The Town of Odyssey Turns Five!

[Catspaw]

Everyone,

I am pleased to announce that the ToO has offically turned five!

When Shadowpaw debuted this wonderful board that he created five years ago, I'm sure he never expected it to still be so popular and growing so many years later! It's wonderful to see that there are still so many loyal ToOers, both those who joined five years ago today and the many more who have joined since then. Members, both new, old and inbetween, are what keeps the ToO going!

The statistics below prove that there are a lot of dedicated ToOers who love to post!

Number of posts: 787975
Posts per day: 431.54
Number of topics: 23815
Topics per day: 13.04
Number of users: 1353
Users per day: 0.74

Enjoy receiving a little something extra for your posts for this special anniversary day! This is a one-day only deal, courtesy of your friendly neighbourhood admins, Pseudonym and Sonuna.

Thanks to Dan for providing a special anniversary surprise - an amazing cake! Click here to see the thread that contains all the images of the construction process. Don't let the smileys down after all their hard work - go take a look! Please note that instead of the usual candle, it's a high-efficiency propane burner. Be careful with that, guys!



(click to view full size)


And now, in honour of the ToO's fifth anniversary, I am pleased to present the ToO Top 5 lists of a few members. After you read through these, please feel free to join in the fun by posting your own ToO Top 5 list! It can contain favourite memories, quotes, moments, smileys, a combination of any or all of these, or whatever else you want, as long as it's connected to the ToO. The ToO is full of creative people, and I look forward to reading what you all come up with!

Top 5 Real life ToO moments

1. Colorado Convention
2. Unholy Trinity week
3. First VA convention
4. Meeting Evil Chick/David O at LU
5. DOJF election conference call

Top's Top Five ToO Events of Awesomeness!!!!

5.) Hakeber's brother posted about Malaysian flavored ice cream!

4.) EK copyrighted the word "Awesomeness"!

3.) EUGENE BLACKGAARD'S HAIR!

2.) Top and EB as Mayor and CoP and Iron Crusader as Mayor and CoP!

1.) The events that occured through the course of the Verily, I hath met the Continental Admiral thread!

1. The community. The people here have a great sense of humour but don't come off as flippant or uncaring. We don't agree on everything all the time, but everyone (usually! ) behaves himself in a polite manner. Considering this is the internet, that is quite a triumph.

2. The Lounge. Back when I was severely addicted to this website, that used to be THE PLACE for the cool cats. Alas, it seems to have fallen from its great glory to a lesser place, but it holds a special place in my memory.

3. The inside jokes. We have quite a few inside jokes, some that go back before I even joined, and for some reason I just love them. I snicker every time someone says something about Washington and credit companies.

4. The admins. Being an admin this term has really made me appreciate what Catspaw and all the other elected admins do. Before, I used to envy Catspaw's job, but now I'm blown away that she can come here day after day and administrate without going mad. The ToO has had some really great leaders that I respect.

5. The good memories. This may be cheating, since I already mentioned good memories of the Lounge, but I'll go ahead and add everything else in here. There have been times I've laughed my head off and times I've learned a lot. I still remember the feeling of wonder that all these people of different backgrounds converged on this one website and had pleasant discussions. And here we are, five years after the creation of this site, and about two years and five months after I joined, still having pleasant conversations. Here's to hoping for another five years (at least!) of witty banter!

Catspaw’s ToO Top 5

5. The smileys! They’re great! And tons of fun. And there are some for every occasion, too, even if you’re mad at somebody. Or want to show that you care. And most importantly, they can never be overused. Right?

4. The Shadowpaw factor! Yeah, you knew I had to work him into this list somehow, right? But really, without him, the ToO wouldn’t exist. He created this website five years ago, after a lot of hard work and creativity. He involved a few other people in the process, but he still put in a ton of work to make this board happen. He’s the brilliant mind behind so many great things on the ToO, and he has continued to take the time to drop by now and then when he has time, which is great. At this time five years ago, we were all awed and amazed by what he had come up with, and I still am awed and amazed five years later. The ToO is still here and still going strong, thanks to the great foundation of fun and AIO that Shadowpaw created.

