Ten Years Ago Today I Joined Club Penguin
Today, ten years ago, I joined Club Penguin. Now it is time to wind things down.
I was 11 years old when I joined Club Penguin back on August 4, 2006. I was young, innocent, and not into computers a whole lot at that age. The year before I had gone to Minnesota to visit my aunt and uncle who live out there and gotten a dog, Ginger, who my family still has and loves dearly.
When joining Club Penguin I had absolutely no idea it was going to stick with me for ten whole years, but it did, and I am so thankful for it happening to me. I was at my friend’s Kyle’s house back in July and he was playing it, and I wanted to make my own account. So, like any child does at that age, I asked my parents if I could. She did some research on it and had even gone to an internet safety seminar at my church. August 4th was the day I got the go-ahead.
Username: Trainman1405
Password: pen11
Yes, for some reason I remember my password from ten years ago, but cannot remember what I ate for dinner the night before.
So much has happened over the last ten years, both in my life and also in the world of Club Penguin. When I joined Club Penguin most players had Piczo websites, some a WordPress blog. Twitter existed, but no Club Penguin players were on there. Our way of communicating was either through these Piczo websites or on actual Club Penguin, when any innocent phrase actually passed the filter. I’ve been parts of each “generation” of Club Penguin. I’ve been there for every update since joining, almost 10/11ths of it at this point. I’ve seen communities rise and fall. There’s been countless bloggers, YouTubers, forums, and general Club Penguin websites that have come and gone while I’ve played. Remember PengSpace? I outlived that. Heck, I’ve outlived 99% of the users who have ever played Club Penguin. If I continued playing the game, soon I’d be playing the game for literally half of my life. I’ve seen the game at its highest point and now also its lowest. I’ve seen the game greatly evolve and change over the years.
I used to be addicted to all things Club Penguin. Around the ages of 12-13 I’d be spending half my days on Miniclip’s Club Penguin forum. That place used to be the bomb; it was filled with activity. I have so many memories, so many enjoyable moments throughout these last ten years. So many great things have happened thanks to Club Penguin. Heck, if I weren’t for Club Penguin, I wouldn’t have a girlfriend for (what will be in two more days) four years and counting. I wouldn’t be seeing her several times a year. I’d just be here, at home, doing nothing. Seriously. If Club Penguin never existed I never would have met her. If it wasn’t for Club Penguin I probably would not be interested in the computer much. I wouldn’t know much about coding or computers in general. But like a lot of Club Penguin players, it made me become interested in that. And I owe so much to the Club Penguin Team for that and everything else it has caused in my life.
But alas, I’ve been thinking long and hard, and it is definitely time to pack my bags and move on. The game is no longer charming to me, in reality it has not been for a couple years now. I’ve been getting by just fine, but this year, as I am sure you’ve been able to tell, I’m really struggling. I don’t care about blogging about Club Penguin anymore. If you look at my tweets you’ll see that I’m mostly saying negative things about the game. Sure, a lot of it is done in jest, but it is still how I feel about the game.
And so, it’s time to move on. Not quite yet, though. It may sound silly, but I’m not quite done with this journey. I could easily stop today and quit if I wanted to, but I have a few more important blog posts I’d like to write first. Remember how time to time I’d write these big several thousand word investigative blog posts? I have one more I’d really like to do. Maybe I’ll even find the motivation to pick up on blogging where I left off two months ago, who knows. When I’ll get to that I don’t know, sometime before the year’s end I guess. I’d also to host one final holiday giveaway, this time putting all of my old (coin code-less) Club Penguin toys up for grabs, assuming people are interested. Maybe even a party too, although I’ve never been done to care for parties. At least I’ll get to see the Project Super Secret beta, unless it’s delayed even longer. Does this mean I’m sticking around until the very end of the year? I don’t know. I do not have any specific date in mind, other than that this is my final few months. Maybe I’ll officially call it quits before December but still host the aforementioned giveaway.
