The End of the Beginning

 

So after wanting to tell the backstory of WhuddleWorld and creating this site to do so and to share scrapbook-like memories with anyone still interested in the nostalgia of the Whuddles, I'm doing a 360.  Apologies, but due to my health getting worse, some issues with extended family taking up a lot more of my time and already limited energy and some very real and potentially legally sticky issues surrounding _some_ of the content, I won't be doing much here on WYR at all for the foreseeable future.  Things may change at some point if any of the above circumstances change.  I'm sorry for all the rambling posts and slim content - I really did hope to have a sort of "virtual campfire" for WhuddleWorld fans and creators alike.

 To be honest, if anyone is even reading this, I honestly think telling the backstory and history of WhuddleWorld would be a sort of "healing" exercise in a lot of ways.  And I also hoped it would be a way to remember something, that for whatever reasons, felt like a very special web site with an almost "magical" positiveness about it for a time.  Its probably my own personal baggage, but I was pretty shocked when I started to feel all the old anger, hurt and resentment coming back and I realized that I _still_ wasn't over it and now I'm beginning to wonder if I ever will be.

But if ANYTHING is true, it is the fantastic and wonderful comments and reactions I still come across around the web, from fans and members of the WhuddleWorld when it was up.  Our team may have created the code, images and story - but it was all of you - the members and visitors that really gave WhuddleWorld life and that special connection it had for so many.   I consider it a privilege to have been a part of that and my heart goes out to all of you!  Thanks, really, for making WhuddleWorld one of the most special sites on the Internet in its time.

As an aside, you can try searching the Wayback Machine for WW nostalgia - it has quite a few snapshots of the original website available if you have the time to search for 'em. ;P

May the sun warm your face and the wind be at your back as you travel down life's roads...

Long Update and Status

 Ya know what?  I think too much - or rather I OVERthink things far too much.  Sadly it is a hard habit to break. LOL!

Quick Update Continued

The tagline for WhuddleWorld was, "A community of imagination for kids of all ages." and as hokey as that may sound, it really was that.  It seems fitting then, that the blog _remembering_ WhuddleWorld should try to keep to that as well.  No big, long-winded explanations this time - just a fun, digital WhuddleWorld memory album!  And as always, any questions asked by visitors to this blog, I'll do my best to answer.

Elder Lyrael (AKA: Dee)

 A screen cap remembering the WhuddleWorld Portal seemed the perfect add-on to this post!

WhuddleWorld Portal

 

 

 

Quick Update

 Life and personal stuff pushed out my time for WYR (this web site), but I'm still here.  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and are looking forward to good stuff for 2024.  You may laugh as you read this, and maybe even think I'm being a bit of a drama queen, but I've really been going through some emotional "stuff" - particularly after I posted that first bit in the Memoirs.  

Like all things in life, there was so much good about WhuddleWorld, but there were things about those years that were also quite dark, uncomfortable and very unhappy for myself, the team and by extension family, friends and supporters of WhuddleWorld.  It's a shame that those things happened and the intent of this blog, was to tell _both_ sides of that story.  However, while it may be cathartic for me (and I'm not even sure of that anymore), I wonder if it wouldn't sort of pollute the memory of the original WhuddleWorld overall.  I mean, the truth is what we created - from 2004-2007, was wonderfully playful, fun and full of hopeful intentions.  Maybe it's best to leave that be its memory.

There have only been a few hundred visits each month since I started this blog (which is fine, I wasn't expecting a lot more than that to be honest) - but I'm hoping there are enough of you that might care to leave a comment and tell me what you think.  Should I delve into the backstory of WhuddleWorld and its creators, etc.  Or should I just post fun memories and images from the site at its best?  Let me know...

In the meantime, something a little less intense.  I thought I'd share some banners we used  - these were created by Elder Kaitler

The WhuddleWorld Memoirs - Part I

Some Context 

 To understand some of the earliest beginnings of WhuddleWorld, you'll need to know a little more about me and my background.  I really don't like sharing some of this stuff, but if this web site accomplishes what I am hoping for - a sense of closure/completion for/about WhuddleWorld - then I'll need to tell some of my story as well.  Hopefully you won't judge me too harshly.