![Smiley: smile](http://zam.zamimg.com/i/smilies/smile.gif)
My first post here was in the Final Fantasy XI main (=10) in July of 2004. I spent most of my time posting in our server forum, but back then the Bismark forum was in someone's Journal rather than having a dedicated forum. I also lurked for at least half a year before posting, because I was in the XI PS2 beta back in 2003 I believe it was. I happened across this the other day while I was looking through some old binders, this particular binder I got from Sony for being part of the Gamer Advisory Panel. That same group was the reason I got into the XI beta as well
![Smiley: thumbsup](http://zam.zamimg.com/i/smilies/thumbsup.gif)
![Screenshot](http://zam.zamimg.com/images/1/2/12b96527115099bbd519a29726793534.jpg)
My name was originally Wintaru, but I decided to shorten it to Wint after I started playing other games besides XI (it's short for Windurstian Tarutaru, my wife's idea
![Smiley: smile](http://zam.zamimg.com/i/smilies/smile.gif)
![Smiley: frown](http://zam.zamimg.com/i/smilies/frown.gif)
My old sig I used for our LS forum
![Screenshot](http://zam.zamimg.com/images/3/3/33301f39f31cf32b5507c57364101a7d.jpg)
Earliest photo I could find of Wintaru, doing my first AF fight with Marchelute
![Screenshot](http://zam.zamimg.com/images/d/9/d975a847ff3d3aa83afd0f31049528a8.jpg)
My wife and I for the brief time she played
![Smiley: smile](http://zam.zamimg.com/i/smilies/smile.gif)
![Screenshot](http://zam.zamimg.com/images/b/6/b6e03173efec0cee05954abad226f1a0.jpg)
Back then I had been married for a little over a year. We lived in a tiny apartment (less than 1000 square feet), and had no kids. I worked as a data entry clerk for the same company that I work for today (as a UI programmer).
In 2005 my life changed for the first time when Aedyn was born:
![Screenshot](http://zam.zamimg.com/images/c/7/c78214cd540705c1e9d9e247a934decf.th96.png)
In 2008 things changed again when Zoe was born:
![Screenshot](http://zam.zamimg.com/images/c/d/cdc0747fdbbc02db0ca945ff49857d74.th96.png)
And in 2012, our last, Michael:
![Screenshot](http://zam.zamimg.com/images/3/0/305e7269d77c24b458de721c12622979.th96.png)
These are the kids today
![Smiley: nod](http://zam.zamimg.com/i/smilies/nod.gif)
![Screenshot](http://zam.zamimg.com/images/7/5/7534bd5271e856472d65091169e0edd3.th96.png)
I got promoted in 2010. I migrated over to the XIV forums and have been here ever since. I've since been made Lead Content Manager for XIV, hopefully I can get the forums in shape for ARR! One thing I've noticed, especially when reading the Official XIV forums (but even lesser forums like the Official Playstation Forums), Zam has a unique and enviable forum population. You guys are all awesome
![Smiley: nod](http://zam.zamimg.com/i/smilies/nod.gif)