UKFF: Then and Now

[Frankie Crisp]

So, I’m bored off my arse. But after meeting up with Houchen on Sunday and us talking about how long we’d been on this place, I thought it might be alright for people to say what and where they were when they signed up and the same for right now. Probably makes sense for people who’ve done time on here to post rather than the one year lot.

Then: 2005. I’d not long split up with my missus, was living in my Dad’s spare room and had a shit job in Runcorn. I signed up to get advice on going to Wrestlemania and thought I’d never log back in again once I did.

Now: Got a good job, single and now when my Dad’s had too many in town he stays in my spare room. I’ve made some good mates on here; not to name names but there are a few I’ve met who I consider to be genuine friends and it’s great that we speak more off here than on here. Butch can never have sweet potato fries in the vicinity of my flat again, though.

This kind of thread's been done before, I think, but not for a while.

[SpursRiot2012]

Then: I was about 12 or 13 years old, going to school, living with my mum and being a racist on the Internet. 

Now: I'm 30 years old, own a flat with my girlfriend, am just finishing up an undergraduate degree and doing a masters next year. I am now a raving leftie. In between I've battled depression, anxiety, drink and drug abuse, latent criminality and come through the other side. 

[Kaz Hayashi]

Then (2003) - lived at home with parents, worked at gamestation part time and lived at home. Had just come out of a failed but young 3 year relationship and was heading in to another failed relationship. Didn’t have a clue what life was really about and had no idea what I wanted to do... and was 19.

Now - Moved to Newcastle in 05 and since then went to college, has a successful recording and touring band, completed a music business and production degree, I’m in a 12ish year career in the disabilities and eduction sector. I’m married with a child and own a home. I love poncy beer and have put a couple of stone on. 

[Fog Dude]

Then: Early 2003. I was 18. Had been lurking for a few months and lacked self-awareness. Was living with dad & sister in a new build semi-detached house near the edge of the town where I grew up. Directionless for the first time in my life having just dropped out of Sixth Form.

Now: Living with my mum & the same sister in a Victorian terraced house in a rougher part of the town where I grew up, near the centre. Horrendously aware of other people's opinion of me and therefore more reluctant to contribute here. Directionless for about the fourth time having been through a bad break-up and failed in my attempt to get a postgraduate qualification.

There were some good times in between though, including one brief meet-up with a fellow forum member, and going to a WWE house show in Manchester a few years back.

[RIDDUM_N_STYLE]

November 2003 - 4 months out from bombing my A levels, looking for my first ever job (which would come round the following February) and living at home with my parents and sister

November 2017 - Still at home, though it's just me, mum and the family dog now as my sister moved out, got engaged and had a baby while holding down a teaching job, and my dad passed away 19 months ago from sepsis contracted during treatment for pancreatic cancer. I redeemed myself for my school failure by passing a 2 year business course in college in 2008 but crumbled under the pressure of university and dropped out after my first year. I had my first relationship during college which didn't last long, a second lasted even shorter but I did end up in a 3+ year relationship with a lovely girl that only ended because of a division over having a baby. Currently single and 3 1/2 years into a steady job working for Primark having done previous work in bingo, a cinema and Christmas work in consecutive years for TJ Hughes and Card Factory

[Linus]

Then: 1999. I'd not been long on the internet and wanted more than rec.arts.pro-wrestling or whatever it was, and found the previous incarnation of this place. I was about to get involved with my now-wife (who I lived with as a housemate) and not working through illness. WWF was my thing although I loved what I'd read of ECW in Powerslam.

Now: Still with the wife, and have an eight year-old girl. Been at the same job for 15 years, and done a whole load of side shit in between. I am old, feeling older by the day, and still making stupid mistakes. I am always hopeful that everything will get better.

[MungoChutney]

Then: Summer 2003.  I signed up here because a few of the guys from the Smash Wrestling forum were regulars and told me it had all of the Brit Wres stuff. I was 18, probably in the middle of a short term relationship if my chronology is correct and working for an organisation that I only left in July.

 

Now: 33, live with girlfriend of 4 years and have a 7 year old son from a previous relationship.  I now work for a children's charity in a community engagement/social research role and still meet up 4 or 5 times a year with guys from the Smash Forum who've become good pals. We're going to ICW tomorrow in fact. Haven't been a prolific poster but I read the forum every day.

[Cod Eye]

I've very much been a lurker on here, using the forum as a news source but:

2007:

Signed up on here when I got my then 4 year old son into wrestling, and was looking for a local show to take him to. I was 25 at the time and still running my market stall(which by this time was on its last legs) and living with my now ex partner. In fact, I think we had just purchased the house I grew in from my Mam. Everything was rosey and I couldn't imagine ever being unhappy or unsettled again. They were the famous last words!

2017:

In the years since I joined, my ex partner came clean and admitted she only stayed with me as she wanted the house. This meant I was living on my own in a flat I couldnt afford(the business had died by this stage), started drinking heavily and had my first taste of serious depression and suicidal thoughts. To top things off, I also developed a physical disability which completely poleaxed me! Luckily for me, I ended up meeting a cracking lass who I am still with to this day, and we have a 5 year old together. She saved my life more than once when I tried to end it, and has given me the confidence and support to get into writing(a career that I am putting every spare minute into making a go of) as well as look after me when the disability hit it's peak. Got to see my beloved Barnsley FC play at Wembley 3 times in this period too, winning twice...

