Now I have to admit that I haven't come close to my site for ages during this year, or even looked at any of the newer sites coming up on the net. Once in a while I'd fix up a broken link on my own fancy, but that was about it. There was a stage where I just took off for an extended hiatus. And I must have enjoyed it a lot because at one point I was seriously contemplating locking up the Labyrinth and going off for a permament holiday on the other side of the Crystal Moon. But then Angelfire crashed my site and I was forced to fix it and then I took a look around, saw my old friends and I softened and I was glad to be back. Then, while checking out other Labyrinth sites, I suddenly realised that I was ....old. I have just realised how fuddy-duddy my site actually is and now I've gone all retrospective (it might be a good time to turn back while you still can, mind). And I thought it might be nice to actually bang up a history explaining this site. I took a look at my ranking on google and was shocked to see how high up I was. My site? No way, wasn't it was just yesterday when this was just a tiny little, really bad fan page on the Laby Ring?

September 1999, I fell in love with Labyrinth. I thought I was mad, so I instantly headed for the internet, which I knew was filled with people which let us say, were even stranger. And I found out I wasn't the only one, in fact, there was a whole thriving community of Goblin King lovers, miscellaneous faeries and generally mad folk. The first site I found was Sarah Packard's "I Love Labyrinth" and she was like me, I instantly bonded with her words. We both had seen Labyrinth as children and grew up and became obssessed with it. Yay. I wasn't so mad. I found out there was a name for these type of people. Listians. Then I stumbled onto Jareth's Realm (which was Jareth's Home Page before it erm, expanded :P) owned by one Elizabeth Allen. Back then Elizabeth had a message board (The Jarteh Forum) and I became an instant fixture. I became part of a strong community, which came just as the First Wave fans were subsiding. Sara, Jemma, Nicky, Jitka, Salana and so many others - you know who you are girlies. We had a good time. At one stage we made an elaborate plan to kidnap David Bowie. Maybe one day I'll archive online some of our convos, they were quite funny. Remind me. October 1999, David Bowie released another studio album ("hours..."), so it was a nice introduction into the whole obsession. I was 19 back then and extremely silly, looking for direction and I found some guy named Jareth leading me to God knows where. December 1999, I decided to build my own website. So I did.

January 2000, I launched my site. Let's just say my first effort at web page building wasn't crash hot. In fact, it was bright purple, and for some reason I decided to make every page a different colour. And then there was the writting, as I said, I was a silly thing and there were more like, exclamation marks than letters, as in "OMG, Jareth is soooooo hot!!!!!!!!!" and "!!!!!!!!". (Okay. There are some people who will insist I haven't changed). I didn't have any pix so I borrowed other peoples. As for the content, I have absolutely no idea what I put in it, I honestly don't, I just somehow managed to fill up about 10 pages, with my big mouth most likely. I got myself listed on the Labyrinth Ring and slowly got building. As my shocking (and still is) html skills improved, the site magaically changed from purple to black & gold, which is remains till this day. At one stage my site attempted to turn black and rose pink (probably influenced by the linear notes of Earthling, don't ask), but Elizabeth sensibly made me forget the idea. At one stage my page was decorated with black & white header pix, but it looked too depressing and was giving everyone Peach Syndrome. As I researched and fuelled my Labyrinth obssession, my site grew and I got more stuff and became more substantial. At one stage I had a "Aussie Labyrinth site" banner, but then one day I realised I was the only one left. I regulary changed my contents pic, but I always liked that "You have 13 hours" one the best.

Now Elizabeth. Elizabeth owned the Jareth Forum we were on and I came to rely heavily on her for support and friendship. She has helped me through a lot of tough times. As I was building between 2000-2001, Elizabeth also suddenly had a creative rush and began re-designing her site, expanding and adding all the interactive features like fan art and contributions, although she has always kept the beautiful blue-on-black theme. We built together. I submitted a lot of rubbish to her. She took it all in good humour. I have to thank Elizabeth. She's still changing by the way, I guess we're in it for the long run. I submitted my site to Google, Open Directory Project and Yahoo, and they listed me. I remember being listed on Yahoo for the fisrt time, I was so excited they liked my site. I celebrated with Elizabeth who was re-listed at the same time. Angelfire made me Site of the Day and my guestbook was swamped with about 50 entries trying to advertise porn, telling me my site sucked and David Bowie sucked.

Suddenly, we are here. And suddenly all the old, First Wave sites are disappearing fast and I've become old, and sadly, my site is becoming one of the older ones. I missed the days when the older fans, which I admired like Underground, but never had the guts to tell them, were here. I miss my old group. I feel a bit lonely and I feel guilty for wanting to leave because I know I still love this movie and even more so, everything that has become associated with the movie. The people I met, the fun we had, the site which was my baby, the pain and the anguish and the satisfaction and the happiness. I feel like there's just something I have to keep going for and should never stop. Now I stand back and I think that I haven't done such a bad job. The site is becoming it's own. I'm shedding off the last layer of things I have borrowed, the pics that I took off others, so I can offer only that which is mine. Sadly though, these borrowed pics themselves are becoming rare. They use to be everywhere, but as the older sites are slowly dying, they're dissapearing, I thought I'd never see the day, but it has come. I might put them somewhere special on this site. Remind me.

So where are we now? This site is still growing, I have plans for it yet. Elizabeth last I checked was still there and I'm sure she's still got plans. We're joined by the divine cheeky Magpie creature, so the company is good. What is sad is that we don't have much of a community, it seems each new Wave is more and more fragmented. Elizabeth had to shut down her board due to a giant flame war. We could do with more company. Maybe you? Don't be afraid of being small, heck, did I ever tell you about my purple 5 page job? :) The one thing I won't ever change is the layout. It's so bleeding old school, but I like it! It's in tribute of the old sites, what is the fun of a sleek dreamweaver job when we're talking about the Labyrinth here? Please, have a bit of humour (come one now, we know you do). It's pretty professional enough, but doesn't take itself very seriously either. If Elizabeth and Maggie aren't going to change their design well I'm bleeding not! The end! Phew! Geez, we have travelled a long way. It didn't feel like we were going anywhere, but in fact, we were. And we have and cheers all around. Party hats on. We're going to bring the scrabble down!

(SnowChild) xxx

Learn to love the Labyrinth, for you will be here forever. But take comfort. You will not be alone. I rule the other poor souls as well

Take me back to the Goblins