Wow.  Where do I begin?  I'm not sure if any of you guys still read this or not - to be honest I didn't even know it existed until a bit of nostalgia and a google search for something else led me here.

I guess I should start off with saying that I'm Ryan, with the little a, for those of you who might actually remember me.  Like I said above I stumbled onto this by accident and have literally spent the past two hours reading through all of the posts and comments and a wave of emotion kind of just swept over me, and I had to post something.  I know it's been a long time since I've really talked or contacted any of you guys, but the truth is I've never ever forgotten about any of you, the boards, the chats, or the inside jokes.  There have been so many times when I'd see one of you online and want to IM you so badly, just to say hi, to catch up, see how you all were doing but I didn't.  For a lot of reasons.  Mainly because I know when I first lost touch I wasn't exactly on good terms with some of you, and also because I wondered if others would even remember me.  

It really amazes me that it's been a good five or six years since I last posted at Welcome, which means it's been about 8 or 9 years since I first met a lot of you.  I know I've changed so much, and I'm sure most of you have as well.  I guess the reasons I'm posting here is to try and re-connect with whoever I can.  Even if it's just a quick hi, or a quick update on what you're up to, what you've been doing, I'd love to hear it.  My screenname is still the same, but I'm never really on AIM at all anymore, so feel free to e-mail me.  I was never a big liverjournaler so I'm not sure if you can get my e-mail through my username here but if you can feel free to message me in anyway possible.  I'd love to hear from any of you, seriously.  

If anyone has actually read this, and is still reading I just want to end this with saying thank you.  For everything.  I met all of you when I was about 14, and got to know you and you me through my high school years.  Looking back at who I was, I know i was probably an obnoxious douche bag a lot of the time, but you all made me feel not only ok with that, but loved and appreciated as well.  I can't begin to describe how important that was to me, not only then but still today.  Even though it's been so long since we've last talked so many times throughout the days I'll see or hear something, like a commercial for beggin strips and I'lll immedialely think of {S bacon and Bunny, or I'll meet someone who's name ends with an IE and I'll think of screaming STEPPHIE!!!! in all caps whenever Steph would enter a chat, or even sometimes when I see a randomly capitalized A in the middle of something I automatically think of RyAn.  So many things that randomly remind me of one of you and all the great memories will come rushing back to me.  

So to end this for real this time, I hope you're all doing well.  And if I don't hear from anyone, but you still read this please just know how much I truly did and still care for each of you.  You are all such amazing, funny, loyal, and giving people.  You helped me through some of the best and worst times of my best and worst years, and I knew I could always count on all of you, even if the same couldn't be said of my RL friends.  You were all truly some of the best friends I've ever had and I sincerely wish all of you the best.  Thanks for everything.  

Ryan