I'm saying goodbye

Sirotnikov · October 9, 2003, 13:55

Hello everyone – old posters and new.

It's been a while since I joined Apolyton in February 2000, while searching for maps and scenarios for my favorite game in the world – Civilization 2. I came to Apolyton after searching AltaVista for "civilization 2 scenarios" and browsing through several sites, from Addicted to Civilization, to The First Greek Civilization Site. However this was a site I kept returning to, because this was a live and vibrant community.

I found great comfort in the immense strategic advice in the forums and was amazed by the amount of calculation that went into the games of top notch players here. Even received tips from the all-mighty himself followed by his then renowned green grin smilie.

Then one night I went to a lesser known area. It was called the Off-Topic. I found immense threads labled "Coffee-Shop" with the most whacky insane humor I met on the web. People were co-opting to create silly adventures and story lines including but not limited to a German conquest of Europe and sells of nuclear arms to South East Asian dictators, and in the middle, The Brain would pop-up and ask if anyone wanted any cheese.

Then I met the first deep, long, MtG like discussions over any topic in the world. A philosophical discussion between Imran and someone (don't remember name) about the aggression levels of democratic regimes. A serious discussion (at the time) about religion between a CivNation and a half dozen of other folks. A huge "what if" thread, depicting history until the 20th century if Rome remained a world power. The girl threads of Dom Pedro.

And I stayed. I added my own threads and my own topics. Participated in excellent adventures. Ordered milk in the coffee shop. Wrote a 50,000 word humoristic essay on the conspiracy behind Apolyton and Civilization. Watched MtG become a mod. Invented a first ever "cute thread". Wrote the first newspaper for the first Civ III Democracy Game. Played Diplomacy games. Made a Civilization III graphics mod.

Speaking of which, reminds me a time when Civ III was a new exciting announcement and drew tons of ideas and suggestions from both myself, and other exciting community members. Many of the people were filled with great ideas and were absolutely insane in the amount of detail they were willing to pour in a single game. One such person I met was called "Dalgetti". He turned out to be an Israeli, from my home town. Later it turned out we live practically two blocks from each other.

In the real world meanwhile, a peace initiative flourished, IDF left Lebanon after 18 years, a peace initiative crashed and Israel was attacked by a huge terrorist wave. For the first time I began gathering information on the conflict trying to inform my friends overseas about what I thought was going on here.

I was just putting my final touches on a new Apolyton enterprise, a radio show called "Apolyton Stands" about the forums, when 9/11 hit and I watched the world transform from a cozy seat in front of a glowing computer screen.

The Off-Topic has been an immense source of information, and a force that made me investigate deeper into the conflict I'm living in, and begin to face the different views and narratives, trying to decipher reality from spin.

The Off-Topic has opened my eyes to how the world often sees the events in a different light. How not everyone agree with the same history, or even the same line of morality. How interests and causes differ from person to person.

And now, having learnt this, and gained many friends in the process, I'm off to try and implement my conclusions in real life.

This place has been a constant "local pub" for me, where I could always come, tell a few jokes, listen to a few stories, have an imaginary pint and laugh with friends. I gained friends, shared life experiences and received plenty of advice and had the opportunity to read up on other people's wisdom or just their life experience.

This place has been one of the things that lead me through my personal transformation from a relatively shy yet extroverted person, to a more balanced person with a rich social life and quite a few of his own life experiences. Through out this time, I've always kept coming back, even though some of my personal friends whom I dragged to this forum, have left.

With friends here, I almost

set up an international inter-continental web authoring and designing company (cheers to Chegitz and UR

)

I'm having a difficult time writing coherently or in some sort of order because new memories of past experiences keep flooding me and I'm running out of space to edit them into.

But now, it's time for me to leave for military service.

I'm starting a new and exciting journey into my real life. I know I've hardly participated in the forums for the last year or so since my school, my friends, my girlfriend and other activities have become a larger part in my life, and Apolyton gained less and less attention.

Apolyton is also partially the reason for my lower grades on some exams. My parents have numerously threatened to pull the plug or install some sort of app to block Apolyton. I was saved by their short memory and my superior computer knowledge.

For these reasons, much of my participation in the last year has become a single issue only – Israel. Some people may think I'm a right wing lunatic or a super-nationalist. I'm neither. Deep inside I'm a peaceful leftist wishing for peace and co-existence. However the realization of difficult realities have caused me to doubt good intentions and feel quite threatened and suspicious of people and countries.

And now I'm leaving to realize my views, and everything I learnt from this site or because of it. I'm off to serve my country in the military. I'm off to fulfill my abilities and tickle my interests. I'm off to do a job that I know that a year ago I would have only wished for and dreamt of. I'm realizing my most luscious dreams. Possibly the wet dream of every person that enjoys playing a strategy game, such as Civilization or Diplomacy.

I want to use this opportunity to tell each and every one of you, that you should never give up and always pursue your dreams and fight for them. If you know you've got it in you, you should do your best to have it discovered and get a chance to be all you can be.

I'm off to take my future into my hands, and hopefully help steer my country out of the mess it is in. It may or may not happen that in some 40 years time you'll hear my name in politics, and think to yourself "Hey, I used to know him. He was a funny guy. Crazy nationalist fanatic though

".

My new duties will unfortunately take up most of my free time, and will seriously hamper my ability to discuss issues relating to Israel with you. For this reason, and in order to ease this for my self I have decided to attempt, against all odds, to leave Apolyton to my best ability.

It doesn't mean I will not secretly lurk the off-topic or the Civ III section. It doesn't mean that I won't casually appear to joke around in a silly thread, and send my greetings to old timers. It doesn't mean I won't appear to poke fun of TCO when I out-rank him in the military

It does however mean that I will not really participate in this little commune. I will not dedicate my spare time to invent new stories or thread ideas. I will not dedicate my time to write long answers to interesting threads.

