Chatterbox: Down to Earth

Guess what's today? July 17th! My birthday!!! Can you guess how old I am? Guess! I have mentioned it on a couple of threads, actually. I am... drumroll please... SIXTEEN! Today is my Sweet Sixteen! Can you believe it? No, me neither, to be honest. But, like it or not, I am sixteen. And that's bizare. I'm so old...

While you lot are listening to me, can I take this moment to thank you all? Thank you for being my friends, my family. I love you each dearly, and you (yes, YOU, reading this NOW) have a very special place in my heart. I know some of you better than others, of course, but every single person on this site contributes to make this site so incredible, so positive. Thank you, and I love you so much.

In particular I'd like to thank those who've RPed with me. Specifically those in the long, almost-finished RPs. You guys are EPIC. Thanks for putting up with me coming into the middle of the story, editing obnoxiously, derailing the story to rant about book reports, and pestering everyone to post. You are brilliant writers and I couldn't have picked more amazing people to collaborate with.  

Admins, thank you especially. I know sometimes we put you in difficult positions, and I know it's impossible to make everyone happy. But you guys do try so hard to come to a compromise that's fair for all parties. Thank you, because without you this beautiful, creative outlet we all need so much would not exist. You humans are wonderful and I truly appreciate how much you do for us.

I've wanted to say this for a while, but haven't found a place. I don't make threads often.

I came to you almost a year and a half ago, while having a very hard time in my freshman year. Making friends is challenging for me, not because I'm unfriendly, but because I'm kind of shy. I figit and worry about every little thing I say or do or wear. I needed somewhere to create, some sort of outlet, but couldn't find one. At that point in time, I only drew for class. I hadn't had a single creative writing assignment all year. I tried writing on my own, but it wasn't very good and the story petered out. I don't remember why, but I decided to look up the Cricket Magazine Chatterbox. 

I clicked on the link 'Inkwell' because I liked the name best. I found stories there, people writing stories just like I wanted to. But I couldn't find my way into this tightly knit community. I clicked around some more, then left.

But I came back. I found myself typing those three magic words again, and I was back on the Inkwell. I knew I wanted to be in this community. I went out on a limb and wrote an introduction thread, under the name Lyra S., after Lyra Silvertounge from His Dark Materials. The next day: Magic. People had answered me! People had noticed me! I was inside the community and changed my name to Cockleburr.

And the rest, as they say, is history. 

Happy Birthday, Cockleburr, and many happy returns!

Admin