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[Hyuuga Kaito]

In today’s political, social, and economical climate, only one truth is absolute: nothing lasts forever. Blasé as this claim may be, and as much as it rides on the trend of pessimism, it should be seen as a means to an end and not an end unto itself. What I mean to say is that throughout all our hardship, however great or small, the one thing we can enjoy is the present. And for me, Engi makes that possible in so many ways.

If you were to have asked me back when Engi first started if I thought the site would be up for another three years, I’d have expressed some doubts. Five years later, and I still can’t believe it. Many would hasten to say that we haven’t actually accomplished very much on our little forum, that although we’ve been around for such a long time, we’ve done very little in the way of writing. Perhaps in comparison to other RP sites of broader fandoms, yes, we are a little below the mean. But should this matter at all? Should we weigh ourselves by the definitions of others? Ask yourself, what does Engi becoming five years old mean to you?

To me it’s the idea of loyalty and dedication, not only to my work but to those who I hold as dear friends. Engi itself, as a diving board, offers so much if you’re willing to take the plunge. When you choose to contribute to the site, in even the smallest amount, you are participating in an institution that has been running strong for five years. You are choosing to make yourself a part of a community that has, for some people, been an intrinsic part of their lives for five years. You are helping to build common ground and bridge gaps, a lesson that has been taught and re-taught over five years. This is what Engi turning five symbolizes to me.

Unaccomplished? I beg to differ.

What I celebrate now is not the past that we should so rightly respect, but a future that, to me, seems as limitless as the day I first began here. The only difference is that back then, I wasn’t sure what I wanted from this site, or where it was heading. Now those questions are meaningless, because as long as there are people here who are ready and willing to have fun and learn about themselves in the process, I have no fear that Engi will be around as long as it needs to be.

As I said, nothing lasts forever. But what does that matter? Worry not about how much longer Engi will be around. Instead, ask yourself what you can do to make your time here memorable.

In commemoration of this event, two new members will be added to our staff to help us continue this tradition: Will of Fire and Rizhou. I’d like to extend to them a warm welcome as well as congratulations. I’m sure you ladies will do just fine.

I would also like to thank everyone for all their support throughout the years. I’ve had my many ups and down with people and the site and life in general. But I’ve never felt that Engi was a burden. It is a responsibility of mine, certainly, but one I take up gladly. I don’t know what I’d rather do sometimes, to be honest. And that is all in part to everyone who has been to this site and helped make it the amazing place that it is.

I commend thee Engi, both the site and the community it has fostered. As a place of learning, inspiration and camaraderie, I commit myself to its betterment and hope that you all might do the same.

And Happy Birthday


P.S. As part of the celebration, I am glad to announce that 7th characters no longer require admin approval. Go nuts with that! What about 8th characters? Ask your mother

[Ignis]

To those who said Engi wouldn't last another year last year...

YOU. WERE. WRONG!!!

Here's to another year of fun rp times!

[Virtual Dream]

My mom said it was okay.

[darkbeauty]

yay!

*dances*

:3 Happy birthday Engi.

[Juice Box]

Wow.

Five whole years. Happy Birthday Engi!

[Bukowski]

Hmmm…

It’s funny, those of you who know me in chat probably expect me to come in with some big comedy bullshit, perhaps telling you all to fuck yourselves and that I’m better off without all you cumdumpsters, but you know, honestly I can’t do that. I can’t do a lot of things: Engi’s honestly taught me that. First thing that I learned on the site was that my two year degree in English Education meant nothing and Kym -a fifteen year old asian boy who is probably doomed to years of virginity and perhaps a possible conversion to Islam in his parents basements- can see my run-on’s from a mile away.

Serious, an entire bakers dozen of ratings and he says the same shit every time.

I digress, I found Engi in an odd way, my younger brother was a member here for a short while and he showed me a few characters. Embelished his own career here in a way that only a member of the Buko line can and eventually on a bored July evening -after having just been kicked out of my house for sleeping with my douche bag roommates fifteen year old sister- I joined the lame little Naruto site my brother dicked around on for four months. I didn’t know how to roleplay, my writing is sloppy and honestly hasn’t improved and when I joined Lockdown had just been put into effect: I didn’t stay on Engi for very long.

Eventually though, I became engrossed in the community by being in the chat. I met a few people who are honestly among my best friends, I work in night school you see and every day deal with kids who quite frankly could give a shit less about the symbolism identity plays in Rosencratz and Guildenstern are dead, but every night I come here, every night I write a tasteless story with a kid who talks funny. Every night I talk to the same people, they know my friends almost as well as I do, they know my girlfriend, they know my crazy ex-girlfriend.

These people are people I feel comfortable with, people, who I would quite frankly get into a fight for, that’s right -you guys know who you are-, I would beat the shit out of a guy who made fun of your humongously huge tits. I would beat the shit out of someone who used the n-word carelessly with you, I would beat the shit out of someone who commented on your hilariously huge ass, and I would beat the shit out of someone if they dared even look at my biffle funny.

Of course, there are some people on Engi who I would just love to beat the shit out of, but that’s the beauty of things: Engi is a thriving communtiy, with relationships just as real as the ones we have in “real life”.

To say something that I’ve said many times in my time on Engi -in various states of undress-: I love you guys.

Happy mo’fuckin’ birthdaysicles and shits.

[Kym]

Kym -a fifteen year old asian boy who is probably doomed to years of virginity and perhaps a possible conversion to Islam in his parents basements

Just so all of you guys know; this is true. Though, since as much as I love Buk I can't help but fire back a jab - if a rater says the same thing to you, what does that say about how much you've improved?

<3

And after five years, Engi gets its share of womanz. oh u, engi :3

[Maki]

Woot! I can't believe I'm active on Engi's fifth Year. It's an honor to be here with you guys. I may not have been here for it's whole run and I don't have some epic speech to give, but I'm happy to have has this safe haven to express my thoughts! Cheers, Engi!

[Shinji]

You know...

I'm not a man of excessive description, nor a man to embellish speeches with long tirades (I'm looking at you Buk, you Cuban dickweed!)

But, if not for Engi, I can't say I would be the same man I am today. In the three long years I've been here, I have found friends that often overshadow those I have known for my whole life. Bonds of mutual trust have been established that I can never erase.

In many ways, Engi has replaced the drugs I so regularly used to abuse. Instead of toking up and playing some shitty vinyl at 3 am, I find myself cursing at Swedes who don't post, imagining dreamteams of fake American Football players with Koreans and Canadians, or bantering about Star Wars with a woman who thinks she's a little girl and the one man who has, quite simply, become one one of my best friends.

And I wouldn't exchange that for the world.

In an environment where the fandom has clearly over eclipsed the source material, with both an abruptly hostile yet overwhelmingly engrossing - and down right FUN - community, I can only hope to share the future with you all.

Especially since you bastards won't let me leave.

[tylercool2]

Ok, I have been here for a few years, and I'll be honest with you guys. In my own opinion, I haven't done much here. I'd love to change that, and most likely will in the near, near future. It's as they say, with a new year comes new beginnings, and this is the new year for engi.

Honestly, I don't even know if I've done enough to post this here (I'm very self critical), but here it is. Happy birthday engi, it's truly a good part in my day when I work on my next post, read over the latest topics, or just stalking the boards reading other people's work (something I do often).

The last thing I have to say is Happy Birthday Engi, and many more.