Member Appreciation Thread

[trulyfantasticme]

I want to thank Bushwacked and Petrie85 for being excited about my final chapter. That kinda helped push me through the tough typing and describing I was going through.

And I want to thank PanickyPetrie14 for actually chatting with me in the chatroom. Not alot of people go on there for some reason. But he does almost every day. And I couldn't thank him enough for being my friend.

And also, Jrd89, I know I've already thanked him but here's a new thing I want to thank him about. He's been there for me. Always had my back before I had my own. And he stuck with me in the chatroom at night so I wouldn't get bored. Usually, by that time, PanickyPetrie's off to school. And he would stay up til 3 or even 4 am just to keep me company. And he truly helped me when I had to say goodbye to my family back in Tacoma. Out of all the times I had to do that, this time was the MOST emotional. And the night before I left Tacoma, he stayed with me until I fell asleep. He's such an AMAZING, CARING and FANTASTIC friend. And I couldn't thank him enough for just being that.

[Allicloud]

Well, I have a few thanks to give out here, so I'll make it brief:

Jrd89- For creating such a great forum RP, and being a generally good correspondant of mine. He always knows what to say, even if he may say a bit much in one go.

Trulyfantasticme- For being a generally great gal on here. She's great in the forum RPs, great around the forum in general, and always friendly on the chatbox, whether she is using webcam and microphone, or just chatting by text.

Pterano- For creating another great Forum RP, and being a good RPer in it too! Also, thanks for that very positive review of my fanfic. It really helped make me more determined to follow it through and finish it.

In fact, a general thank you and "you're awesome!" to all my readers. It's really helped me keep going with it. As it happens, Mystery of the Blackweeds is indeed one of the most difficult fanfics I've ever written.

[Cancerian Tiger]

Unfortunately I was not on here when the most recent topic in The Rock Circle was started and ultimately locked, so I felt this is the best place to post the following:

Once again, I would like to mention Malte as an appreciated member/admin.  I feel he is very understanding of and tries his best to be accommodating of all GOF members as reasonably as possible, and his tendency to remain calm and composed AND be in a position of authority is admirable.  I have never seen him get outwardly angry on the GOF or attack other members, even if he ever comes under fire himself.  I think all the admins do an outstanding job of keeping the atmosphere of the GOF both peaceful and fun, and since Petrie has retired as the GOF founder, I am sure these guys have more responsibility and greater leadership roles.  Of all the admins, it appears Malte has been the most involved in making sure the members are happy and having fun.  The downside to being in his position is that he easily becomes the blame for why a change is made that some may not agree with.  In other words, someone in his position is damned if he does, and damned if he does not.  That's a really hard position to be in.  However, he appears to handle it very well, is very tactful when faced with opposing views, and is more than willing to listen to members' suggestions and/or concerns.  Many other social networking sites and forums are not so fortunate to have an admin like Malte.  

Now, I'm not a brown-noser.  What I have to say is honest, and I continue to remain honest with what I have said in this post.  Malte carries his administrative position with dignity and class, yet while being understanding of and reasonable to others.  That said, he once again earns recognition from me as an appreciated member and administrator .

On a separate note, I would like to extend my appreciation to those who sent me starday wishes and who listened after my dog had to be euthanized.  It was really hard for me to go through that, but knowing there are people who will truly listen and understand makes a huge difference.  Thanks again, folks .

[Petrie85]

Eh saying something nice about someone is kinda hard for me but I do appreciate most of the members who're patient with me. Even tho I can be tough at times. Bare with me on this one okay. I don't mean to be snippy or harsh on people. I thank the forum for accepting me and welcoming me here. I do enjoy the chats in the chat room. It's very nice to talk to the people that do come in there. I know I can be hard and difficult at times. And a Appreciate everyone's kindness towards me. It does mean a lot towards me. And I'm glad that I can be a part of this awesome forum I'm on. It's such a great place for me to be at this time.

[Jrd89]

Jrd89: I just wanted to thank you for being there ever since I joined this thread. I mean, if it wasn't for you, I probably wouldn't have fallen in love with Pterano. And I just love your reviews, love every one of them. They just make me feel good about myself.

LBTDiclonious: I just wanted to thank you for reviewing Lost in a Forest and Always the Same Sun so beautifully. Every time I read your reviews, I blush because it reminds me to never give up.

Pterano: Ya know, before you came along, I couldn't write battle scenes very well. Well I could, but then I look at my writing now and compare it to the battle scenes in Lost in a Forest, I notice that I've improved greatly since Lost in a Forest. If it wasn't for you very detailed story, the Past that Yawns Behind, I wouldn't have improved as much.

trulyfantasticme: Awwh!! Thank you so much! You've always been there for me too. You're an excellent fellow Pterano/flyer fan, too! You're LOTS of fun!! Thank you! I like your new signature, too.  

