Hello, and welcome to my 8000th post in these forums.

I don't see the count getting too much higher than this in the future. There's been some big changes in my life (and all at once - aaaaargh!!!) and now is the time, I think, to tell you all about them. And after that, I'm going food shopping...

Well, I guess some of you know about what's happened, but just to bring it all into focus, and save much searching for those who don't, then here it all is, nice an concise:

I got a divorce from the wife (now ex, obviously!) cos I discovered something that I never even considered. I wasn't in the right relationship. It took meeting someone else before I realised the problem. And yet I look back now and it seems so blindingly obvious... So now, post-divorce, I have to sell my house to pay her off. Luckily my house has doubled in value. Sadly, it means she's entitled to half of it, even though she never paid a penny towards it.

The yucky bit out of the way, let me tell you all about how it is now! I'm now living with my new lady and her three kids - one is 10, the other two are 5 year-old twins. All three are adorable little munchkins, and I love 'em to bits! My lady, Jane, is wonderful; she makes me feel so many more things than my wife ever did, and in much stronger ways. The relationship isn't as easy going, but that's cos she always lets me know what bothers her, rather than the stuff I was used to (basically bottling it all up until it grew out of proportion, then having to take a few hours out to mop up the mess). There's a lot more openness between Jane and I, and it makes me feel much more secure and happy knowing that we can be like that, rather than me sensing something amiss and worrying about it.

We all live in a nice big house in a quiet area, the sort of thing I always wanted to live in (except for the absence of a big whirlpool bath, but then you can't have everything!!) and we're all happy! Well, except for the occasions when that wanker of a husband/father starts dipping his oar in and disturbing the status-quo. Sooner he's gone the better.

Being a father is very tiring and yet very rewarding. I come home from the training centre (which is another bit I need to tell you about!!) quite late, very tired, and then wake up when I'm bombarded by three little ones, all bright eyes and big smiles, all wanting to say hello and hug me and stuff! And today I watched the eldest getting an award at school for her continued good work and behaviour there. A proud moment indeed!

My training centre thingy... well, I got my CCNA last September (as I believe I mentioned at the time) and now I go to a training centre 2 nights a week to work towards my MCSE. It's a lot harder this time, as I don't have anything like the time to do the extra work these days. Plus, I decided to go to a centre which is 60 miles away from where I live. Why?? Well, the package was good and it was relatively inexpensive. Plus, when I ordered it, I had the time to do it at home... It's going okay, I think. I suspect the fact that I use the Microsoft stuff at work helps me a bit, but possibly makes me overconfident. I'll soon know in a couple of weeks time when I do my first mock exam. There's seven exams in total!!

So everything is tickety-boo, except my job. I think I've cleared enough of my changes away to address this one now. I need something more interesting, something to fire my enthusiasm and make me feel I'm not wasting my life in a soul-destroying and demoralising job!

I don't come here very often any more. Thing is, I don't feel the same as I did. I used to love coming here to escape from my crappy life. I don't have a crappy life to escape from any more, and so the desire to come here is greatly diminished. I have had a great time here, and I've met some wonderful people. But I think the time has come for me to concentrate on what is important to me now, and to move on from what was. I expect I'll pop in occasionally, to see what's going on with you all, but I don't think I'll be back in anything like the capacity I was.

Mata, I know I'm not going to be able to keep up my modly duties in the future, but I'd like to keep the moderator status, if I may. I'm a bit of a status snob like that! Or maybe I could be added to a new group called "Once were Mods" or something?? I'd hate to be demoted!!

Awww!

I am really happy for ya Leo! I am glad life has been good to you and it better continue to get better. Keep on truckin' buddy

Hey bud! I'm so glad your life is good right now. Really enjoy it ya' here! You deserve to be happy.

It's a shame you won't be around so much but I know how you feel. Matazone is an escape for me too and a support mechanism. Don't feel though that you can't post about happy stuff happening and keep us up to date. We wanna know you're OK from time to time.

Perhaps one day we can meet up for a drinky poos in Manchester?

