Life and AO

[hitech]

[Ole Unka Phil]

Yes but your a Zombie.... So get over it!

[Blennidae]

There have been quite a few posts such as "it's just the internet, get over it" and "it doesn't affect life outside of AO". Well, AO has had a definite effect on my life outside AO. And I do have a life outside AO.

What a Loser...

I'm sure my life would go on without AO, but the paintballing part of it would become a much smaller part of it.

Like a lot of people I took a break from paintball for awhile. The friends I played with all grew up and apart. When I started getting back into it, I found AO. I thought it was great that there was a place to go where everyone was friendly and informative, unlike some of the other paintball forums I found.

Thru AO I started the progress of updating my Minimag with all the new upgrades.

Thru AO I was lucky enough to WIN an brand new Emag. I will always be greatful to Tom's generosity shown in those pop parties.

But for most important for me, I have made new friends, some local, some not. The local ones are a great bunch of guys to spend a day paintballing with. The not so local guys can always be counted on to help out whenever I have a question, on subjects that go beyond just paintball.

[Thordic]

To some people AO is just an internet forum, to a lot of the older members, its a community.

I've made a lot of friends on AO that aren't just internet friends. Mayhem, Wyn, Nelson (ntn), Joey D, Oldsoldier, the list goes on and on. I've had a few AO members open up their houses to me, and I've opened up my house to AOers. I've taken AOers to NYC, and I've had AOers take me to Chicago.

Its more than just an internet forum, or at least, it used to be more.

This is what a lot of older members complain about, and what newer members will never understand. AO used to be about so much more than paintball.

[Automaggot68]

To some people AO is just an internet forum, to a lot of the older members, its a community.

I've made a lot of friends on AO that aren't just internet friends. Mayhem, Wyn, Nelson (ntn), Joey D, Oldsoldier, the list goes on and on. I've had a few AO members open up their houses to me, and I've opened up my house to AOers. I've taken AOers to NYC, and I've had AOers take me to Chicago.

Its more than just an internet forum, or at least, it used to be more.

This is what a lot of older members complain about, and what newer members will never understand. AO used to be about so much more than paintball.

First post from ban.

I know what you mean.
I've developed some great freindships off AO, and if it werent FOR AO, i wouldn't be playing with the group of guys that i currently ball with.
I would still think that the Angel was the fastest damn marker on the planet.
I wouldn't know that the leak in my mag is caused by a tiny gosh darn oring I didn't oil.
The list goes on.

[Miscue]

I've met a lot of great people - via AO.
I've learned a little bit about machining/manufacturing and the nature of business.
Dealing with people as a mod, I believe - has better prepared me for supervisory roles at work.
Strangely, my "social intelligence" has improved I believe... because of AO.
Didn't know anything about microchip programming - AO/AGD gave me a reason to learn it.
I've met people who are very good at different fields, and have picked their brains.
I've tested my alcoholic consumption limits at AO related events - I don't drink much, so I learned something new.
I used my first hookah, because of AO - and invented the Cell Phone Slide.
I've done more traveling EVER in the last couple of years because of AO.

[Target Practice]

To some people AO is just an internet forum, to a lot of the older members, its a community.

I've made a lot of friends on AO that aren't just internet friends. Mayhem, Wyn, Nelson (ntn), Joey D, Oldsoldier, the list goes on and on. I've had a few AO members open up their houses to me, and I've opened up my house to AOers. I've taken AOers to NYC, and I've had AOers take me to Chicago.

Its more than just an internet forum, or at least, it used to be more.

This is what a lot of older members complain about, and what newer members will never understand. AO used to be about so much more than paintball.

Seconded. I consider many of the people on the forums friends, Thor included. I've crashed at houses with a day's notice, and it's given me some great experiences.

I met my girlfriend on AO. I love her more than anything, and I can't help but thank AO for that. It's made both of us very happy. Also, people on AO have made us less than happy (thankfully, we've been able to work through those times.) For those who say that AO is unrelated to real life, it's just not true.