[Petrie85]

And I appreciate how all the staff are very patient with the members on here.

[vonboy]

I'd like to appreciate one particular fanfiction writer for being the only writer on this board that can actually scare me. Maybe it's just the kind of person I am, or my personal views on Chomper and the LBT universe in general, but reading this particular member's fiction, with his views on the LBT universe, just scares the hell out of me sometimes. Seriously, I found it hard to sleep a few times after reading some of this stuff. I'm talking of course about Brekclub85. I realized this even more after he proposed an RP idea to me last night. We... just don't think ANYTHING alike .

The Friendly Sharptooth, for agreeing to review my secret project (Which I'll keep secret ) whenever I get around to finally writing it.

Pterano, for listening to me about that secret project, and helping me by throwing around ideas for it. For wanting to take part in the table readings I'll be starting soon. For continuing to review and proofread my writing. Gosh, I just can't thank this particular member for enough, can I? :blink:  Also, just for being a good friend

Trulyfantasticme, for some the same reasons as Pterano. We're becoming friends as well it seems

Malte, for not bolting out of here after that whole mess. I was part of the problem too, I admit. Good to see you stuck through it, and we're all happy, friendly, and helpful to each other again.

[Petrie85]

Yeah I was also a huge part of the issue as well and thanks Malre279 for staying calm and cool when I lashed out on the staff. I didn't mean to at all.

[The Friendly Sharptooth]

I just have a couple of people to talk about this time:

There are many things I dream about. However, I am not just a dreamer, as I put forth effort towards what I would like accomplished in my life. Being someone who writes (as calling myself a writer seems far too prestigious for an amateur) one thing I’ve dreamed about was finding an artist to bring my work to life, something I failed to do through the words themselves. I’ve come across many artists of highly-developed skill, and I’ve sought a commission lineup from person after person in the order I happened to see them, as I could think of no other method to picking one out. I think it was over a year ago that I began my quest, and at long last, I’ve reached my journey’s end.

I finally asked a member here if I may acquire his services, and to my delight, I received a positive response. I described to him what I would like for round one, and he got to work, busy as he was. I was expecting to be amazed with the end result, so I was surprised, caught off guard, when “amazed” wouldn’t even come close to doing my reaction justice. His talent is so jaw dropping that’s almost hard to believe I’m really seeing what I’m seeing. He carried out my request to the letter, and if I was asked what I would have preferred differently, my answer would be, “…” He truly deservers every ounce of prestige that comes with the title “artist.” Again, thank you Sky for sharing your amazing ability with me.
________________________________________________________________________
You know how some people try very hard to be kind? How some people put forth great effort to be patient? Those are very good things, and it’s always appreciated when they take place. However, what truly amazes me is when people do those things without any effort at all, when their compassion and acceptance shine without doing so voluntarily. Some people dig a trench to let their water flow and fertilize their crops, but others have a naturally flowing creek that spreads its benefit all on its own. A member who just automatically radiates a caring heart is LBTDiclonius.

I have been going through a struggle lately, and she has diligently been working with me on it. She alone is sharing my burden, and not a complaint has escaped her lips. I have even asked her occasionally if I should stop at times, but she won’t let me halt my progress until I’ve reached the end, so her replies are always that she is going to keep moving ahead with my toil. I don’t see any more maturity in my communication with her than my adult friends. That is not to say that I align myself with immature grownups- quite the contrary. She has simply shown an aged view, a wisdom, far beyond her years. She knows how to be a good friend in all situations, adapting her tone and words to meet the situation. To say that I appreciate her right now would be a lie. You see, the fact is, from the first time we got to know each other, my gratitude has always been.

[trulyfantasticme]

As some of you may know, I've had a rather rough week due to PanickyPetrie's disappearance. But it's taught me alot. Like for an example, its better to be worried about nothing than to be worried about something. Like who would want to be worried over thier friend dying and then a week later, only to find out that thier friend has passed away. It would only make things worse, right? Seriously, who wants to put up with that? I sure don't. So anyway, Imma give some members recognition that they truly deserve.

Pterano-For being there for me almost all week. Generally, he's been staying up later than he should all just to keep me company. I just couldn't thank him enough for that. I bet he'd be the coolest big bro ever.  

Jrd89-Duh! How can I not include him! He's always been there.

Justin1993, Vonbob, LBTDiclonious-The way they were just as worried about PanickyPetrie as I was, it really helped prove that I wasn't alone in the situation. Thanks guys.