3. The conventions! I have thoroughly enjoyed the few times that I have been able to meet with other ToOers in real life. There are so many amazing people that I feel honoured to have been able to meet, and others that I wish that I could meet! It’s great to transfer that connection we feel from the ToO to real conversations…and then spend half the time together on the ToO anyway! I have lots of great memories from the ToO conventions I’ve been a part of.

2. The Odyssey factor! I love being able to post random AIO lines and have people get it, and talk about favourite characters and episodes from across the years and have people know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s so amazing to read the thoughts of other fans and participate in discussions as well. I love it!

1. The people! The best part of the ToO is definitely all the wonderful people who have come and gone and come back and stuck around throughout the last five years. I’ve gotten to know some people better than others, and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know people through private messages and reading their posts. Through being on the ToO we get to know things about each other and I find myself thinking, “That’s such a Jonathan thing to do!” or “Oh, Laura recommended those books – they must be good,” or “I can’t believe I found somebody else who feels the same way about that AIO character/AIO episode/book/TV show/movie/any other topic.” It’s the people that make the ToO so much fun, and I treasure that very much.

If you would like to read past anniversary threads, they are all archived in City Hall. You won't be able to post in them, but feel free to peruse past celebrations! Click the following links if you're interested: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th

[jelly]

Ah, I feel so warm and happy. Seriously, this is such a fantastically awesome place. I've only been here for two out of the five years, but it feels like forever and I've made some really awesome friendships. The community here is unlike anything else. We often have our arguments, debates and disagreements, but inside we're all one, big happy family (has fond memories of the ToO Family thread). I have deep respect for most everyone on here because of the fantastic community we have because of you all. This place shows no signs of dying any time soon, and I honestly hope I'll still be here 5 years from now.

HUGE thanks to Shadowpaw and Catspaw. You guys are pretty much the epitome of awesome.

Yay for ToO.

[Irwin]

Yay.

Users per day: 0.74

What exactly does this mean? Is it the average number of users who log on per day across all ToO days?

[Sapphire]

I am so happy! This is my first ToO birthday.

[Laura Ingalls]

Yay.

Users per day: 0.74

What exactly does this mean? Is it the average number of users who log on per day across all ToO days?

It means that's the average number of new users who join a day.

Yay for the ToO! Tomorrow will mark the fifth anniversary of when I joined this illustrious board - I was being crazy and dragged my feet for 24 hours before caving in and joining.

Thanks for creating it, Shadowpaw! And thank you for running it, Catspaw! The board wouldn't be the same without you.

[Carrie Ingalls]

Yay! Congrats everyone! Thank you to all the wonderful admins and mods we have had over the past several year and to our founder Shadowpaw and Catspaw for continuing in his absence.

Five years, wow...a lot has happened in five years.

Aww, Laura you waited 24 hours to join? I was an enthusiastic newbie to the world of AIO fan boards and joined as soon as I figured out what it was.

~Carrie Ingalls

[Shadowpaw]

Happy Birthday Everyone! In honor of the occasion, I ToO have put together a list of my top 5 favorite memories of the board!

5. Before the Board Existed!
Some of my favorite memories are actually from a time before the board was even around! I remember when the town was just a seed in my mind and I was itching to do something creative and different. I would call up Fenix, who lived down the street from me, and we'd meet up in a park in the middle of the night just a block away from my house and come up with ideas for the "game" I had in mind. Ultimately the "game" never came to full fruition, but plenty of the game mechanics did, and that is what I was able to implement in the board you still use today. And maybe that is why the board is so successful... if it has just been a "game" it would have died out long ago, but because the board was a living breathing community, it's still just as popular today as it was when it first launched, if not more so!