[Aegis]

On a related note, How many AO'ers do you play with regularly? That has been the best part for me, our AO days are a blast. Last time out we were around 23.

[SpecialBlend2786]

I've met a couple of friends on AO, and have learned a great deal. The friendly corner has been a great place to talk about things, ranging from the stupid to the sincere. I know i've posted a few heavy threads over there looking for support, which i have pretty much always recieved from the AO community.

[hitech]

On a related note, How many AO'ers do you play with regularly?

None. Being a new father (8 month old daughter) and other events has severly limited my playing time. Fort Ord was the last time I played...

I have met some of the other NorCal Aoers, and proudly call myself one.

[punkncat]

Well I, for one, can admit that I spend WAY too much time on AO

Great place to find information about anything related to paintball. Even if you can't find it here, someone will send you in the right direction. Traditionally a great place to discuss just about any subject, and get intelligent answers. I have to agree that there is more of a community feel to the place than a "board". Met some great folks through this place.

AO is also a great place to deal and trade in used paintball items. Good trusted buyer/seller base that really watches out for each other in most instances. Not to mention the aftermarket sources available here for Mags and other makes.

[SCpoloRicker]

On a related note, How many AO'ers do you play with regularly? That has been the best part for me, our AO days are a blast. Last time out we were around 23.

/Hi guys

Absolutely true. Having left the sport in college due to theft, it was the old farts (gettin' there) of AO that brought me back into the game. More importantly; they made me want to emulate their attitude both on and off the field.

AO days aren't about mags; they're about buddies getting together and playing some stand-up, balls-to-the-wall paintball.

[Vex]

I've been an AO member for almost 4 years now, although you wouldn't know it by my post count: <450. I don't post a whole lot, but when I do, I try to only post intelligent replys, helpful tips, or something of interest to most people. I do, however, rely heavily on AO for about 99.9% of my paintball info (the rest I just make up as I go along)
Without AO, I wouldn't know crap about my Mag--even though I've owned it since '97!
Without AO, my Mag would still be stock (nothing wrong with that!) but I really, really, love my upgrades!!
There are people on this forum that I know I could trust even though I've never personally me anyone from AO (there just aren't too many AOers in Central R-Can-Saw... )

Anyway, I love this forum. It's going to have it's ups and downs, but it's still THE funnest place on the internet, with the exception of theforce.net and, uh, one or two, uh, 18 or over sites...

Keep on keeping on, AO!!

[Creative Mayhem]

To some people AO is just an internet forum, to a lot of the older members, its a community.

I've made a lot of friends on AO that aren't just internet friends. Mayhem, Wyn, Nelson (ntn), Joey D, Oldsoldier, the list goes on and on. I've had a few AO members open up their houses to me, and I've opened up my house to AOers. I've taken AOers to NYC, and I've had AOers take me to Chicago.

Its more than just an internet forum, or at least, it used to be more.

This is what a lot of older members complain about, and what newer members will never understand. AO used to be about so much more than paintball.

Couldn't have said it any better.

I have been to MANY AO meets over the last 3 years, and I plan on making as many as possible, as well as plan and setup the upcoming AO Canada meet this Sept(sticky in Meet and Greet) Without AO, I wouldn't have as much fun playing ball as I do, heck without AO, I prolly wouldn't be playing much period.


BIG thanks to Tom for creating a place for Auotmag owners to come and hangout, shoot the perverbial turds, and plan real life gatherings. Without AO my life would be much duller and uneventful. Yes I have no life

[Dubstar112]

I dont think I could ever really stop coming here, theres a certain knowlege posessed by many of the people here and I come here to read what they have to say. Just browsing the forums, I dont read any thing posted by a name Ive never seen.

CM, Tom was not the og. This place was started by a person named "Andy". AGD jumped at the idea and made a deal. I think Andy got somthing along the lines of an Emag in trade for AO. Not 100% sure though.