What’s next, and what will happen to Club Penguin Memories and my other blogs? Club Penguin Memories I will keep online for at least another year or two, left untouched without any bloggers keeping it active. Club Penguin Bugs will expire next March and Club Penguin Code will expire this November. I’ll still be using Twitter, keeping the username Trainman1405 for now. Maybe I’ll change it some day, I don’t know. And I do plan to going back to my book blog. So with that, here is our half goodbye. I’m still around, and will be just a little while longer. Thank you for everything so far. Whether I’ve known you for 10 years or 10 seconds, you’ve all been so kind and friendly to me.
Oh, and to Club Penguin: it’s still not too late to hire me. Get in touch. :P
Train, I’ve known you ever since I’ve started Club Penguin blogging. Your website was one of the things that inspired me to create my own. Before I started blogging, I would always go on your website to see what was updated because I always knew you had it up first. You always sent out unique discussion articles that got me and the 50+ other people in your comments thinking. (yeah, remember when we got that many comments?)
When I was first starting out, people started calling me the next you, which was a great compliment, haha. You were my Club Penguin idol, and I thank you for keeping the blog at full speed all these years.
Thanks again.
Dear Trainman, i have being reading your blog since forever, already playing cp from summer of 2008, and i remember how you used to be the fastest Clubpenguin Blogger! :-) what you say in your post is amazing and true, i think most of us penguin players are losing interest in club penguin too, the game is not like it was years ago, and i do not think we will see a pss beta soon and do you have any idea of what happened with spike hike? He now rarely tweets about CP, now he tweets political stuff… Cp should not get involved with political stuff. Spike hike, disney should sell the game back to billybob. Sometimes i wish it was still 2008, will never forget how i found CP , my friend and i randomly google Penguins and there it was, our way to communicate over the internet, and we have awesome memmories about cp . TRAINMAN, the cp team should make you Penguin of the Year, because of what you did in those 10years on cp and the community! :)
Well. I’ve been waiting for this for ages… not willingly. It was definetly coming. You hadn’t posted in over a month. Farewell trainman. Have a good life. I’ve never commented, but this seems appropriate.
Godspeed, Devin.
it’s been fun, man
I’m so sad :'( and I hope that you will keep playing CP!
Can you recommend another blog to go to? Your blog was the only one I went too.
http://www.tkcpcheats.com/
I respect your decision. I joined around ’08, I think. The site was cute and fun. Little more than a novelty to me, although I did buy some memberships throughout the first couple years, I was never all that attached. I’d leave for months at a time, but always found my way back in time for Halloween and Christmas. I always felt like I’d outgrown CP, especially after spending time at sites like Gaia, Tinier Me, and others that catered to more mature audiences. Still, the charming innocence of CP would bring me back.
During this time I’ve seen several CP blogs come and go. Some were good, some were always outdated and not that great. Yours, however, is easily one of the best. But when you stopped updating two months ago, I figured something was up. Trust me though, it’s not you. CP has gotten bad. It started with the lazy parties where fewer and fewer rooms were being changed over to the party theme. When they stopped kicking out EPF missions. Trashing the theater that needed monthly updates and replacing it with the mall that serves no purpose and requires no updates. The phone that has been on the fritz since November. Recycling parties, rooms, and items. Especially since they stopped giving items to non-members. Now with these two month long parties…that pretty much put me off to the point that I’d visit them once and then not return until they’d ended (No one needs two months of Zootopia, and two days of Dory has me wanting to vomit, much less two months). Honestly, the site was better before Disney bought it.
So yeah, I don’t blame you at all. Personally though, I’d stick it out to see if Halloween and Christmas are any good, and then hang it up. I’m not holding out hope that those parties will be any good, but in years past, they’ve been among the better parties CP offers.
No matter what you decide though, you, and your site updates will be missed.
Best wishes on your future adventures.
-Val
WHAT?! You can’t leave! You inspired be to create my cheats website!