4. The Griffins Come to Town
We've had many of the writers, producers, sound engineers and actors from the show pop up in the town over time, but I definitely remember the day Darcie Griffin sent me an email explaining who she was and thanking me for both my sites, and then putting me in contact with her husband. Jimmy Barclay was a childhood friend of mine and getting a chance to email and Skype with the actor and his wife was not only a highlight of my time here, but my life in general! I remember bragging to my family and friends that "THE" Jimmy Barclay had been emailing me back and forth and it certainly was a fantastic, rewarding period of time for me that this town was directly responsible for. Plus we got Darcie! Who has always been an incredible asset to the community for the last several years. Those first few emails from the Griffins paved the way for many incredible things to come.

3. The Day the Board Launched
What an amazing day that was. I remember cranking up the hype as high as it would go for the weeks leading up to the big unveiling, hoping people weren't going to be disappointed by what was going to launch April 1. I also knew that Eugene Meltsner was returning on April 2 and I was trying to ride that same wave of promotion from Focus on the Family and capitalize on the flood of new users who would be coming to the board and it really paid off. The statistics we reached on day one were incredibly impressive and it warmed my heart that so many people were behind the idea as much as I hoped they would be. My effort, and the effort of many others, paid off and I couldn't thank you all more!

2. Blackgaard Election Results
After months of carefully planning and fooling everyone on the board into thinking Gabriel Dragsack was a real person, dealing with upset members who wanted me to ban him, picking fights with so many personal friends in real life and uniting the board against a common enemy, the best memory I have was taking part in the live conference call in which the election resulted in a "tie". Hearing the reaction from the people taking part in the conference call as I cast my deciding vote for Gabriel, followed by a huge outcry... well, it was a pretty remarkable moment that I knew was going to stay with everyone involved for a long time. It was a game changing moment for the Town of Odyssey and one that I knew would be the defining moment of my life in the Town, a life I knew was going to go on hold in the months that followed. But what a way to go!

1. The Live Show and the Town's Legacy
I don't think I'm actually overstating the importance of the Town of Odyssey when I say that the live show in Colorado would not have been the same event it was had this town not existed. It was a massive gathering of fans, many of which made the trek to Colorado Springs not just for the live show, but for the opportunity to meet their friends from the town in real life. Those from the board who were in Colorado at the time were certainly give behind the scenes access to actors and insight into the live show far exceeding that of the average attendee... from hanging out in the green room back stage, to chatting with the actors in their hotel across the street late into the night: this town united for an unforgettable weekend. Had this town not been around, I have no doubts in my mind that the weekend would have been a very, very different event altogether. But forget just the event, think about the entire series and the surrounding fan community as a whole...

Would Chris and Sarah have met to start the Unofficial Podcast? Would the Official Podcast even exist? How different would the radio product be if fans weren't voicing their opinions on a weekly basis, shaping the show in ways that are impossible to realize? How would the lives of other be different? Think of the friendships you've made, the loves and relationships that have sprouted, the people you have touched and who have touched you. Think of the daily routine you have, in checking this board and voicing your opinions and having those opinions heard. The legacy of this board and the influence it has had on the series extends much further than I think a lot of people realize. For those who don't remember a time before the Town of Odyssey, that might be hard to imagine... but if you remove the Town, how many of our lives would be different?

All of ours.

And that's something that will always be with me. And you.

[American Eagle]

The 7th Who's Who is like the funniest thing ever.

Happy birthday, ToO! I like the present!

[H Tide]

Happy Birthday! I've been here for nearly four out of the five years, and I certainly enjoy the community here!

[Evil Chick]

What a fun topic. Here's my list!

1) The MN convention of 2006
2) The JEC term
3) The creation of my username
4) Zarkouni
5) All of the the wonderful friends I've made and the impact they've had of my life.

Happy 5th birthday, ToO!

[darcie]

Aww, I made Shadowpaw's top 5!