As for all my friends on here: Pterano, Vonbob, The Friendly Sharptooth, LBTDiclonius, Bushwacked, Belmont, Jrd89, and of course, PanickyPetrie...WHAT THE FUDGE WOULD I DO WITHOUT YOU????? I LOVE YOU!!! YOU GUYS FRIGGIN ROCK MY WORLD!!!  

[LBTLover1]

Actually, everyone on the GOF is as nice as my own home.  I rarely know them, but judging them by posts and profiles, I found believe they have a taste for happiness.

[Caustizer]

It's been over two years since I last posted in this thread, so I figure that by now it is long overdue.  It seems like this time 2009 was the heyday of my involvement in the Gang of Five... I was reading stories, providing reviews, joining RPs and writing my own fanfiction works on a weekly (occassionally even daily) basis.  

Like all things though times have changed.  Many of the members are used to know aren't active at all anymore, and still more only post once in a blue moon.  A lot of the drive I used to have back in 2009 and 2010 for Land Before Time is gone, with other things in life taking it instead.

Since this will likely be the last time I post in this thread, I'm going to make it count.

I would firstly like to thank Sky for all his artistic contributions to my writing over the past few years as well as the timid and considerate kindness he shows in all of his posts.  It is a quality we share, and it is worthy of note that we have never once fought over anything since the day I first sent a PM to his mailbox.  Though he can occassionally be tardy with reviews and require a bit of a 'push' to work on his art the results are always worth the wait.

The next member I would like to thank would be Serris.  While Far Away Home is my main 'purist' LBT story many of my less traditional stories have been met by him with full support and would never be as developed as they are today.  Thank you Serris for your prompt reviews and your enthusiasm about my material.

Littlefoot1616 is kind of like a big brother to me when it comes to writing fanfiction, and his constant support plus honest reviews have helped me know that my work is almost high quality and is actually being read.  I specifically appreciate that he has returned to writing Battle of the Sacred Essenses too (even though I still have a lot of it to read through yet to catch up) since many of the old writers have dissapeared to the shadows.

So it's finally happened... that is Pangaea has run out of steam   I could see that the rate he was contributing to the site was unsustainable even back in early 2010, but rather then warn him I simply let things be because everywhere he has been doing so much good for so many.  I think it's fairly safe to say that the quality of a review that Pangaea gives is top of the line, and even though he can take months at a time to make time to give it it's always worth the wait.  The effort he puts into making other members birthday cards is surprising and (though I am still waiting for mine   ) completely appreciated by those lucky recipiants.

Pterano is a member that I don't know too well, but after a conversation about my works and a very well appreciated PM I can see a good friendship forming

To every other member... don't forget to continue to post your appreciated members here whenever you feel the need.  I'm pretty sure there is nobody on this board that wouldn't like to see their name here... even if it is for something small.  

Caustizer  

[Serris]

Thanks Caustizer for your words.

Cancerian Tiger, Caustizer and other readers of TWV, thank you for putting up with my extremely erratic output of chapters. I hope that y'all haven't lost all hope or are mad at me for not finishing my story. I am quite busy with college and I apologize for not being as prompt as I used to be with the story.

[jansenov]

I see this thread hasn't been posted in for a long time, but there are members, some new, some old, whose everyday activity keeps the GOF an interesting place to visit as well as whose manners keep it clean and pleasant, like it has always been. I will list the members in no particular order.

First of all, I'd like to praise Bruton the Iguanodon. His enthusiasm for LBT and his activity has left a great impact on the forum, reviving entire sections. I for one have almost always enjoyed reading his opinions on many things about LBT, and helping him find answers to his many questions. He had some issues before, but he is working on them. I'm glad that you are here with us, Bruton, and I have mentioned this in chats with other people from the GOF, and they agree with me.
Keep up the good work, mate!

Secondly, I'd like to praise Kacie, or DarkHououmon. Her presence o the GOF could be summarised as "the quiet water tears the hill apart". She has nerves of steel and a heart of gold. She will never lose her temper in an argument, and she is very sensible about people and nature. She's a fine artist and a good MV maker. She is also a fun person to chat to, but I didn't have the opportunity to meet her more often.

Now I would like to mention Cancerian Tiger. This member is more like fire than water, but also very sensitive when it comes to trouble GOF members and other people suffer in everyday life. Her lifestyle should serve as a role model to the rest of us, with her taking great care about her health. She is also a Ducky fan, which is a great plus in my book.  

Next I would like to praise Campion. He's not very active on the GOF, but he is a nice person to chat to, very friendly and very open, as he almost always makes the first step.

