As for the awards - yes we stopped doing them because there was very little activity (and it's actually a looot of work to organize it all ). Sadly at some point we had to decide that with less than 10 active members, and just several hundred posts over the year, there really wouldn't be many people/posts to vote for.

That said, if activity picks back up and people can actually start making choices again, we wouldn't be against reanimating them. Hoping that is the case now that people no longer have to wait for their activation email and more new members can grace our forum again.

I'm thinking about my upcoming time off. Really need it

Awww, what a shame. I understand. It was always such a fun event, where all of us can reminiscent over the interactions and friendships that were made over the course the forum year. It also allows us to extend our thanks, appreciation, and gratitude to those that mean most to us. Highlighting the strengths and the unique attributes that the participating members of the forum have is great as well.
(But well, actually these things can be done at any time of the year, but still there's definitely no harm in having the event return)

Actually...fitting to this thread, I am thinking about what you said. "if... people can actually start making choices again."

To-o-o-o be fairrrrr... pretty much everyone here is awesome.
So perhaps I wouldn't mind too much if that was the real reason for the awards being on hiatus.

We are a close knit community... family... and hopefully can always stay that way!

_ | _ _ | _ _ _ | _ _ _ _ _ . _ | _ _ | _ _ _ _ _ _ _ !

Right:
Wrong:
Guesses left:

...
wait...
Should we have change rules for number of guesses here too?

Hi Delta! Welcome on in Seems like you're a big fan so I'm glad you've found us. Enjoy your stay!

Welcome to the forum, Atroxia!

High above the landscape, a feathered windrider coasted on the breeze further up in the atmosphere. Although she wasn't a "flyer" in the typical sense, her skills in gliding were certainly enough to compete with their kind. Savoring the air rushing through the lime green feathers atop her head, she'd ridden a thermal to such a high altitude that spotting her from the ground would be a challenge for all but the sharpest eyes. The mostly sky blue coloring of her plumage certainly wouldn't help, either.

She gazed at the scenery spread out below her and saw waves licking the sand, ripples of foam rolling in and out with them. The Big Water certainly was awe-inspiring on a day like this. It had been a while since she'd taken a moment to see it up close. On a whim, she decided to take a brief detour from her journey. Yes, it was true that her family was waiting for her at Windrider Valley. Undoubtably, they would spend a lot of time sighing about what took so long, not to mention how they didn't get visits from her enough ever since she left home to settle in the Great Valley with Guido.

But they would just have to forgive her, Zephyr thought. And they would, she added to herself with a knowing smirk. They always did. They knew she was a free spirit, after all.

With a gleam of wanderlust in her eyes, Zephyr began coasting downwards, towards the sunlit sand and sparkling waters below.