I was born in a hospital on Swan Island across the river from downtown Portland. (They have since turned it into Adidas of North America, to apparently rival the shoe company that’s a couple of miles from where I’m currently living. Some little startup called Nike.) I could go on about my childhood, my conversion, my stupid mistakes (like sitting on the hood of a moving vehicle, then flying off it), but my life actually began at 19.
Everything before that was just fluff and hormones. I went on an LDS mission to Tempe, Arizona in the summer of 1996. I had a nice MTC companion (Elder Brown of Broken Arrow, OK & Denver) who was a great example to me of someone who knew what he wanted to do. He went off to Anaheim with another roommate (Elder Westergard of Weber State U). I don’t remember what I did there, but I had an attitude change. I suddenly felt like I had a reason for being, which is pretty good for a guy who had previously enjoyed nothing but wasting time. Arizona was 115F the first day I arrived. I now understand the proper metaphorical use of inferno. Driving down the road with the window open is like putting your face in front of a blowdryer. I was involved with a lot of people, but I was learning about life through them at a rate that would have been impossible had I stayed home. I think the personal growth was really what I was there for.
I came home in the summer of 1998 to be just a regular guy again, which was really mind boggling at the time. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I signed up for fall term at a community college. I wanted to write, and I just started to get an interest in SF, so I picked up a copy of “How to Write SF&F” by some guy named Orson Scott Card. It was the most clear cut instruction on anything I have ever read, and I even picked up Ben Bova’s afterward. I decided I’d read this “Ender’s Game” of his that was supposed to be so good. I tend to read novels over a week long period. I sat up all night and finished it in eight hours. I immediately bought the other three (there were just the four at the time). I had to give up school when I made the decision that I just couldn’t live with my family anymore. A few weeks after settling in I discovered Hatrack. I rummaged around the webpage a few times. Eventually I decided I’d see what the fans were like. They had the old forum format, but I happened to pop in on the precise day that the brand new UBB was up and running. I didn’t want to make the first post since I didn’t know anybody and I didn’t know what I was doing. I was scared. Somebody finally did. I registered and posted right after him. Then this thing evolved into what it must have been on the old board. The first thread went to two pages before we decided we needed to start another thread. I lurked for a couple of months, changed my email, and lost my account. I lurked for a couple of more years, making strings of posts on certain days. I’ve had a lot of conversations, but I think I really began to be noticed about a year ago. That’s when I finally got invites to chat. I think it was Jeni who IMed me and said, “I don’t know why I have your name on my list, do I know you?” And I’m like, “I’m just Khavanon from the forum.” Then I came out of lurker status and made myself a regular. I think over the two previous years under this account I had amassed maybe 300 posts.
During that lurker time, I met my fiance at Staples where we had worked. I stayed there between 1999 and 2002 when it was shut down for good. We’ve been dating since April 28, 2000 and will be married on May 3, 2003. We took it slowly, and I think we made the right decision. I’ll be entering the Air Force on June 10, but I think a lot of you already know that. Well, that’s basically the history of Khavanon. My 1,000th came before Papa introduced the “how to make a milestone thread meaningful” method, so I’m gonna get it out of my system.
Thanks to all you guys for making me feel like I belong. I’ve argued with some of you, and yet I’m still your friend. I’ve been right and I’ve been wrong, and I hope all of you forgive me for my shortcomings and my stubbornness. There has never been anything in cyberspace quite like the mystery that is this forum. Hatrack is not the data that gives me this interface to connect with you. Hatrack is you. I’m going to be shipped all over the world, far away from home. But wherever I go, you guys will always be sitting in front of my chair.
posted
Good post, Khav. It's been almost fifteen years since I lived in Arizona, but I still remember that weather. Of course, it's really nice in the winter. Anyway, it's good to have you around. Congratulations, and keep up the good work.
Posts: 9945 | Registered: Sep 2002
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posted
<--Never once suffered from heatstroke or dehydration. Never saw a scorpion. Never even really got sunburned until moving to Utah.
Posts: 9945 | Registered: Sep 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
You would have had to actually go outside to experience the sunburn, heatstroke & dehydration.
Personally I only experienced the scorpions. We actually lived outside the city limits in the desert. The scorpions would climb up the clothes line and find refuge in our clothes, sheets, etc. We'd shake the clothes while taking them down, however that didn't stop us from taking them in the house every once in awhile.
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A few weeks after settling in I discovered Hatrack. I rummaged around the webpage a few times. Eventually I decided I’d see what the fans were like. They had the old forum format, but I happened to pop in on the precise day that the brand new UBB was up and running. I didn’t want to make the first post since I didn’t know anybody and I didn’t know what I was doing. I was scared. Somebody finally did. I registered and posted right after him. Then this thing evolved into what it must have been on the old board. The first thread went to two pages before we decided we needed to start another thread. I lurked for a couple of months, changed my email, and lost my account. I lurked for a couple of more years, making strings of posts on certain days. I’ve had a lot of conversations, but I think I really began to be noticed about a year ago. That’s when I finally got invites to chat. I think it was Jeni who IMed me and said, “I don’t know why I have your name on my list, do I know you?” And I’m like, “I’m just Khavanon from the forum.” Then I came out of lurker status and made myself a regular. I think over the two previous years under this account I had amassed maybe 300 posts.
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