Hello I'm Taff

[Taff]

I quite like @Putzy's idea of us getting to know each other a bit better, so I thought I'd give it a go

Hi I'm Taff, a very proud Welshman who is currently living the wrong side of the border in Hereford with my Wife and 2 young kids

I work in customer services for the railway, and thankfully my job permits me some free time to indulge in a little FMM and Vibe time

In all honesty not the biggest football supporter, I have the Swans down as my team of choice, but this is simply because it's where I met my wife so it holds a certain sentimental value.  As a kid I was a Man U fan like so many were, my father was never a big football follower, he claimed to be a Liverpool fan but I never really saw him cheer anyone in particular, we watched games together, just enjoying the games,  only really cheering if England were playing and then we'd cheer on the opposition every time), but he still let me get a Man U shirt with Kanchelskis on it (because I wanted to see if he'd pay for all those letters).  As I grew up I played (or rather wasted away on the subs bench) for my local village team, but after I was 17 I packed it in because I am a useless footballer, but I liked watching Match of the Day catching up on the prem, playing Fifa but after a while I sort of stopped. 

Then came 2014

I began playing FMM back with FMM 14 so I haven't been playing that long, I joined this site a year later with FMM 15 and have tried to be as active as I possibly can.  My first ever post was for my 3232 tactic which seemed to grab some interest and I began a friendship with another Viber namely @AndersJ, who has always supported me and I him.  After that I began posting other careers and tactics, then come FMM 16 I began getting more into the Challenges, mostly the ones created by the master challenge maker @danovic78

But this year was the year I started to become more confident and comfortable on the site and got talking to some true Vibe legends such as @Ashez (who is always willing to give advice) @PriZe (who's always willing to bring you back down to earth with a putdown) @BatiGoal who's a great man to follow with some very unique insight, @samhardy who will test your abilities with some of the most gruelling challenges ever, and @FuddledFox who has been writing some excellent articles this year, and so many others @mcandrew003, @Brenty92, @kts365(the king of 1K's) @scratch99, @Real_Random and so many others

I am no master tactician and simply enjoy playing the game to try and improve myself and how I think about what works and what doesn't, but the main reason I have kept playing is because of this excellent community of like minded people who all enjoy the same thing FMM

I wouldn't play have as much if I couldn't finish a 1K or DT challenge and then share it here and have some of the truly amazing people I have come to know comment and share and just have a laugh

I recently joined the Staff here at Vibe as a Moderator (still have no idea what I'm doing), but felt very honoured to be invited

And thats it really, hope more people feel the need to share and I'd gladly answer any questions anyone has

Cheers guys

 

[FuddledFox]

5 minutes ago, Taff said:

who is currently living the wrong side of the border in Hereford with my Wife and 2 young kids

I think you mean the right side of the border 

6 minutes ago, Taff said:

Man U shirt with Kanchelskis on it (because I wanted to see if he'd pay for all those letters).

Better dad than me. 1) I wouldnt pay for all those letters and 2) no child of mine would wear a Man U shirt. Luckily I have a daughter so that hasn't and most likely wont be tested.

Great introduction to yourself mate. I think I might have to do one of these.

[Taff]

3 minutes ago, FuddledFox said:

I think you mean the right side of the border 

Better dad than me. 1) I wouldnt pay for all those letters and 2) no child of mine would wear a Man U shirt. Luckily I have a daughter so that hasn't and most likely wont be tested.

Great introduction to yourself mate. I think I might have to do one of these.

No defo the wrong side, although this side has some wicked Cider so that makes up for it a bit, and I'm only 16 miles from Welsh soil so not to bad

The Man U thing was how it was where I grew up, you either supported Man U or Liverpool and there was the odd one who actually supported someone else, but I outgrew it once I hit 15 so not much of an issue any more

Have a bash at the intro I think @Putzy is on to something

[PriZe]

Lovely idea this! And nice to get some background on everyones favourite Bunny

Spoiler

I'm always available for help as well  not just putting you back down on earth

 

[Real_Random]

Fantastic idea @Taff and @Putzy. Great way for the community to get to know each other. 

[Taff]

32 minutes ago, PriZe said:

Lovely idea this! And nice to get some background on everyones favourite Bunny

  Hide contents

I'm always available for help as well  not just putting you back down on earth

 

You've helped plenty Gentleman bear thanks

4 minutes ago, Real_Random said:

Fantastic idea @Taff and @Putzy. Great way for the community to get to know each other. 

Why not, I think we all spend enough time on here, it's nice that we're not all just Screen names

[Ashez]

Cracking idea and it's ace it's created a little trend :). I might even whip out a few words in the coming days. 

It's always great to learn more about the people we spend so much time bonding with on the forums. As I said in private not long ago we haven't spoken much off the forums so it's always interesting to hear more about you haha. 