Well there goes another good CP blogger
I wish you good luck in the future trainman
hope you changed your password already, it would stink to have your penguun banned.
Do you think I’d give out my current password? Lol. This was the password I used when joining CP 10 years ago. It’s been changed many times over the years.
Where’s REAL password, Crzypengu!?!
Hate to see you go, but we understand why you’d wanna move on.
Have a great future, then, Trainman. I’ve had a great five years with ya.
Woah, First Saraapril, now Trainman… CP had it’s glory time, but everything has it’s end.
This is sad, but it’s inevitable! It’s pretty amazing that you’ve stayed on for so long; I’m a good few years younger than you, but I finished playing Club Penguin a while back, and I’ve finally got to selling my old figures on Ebay.
I don’t really know what to say, besides WHY HAVE CLUB PENGUIN NOT EMPLOYED YOU YET DAMNIT?! xD
I probably won’t really come on this website again unless it’s to be nostalgic, so I guess this is farewell! :) You’ve been an awesome blogger by the way, so please continue blogging – you’re very good at it.
(P.s. Club Penguin isn’t doing too well recently, so I don’t think they will be far behind you in shutting their website down, it seems to be getting to that point now! xD)
I knew something like this was coming. But I completely understand your doing so. Club penguin and its communities were fun back in the day. I am a 2007 penguin, so I more or less can relate to what you were talking about. With how Disney Infinity’s plug was pulled so of no where, and I don’t agree with their greedy reason, I am very surprised the club penguin team is even allowed to continue their development on project super secret. The club penguin community is dieing, and the parties are relying on takeovers now.
Complaining aside, because I can do that all day, I am going to miss your blog. I always could depend on this site for cp news, and background cp information (like items and mascots added in the script) that I would otherwise never find out on my own. I am sad to see you go, but at the same time I don’t disagree with your decision, and I am happy for you instead. I wish you the best in all of your endeavors. Waddle on, Train!
Hey Trainman, I’ve been with your blog for a long time well until I lost interest in cp and I just wanted to come around and see how you have been doing and I found this. It’s really sad to see you leave after how you made me get addicted to this game. Thanks for the happy 2 years :’)
And I still remember the days you were called a robot :D
Looks like CP is doing bad now. Many CP bloggers quit months ago and now you. I also quit CP as there is nothing to do, member or non. It lost its fun element years ago and it’s now become some advertising, boring site with bad ideas and items. Also, the bullying problem is bad and reporting them does nothing. The reason I mentioned it is because I once went onto a private server and got banned because some troll falsely reported me for bullying when he in fact was the bully. I mean, a private server, which is sort of corrupt, cares more about bullying than CP. In my honest opinion, I don’t know when CP started to become terrible. When Disney owned it? When they started to advertise? When Billybob quit? When Polo quit? Or when Spike quit? Anyway, I hope you do well in the future Train as you were the only good CP blogger.
Wow it has been quite a journey Train. I remember finding your blog in 2010 and reading almost everyday for the latest Club Penguin news. I remember going to a couple of your random gatherings a few years back and you even visited my igloo! That was around Christmas time and had made the rest of 2012 for me. But I’m with you that Club Penguin has lost it’s charm and I’m pretty close to cancelling my membership and signing off Club Penguin. Well, you’ve had a good run Train and I wish you the best in whatever life has in store for you. Still it’s been so long and it’s kinda weird to see you go. Have fun on the rest of your life’s journeys. :)
Are you still going to play Club Penguin?
So there he goes… Along with Saraapril,he was one of the most iconic, fastest and at least for me the BEST blogger in the community… Good luck Devin you are an inspiration to every penguin :)
It will be very hard to move to another blog. I have been following you since 2012, and sin ce 2014 and 2015 (besides the wiki) this was the only blog i kept watching for news about CP. I hope you have a good journey! Thank you do much for all the fun and the posts about this game. God bless you in your journey and good luck ;)
…
Welp.
