slightly curving off the road...

And then of course, the day came where I stepped cautiously over those newspapers, knife in one hand, life in the other... and then?

I indeed killed someone that day, I killed the old me... as pathetic as it sounds. No longer was there the pathetic Monkey. The boy with no friends, spent his life endlessly pursuing the work of others.

The only reason, as pathetic as it sounds that I write here today, is so I could write here today. So I could continue on the story. I had finally found something that sparked me emotionally... a way to produce creatively, in the same way as some people can be their best with a paintbrush... I had found a mouse and keyboard.

I started to write a book, The Legacy of the Swordspines. It was quite a complex little tale... perhaps one day I'll actually finish the damn thing. :0)

Perhaps one of the problems with it was the amount of characters in it... each with their own personalitys. It was rather odd being about ten people. Acren Tigres, Umar Mur, Renno Seio, Galen and Etur O'Keill, Thera Hodder, Kei Hada... and of course, Grix Thraves.

Born again into a name, into a new world of light to see through and learn through, I stepped back into the forums.

I redeemed myself, and to celebrate my newly found sanity, I came up with the idea of my brain talking to me. I began to write so much better posts and topics... I won gameaday a few more times.

Yes, I did make many friends on the internet, but I made friends in the other side of Grix too. After the complete confusion that left me stranded in work for half a year, I began to do that work harder, beginning to see my goals in life. From the day the newspapers spoke to me I knew I needed to develop the creative aspect of my mind.

And so Swordspines eventually took on a new meaning... in the book, the Swordspines were the group of people named. Now it's the name of the games development company which I believe I can say that I own.

I continued on, writing and developing my quite empty mind, still watching as the teenagers still went out partying and clubbing... Put me on a beach with the sunset, drink, music and friends any day.

Clouds became more meaningful. I've never really noticed clouds before, just if they reminded me of something I'd seen before... but now they move elegently across the sky strimming the air between the gaps, the moon shining down perfectly across the lands and lighting the fields...

The world was perfect, my life was perfect, and so came the Fog.

No longer did I write to win games. We all lived on here as one giant family, intelligence ruled, you would be lucky if even one newbie came along a week. Silent, quiet and just good fun.

Now... well, we're all still here, just. Meka has experienced the miracle of childbirth once more, Sniper still continues to make us smile, Ant continues to pee over everyones newly cleaned kitchen floors, Tony is still as mad as ever, FM, Sheepy, RBS, Shanksy, er-no, Pb, Venombyte, Goatboy, Your Honour, all the staff... I could name so many that make the Fog as special as it is.

This post is just a thank you to everyone who has been in my life for the last year. For without you, I would not be here today.

And as for me?

My name is Grix Thraves. And that is how I shall stay. :0)

I read it all Grix......Grix...I read it all.

*MJs voive echoes across the forum, MJ suddenly realises that no one gives a toss about him*

"Sniff........" Mj begins to cry.

(;o(

So hang on...is Swordspines a book, or a games company??

If it's a games company, I'll work in a department for you!! You should sign me up now before I ask Tony for a job at SR when I'm 16.

If it's a book I'll...recommend it. Here's my quote for the front cover:

"What an amazing read. It enticed me all the way through, and gripped me like a vice."

What? But I pictured you as a 30-something year old man, with wife and two children - you know, the family man. What's going on?

Nah, I think that's all you'll ever hear from the Swordspines for a long time. :0)

But... I do have one last little plan for them, which you may see in a few years time. :0)

Grix Thraves wrote:
> I was wondering earlier if this was the end, or the beginning...
> don't ask me what of.

Now, I think I know. With the Star Wars
> animation finally coming together, Swordspines beginning to actually
> function, exams over, money in the bank, and a fistful of
> inspiration... it's time to really put some effort in.

In story
> writing, the middle should always be the largest, twisting and
> enjoyable period of the book. I'm just hoping I get a happy ending.
> :0)

Look Grix, if you ever want someone to help get the book into full glory (hardback etc...) I will always help out!

:) Remember that... I have the machines... you have the input.

Nice post Grix. Last day as a 16 year old wow. Well I wish you happy birthday for tomorrow.

Look at it this way, At 17 you can drive a car! with your knowledge and wittyness you could work in a bank raiding group. You could hack into the mainframe and mess up the systems so thats your "gang" could take the money and get away safley.


Or you could just drive your car ;)
Have a good one mate.

Meka_Dragon wrote:

"Anyway, enjoy your birthday tomorrow!"

I wish. I'm working tommorrow... I don't mind working on my birthday... it's just... I don't know.

Thanks anyway, and Ant, yes, you're right. I don't want to stop you celebrating your birthday, I just don't like celebrating mine. :0)

Grix that was beautiful! That was beautiful....

...the FOG has helped me a lot in times of crapulence at home with many people passing on...

Thanks Grix, it has made me appreicate the forums... I don't think they will ever be as good as in January etc.. but you never know.. as long as us guys stay around!

And again thanks.

I was wondering earlier if this was the end, or the beginning... don't ask me what of.

Now, I think I know. With the Star Wars animation finally coming together, Swordspines beginning to actually function, exams over, money in the bank, and a fistful of inspiration... it's time to really put some effort in.

In story writing, the middle should always be the largest, twisting and enjoyable period of the book. I'm just hoping I get a happy ending. :0)

I was always wondering where your name came from. Now I know. Thank you for everything that you have done for FOG!

Enjoy your birthday!