It's weird, looking back after a few years.
It's not really much of a secret that I haven't been an active member here for years now (I joined Oct of 2007). Honestly I'd be suprised if many of you still remembered me. Now that I'm heading off to college (Actually, I already started) it's a bit of a shock to read over some of the stuff I posted (especially the early stuff). I'm pretty thankful that all of you put up with me.
Look back over everything I posted, I'm a bit tempted to go back over my old instructables and fix up all the errors in them and such, and if I find time I might seriously consider doing that. Because ofcourse when i was ~14 I didn't really notice but some of those Instructables are a bit ugly. I'm a bit hesitent to just go and fix them up though. I think they may best be left the way they are, with all their numerious spelling and grammar mistakes, considering how long it's been now.
I also went and updated 'The Christians' group (First update in 4 years, woot!). I'm sure those other 87 members will be very glad lol, honestly I don't know if it's gained or lost members since I've been gone. I'd personally guess lost simply because it would probably be somewhat hard for anybody to find the group at this point (You'd have to search for the exact name, find it, and then join) and some of the old members might not even be on here anymore. Not really sure, but it needed an update anyway.
Most importantly though, I really wanted to thank everyone here at instructables that was here and talked to me and such back when I was still K'Nexing. I was ~14 at the time, could barely type (Infact, Instructables taught me how to type, When I joined Instructables I had almost no typing skills at all). Everyone here was kind, didn't hold grudges or get mad at me even though I was obvioiusly a little kid, younger them most of the regulars on here, and my typing skills and grammar were definitly not up to par. Reguarless, I really found a nice athmosphere here, and I'm very lucky I did. I was never a very social kid (The fact that I had, something like the 4 most comments out of every member on instructables one of the years I was here should be evidence of that.) and I'm still really not that sociable. I really don't know what I would have done with myself if it wasn't for me being on instructables.
Instructables literally shaped my life, and I'd go as far as credit Instructables as the reason why I'm now going into Computer Science and Engineering in college. It's all because one day I went through an Instructable on Windows Batch coding, and that led me to take a BASIC computer programming class at my highschool, and now here I am ~4 years later going into CSE with a full tuition scholarship. Honestly I wish there was more I could say, but really all there is to say is that Instructables really effected me at a key point in my life and really if it wasn't for Instructables chances are I wouldn't be where I am now.
On another note... Where'd all the orange go? All this white is hurting my eyes :P
DSMan195276
Look back over everything I posted, I'm a bit tempted to go back over my old instructables and fix up all the errors in them and such, and if I find time I might seriously consider doing that. Because ofcourse when i was ~14 I didn't really notice but some of those Instructables are a bit ugly. I'm a bit hesitent to just go and fix them up though. I think they may best be left the way they are, with all their numerious spelling and grammar mistakes, considering how long it's been now.
I also went and updated 'The Christians' group (First update in 4 years, woot!). I'm sure those other 87 members will be very glad lol, honestly I don't know if it's gained or lost members since I've been gone. I'd personally guess lost simply because it would probably be somewhat hard for anybody to find the group at this point (You'd have to search for the exact name, find it, and then join) and some of the old members might not even be on here anymore. Not really sure, but it needed an update anyway.
Most importantly though, I really wanted to thank everyone here at instructables that was here and talked to me and such back when I was still K'Nexing. I was ~14 at the time, could barely type (Infact, Instructables taught me how to type, When I joined Instructables I had almost no typing skills at all). Everyone here was kind, didn't hold grudges or get mad at me even though I was obvioiusly a little kid, younger them most of the regulars on here, and my typing skills and grammar were definitly not up to par. Reguarless, I really found a nice athmosphere here, and I'm very lucky I did. I was never a very social kid (The fact that I had, something like the 4 most comments out of every member on instructables one of the years I was here should be evidence of that.) and I'm still really not that sociable. I really don't know what I would have done with myself if it wasn't for me being on instructables.
Instructables literally shaped my life, and I'd go as far as credit Instructables as the reason why I'm now going into Computer Science and Engineering in college. It's all because one day I went through an Instructable on Windows Batch coding, and that led me to take a BASIC computer programming class at my highschool, and now here I am ~4 years later going into CSE with a full tuition scholarship. Honestly I wish there was more I could say, but really all there is to say is that Instructables really effected me at a key point in my life and really if it wasn't for Instructables chances are I wouldn't be where I am now.
