Fill in the blank: The last time the Orioles had a winning season, I was...

[Chavez Ravine]

39, Convinced we were headed to the World Series and I screamed my head off at Camden Yards in vain to make it come true.

I was 27. My last conscious Orioles Baseball thought occurred sitting in a bar in Orinda CA on October 15, 1997. I thought: “That was a ball!!!!!!!!!!” The time between then and now has been lived in a fuzzy nightmarish haze. It was just a dream right?

[DrungoHazewood]

Was 26. Seemingly hopelessly single. Junior/mid-level EE, just started working for the Navy as a civil servant. Now 41, married 8 years, two kids (4 & 5), branch head supervising 15 other civil servants with a contractor staff of 50 supporting me. 90% of the best stuff in my life has happened while the Orioles were bad.

[OrangeJerseys]

I was 22, just moved to Colorado to play in the snow.

[NJOsFan]

I was 16 and the only Os fan in a Yankee/Met/Phillies high school. I've taken quite a beating from friends and coworkers since then, but I wouldn't change anything. I wear it like a badge of honor.

I'm now 10 years into my career as a police officer, married, and the uber proud father of a 4 month old daughter. I think she will be attending her first orioles game next week. I can't wait to start building her Os fan resume.

[csgordos]

I was 23 and explaining to my then girlfriend why was so mad that we blew those games in the ALCS. She said they would be back next year. Now they have the first winning season since she made that statement. The curse is over. by the way are married with three kids very happily. My children are all Orioles fans.

[avdeuph]

I was 11 years old, with dreams of becoming a major league pitcher. Now...

A professional trombonist, with two masters degrees in music and soon to be a doctorate. What the f happened.

[Babkins]

I love this thread.

I was a nineteen-year-old sophomore English major at Fairfield University who was falling big-time for a girl who was not my girlfriend.

Now I am thirty-four, married ten years next month to that girl; we have an almost-three-year-old daughter who digs her daddy's O's. As it happens, I just this fall started teaching in the English department at Fairfield.

[BrunoCherrytown]

Had flunked out of one college and was duplicating that level of achievement at community college where I couldn't pass anything there either.

Now married, 2 kids, and own a business that is suitable to someone of my educational skill set - Political marketing agency.

[EutawBomber]

I was a freshman in college taking my first political science class. I am now the senior staffer for a congressman on Capitol Hill and have managed 5 campaigns in 4 different states.

[Witchy_Chick]

I was 27, and in my 6th year of season-ticketdom at Camden Yards.

Now, I'm 42, married (thanks to a Hangout hookup ), two kids, and have been to onnnnnne game this year. ::hangs head in shame::

Witchy

[24fps]

...likely underwater where there were no telephones.

My day job was post-production at Access Hollywood.

[Orioles4Life21]

I was 3 years old doing whatever 3 year olds generally do, and now I'm 18 and in college at George Mason.

[Muihtil]

Great thread.

I was 10 and enjoying little league. Honestly doesn't feel that long ago, but wow.

Today I'm 25 and going for my PhD in Neuroscience. Better not be another 15 year stretch like this one.

[33rd&Ellerslie]

30 years old, better looking, and able to run a comb through hair from forehead to back of my neck =) I took it for granted that we would win again soon. I loved being an O's fan and loved the team; with each passing year I never waivered, wandered or even considered resting my hopes on any other team. This year is so sweet and so nice because I have patiently waited year after year but the young men on this team have so much drive, so much heart, so much of that intangible that makes you throw out run differential and "should have's" and pre-season predictions. Truth is they can all go fly a big freaking Kite all the way to the blessed moon, because the Orioles keep letting them know that heart means more than anything else and we fans keep letting everyone else know that we were then, are now and forever will be the best freaking fans in the world!

[WalkofLife]

A 2 year-old who was weening himself off of pacifiers in exchange for a Brady Anderson jersey. Now I'm a junior in high school.