Good luck man! Hope you enjoy your life :D
Almost forgot to say this:
Clubpenguin also got me into computers and coding, and I’m working on my first project.
I hope CP does contact you and hire you, you’d be the best Mod/Dev :D
Trainman, I entered to Club Penguin Memories by a CP Wiki. When I saw it I thinked: “Meh… Not bad.” Just few days after I would return to you blog and since I will enter to see the Club Penguin News, from the best of the bloggers. I saw you Website Info and I was wondered of all of your history in CP ¡You lived the 96% of the game history! You have readers for all the world, I’m from Argentina. Well, thanks and congratulations for your blog, and of course, good luck in anything you do in the future. I hope to be hired from Club Penguin too. You and Saraapril are a big special part of the game’s world.
See you!
Ra
Thank you for keeping this blog for the time it lasted. I hope CP ends up hiring you; you’re the perfect candidate!
Honestly, along with LebronKr, Mimo777, and Monchocho, you’re one of the best bloggers this community has ever had. I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog the last few years. I’ve been on Club Penguin since May 2007, so I’ve nearly reached my 10 years on Club Penguin. I’m a bureaucrat on the Club Penguin wikia, but I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be around on either of them. Heck, I haven’t even logged onto Club Penguin for a couple months.
Anyways, its sad to see you’ll be leaving soon. As the great Billybob has always said, Waddle On, Trainman!
Lost interest in CP too, been checking up every day when I played it so I guess 2011-2014?
Best of luck in the next chapter of your life- you’ll do great things! It’s sad to see you leave but in the long run, you’ve had such a big impact on the community that you won’t be forgotten! Waddle on! :)
Hey Devin,
I just wanted to thank you for your excellent Club Penguin blogging and contributions to the Club Penguin community. I have enjoyed reading your blog since around 2012 and have found the information and content on your site interesting, helpful and informative. I remember especially enjoying your several thousand word posts containing your opinions/investigations regarding the game, along with when you had discovered something exciting/interesting in the game’s files.
Thank you so much for the time and effort you have given to this blog and its audience. I’m sure I say this on behalf of your audience, that the entirety of your work to this blog and other websites has been very much appreciated.
Regards,
coolgobbo1
Best wishes for the future Trainman! You’re set up for a great future I’m sure.
Trainman1405. I hardly have to put anything else besides your penguin name, but knowing me I’ll be writing here for awhile. There’s so many memories, good memories, that come to mind when I hear it. I want to thank you for being that inspirational blogger for me. I remember the time when you helped me through the tough times of being a blogger. Like that time when I “borrowed” your server jumping animation exclusive. That was a mess. Nonetheless, you forgave me. From then I always gave credit where credit was due. Thanks for that. You attended my 25,000 hits party and other parties I hosted. Thanks for that. You watched my blog grow into one of the best. The best being your own: Club Penguin Memories. Thanks for always being there for me Trainman1405. I’m confident I’m not the only one who can say that. You touched so many lives in the Club Penguin community. You won’t be forgotten. I think you’re doing the right thing – don’t regret it. Seize the day, Devin!
~Gpumpkin~
Hey its Dr Flopper. Just saw this post, you’ve been a great inspiration for me and my site CPB. I remember the countless fun competitions me and others would engage with you, just to attempt to post before you. Managed it a couple of times, but the ratio is still pretty much 1:99 to you, haha. Make sure to enjoy life, and I would love to see you perhaps attempt to still stick around on Twitter. You’ve been friendly, a great help and a motivation for many. I wish you the best all throughout your life, hope we are still able to stay in touch.