Happy birthday ToO! Seriously, this place rocks. Where would we be without you? Well, maybe off the interwebs, getting more done in real life, but that's neither here nor there... The point is, being here and knowing you all has changed my life in so many ways. God works in mysterious ways, and what has come into my life from here is certainly a great example of His awesomeness*.

*copyright EK

[Amethystic]

Happy Birthday, ToO! I really love this website. I've been on the site for two years, as of April 17th, and I'm so thankful to God for everyone on this site.

I guess my top five memories (though not in any particular order) would be...

My ToO Family - That was definitely one of my favorite threads ever. It united us as ToOers, and we got some good laughs out of it too. Remember the time we took over Buckingham Palace?

The Official Leaf Fighting Thread - Even though it's now extinct, I really loved that thread--it's where I originally met Jellyfish (and made fun of his pretty pink dress), though we're on slightly friendlier terms now. I think it ended with me moving to a distant planet and spending the rest of my life reigning by the authority of mud-covered leaves.

Maximum Ride Mania - Basically, I had read the series, and then a few months later I met Fang-wa, who'd also read the series. We sparked each other's fandom, and then we started getting our friends to read the series. The result: a good chunk of our mutual peers are crazy MR fans like us.

The Search for the Lost Kingdom - Planned RPGs are difficult; you have to sort out all the details beforehand and lots of the time you have to do what someone else wants. Still, TSftLK was a blast, and I made some really good friends.

The Randoms - Ah yes, those quirky sometimes-spammongers that newbies love and oldbies love to hate. They're my comrades; my clan. They're weird, annoying, funny, frustrating, loving, amazing, confusing, pleasant, original, and they're like one big family to me. Sure, we have our problems, but you couldn't ask for better friends.

[Sam15]

thats cool that the to0 turned 5!!!!!!!!!

[Bren]

Congrats on 5 yrs. Thankfully, I can say I was here for 2 of those 5 years. Can't quite do a top 5 but I can do a top 3

3: This would have to be when I was inspired to start my own message board. At the time I had little experience and so, I followed a link here that led to a site to get a free message board and the rest as they say, it history

2: This would have to be when I met Chris and he inspired me to start my own podcast. Through that I later had an interview with Nathan Hoobler.

1:

Topic: Your First Warning Concerning Spam


Never mind- actually, how would you like to be a mod?

That speaks for itself

[Sherlock]

Congratulations ToO! Has it really been 5 years?

I don't have too many memories from the beginning of the ToO since I was boycotting it for a while after the tragic demise of the TH but I've had a lot of fun here with everyone.

Thanks again to Shadowpaw and Catspaw for all your hard work and everyone else who makes the ToO what it is today.

[Kairi]

Happy Fifth Birthday, ToO! My top five ToO moments?

5) The Lounge. The Fall Lounge, The Regular Lounge, really, any ToO lounge.
4) The elections. Despite all the angst, they really are fun!
3) Gowers' Field. The Star Wars RPG, Doyles vs. Blackgaards, zombie RPG, really any RPG.
2) The meet-ups. Ah, they were so epic.
1) The people. You guys are awesome!

[DanP740]

In 2 days I will have been here for 5 years. Just had to miss the first two days, didn't I?

I can't really think of a top 5 thing, so here's an unranked top 5.

x. The Top Crusader
x. EK
x. Blackgaard Takeover
x. Building birthday presents
x. The ToO itself

[Bren]

I am glad to have been here 2 years.

[Taq]

Happy 5th, Town of Odyssey!

Taq's Top Five Lessons Learned

5. A board style with cartoon characters can look reputable.
4. Posting isn't so bad.
3. Whit's End is a valuable forum.
2. Surround yourself with smart people.
1. Don't sweat the small stuff. (Don't take things personally.)

[Termite]

Whee. I've had so much more fun here on the ToO then the other five-ish forums I've been on... It's been a great time so far.