I've been getting a LOT of amazing, positive feedback on this from my friends on Facebook. I wanted to share this with you guys because honestly? The large majority of you are amazing, fantastic people and I'm incredibly happy to be a part of it all.
10 Year Anniversary (Updated w/text of Never Ending Battle)
- Thread starter ThatNickGuy
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Philosopher B.
10 Year Anniversary
Dude, it's really great to hear you sound so positive/hopeful! Depression sucks a big one. Would love to hear you read the Neverending Battle story in a video.
Dude, it's really great to hear you sound so positive/hopeful! Depression sucks a big one. Would love to hear you read the Neverending Battle story in a video.
10 Year Anniversary
Thanks for sharing this dude... it struck a cord for a lot of reasons. You've always been "one of the guys" at Halforum to me... like if I was asked to name as many HF posters as I could you'd be top 5, easy, and I sure as hell notice when you're gone. I'm not trying to be sappy or anything, it's true, even if maybe we've never really interacted that much with each other you're part of the group of people that make me come back again and again to this place. I know it's not much, but I know how little stupid details like knowing this can make someone's day, so there you go. You matter to me.
And yeah, if you're not gonna post a video of you reading The Never Ending Battle at least let us foreigners with no access to cool magazines like that read it somehow.
Thanks for sharing this dude... it struck a cord for a lot of reasons. You've always been "one of the guys" at Halforum to me... like if I was asked to name as many HF posters as I could you'd be top 5, easy, and I sure as hell notice when you're gone. I'm not trying to be sappy or anything, it's true, even if maybe we've never really interacted that much with each other you're part of the group of people that make me come back again and again to this place. I know it's not much, but I know how little stupid details like knowing this can make someone's day, so there you go. You matter to me.
And yeah, if you're not gonna post a video of you reading The Never Ending Battle at least let us foreigners with no access to cool magazines like that read it somehow.
10 Year Anniversary
Thanks for sharing, Nick! I don't think I've read The Neverending Battle (and now I really want to), but I was impressed by both of your stories in A Thousand Faces.
I can't pretend to know exactly what you've gone through, but I feel like I've had at least a small taste: I went through two separate major depressive episodes during my first two years of University, and at one point I ended up checking myself into a hospital for fear of the suicidal thoughts I had been having. I know it can get dark sometimes, so it's very inspiring to see you reflecting like this ten years after the fact, completely yourself and ready to continue on through life.
As a drunk man once yelled at me from a moving cab: 'Keep on keeping on.'
Thanks for sharing, Nick! I don't think I've read The Neverending Battle (and now I really want to), but I was impressed by both of your stories in A Thousand Faces.
I can't pretend to know exactly what you've gone through, but I feel like I've had at least a small taste: I went through two separate major depressive episodes during my first two years of University, and at one point I ended up checking myself into a hospital for fear of the suicidal thoughts I had been having. I know it can get dark sometimes, so it's very inspiring to see you reflecting like this ten years after the fact, completely yourself and ready to continue on through life.
As a drunk man once yelled at me from a moving cab: 'Keep on keeping on.'
figmentPez
Staff member
10 Year Anniversary
Great video and I'm glad things are going well for you. Keep up the hard work.
Great video and I'm glad things are going well for you. Keep up the hard work.
C
Chazwozel
10 Year Anniversary
I lol'd at your cat. The tone is so serious and then the cat's like "that's right I'm in your video, ruining your undivided attention".
Good stuff, Nick.
I lol'd at your cat. The tone is so serious and then the cat's like "that's right I'm in your video, ruining your undivided attention".
Good stuff, Nick.
D
darkangel6988
10 Year Anniversary
Congrats on 10 years and thanks for sharing that video with everyone
Keep doing what you do !
Congrats on 10 years and thanks for sharing that video with everyone
Keep doing what you do !10 Year Anniversary
Thanks everyone. Seriously. I've been tearing up from all the comments people have been leaving on here and Facebook.\
As for his royal majesty stealing my thunder? I was honestly assuming he would jump onto my desk (as he usually does, looking for lovin's). I was all prepared to say "Oh yeah, and this little shithead..."
Thanks everyone. Seriously. I've been tearing up from all the comments people have been leaving on here and Facebook.\
As for his royal majesty stealing my thunder? I was honestly assuming he would jump onto my desk (as he usually does, looking for lovin's). I was all prepared to say "Oh yeah, and this little shithead..."
Green_Lantern
Staff member
10 Year Anniversary
I have already sent this trough MSN, but :hug: again.
I have already sent this trough MSN, but :hug: again.
