![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
I know that we have lots of members who are no longer on regularly but still felt it's impact over the past ten years in some way. (Example: multiple couples met on the ToO, fell in love, got married, and now claim to be too busy to be on the ToO!)
![Stark Raving Mad :mad:](./images/smilies/willy_nilly.gif)
I'm sure that I'll end up posting again, but one thing that stands out to be are friendships with people that I never would have met otherwise. I've had the chance to get to know some great people and visit places with them/to see them that I wouldn't have done otherwise. Even when seasons change and people get busy or have other priorities, there are still great memories and the ability to connect again instantly over shared experiences that I retain.
One of my most embarrassing memories comes from a trip to see a fellow ToOer. My best friend and I planned a trip to go shopping and hang out not too far from where somebody else was for university, so we planned to meet for lunch. I was driving as we had to cross the Canada/US border, which I previously has usually done with one of my parents driving, and I was caught off-guard when the border guard asked me what we were planning to do. I said something like, "Shopping....[awkward pause while my brain decided that I should share more] and meeting a friend." Then came the question of, "How do you know this friend?" I didn't just want to say "from the internet" so my answer ended up being a bit of a mess as I tried to explain truthfully without sounding like a crazy person, which apparently was not very successful, since I was then asked to pop my trunk so she could look inside. Oh dear. Luckily the guard must have figured out that I was an innocent crazy-sounding person and we were soon on our way, but my best friend still brings that story up every now and then and we laugh. It's funnier now than it was at the time!
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/lol.gif)
![Dancing \:D/](./images/smilies/eusa_dance.gif)