How has your life changed since the VHL began?

[Beketov 8,638]

As we approach our 10th anniversary this is something I just felt like posting that could be kinda interesting to see just how much some of us are old farts / celebrate how long the VHL has been running for. Basically, I just want to hear how much your lives have changed since the league came to be in July of 2007.

 

Personally I was going into grade 11; I had never dated anyone longer than 3 months and was working as a cashier at Shoppers Drug Mart while living with my parents in Moncton. I was turning 16 later that year.

 

Fast Forward 10 years: I've now been married for almost 2 years (met my wife when I was in grade 12), have graduated both high school and university (4 year BA program) and have been working as an editor in TV / film for the past 4 years. I changed cities twice in the time since the VHL started. The first for university when I moved from Moncton to Fredericton (back in Moncton in 2013) and then the move to Halifax at the end of 2015. I'm turning 26 later this year.

 

Bonus points for photos as well!

 

This is me in 2007 shortly after the VHL launched:

 

 

and this is me last year at my sister's wedding:

 

 

It's a year old but I don't take a lot of photos so yeah. Put on some weight but who the hell hasn't. Also, fun fact, the little girl in the first photo is my niece. She has now graduated High School and can legally drink. The VHL is just that old.

 

So yeah, don't make me look like the only weirdo here! How much has your life changed since the VHL began? Note as well that it doesn't matter when you joined, this is just comparing July 2007 to July 2017. Some of us old farts have just been around that long.

 

[Quik 4,113]

This should be fun!

 

I was 16, had never had a real relationship. I'd been in a bunch of sim leagues, including one that I ran (fairly poorly) just before the VHL opened up. Also just finished grade 10. Since then, I've finished high school and university, started working full time for my family company, met my soon to be fiancee, have had 3 nieces and a nephew born to cousins who weren't even thinking marriage at this time 10 years ago.

 

I still remember nights screwing around with photoshop until 4am. Now, I barely have enough time to play video games, and wake up at 5 for work. Crazy what a difference 10 years makes.

 

Congrats on your wedding @Beketov, you look super happy!

Edited July 14, 2017 by Quik

[Beketov 8,638]

3 minutes ago, Quik said:

Congrats on your wedding @Beketov, you look super happy!

#ReadingFail

 

That was my sister's wedding Mine was the year before so I figured I'd go with the newer photo.

[TheLastOlympian07 2,388]

when i first joined 10 years ago I was about 12 years old  now I am 22 and have 1 daughter. She's amazing and so smart. I love spending time with her. I also have a girlfriend of 4 years now who isn't the mother of daughter. I was just starting grade 8 in highschool now I went away to college and now have come home and working in the housing department of the main office where I live. We recently set it up so the houses in my village get new roofs and now new bathrooms so life is pretty swell right now. My life has experienced many ups and downs over the years but the one constant has been the VHL. So this place means a lot to me.

 

 

[Quik 4,113]

1 minute ago, Beketov said:

#ReadingFail

 

That was my sister's wedding Mine was the year before so I figured I'd go with the newer photo.

Whatever, you still look like you're happy, and you're married. My post still applies

[Beketov 8,638]

1 minute ago, Quik said:

Whatever, you still look like you're happy, and you're married. My post still applies

Touché 

[Kendrick 4,714]

I had just graduated high school and was about to embark on my way to University when I joined the VHL. That was a short while after a previous league with all the main guys here had folded and become what the VHL was. Now I'm married (with no kids unfortunately), finished University and plugging away at work. Too many broken bones in those 10 years though

[CowboyinAmerica 2,701]

Sure why not. I didn't join VHL upon startup (never really was much of a hockey fan), but was helping run the MSFL_R at the time and a lot of the membership overlapped. Was 17 during the summer before senior year of high school (grade 12 to you Canadians), was going on college visits while doing odd job landscaping work, still living in Delaware (about half an hour outside Philly) where I was born and raised, and definitely didn't have much going on in terms of a dating life or anything like that.

 

Senior prom me, so happy I eventually got contacts:

 

 

Finished high school and moved halfway across the U.S. to ended up in college outside Chicago. Got myself a journalism degree and guarantee I don't make money for the rest of my life, also broke out of my shell a bit there, and dated and widely expanded my social circle for the first time. Graduated college and met my current girlfriend soon after in 2012, lived on the north side of Chicago for four years. Joined the VHL during the Blackhawks 2013 Cup run, when I really started getting back into hockey. Now, still working in journalism (focusing on the law) and followed the girlfriend up to the Twin Cities in Minnesota last summer where I'm now working on an MBA. No kids or marriage yet, but in the early stages of ring shopping. You grow a lot between 17 and 27, but happy how I at least somewhat have my shit together.

 

Photo the girlfriend took on Valentine's this year:

 

[Baozi 1,635]

2007 - Graduated BA and attempted to gte into Law School

 

 

2015 - Married someone way smarter than me that makes twice my income and lets me play all the hockey I want.

 

 

2016 - Silver in Nationals Ball hockey.