On another note... Where'd all the orange go? All this white is hurting my eyes :P
DSMan195276
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Not in college yet, but I've moved on from ibles onto other hobbies. I'll be honest, knex has kind of fallen out of my list of things I like to do while bored. Mostly I'm on Youtube now making gaming montages. I still occasionally pop by KIchat, although its to talk with ooda about MTG.
Sunshiine
Congratulations, and best of luck on a college education!
Do you still come on here regularly Mepain? And also, what's been happening with KI lately?
DSMan195276
Gotcha. In the past years I'd go on there every once in a while and see what was going on, it was pretty dead in the past few months. I'd be sad to see it go either way.
DSMan195276
L
It's kind of sad, most people going into college. It's weird thinking about how long we'll all been here, how Instructables has actually made an impact on our lives just from being here for a good chunk of it. As slow as I am at building, I don't think I could give up on K'nexing ever. Now if only I could get some clever ideas for other projects.
Well, take care, man. Good luck in college. It's so much more enjoyable than high school, in my opinion.
It is a bit weird honestly, that all the little kids that were on here making K'Nex guns are now either in high school or going off to college. And I hear ya, I never gave it up, just have a bit of trouble finding time for it.
Same to you, and I agree it is a lot better in high school.
DSMan195276
It makes me sad the community isn't the same. And it's hardly as active as it once was.
Yesh, much less homework, and no one really cares about social groups. Overall I find it much more pleasant.
And it does make me sad too that the community is much less active, but it was going to happen sooner or later once people started running out of ideas for them. There has been a nice resurge of non-gun K'Nex instructables that are really cool though, you should take a look at them if you find time.
Ironic, I find there is tons more homework, but I don't mind it. And the fact that no one cares about social groups like in High School is definitely a plus.
DSMan195276
It sounds like you've done an outstanding job with yourself, and have an excellent sense of how you want to move forward.
Congratulations, and best of luck at college!
Thank you, and I hope so. I think Computer Science and Engineering is a good field to go into right now, there should be some good jobs for it once I graduate.
DSMan195276
I remember you -welcome back, and make sure you stay in touch from college!
I definitely remember you Kiteman -- How long have you been on Instructables now? I mean, I joined 5 years ago and when I joined I had always thought you had been here for a long time already at that point. It's very nice to see that you're still here. I don't predict that staying in touch should be a problem, now that I'm out of high school. I doubt I'll be on here as much as I was but I'm hoping to get back into it and post a few new instructables when I find the time.
DSMan195276
You've missed all the fun - today was my last day as Artist in Residence at Instructables - I've just spent an entire month at HQ!
Utterly awesome, but I have to fly back to the UK tomorrow...
Unfair. I think that because I'm back you should push your plane ticket back for a month ;P
Is HQ still located in California? I remember they relocated at some point, but I can't remember to where. If so that's a pretty bad plane ride, the longest plane ride I've been on was probably 6 hours. I wish you the best, I'm sure it'll all go smoothly.
DSMan195276
I should be packed, but that would mean I wouldn't have access to this netbook...
Netbooks, and laptops in general are small enough to fit into a carry-on though, so that shouldn't be a big deal.
DSMan195276
(The netbook is going in my carry-on, but at the bottom of the bag...)
And well... how much other stuff are you talking with you in your carry-on?
DSMan195276
I've published nine this last month, but only the penny maze and the tattoo stencil are going home with me. The others are either too big to fit in my luggage, are designed to stay here, or are easily reproduced in the UK.
It was nice getting to talk to you again, take care on your flight, let me know how it goes!
DSMan195276
And nice! I played Snare all 4 years. It's so much fun, but it really takes all your time.
Glad to hear from you again,
DSMan195276
DSMan195276
DSMan195276
DSMan195276
The orange? This is a throwback for you, my friend.
I also have to admit, I'm a bit jealous of your orange text.
DSMan195276
Thanks for the update. It's really neat to see/hear what people get up to over time, and particularly to hear that Instructables was truly useful to you. I've always thought that building K'Nex guns were a likely marker of a future engineer, so I'll add you to my data set.
Keep checking in periodically to let us know how you're doing! And of course, post some more projects when you get the chance. Now that you're in college, you should have access to all sorts of neat tools!
And definitely. I believe my college has a fabrication lab somewhere that's free for any students to use, and I heard it has a 3D printer. I've been dying to get my hands on a 3D printer for some time now, so if that rumour is true hopefully I'll be able to make something pretty cool using it. Or just print out random shapes and mess with them, either one would be fun, though the later wouldn't make for a very exciting instructable, or an instructable at all for that matter.
DSMan195276
DSMan195276