10 Year Anniversary
I believe I did, last year, around the time of the short story contest. We've had a wipe or a move since then, so it's been lost. Not sure if I'll post the text or just do the video. Or could it be both? =D
I believe I did, last year, around the time of the short story contest. We've had a wipe or a move since then, so it's been lost. Not sure if I'll post the text or just do the video. Or could it be both? =D
C
Chazwozel
10 Year Anniversary
Remember Nick, if morons like Dan Brown can get published the sky's the limit! I'm currently on page 200 of my book!
Remember Nick, if morons like Dan Brown can get published the sky's the limit! I'm currently on page 200 of my book!
10 Year Anniversary
Hoping to do the video maybe tonight (wearing the S-shirt for the occasion). We'll see. In the meantime...
The Never Ending Battle Word Count: 1,468
By Nick C. Piers
As soon as I opened that Christmas gift, I knew I was Superman. My four year old hands ripped the wrapping paper off in a flurry and opened the box wide. I reached in and lifted out a homemade red cape. I hurled it around and draped it over my back, clasping the velcro around my neck. None of my family understood it at the time, but I did: from that moment on, I was Superman! Arms stretched out, I was poised and ready for flight. Following a resounding “whoosh”, I dashed around the house, avoiding any and all obstacles in my way.
Oh sure, I never really had any powers: flight, heat vision, super breath, etc. Even before I had the cape, Mom told me all the good deeds that I would accomplish in the run of a day. I didn’t rescue cats out of trees, but I did rescue helpless pots and pans out of Mom’s cupboards. While I never blasted away from an exploding Krypton in a tiny rocket, I did manage to shuffle my crib across a wooden floor to my bedroom door. I might not have had super breath, but my crying fits probably made my dad think otherwise. I’m convinced that I had super-speed, though. There were days that I would secretly crawl out of the ground level window in the living room and run down the never busy street. I would make it at least half way down the sub-division street before my parents or one of my sisters would catch me.
I had three things that made me think I was Superman, though. I had the heart; I had integrity---and I also had my very own arch nemesis.
I did indeed have a super villain of my own. This vile and foul creature seemed to plague not just North America, but the world. It would get inside of me, pull at me, tease me, mock me, and make me think I was little more than a speck. It (because something this foul has no gender to speak of) would feed on my sadness and turn it against me. It would revel in my misery and swim in my pessimism. Its enemy is optimism. It reels away from enthusiasm, but fiercely fights back with a shot of gloom and despair.
What is this horrible force of nature I speak of? What kind of putrid entity, reeking of evil, would take away any means of happiness? It’s not something you can fight away with a gun, or a club, or a knife. No, it is a being of pure evil incarnate. It waits in the darkness of everything I am and waits for just the right time to attack.
I speak of none other than Depression.
For years, I’ve attempted to use all superpowers that were at my disposal to fight off this evil. Desperately, I grasped to any form of happiness, but to no avail. The void would suck me down, time and again. I’ve attempted to fly, but the gravity of feeling like a nothing kept me on the ground. I couldn’t use any of my vision powers because it has blinded me from seeing anything but darkness. My nemesis forced me to compare myself with others, to see nothing good in myself. It didn’t matter what I accomplished, it didn’t matter what made me happy. My archenemy would come back with a vengeance and remind me that I could never be happy.
Depression forced me to feel like I could never stop it. It refused to let me be happy. I had no sword to unsheathe to force it back. It didn’t allow me to feel any interest in any aspect of my minuscule life.
People have told me that they understand; that they know what I’m going through. How could they? The darkness deep within forces me to never relate to anyone. Even in a crowded room, among people that I know I should care for, Depression forces me to feel completely alone and isolated It forces me to feel invisible to not only the world, but to everyone around me. It has constantly told me that I’m not there, or that I don’t deserve to be there. It makes me feel like I don’t deserve to be anywhere. Why must it make me feel like a burden on everyone? Why must it feel like I’m not worthy of anything? Why?
Depression took total over me one night a few years ago. It had grown tired of me and wanted to focus on another of the millions it has affected. My legs hurdled over the side of the bridge. My nemesis almost made me do it that time. So late at night, the darkness reminded me of how Depression made me feel inside. It made the dark water so inviting. It made me think that I could fly. I could fly just this once and then I would never have to hurt again. Depression, whispering in my ear, honestly made it feel that simple. Part of me could see the despair vortex swirling among the waters.
