Come and share your story!

[liz795]

I am a bit curious. It's perfectly clear that this site isn't as bustling as it once was (heck, I remember when the auction house had a chat room), but clearly there are users who like to return here from time to time. I love checking in on this place! It's a quiet little corner of the internet that holds so many wonderful memories for me. I still pop in to browse the forums and switch up my avi once and a while. But I will admit, it isn't always easy to come or go.

So, I wanted to invite folks to come on over and share their stories with me. How'd you get to Zantarni in the first place, and what is it that keeps you coming back?

For the sake of gettin' this thread started, I will go first. I joined this site... uuhhhh like 15 years ago now? lol. I think I was literally just Googling for dress up and fantasy games and enjoying all that good ol' flash content. Back then I remember being so dazzled by everyone's avatars! I still get a personal joy out of seeing people rocking the old DI's from the mid 2000's and I have delighted in seeing how people's styles changed with time. For a nerdy otaku teenager with ADHD/ASD, this place was such a welcoming space to share my passions. I will never forget my first RP, the first time I felt the sting of defeat at the hands of knights in the count to 50 thread, or changing my avatar's entire look several times a day.

When one friend of mine left the site, I found it really hard to keep coming back. Between them leaving and my desire to leave my edgy teendom behind me, I neglected visiting the site. I honestly regret it. Coming back and really flipping through the forums and engaging in the features of this site really reminded me of why I used to spend hours and hours here as a young'un. I'm glad to be back ^-^

Can anyone relate?? What has your relationship with Zantarni been like?
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[UtterlyWeird]

A few years ago I had lost my dress up avatar forum home because the moderator threw a fit and deleted it. Failing to find a welcoming place on other avatar sites, I googled one more time, and saw the cute little chubby avatars here. Since I am slightly doll obsessed, I jumped on the chance to come play with them.

Many of the people I knew then aren't here now, but this place is still my favourite avatar site, even with all its quirks and the lack of ability for my avatar (she's UtterlyWeird, I'm Tam) to wear her unicorn horn and a hat at the same time. It's welcoming. Blaze has seen me in full CPTSD freakout, and she still talks to me!
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I am Tam. Tam I am, I like green eggs but I don't like ham.

[NightShade]

I don't remember where I found it.
I also remember it was called Zantarnia when I left. I am definitely not hallucinating that one.
I left because it was time for the forced draft for IDF. I tried to remain active, but it was hard.
Epilepsy hit, albeit after the army. I left entirely. The meds are... quite something... and the fact my mother was murdered right before the draft definitely didn't help.
I came back a while ago and to say I was shaken would be a SEVERE understatement.
99.99% of people left, each for their own reasons.
This is not the Zantarni I remember.
I saw that, despite that, Blaze and Sacrz remained.
I decided to make a comic to advertise Zantarni right there and then.
The fact that I'm %@#5 at drawing is a different issue.
It's definitely past the time I should have produced the first episode.

Only one question remains - how should I advertise it?
I'm thinking of the comic and some creative writing on r/writingprompts.
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[Rinkat]

I found Zantarni back when avatar forums were the big popular thing. I was on Gaia, Solia, and Menewsha as well, back then. I feel like there was another one, but I can't remember.

I fell in love with these kinds of sites because it gave me a chance to make friends. I was homeschooled and had zero social life, so it was nice to be able to talk to any one at all. It also introduced me to roleplaying and I found my love of writing.

I don't think I was very active on Zantarni back then. I was always more of a lurker. But I still liked these avatars better than the other sites.

I came back because I missed having a forum to go to ever day. And I was feeling down cause I still don't have a social life lol. I'm going to try to be more active on here. Maybe I can think of more threads to post.
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[liz795]

@Tam - thanks for sharing! I totally get where you're coming from. Blaze and the knights here have always done a superb job of making this place welcoming and friendly. I'm glad that this could be a safe space for you where you can indulge in your interests! That's one of my favourite things about Zantarni

@Nightshade - I knew I wasn't crazy!!! I totally thought it was Zantarnia the first time or two I visited but I never found anything googling that lol. I am very sorry for the loss and pain that you have been through. Thank you for sharing. I think art ability should hardly matter. You will likely improve as you go! It's tough to say how you should get it out. You could try social media, perhaps? You could write something to post about this whole era of forum sites - like Rinkat pointed out, this was a whole culture back in the day. Creative prompt: this may be a little obvious, but what about immortalizing some of the cool site changing moments on Zantarni? It might mean a lot to people to look back on those times. Like Blaze's coronation! You could flesh it out with like a whole story line

@Rinkat - I totally get that. I tried Gaia because I saw users here talking about bouncing between the sites and comparing the two. This one was just so much more easy and inviting to get into! I get the social thing too. I recall embarrassing myself in posts and PMs because I didn't have the shiniest social skills or symptom management. I'm glad this place offered you that kind of friendly environment, and so happy to see you back ^-^. Actually, I can't lie. I really miss RPing. Would you be open to an RP, even a basic one just for fun?
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[Rinkat]

[liz795]

[UtterlyWeird]

That's it. I'm starting a RP thread.

After this crazy weekend. Unless I die first.
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I am Tam. Tam I am, I like green eggs but I don't like ham.

[Rinkat]

Liz and I have been spitballing some ideas! We can post what we have thought of so far if you want to chime in?
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[liz795]

I may be mildly obsessed with using gifs on here, ngl

Anyone else interested in sharin' their story?
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