Being staff was the next logical step for you as you joining the site was a turning point IMO. Your joining and effort reenergised the careers forum IMO and now I'd say it's the best it's been in a long time, your leaderboard hunting has been one of the highlights of the year IMO.  

[MerlionMaple96]

@Taff In your years working customer service for the railway, what is the best or worst interaction you have had with a customer?

[Stam]

Nice and interesting intro @Taff. 
We're happy to have you on the staff team, even if you don't know what you're doing yet 

By the way, this sub-forum is actually the 1st bullet from my "10+1 ways for a more active forum" manifesto, but oh well; as long as people appreciate this I don't mind who's getting the credit (it has happened again in a couple of occasions).

I'll eventually write up a topic here, one of those days... 

[Scratch]

Great write up @Taff and great idea @Stam @Putzy and Taff. Really interesting to get to know a bit about you. I better write something up too when I get the chance and keep this going!

I guess you must have got that shirt just before Giggs broke into the team, or you dad could have saved a bit by talking you into getting the Welsh lad's name instead! 

9 hours ago, Taff said:

I recently joined the Staff here at Vibe as a Moderator (still have no idea what I'm doing), but felt very honoured to be invited

I now have an insane urge to post "Moderate this, MF!" along with a super inappropriate image! 

[PriZe]

8 hours ago, MerlionMaple96 said:

@Taff In your years working customer service for the railway, what is the best or worst interaction you have had with a customer?

Good one! 

[Taff]

8 hours ago, Ashez said:

Cracking idea and it's ace it's created a little trend :). I might even whip out a few words in the coming days. 

It's always great to learn more about the people we spend so much time bonding with on the forums. As I said in private not long ago we haven't spoken much off the forums so it's always interesting to hear more about you haha. 

Being staff was the next logical step for you as you joining the site was a turning point IMO. Your joining and effort reenergised the careers forum IMO and now I'd say it's the best it's been in a long time, your leaderboard hunting has been one of the highlights of the year IMO.  

Dude that is a huge thing to say but I really appreciate the comment and am just very very glad to be a cog in the awesome Vibe Machine.  Long may this upward trend continue

cant wait to learn a bit more about everyone’s favourite Vibe legend (I mean you)

6 hours ago, MerlionMaple96 said:

@Taff In your years working customer service for the railway, what is the best or worst interaction you have had with a customer?

My best as weird as it sounds is when there is major disruption due to line closure (be it a fatality or broken down train) as I really seem to shine and kick into customer service mode and keeping people informed seems to keep everyone happy and I have received a lot of positive praise from customers and it’s nice to be given credit

my worst was dealing with a couple of drunk mums who’s son got on the train while they finished smoking then got refused access to the train because they were abusive to the staff and the child got a knock from the door as he got back off before the doors shut.  They flipped out demanding this and that and how they were. Going to sue the railway (all the while I’m thinking if you watched your kids instead of getting drunk maybe this wouldn’t happen) but I can’t say anything 

But my worst day on the railway was when a guy collapsed of a heart attack on the platform my colleague and I did what we could until the paramedics arrived and literally 5 minutes later there was a fatality (suicide) just outside the station which stopped all trains for two hours and caused chaos.  

But ive been there 10 years now and have seen the good along with the god awful ?

6 hours ago, Stam said:

Nice and interesting intro @Taff. 
We're happy to have you on the staff team, even if you don't know what you're doing yet 

By the way, this sub-forum is actually the 1st bullet from my "10+1 ways for a more active forum" manifesto, but oh well; as long as people appreciate this I don't mind who's getting the credit (it has happened again in a couple of occasions).

I'll eventually write up a topic here, one of those days... 

Sorry @Stam credit where it’s due it’s kicked off a Vibe Revolution and I hope it’s a trend that continues, oh and I’m sure I’ll learn what I’m doing as a moderator soon, and thanks again to you and @samhardy for bringing me onboard

1 hour ago, scratch99 said:

Great write up @Taff and great idea @Stam @Putzy and Taff. Really interesting to get to know a bit about you. I better write something up too when I get the chance and keep this going!

I guess you must have got that shirt just before Giggs broke into the team, or you dad could have saved a bit by talking you into getting the Welsh lad's name instead! 

I now have an insane urge to post "Moderate this, MF!" along with a super inappropriate image! 

Cheers @scratch99 I’m glad everyone likes  it, would be nice to know more about the great members of Vibe.

I had a Giggs shirt and just wanted to see how far I could stretch the old mans wallet ?

[FuddledFox]

53 minutes ago, Taff said:

minutes later there was a fatality (suicide) just outside the station which stopped all trains for two hours and caused chaos.  

My brother is a train driver and I think he has seen a few of these.

[Mr.Manager]

@Taff Thanks for sharing, what a great read! I've only really been on Vibe this year but you've been a huge character with all the challenges/careers and always making an effort to comment. Great work.