*hugs*

Take care and I'm sure you'll be around sporadically. This place is too great to forget

well, i was gonna write something along the lines of "noooooooooo", but then i figured like sam i'm happy for you
it's a shame you're not gonna be around that much now, i rarely speak to you as it is! and we've had such fun, sliding down the Urbis building and fighting with ice cream, and setting up bakeries and the like
anyway, you're still my e-hubby, even if you have many wives!! so, i would like to say thanks for talking to me about all my bad stuff the times when we could, and i hope you have the best of luck with keeping things top good in RL *uber super mega hyper dooper hugs*
you better come back sometimes, as i'll cry!! and don't forget me neither, as i'll be up to manchester like a shot and i'll bash you with sticks
lol...random rant over, take care hunni xxx

*goes all Labyrinthesque* If you need us! Yes if you need us you know where we are.
No but seriously glad to here it going really good for you. It's brilliant news after all the crap stuff. As Pixie said keep us updated now then to let us know how stuff is going.
And like Pie said *uber super mega hyper dooper hugs* to you and take care.

I'm happy everything is going so well for you Leo. You've always been one of my bestest friends on here and I will miss seeing you go, but I would rather you be off enjoying your life. **hugs**

*sigh* another one leaves the nest



i'm happy for you leo, i really am, one day i hope i have a happy life like yours (but with a big whirl pool bath.... of course you can visit to use it )

of course there's still the meets....you are coming to some future meets right? oh you better had *shakes fist* we need to meet your new lady friend and tell her how super great you are and all that stuff that friends do >_>




*covets thy mod pants* >_>

Que sera, sera...

That's a lot for one person to deal with, but it sounds like you've more or less come out smelling of roses And much as I'll miss your (already pretty patchy) presence, I understand not coming here as much. Just make sure you get over to a Meet or seven in the future, 'kay?

Will miss you Leo, hope to see you on a meet one day. Hope your life continues to get better

*waves a white handkerchief*

Bye Bye! I'm glad that everything's working out great for you. Goodluck for those exams! Love you lots and lots.

*tries so hard not to break down and cry as tears roll down my face*
*waves handkerchief again*

Aysha xxx

You rock Leo. You are, in fact, King of everything good and great. Stay in touch! You have my number

awww Leo i'm so glad everything is good for you!!! Sounds like you've got a fantastic life now an a wonderful ladee

Won't be the same without you round lots an i'll miss you lots too... but you'll come to meets in the future yea!?... an if i'm ever in manchester i'll try hunt you down!! Be warned!! *giggles*

But yea... glad everything is good Have lots of fun an hope you get a whirley bath so that your big house is complete!!

*hugs*

I had a feeling that was the case. Good to hear that things are shifting in the right direction for you now, after a world of arse.

Keep stopping by, you old lady part - you are, after all, an integral part of the forum dynamic - and you'd better make sure you're free for a drink later in the year. A stag do without the mighty leo would be like 'I Love 19XX' without Kate Thornton.

I still hate you, of course. But in a loving way. Y'bastard.

im happy that your life is heading in the good/yay/happy direction even tho it means you wont be around here much, i hope you enjoy yourself andyou hapy life... and good job for the girl that got the award thats pretty awsome.

fare thee well the leo, i'm gonna miss the hugging and babbling we used to have but i'm glad your life's of the good now you were/are/etc a great friend whenever i needed you and thus i demand that you don't abandon us completely...i still have kidnappery plans...i'll just inverse them...

Of course you're welcome to keep your mod status. I give people that because I trust them to make a good decision should they ever need to, not because of the amount of time they spend on here!

I'm really chuffed for you mate, it sounds like your life is going along really well and I'm happy to hear it. I'm sad that you won't be around here so much, but I'd love it if you could still get along to the meets. You know you'll always be welcome. As Cath says, it's a bit like the end of Labyrinth.

8,000?!!?!?!?!!? Wow! You amaze me!

I hope you enjoy your happy life! here's to many more good times! *hands you a cake*

I'm so happy to hear your life is going tickety boo Leo. though I wasn't even aware that you were leaving. I thought you had already left! Now I'll miss you even more. And of course your big banana.

Drop in once in a while and tell us how goes it.

I am Leo! Hear me roar!

Aye aye, top banana stuff big fella. Supergreat to hear how things have turned out peachy for you. It's odd really, reading your post was like a strange melding of my life of the past few years and my brothers. So I can empathise to a certain degree with all the crap, and can do a little desk-based dance of joy at the good stuff.

And as the rest've said, it'd be good to meet you in person at a future meet at some point.

May your road through life be free of potholes, and have a petrol station on every corner, yea, that selleth warm yummy fresh pastries. Verily.

awww, im glad for the most part your life is going well leo, but but but... ill miss my sexy man mod e-pimp....