For now, goodbye my friend; good luck in the future; oh yeah say hi to your family and gf for me. :)
– Dr Flopper (formerly owner of clubpenguinblog.net if you’ve forgotten me)
good bye bro. U inspired me to open my blog. And i also closed it cuz i am also boar with Cp. Soon cp. coc and COR will die. Pokemon go is ruling. But it will also die one day
If you remember me from last year hey :P I was like a huge fan of yours before I stopped playing and today I came to Club Penguin and saw the Frozen Fever party (another!?) and well, it was kind of nostalgic but after logging off I instantly came her and read this post. Its been a huge part of my life for so long and so has your blog which i checked every day. xD Goodbye Trainman, maybe we will meet again. Peace!
Hi Train, Idk if you remember me, but I’ve always used the same nickname (Fred) because my penguin is called “Fred6363” :)
I used to spend so much time here in your blog, I love how you’re always the first one to post news about CP. I remember always coming back everyday to see if there was anything new on CP (or if they fired someone again x)) and you never dissapointed me.
CP had a huge impact in me and my family, I remember how my cousins and I used to scream when we found a famous penguin, the first time we saw Gary we were like “OMG WE FOUND GARY, DANIEL (my cousin’s name) GO LOG IN!” and I remember the joy we always had while playing Club Penguin. I loved how we would sing along to “The Party Starts Now” and how much we liked the music video. I also remember when we used to count the days for the Christmas Party and how we were always excited about the 25 gifts they would give away to members and non-members.
But anyway, in the last years we noticed CP wasn’t that fun anymore, the parties were a little bit lazy, we kept cheking your blog and there weren’t any news because CP wasn’t even updating the game.
In the Christmas of 2013 we decided to quit Club Penguin, at that time my cousins and I had like 11 years, we started listening to music and all that typical teen stuff.
I came back today to see how what’s going on, and I’m truly dissapointed, CP hasn’t changed since I left.
My name is Fabián, I’m from Costa Rica (Central America) and I’m now 15 years old, when I look back I see all the things I’ve been through and how CP and your blog helped me so much…
I’ll probably come back in a few months to say goodbye to this great blog, it has been such an important part of my life and I will always remember you, Train, as the best CP blogger and I will always keep all the Club Penguin Memories *wink wink* in my heart. Thanks for being great, thanks for having us, thanks for existing!
All my love, Fred6363…
We should save your website to webarchive.org
You’re a great guy, Devin.
We may not have always seen eye-to-eye, but I’ve always admired your work, and the professional manner in which you executed such. It is good, and sad at the same time, to see you leave. I always thought Club Penguin would go before you went.
Good luck, I’d love to get in touch again. I’ve left my email for you.
Waltdisney6
(I do a CP checkup once a month or so…)
Hi! I’m super late but I hope you read this comment… Thank you for your contributions to the CP community and you will be missed & remembered so much! Waddle on!
Dear Trainman,
Just wanted to wish you good luck with whatever the future throws at you … Never take anything for granted XD. You’ve inspired a whole community, now its time for the journey to come to an end.
Good luck, Have fun
Possum2001
Good luck on your future endeavors!
-Belly18
P.S. – Have you been on my site lately? Lol.
http://imgur.com/8cQVNAb Please attend if you can. Thanks!
I meant http://i.imgur.com/8cQVNAb.jpg Sorry
Waddle on, dude.
Thank you for all you did. May the future be bright, waddle on.
Hello Trainman! It was very touching reading your post, because Club Penguin was a big part of my childhood. I don’t know if you will ever remember me, my penguin name was Gutex and I even worked with you for a while updating the mascot trackers. I have been in this journey with you since always, reading your blog everyday, searching for new spoilers and fun things to do, trying some CP Cracking stuff ;). I think you are as old as me right now (19) and I know how hard it is to say goodbye to so many years of history.
Anyway, I am just writing to say thank you for the awesome time, awesome posts, awesome updates and for caring so much about the game and the community. I’ll never forget the good times everyone of us had tweeting mascot locations, fighting over giveaways and even partying in our igloos (oh we were happy children). Hope you have a good life and farewell buddy! BTW I’m from Brazil and A LOT of brazilians visit your website!