Also, love the detail that you've gone into about your job - nice one for giving such an in-depth answer.

I hope you didn't get that Kanchelskis shirt at the beginning of the 1995/96 season... 

[Taff]

26 minutes ago, Mr.Manager said:

@Taff Thanks for sharing, what a great read! I've only really been on Vibe this year but you've been a huge character with all the challenges/careers and always making an effort to comment. Great work.

Also, love the detail that you've gone into about your job - nice one for giving such an in-depth answer.

I hope you didn't get that Kanchelskis shirt at the beginning of the 1995/96 season... 

Cheers for the kind words

cant remember when I got the shirt but he was a class winger but I don’t think he was there long after

they had some other guy come in who’s name escapes me but no where near as good 

[Mr.Manager]

13 minutes ago, Taff said:

they had some other guy come in who’s name escapes me but no where near as good

 Poborsky?!

[Taff]

3 hours ago, Mr.Manager said:

 Poborsky?!

Thats the one, I think it was around the same time that Newcastle went from a 2nd place contender to replacing all their star players with unknowns and old fogies 

[Taff]

I thought this might interest @MerlionMaple96, who asked about the good times at work, and I also thought that as a fellow DC fan @Ashez might like this

I spent a whole week at work dressed as everyone’s favourite crime fighter to raise money for charity 

[FuddledFox]

20 minutes ago, Taff said:

I thought this might interest @MerlionMaple96, who asked about the good times at work, and I also thought that as a fellow DC fan @Ashez might like this

I spent a whole week at work dressed as everyone’s favourite crime fighter to raise money for charity 

? that's brilliant, bet you raised a few eyebrows! Hope you raised loads of money.

[Putzy]

Haha I love that you have the regulation hi-vis still on! Fantastic.

[PriZe]

Nice sixpack

[Taff]

1 hour ago, FuddledFox said:

? that's brilliant, bet you raised a few eyebrows! Hope you raised loads of money.

Yeah, the kids didn't like it but got a lot of selfies taken with passengers, and I raised over £500 for the week so all in a days work 

51 minutes ago, Putzy said:

Haha I love that you have the regulation hi-vis still on! Fantastic.

Even Batman plays it safe by the railway 

8 minutes ago, PriZe said:

Nice sixpack

All my own doing

[Ashez]

Lmao, that's ace and like Putzy says the hi-vis makes the outfit complete :D. 

There is kind of a rail safety Batman the Animated Series episode. Or the main plot is about kids playing on the tracks. Actually there is also a scene showing dangers of "train surfing" in another episode haha. 

Edited October 19, 2017 by Ashez

[Taff]

Batman knows the railway is no place to mess around!!!! 

[Ashez]

8 minutes ago, Taff said:

Batman knows the railway is no place to mess around!!!! 

Indeed! I was super into trains as a kid, especially Thomas. Thankfully that's one obsession I grew out of as I don't think I'd like to be a train spotter . 

[Taff]

1 minute ago, Ashez said:

Indeed! I was super into trains as a kid, especially Thomas. Thankfully that's one obsession I grew out of as I don't think I'd like to be a train spotter . 

They are the bane of my life, and because you work for the Railway you must love trains.

I don't they are part of my job sure, but apart from that they bore me, I get coming to see the Flying Scotsman and stuff but we get a few regular ones who come to see the freight engines and there the same train just with 3 different numbers on them

but then I suppose people could say the same about a bunch of grown men playing a game of dots on a screen but they know nothing VIBE FOREVER VIVA LA REVOLUTION!!!!!!

[Scratch]

Erh, I was with you until this part:

55 minutes ago, Taff said:

but then I suppose people could say the same about a bunch of grown men playing a game of dots on a screen

 What have I done with my life! Uninstalling....

[Ashez]

1 hour ago, Taff said:

They are the bane of my life, and because you work for the Railway you must love trains.

I don't they are part of my job sure, but apart from that they bore me, I get coming to see the Flying Scotsman and stuff but we get a few regular ones who come to see the freight engines and there the same train just with 3 different numbers on them

but then I suppose people could say the same about a bunch of grown men playing a game of dots on a screen but they know nothing VIBE FOREVER VIVA LA REVOLUTION!!!!!!

Leave Pac-Man out of this!  

[Taff]

8 minutes ago, scratch99 said:

Erh, I was with you until this part:

 What have I done with my life! Uninstalling....

It's nice to have a hobby, and I suck at sports and music so I'm left here with you guys, ain't you a lucky bunch

[Scratch]

Just now, Taff said:

It's nice to have a hobby, and I suck at sports and music so I'm left here with you guys, ain't you a lucky bunch

Hehe, yep, not going anywhere any time soon either. Not that easy to get rid of me.