Meet Dahmli Aka The Aardvark AKA Aaron, the funniest twilek in any cantina in the galaxy.
So its 2003. I am a freshman in college, majoring in pyschology and online gaming. I never thought I would be SUCH a nerd, but I was (and still am). I'm dancing away in the cantina and there happens to be this really comical twilek cracking the most corniest of jokes. He took his role as "entertainer" very seriously as he whipped out joke after joke as he flourished about on his mandoviol or his nalargon (ok, even the instrument names sound dorky!)
As I got to know this character named Dahmli, I discovered he was quite a cool guy, and he lived near Chicago. At the time, I was dating my high school sweetheart and was traveling up to Chicago a couple times each semester. Dahmli and I decided to meet up in Chicago and meet in real life. Now there is something you should know about Dahmli. He has the worst (and I mean WORST) sense of direction ever known to mankind. We went to lunch in Chicago and....got lost. We spent about 3 hours looking for the car. It was pretty exciting! I wasn't much help in finding the car, but it made for a very fun, full of laughter, exciting experience! I knew from the moment I met Dahmli, (and the moment we couldn't find the car) that we would be friends forever.
We continued to play the game together. Aaron was a store manager at a Blockbuster at the time, but on his off hours, he would webcam with me to keep me company while I did my schoolwork and studied. We met up each time I went to Chicago and a great friendship just kept growing!
Aaron was and is there in hard times for me and I for him. He's also been there for celebrations! He came all the way down to Texas for my graduation from nursing school! He is always there for me and Cory and us for him. And a fun side note, I have so many inside jokes with this crazy guy.... (BUGAWK!) <---dont ask...
When most people think of meeting other people online, the first thing that comes to mind is that the person on the other end is odd/strange/not someone to get to know in real life. Anyone that spends that much time playing a game must really not be mentally ok! Hey! I'm mentally ok! (mostly!) Aaron is truely one of my best friends, someone who I can tell anything and won't be judged. He holds a special place in my heart and I love that guy dearly!
But it doesn't stop there.
Meet Matwi (aka Matt aka Wicky Wicky Wickers).
"/flex" (a emote you can do in the game) is sorta our thing and its our way of saying "love ya pal!" So here we are /flexing :)
And lastly, meet Mynos (aka Aaron 1 aka Woj)
Yes he is snuggling with a stormtrooper. This shot was taken last summer when we all met up in Florida for Star Wars Celebration V!
Aaron, Matt and Aaron 1 are all buddies and since 2003, they have been OUR buddies. It was a "crazy random happenstance" that we met online, became in real life friends and have all been great friends for 8 years. I lovingly refer to them as our "chicago gang." And we all make an effort to see each other 1-2 times a year (technically, we take turns going to see each other, but I think we owe the guys a visit ----a couple times over because they have been doing most of the traveling here lately!)
Fast foward to 2011 and let me just say, I have found some of the best friendships from that Star Wars game. Who would have known it was possible? I found amazing friendships....and my soulmate, all from a silly computer game. To this day, I am so grateful for those endless hours I put into Star Wars Galaxies! I love my "chicago gang!"
It was because of Dahmli aka the Aardvark aka Aaron that I met Reeno aka Cory.
Stay tuned for the next episode: The Dantooine Cantina