I don’t know how long I straddled on the side of the bridge that night; long enough for a stranger driving by to call the police on their cell phone. Depression didn’t take into account a deus ex machina to stop it. In all its unforgiving power, it didn’t foresee two police officers pulling me off the ledge and dragging me away while a dam of tears flooded my face.
Depression did not win that day, nor has it yet. I can still feel the vortex calling to me. Depression wants me to take the final leap, whether figuratively or literally. It makes me see misery and refuses to ever leave. It forces me to scrape the bottom of my soul and give me the illusion of seeing nothing. Does it realize how it makes me feel to look for something within myself and get absolutely nothing in return? It’s a whisper in my ear: You’re a loser. You’re nothing. You’ll never amount to anything. Depression might very well have influenced a not so friendly classmate in Junior High to say those same things. It knew how it would affect me and continued to pull similar strings throughout my entire life.
It will never leave. It will keep sweeping up from below like a serpent out of bad horror movie. It will always be there to remind me of who I am. It goads me on, telling me that I’m nothing, I’ve always been nothing and I will always be nothing.
Oh, but my nemesis forgot a most potent ingredient. It forgot the most powerful factor in my entire life. The so-called maniacal genius behind Depression forgot a deciding factor within me that it can never change.
I’m still Superman.
My heat vision is my fiery rage that will never let Depression win. My super-breath is my voice; to make sure others hear of my unending battle. My super-speed is that it will always be behind me and will never beat me in the race. My pen is my new cape, allowing me to soar within my own imagination. I’m free here and Depression doesn’t seem to realize it.
It’s forced me to feel alone all of my life, but it never realized how powerful I could become. When I was alone with nothing more than a pencil and paper, I honed my skills. I’ve been honing those skills ever since I was a child.
I proudly wear the S-Shield made famous by the Man of Steel. It’s my barrier against my arch nemesis. To me, the S stands for strength and for security. It brings a smile to the faces of others, from all walks of life. Depression is blinded by the glint of white ivory. It hates laughter and smiles and the joyous days of gleeful merriment!
Deep down, I can still feel it lurking. I can also feel it inside many people around me, a parasite for the downtrodden and low self-esteems. This virus has infected and consumed the world. I refuse to allow that anymore. Depression is beaten back for now. I’ll keep fighting it for the rest of my life. Though I can still hear it, I no longer listen to the foreboding whispers. It’s still waiting in the shadows, grasping at me, eager to take control of me again, but I won’t let it. I still sometimes see the vortex, but I see what it is now and it no longer looks inviting. I can fly freely with my imagination and Depression’s plan to dominate will never succeed.
Superman is said to be fighting a never ending battle.
I will never, ever, stop fighting mine.
Hoping to do the video maybe tonight (wearing the S-shirt for the occasion). We'll see. In the meantime...
The Never Ending Battle Word Count: 1,468
By Nick C. Piers
As soon as I opened that Christmas gift, I knew I was Superman. My four year old hands ripped the wrapping paper off in a flurry and opened the box wide. I reached in and lifted out a homemade red cape. I hurled it around and draped it over my back, clasping the velcro around my neck. None of my family understood it at the time, but I did: from that moment on, I was Superman! Arms stretched out, I was poised and ready for flight. Following a resounding “whoosh”, I dashed around the house, avoiding any and all obstacles in my way.
Oh sure, I never really had any powers: flight, heat vision, super breath, etc. Even before I had the cape, Mom told me all the good deeds that I would accomplish in the run of a day. I didn’t rescue cats out of trees, but I did rescue helpless pots and pans out of Mom’s cupboards. While I never blasted away from an exploding Krypton in a tiny rocket, I did manage to shuffle my crib across a wooden floor to my bedroom door. I might not have had super breath, but my crying fits probably made my dad think otherwise. I’m convinced that I had super-speed, though. There were days that I would secretly crawl out of the ground level window in the living room and run down the never busy street. I would make it at least half way down the sub-division street before my parents or one of my sisters would catch me.
I had three things that made me think I was Superman, though. I had the heart; I had integrity---and I also had my very own arch nemesis.
I did indeed have a super villain of my own. This vile and foul creature seemed to plague not just North America, but the world. It would get inside of me, pull at me, tease me, mock me, and make me think I was little more than a speck. It (because something this foul has no gender to speak of) would feed on my sadness and turn it against me. It would revel in my misery and swim in my pessimism. Its enemy is optimism. It reels away from enthusiasm, but fiercely fights back with a shot of gloom and despair.
What is this horrible force of nature I speak of? What kind of putrid entity, reeking of evil, would take away any means of happiness? It’s not something you can fight away with a gun, or a club, or a knife. No, it is a being of pure evil incarnate. It waits in the darkness of everything I am and waits for just the right time to attack.