 

 

 

2017- Below the other day i won my first solo match in PUBG

 

 

Edited July 14, 2017 by tfong

[Beaviss 4,949]

I remember my first day here like it was yesterday because it was exactly 3 days ago. So far the community here has been great and really helpful. Since I have joined I played Goalie for a rec ball hockey team it was my first time in years. 

 

Thats about it. 

[Beketov 8,638]

11 minutes ago, Beaviss said:

I remember my first day here like it was yesterday because it was exactly 3 days ago. So far the community here has been great and really helpful. Since I have joined I played Goalie for a rec ball hockey team it was my first time in years. 

 

Thats about it. 

To be fair that's why I worded it as "since the league began." Don't want to exclude any of you new bloods with our old man talk. Great to have you here.

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

My turn.

 

I joined the VHL either my junior or senior year of high school, can't quite remember. Have since graduated college and have worked in the commercial insurance industry for 2 years. Moved out on my own a little over a year ago, but only 2 minutes down the street from my mom's house. Have dated my girlfriend since freshmen year of high school, should probably propose at some point but just haven't gotten around to it yet. 

 

I used to play NHL EASHL at a pretty high level (the club I was with was routinely top 75 and floated in and out of the top 50). The guys I played with were even older than I am though, so we stopped playing long ago. Now, I don't have the patience for multiplayer games for the most part (except for LoL) and have moved on to single player games, primarily FM, EHM, and occasionally OOTP. 

 

Sadly, @eaglesfan036 can now beat me at pretty much any video game  (primarily NHL and Madden) in a 7 game series when I used to routinely dominate him.

 

Also, if you read this topic, you'd think the average age around here is at least north of 20 

[Gooningitup 1,290]

I joined 2 years ago now i was 33 married, no kids just working for ottawa electric.

 

Now im 35 my wife passes away due to cancer, i have a son who is 1 and like a half at this point. I left ottawa electric worked for another company who did more inside work. Now i own my own company with 4 other workers. Doing all kinds of projects from electrical to dry wall.

[Molholt 2,183]

I would've been 16 that July, now 26. I was probably in some baseball leagues but I don't believe I discovered any other leagues until much later. Since then I've graduated from high school, moved to Stillwater and graduated with my BFA in Art - Graphic Design at Oklahoma State, lived with my best friend for a few years, been working at the same place since graduation, got married in April, closed on a house Thursday so I'm moving again (but still nearby). So some big life changes but a bunch of them have been pretty recent ha.

[boubabi 4,725]

I had long hair

( ͡◉ ͜ʖ ͡◉)

Edited July 14, 2017 by boubabi

[NotAVHLM-GM 1,858]

10 years ago.

Living at my parents, working on my bachelor degree. Had not dated for like 5 years as I failed to trust people after prior relationships where Ive been cheated on. Only hockey i could see was dutch hockey so shitty level of play.

 

Now

Own a house where I live with my wife and 2 sons, Rayne & Damon have a nice job at Planon and have really changed and improved myself as a person *mostly thanks to my wife*

Have had nhl center ice in between these 10 years but the timezone difference sucked to much, dont watch hockey anymore really but still love the game.

 

Time to feed the baby, only had tine for a short story

[Frank 4,753]

Fucked bitches and earned currency. 

[Devise 4,475]

Is there a like this thread button, because seriously some great stories in here. So much growing up and time, honestly as someone who was looking for a solid community for years before the VHL, I can earnestly say we have an awesome group come through here with some good people. I'm proud to be apart of it this long, especially considering how toxic some places on the internet can be. 

[Corco 1,124]

Got laid

[solas 1,946]

I was 9 years old when this league started 

 

Joined when I was 13-14 years old, currently 19 and in college.

[boubabi 4,725]

1 hour ago, Corco said:

Got laid

Get paid

[Higgins 3,617]

Surprisingly little has changed for me. Guess that's kind of a bad thing when you really think about it...

 

Cool to read through for people who's lives have changed so much so keep it coming.

[Advantage 2,769]

I was 15 years old and in high school...with aspirations of being a teacher after going through University and was quite a lot smaller than I am now!

 

 

Now 25, with a degree in Political Studies (Emphasis in Law) and a Paralegal Diploma and soon to be Law Clerk Diploma.  Excited to eventually work in corporate and employment law and eventually look to open my own firm up with a good friend I graduated with.

 

[sterling 1,990]

10 hours ago, TheLastOlympian07 said:

when i first joined 10 years ago I was about 12 years old  now I am 22 and have 1 daughter. She's amazing and so smart. I love spending time with her. I also have a girlfriend of 4 years now who isn't the mother of daughter. I was just starting grade 8 in highschool now I went away to college and now have come home and working in the housing department of the main office where I live. We recently set it up so the houses in my village get new roofs and now new bathrooms so life is pretty swell right now. My life has experienced many ups and downs over the years but the one constant has been the VHL. So this place means a lot to me.

 

 

Jesus, time flies 

[DollarAndADream 3,356]

10 hours ago, tfong said:

 

2017- Below the other day i won my first solo match in PUBG

 

 

Winning PUBG and killing only 1 player is the ultimate accomplishment.