I'm trying to post a bit more these days too as there seems to be some really decent folk on here, but I still lack a bit of confidence from my days at rock bottom....

[HarmonicGenerator]

 

I joined March 2007.

Then: Second year of uni, a romantic failure, at the peak of my "Indy wrestling is the best, look at all the moves, ROH ROH" phase. Was a member of the Wrestling Channel forum already, and signed up here to - I think - be able to vote for PAC in the UK50.

Now: In a decent job, been with partner 5+ years, just moved in together after much long distancing, pretty much watch just WWE, old and new, because of the Network. Hoping Neville sorts things out with Vince (much as I'd like him to top the next UK50).

[Tommy!]

November 23, 2007. 

I was at university, hating every minute of it. I was a highly unlikeable person who made life difficult for everyone else. I lived with my parents. I hung to the hope of being able to at least generate a meaningful career of some degree, even in my low expectations. I signed up to kill time and escape the bleakness of my existence by pretending to be deaf, dumb & blind. I watched loads of wresting all the time. 

November 18 2017

I have a job, and I am hating every minute of it. I am a highly unlikeable person who makes life difficult for everyone else. I live on my own in Germany, but when I finally get pushed out and back home I'll live with my mom to try and help her out now she's on her own, especially as that's because of me. I've given up on the hope of being able to at least generate a meaningful career of some degree, even in my low expectations. I stay around here to kill time and escape the bleakness of my existence by being unfunny and a twat until my mom passes and I can let myself drift away safe in the knowledge there's nothing else for me to do before the inevitable. I don't watch any wrestling anymore. 

[Supremo]

Then: 2002. I was an awkward 16 year old nerd. Desperately single, I lived for computer games and pro-wrestling. Just starting sixth form, with no idea what to do with my life.

Now: 32. Married with a one year old boy. Completed a computer games development degree, got a great job with a computer games publisher. I don’t care as much about pro-wrestling.

[TheKayfabeMonster]

On 11/18/2017 at 12:08 PM, Tommy! said:

November 23, 2007. 

I was at university, hating every minute of it. I was a highly unlikeable person who made life difficult for everyone else. I lived with my parents. I hung to the hope of being able to at least generate a meaningful career of some degree, even in my low expectations. I signed up to kill time and escape the bleakness of my existence by pretending to be deaf, dumb & blind. I watched loads of wresting all the time. 

November 18 2017

I have a job, and I am hating every minute of it. I am a highly unlikeable person who makes life difficult for everyone else. I live on my own in Germany, but when I finally get pushed out and back home I'll live with my mom to try and help her out now she's on her own, especially as that's because of me. I've given up on the hope of being able to at least generate a meaningful career of some degree, even in my low expectations. I stay around here to kill time and escape the bleakness of my existence by being unfunny and a twat until my mom passes and I can let myself drift away safe in the knowledge there's nothing else for me to do before the inevitable. I don't watch any wrestling anymore. 

None of my business , but this has to be one of the most honest pieces of self-analysis i have ever read!

[Kaz Hayashi]

On 18/11/2017 at 12:08 PM, Tommy! said:

November 23, 2007. 

I was at university, hating every minute of it. I was a highly unlikeable person who made life difficult for everyone else. I lived with my parents. I hung to the hope of being able to at least generate a meaningful career of some degree, even in my low expectations. I signed up to kill time and escape the bleakness of my existence by pretending to be deaf, dumb & blind. I watched loads of wresting all the time. 

November 18 2017

I have a job, and I am hating every minute of it. I am a highly unlikeable person who makes life difficult for everyone else. I live on my own in Germany, but when I finally get pushed out and back home I'll live with my mom to try and help her out now she's on her own, especially as that's because of me. I've given up on the hope of being able to at least generate a meaningful career of some degree, even in my low expectations. I stay around here to kill time and escape the bleakness of my existence by being unfunny and a twat until my mom passes and I can let myself drift away safe in the knowledge there's nothing else for me to do before the inevitable. I don't watch any wrestling anymore. 

People on here like you. So you know, swings and roundabouts.

[Wretch]

Then: November 2008. Lurked on this place since the summer of 2001, signed up to post an answer in the questions thread I think. I had moved to England from Dublin with my job the year before. Was living in a shitpile flat share in Sherwood, even by my previous house sharing standards this was awful. Had just turned 22 and was banging the 38 year old secretary from work. This no strings arrangement continued on and off until 2014.

Now: Upscaled to glamarous Arnold now. Been with my girlfriend for almost two and a half years. Got our mortgage approved and am planning on proposing next year sometime. Getting my career back on track too. A few years after moving over here with my job, my office closed down so took the next thing I seen, a bit of a crappy job working nights and am still here nearly seven years later. Fell into the trap of settling in and getting comfortable so taking steps now to get out of the rut in the new year.

My girlfriend is finally putting her degree to some use and starts a new job in January. Can't wait, seeing as how she currently sits opposite the really milfy secretary I mentioned above. Still can't believe that happened, what are the odds?

[Devon Malcolm]

1 hour ago, Kaz Hayashi said:

People on here like you. So you know, swings and roundabouts.

Tommy! continues to push this theory that he's unlikeable by continuing to be easily one of the most likeable people on the forum. It's a dreadful effort on his part, quite frankly.