Finally, I'd like to praise Malte and Pterano. Malte's contribution to the GOF is simply invaluable, and Pterano's is also great relative to his time here.
But what makes these two stand out for me are the chats over MSN. There is simply such a range of topics, from fun to dead serious, their knowledge is so wide and deep, and they are such nice people that a chat with them is usually the best way to end a day and lay in bed smiling. I really hope to meet these people in real life some time.

[aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato)]

I'd like to put a plug in for Bruton as well. He's taken some flak in the past for his medley of hyperspecific mini-threads and for some colorful language, but ultimately I find myself reading most of his posts because they reach right to the core of the fandom: LBT and its minutae. This is the forum to talk about the little things in this franchise that you couldn't talk about anywhere else, and he's leading that movement right now in the otherwise-underused LBT sections of this board.

So thanks, mate, and keep up the posting. Some users may be complaining, but you're adding to the unique soul of the forum with every thread.

[Campion1]

Just wanted to say thank you very much, Mr. Jansenov

[Malte279]

It has very long been on my to do list to revive one of the most beautiful threads on the GOF. Perhaps it is partly due to the concern of posts in this thread being misunderstood as "no-appreciation to the ones not named" rather than appreciation of the ones who are. This is nonsense of of course. There is a general appreciation for everyone in this community and that apprecition is not going to be any less for the recognition given to to some individuals. In so large a community there is also no helping to the fact that one gets to know some people better than others (for being more active in the respective threads or for also talking via skype and the like) but also end up wishing to get to know others better than one does. Last but not least I am notorious for avoiding superlatives which too makes the picking some of the many tricky. But all that should not sabotage the revival of so beautiful a thread.

I want to thank Iris / Mumbing on the one hand for the awesome job she does as an admin. In the last weeks I have been uncustomarily inactive on the GOF because work for the university, the VHSs (the adult education centers I am working for) and with applications for a real job have been taking up most of my time and may continue to do so for some more weeks. In spite of having an awful lot of work to do herself for her studies and impending exams she has not merely done what had to be done, but also stuff that had (same as this thread) been on the to do list for a while and that required a lot of work (concerning avatar and signature sizes). More importantly yet Iris is and has always been a great friend to me and I'm looking forward to our next meeting.

There are two members who I appreciate especially for being very level headed, calm and reasonable in tense situations which ocassionally occur in threads on sensitive topics in the AM section. Sometimes some members get carried away, sometimes some members present personal opinions as facts sometimes threads run the risk of getting out of hand to the point of requiring staff intervention. More than once have I noticed that in such situations the input of LettuceBacon&Tomato and Cancerian Tiger have contributed to deescalating threads that had a potential of getting out of hand. They both state their views and opinions but they always come across as calm, respectful and beyond letting themselves to be provoked into any kind of tone that would pour gas into the fire of a heated debate. Their admirable attitude is often really helping. Thank you guys for this

Hrvoje / jansenov is a member with whom to discuss and debate is just a joy. It is almost impossible to talk to him without learning something new that you haven't know before and this is something I really, really enjoy. I hope that one of these days we can meet on skype again. I miss our chats very much. There are two other members with whom I have the same impression of often learning from them and who I would love to get to know better than I do so far. Fellow historian and expert especially on maritime and Napoleonic Age history Pterano and also Pangaea who I consider one of the most friendly and concerned persons I ever met on the GOF. I am sure I speak for many when I say that these qualities of yours are so much of a contribution to the GOF that you really should abandon all concerns about not doing enough for the community.

There are two members for who I want to appreciate for their frequent and interesting input in many discussions including those on sensitive topics. Kacie / Darkhououmon and Tanner / Cyberlizard both contribute often and with more than mere in many threads and help to keep interesting threads going. Moreover they both stand examplary for the many members of the GOF who adhere to the principle of letting people live their lifes in the way that deems them best so long it doesn't hurt anyone. The tollerance, acceptance and even appreciation of ways of live and oppinions different from the own and the opposition to intollerance and stereotyping are in my opinion a very commendable attitute

And there are those who have not been around for a as long a time as those I have named so far but whose activities (beside the appreciation I have for them as individuals) I take as the happy sign that even without any further LBT releases the GOF is not going to go extinct any time soon. There is Ducky123 for example who has brought so much activity to the GOF and whom I appreciate for both, his friendliness and his honesty when it comes to constructive criticism. More recently even MurMur has abandoned the long time silent observing of the GOF and joined in our threads and the day that decision was made was surely a great day for the GOF. I am feeling kind of bad for being so late in the welcome section and for having been too tied up with other work to give my own input to the activity which you brought to the GOF MurMur, but I'm looking forward to getting to know each other better and to long time to come with you and so many GOF members who make this community what it is.