And because of that, I wanted to say goodbye. I didn't want to just disappear. I didn't want to fade away with little explanation like some did. I wanted to tell the people I leave behind that I care for them and that this place has been a wonderful experience in my life, during my magical years of high-school and during one of the most exciting periods in world history.

I wish to say thank you to MarkG and DanQ for making this site, and supporting it. I wish to thank MLeonard, Ming, MtG and Rah for making this community civil, one way or the other. And I wish to thank all the posters that I know for making this such a wonderful experience - a friendship without boundaries, divides or language barriers (assuming we all can spell proper English).

Finally I wish to apologize for the appalling spelling, grammar and logical flow of this post here. I'm both emotionally moved and in the middle of packing my bags for departure in a couple of days.

It has been a fun journey. Keep it alive without me. Bye Bye.

(You'll be hearing from me)
Sirotnikov.

Theben · October 9, 2003, 14:02

They all come back. Hell I came back.

We'll reserve a barstool in the Coffee Shop for ya.

See ya in a few years.

Sava · October 9, 2003, 14:05

I wish you well in life Siro... good luck and God bless.

Oerdin · October 9, 2003, 14:06

Won't you be able to use a computer after you get done with basic training? Good luck.

centrifuge · October 9, 2003, 14:08

I hardly knew you, but after such a heart-felt farewell, I find it necessary to wish you good luck in your new endeavors.

So good luck, and after reading your post, I'm sure that you will be missed.

Rufus T. Firefly · October 9, 2003, 14:09

Good luck Siro, and stay safe.

rah · October 9, 2003, 14:14

Good luck and may you attain all your dreams.

RAH
Hopefully we will see you around again.

Ramo · October 9, 2003, 14:21

Good luck Siro. Take care of yourself man.

Pekka · October 9, 2003, 14:23

You'll be back though... I know it. We are the flame and you're the moth.

But hey, while you're away (but not gone), be safe and watch your back at all times. You get to shoot large weapons, so you should be fine. Anyway, if things get hairy, give me a call (or PM), and I'll be sending them Susie Q's to help you out!!

Or if you meet some guys working for IMI, we can set them up with the Sleep Watcher Systems.... you know how to get in touch with me

.

Remember: Rapid fire is always more fun than single aimed shots. Go for the kill! YEAAAAAAAH WOOHOO!

And if you get to mess up your helmets, I have some suggestions for what you could write in it:

**** Peace! (this is my favourite)
You set them up, I take them down.
One thing I know good is unaccurate rapid fire.
I kill for God.
Weekend Warrior.
SOF for hire.
If you're close enough to read this, you're dead.

Chemical Ollie · October 9, 2003, 14:31

Avoid riding buses, it may be bad for your health. And don't shoot someone, or blow up Palestinian houses, it may be bad for your conscience. But you will come back to Apolyton. It's a poison.

Pekka · October 9, 2003, 14:37

Yep. But if it's time to shoot, don't hold back. If you're not sure, and it's about 60% of possibility to 'shooting time', shoot, but this time aim. If 100%, then go full throttle.

These things should be considered as algorithms.

while (baddie >= !baddie)
unaimedRapidFire(1000);
++!baddie;

.. something like this.

Datajack Franit · October 9, 2003, 14:40

Oooh

Goodbye

Can we still make fun of you?

Az · October 9, 2003, 14:41

Quote:

Apolyton is also partially the reason for my lower grades on some exams. My parents have numerously threatened to pull the plug or install some sort of app to block Apolyton. I was saved by their short memory and my superior computer knowledge.

Have fun in the army, Siro. Call me when you're done with basic training.

Eli · October 9, 2003, 14:50

You'll be doing an important job. Be responsible.

And have fun!

Sirotnikov · October 9, 2003, 14:50

thanks you guys

Quote:

Won't you be able to use a computer after you get done with basic training? Good luck.

I will. I will have little time to though. But I won't be able to say anything related to Israel, and the temptation could prove too much. So I'm quitting.

Quote:

But hey, while you're away (but not gone), be safe and watch your back at all times. You get to shoot large weapons, so you should be fine....

I won't get any weapons since people in my corps don't get any. I won't have a helmet either. Only a beret.

Quote:

Have fun in the army, Siro. Call me when you're done with basic training.

That would be in may. Are you sure you wanna wait that long?

Sirotnikov · October 9, 2003, 14:52

Quote:

And don't shoot someone, or blow up Palestinian houses, it may be bad for your conscience.

If I will get to shot someone you can be sure it was a self-defense situation.

The choises the IDF makes aren't always light on it's concience. But I believe most are justified.

Az · October 9, 2003, 14:54

Quote:

That would be in may. Are you sure you wanna wait that long?

Maybe I've misunderstood this.

Quote:

I'm off to serve my country in the military. I'm off to fulfill my abilities and tickle my interests. I'm off to do a job that I know that a year ago I would have only wished for and dreamt of. I'm realizing my most luscious dreams. Possibly the wet dream of every person that enjoys playing a strategy game, such as Civilization or Diplomacy.

So what are you going to do now?

Pekka · October 9, 2003, 14:54

No weapons?

What corps are you in? But anyway, you know berets are better looking than any other headwear in the army. You should be scoring some hot chicks with it.

Az · October 9, 2003, 14:57

Berets are the only headwear in the Israeli army, sadly. ( besides helmets, of course. )

Unspeakable Horror · October 9, 2003, 14:58

Quote:

The Off-Topic has opened my eyes to how the world often sees the events in a different light. How not everyone agree with the same history, or even the same line of morality. How interests and causes differ from person to person.

I agree 100% with that

Good Luck Sirotnikov! See you later.