I speak of none other than Depression.
For years, I’ve attempted to use all superpowers that were at my disposal to fight off this evil. Desperately, I grasped to any form of happiness, but to no avail. The void would suck me down, time and again. I’ve attempted to fly, but the gravity of feeling like a nothing kept me on the ground. I couldn’t use any of my vision powers because it has blinded me from seeing anything but darkness. My nemesis forced me to compare myself with others, to see nothing good in myself. It didn’t matter what I accomplished, it didn’t matter what made me happy. My archenemy would come back with a vengeance and remind me that I could never be happy.
Depression forced me to feel like I could never stop it. It refused to let me be happy. I had no sword to unsheathe to force it back. It didn’t allow me to feel any interest in any aspect of my minuscule life.
People have told me that they understand; that they know what I’m going through. How could they? The darkness deep within forces me to never relate to anyone. Even in a crowded room, among people that I know I should care for, Depression forces me to feel completely alone and isolated It forces me to feel invisible to not only the world, but to everyone around me. It has constantly told me that I’m not there, or that I don’t deserve to be there. It makes me feel like I don’t deserve to be anywhere. Why must it make me feel like a burden on everyone? Why must it feel like I’m not worthy of anything? Why?
Depression took total over me one night a few years ago. It had grown tired of me and wanted to focus on another of the millions it has affected. My legs hurdled over the side of the bridge. My nemesis almost made me do it that time. So late at night, the darkness reminded me of how Depression made me feel inside. It made the dark water so inviting. It made me think that I could fly. I could fly just this once and then I would never have to hurt again. Depression, whispering in my ear, honestly made it feel that simple. Part of me could see the despair vortex swirling among the waters.
I don’t know how long I straddled on the side of the bridge that night; long enough for a stranger driving by to call the police on their cell phone. Depression didn’t take into account a deus ex machina to stop it. In all its unforgiving power, it didn’t foresee two police officers pulling me off the ledge and dragging me away while a dam of tears flooded my face.
Depression did not win that day, nor has it yet. I can still feel the vortex calling to me. Depression wants me to take the final leap, whether figuratively or literally. It makes me see misery and refuses to ever leave. It forces me to scrape the bottom of my soul and give me the illusion of seeing nothing. Does it realize how it makes me feel to look for something within myself and get absolutely nothing in return? It’s a whisper in my ear: You’re a loser. You’re nothing. You’ll never amount to anything. Depression might very well have influenced a not so friendly classmate in Junior High to say those same things. It knew how it would affect me and continued to pull similar strings throughout my entire life.
It will never leave. It will keep sweeping up from below like a serpent out of bad horror movie. It will always be there to remind me of who I am. It goads me on, telling me that I’m nothing, I’ve always been nothing and I will always be nothing.
Oh, but my nemesis forgot a most potent ingredient. It forgot the most powerful factor in my entire life. The so-called maniacal genius behind Depression forgot a deciding factor within me that it can never change.
I’m still Superman.
My heat vision is my fiery rage that will never let Depression win. My super-breath is my voice; to make sure others hear of my unending battle. My super-speed is that it will always be behind me and will never beat me in the race. My pen is my new cape, allowing me to soar within my own imagination. I’m free here and Depression doesn’t seem to realize it.
It’s forced me to feel alone all of my life, but it never realized how powerful I could become. When I was alone with nothing more than a pencil and paper, I honed my skills. I’ve been honing those skills ever since I was a child.
I proudly wear the S-Shield made famous by the Man of Steel. It’s my barrier against my arch nemesis. To me, the S stands for strength and for security. It brings a smile to the faces of others, from all walks of life. Depression is blinded by the glint of white ivory. It hates laughter and smiles and the joyous days of gleeful merriment!
Deep down, I can still feel it lurking. I can also feel it inside many people around me, a parasite for the downtrodden and low self-esteems. This virus has infected and consumed the world. I refuse to allow that anymore. Depression is beaten back for now. I’ll keep fighting it for the rest of my life. Though I can still hear it, I no longer listen to the foreboding whispers. It’s still waiting in the shadows, grasping at me, eager to take control of me again, but I won’t let it. I still sometimes see the vortex, but I see what it is now and it no longer looks inviting. I can fly freely with my imagination and Depression’s plan to dominate will never succeed.
Superman is said to be fighting a never ending battle.
I will never, ever, stop fighting mine.
C
Chazwozel
You should get a Superman tattoo.
- Status