[Pterano]

It's wonderful to see this thread revived, and I deeply appreciate the mention, Malte. You're someone I've come to appreciate over the years as well, and I enjoy our talks very much. I always have something to learn from them. While I admit, I'm not on Skype as much (I merged my MSN account with Skype) due to them tending to pirate my bandwidth, I look forward to talking with you whenever I can.

Thank you once more, as this makes me feel at least somewhat better after a very restless and stressful night.

[Ducky123]

This is an awesome thread

First I want to thank everyone who joined my RP, namely Nahla, somerandomfangirl, Dosu2Dinner, LoyfeCycleProtector, Kor, StrutEggStealer, Mr Wonk, The Anonymous Person and MurMur(though he left it I still appreciate his efforts, especially his plot suggestion)
It's so much fun to RP with you guys, thanks

There are a few other persons I want to name here for their help and/or their pure friendlyness.

Somerandomfangirl: First I want to thank you the thousenth time for correcting and proof reading my fanfiction. It means a lot for me
Furthermore I just want to thank you for being such a good friend Our nearly daily chats always enlighten my mood. I'm glad to have a friend like you

Nahla: I want to thank you for being my friend and for the nearly daily chats as well I really miss your randomness and the LBT-universe you created is just awesome. I hope you'll be fully back soon...  

Malte279: Where to begin? Malte I appreciate you for so many things I'm afraid I can't list them all here   Well, I gotta give it a try:
First you are a very intelligent, literate and helpful person. I always enjoy reading your posts as well as chatting with you about anything, I always learn something, may it be about LBT, everything under the sun or history
Further I consider you a very talented artist and fanfiction-writer. Your fanfictions are the best I've read so far and your fanart is evidence for great talent. It's very sad you're so busied with real-life stuff
On top of that Malte sent me a lot of useful programs plus some explanation how to use them.
Lastly I extremely appreciate that you took the time to 'disassemble' this chapter of my fanfiction. Although you were extremely busied lately you pointed out many issues which I will fix. Your points sounded so logical that I hardly could disagree with you Your efforts will make my fanfiction better so I want to say 'Thank you' for this.
The GoF wouldn't be the place it is right now without you

Mumbling: I want to thank you for being such a great admin as well as for being just nice, friendly and helpful. I appreciate you helped me with my avatar

vonboy: You were the first person to PM me and the first friend I made here on the GoF. I'm always pleased to talk to you
Besides your facfiction 'PAST-O-RAMA' is just plain awesome I hope you can continue it soon and overcome the biggest problem of writers namely Writer's Block.

MurMur: Though you're pretty new here( well, I am pretty new here, too ) you already made a difference on the GoF. Without you the 'Caption this' section would be close to death and you brought up some really nice topics. Again thanks for that plot suggestion Without you the RP might never had been started  

I hope I haven't forgotten to name someone who really deserves to be named here...

A big thanks to everyone who makes the GoF what it is: A great place and very likely the friendliest place on the internet

[StrutEggStealer]

SQUEE! TYSM Ducky!!

Well, I have a lot of people to thank, so I may as well start.

Mr. Wonk - Since I joined, you have been so awesome and so encouraging. I remember just feeling so overwhelmbed when I signed up and opened my welcome topic that I felt more than a little sheepish an ridiculous, but then you just kept talking to me. So in a word, you're awesome

Jrd89 - I know we didn't meet when I first joined, but I have really come to appreciate this member because he and I are so similar in regards to beliefs. He is courteous and he makes me laugh. He is honest and I really appreciate him being there to talk to

landbeforetimelover - Well I guess I should say I'm sorry I ever opened my big mouth (in a sense, keyboard)on those *brrrrrr* sensitive topics but I really appreciate you listening and understanding where I come from...
Difficult to do, I realize. I'm hardheaded and Sicilian

Pterano - He really surprises me - one minute he's so philosophical and the next, he's joking and being all goofy. STOP THAT RIGHT NOW!
seriously, you got me serious about my writes and I appreciate that. You are an inspiration

Pangaea - I'm so nervous talking to him because I know how brilliant he is and just how random and sometimes manic I may sound, but I really appreciate just how patient and just how funny he is.
And also, how he showed me how to operate the topics around this place, appreciate all the help
And thank you for asking me things! For almost two pages. I just hope I haven't scared you off

Loyfe, Dosu, Ducky, Nahla, and Rammy - you guys are one of a kind (bit of an oxymoron because I have just compiled you into a single unit O_o)!! You are all so much fun to chat with and you're all so patient and brilliant!