Sorry for taking so long to vote (You know me; I take time to make decisions, especially when it’s vital that I explain them
). I am not yet certain of my nominations for the
Projects Award and
Helpful Member Award (if I vote in them at all), but here are the others:
Feedback Award: It is perhaps ironic that the individual I am nominating for this category is the same member who has repeatedly and emphatically expressed his appreciation for the feedback I have left on HIS work. However, I honestly consider
Caustizer to be an expert giver of feedback in his own right. His reviews for
Twilight Valley, for example, were so thorough and well-put that I didn’t think Serris needed my input for anything other than proofreading. He also has a talent for identifying and instilling meaningfulness in things. I once suggested a name for a prospective OC to him, and he immediately told me what he perceived the name to imply about the character; details which I was completely unaware of even being present. As far as I am concerned, he probably contemplates aspects of fanfictions as much or more than I do, and I feel that he is definitely worthy of a nomination in this category.
Proactive Member Award: I knew who I was going to nominate for this award weeks in advance; a member who has introduced an astounding number of brilliant threads and ideas to the GOF in her relatively short tenure here. In the last year alone, these have included the “In The Land Before Time” RP, the “How are you Feeling?” thread, and the ever-popular “Ask Me” series, all of which I have immensely enjoyed both reading and posting in. I wish I could be a tenth as proactive as this member, who is, of course,
Rat_lady7.
Role Play Gamer Award: This is a slightly problematic category, because I am not very active in the Role Play section, and have read almost none of the recent RPs. However, in the one RP I am active in, I have come to particularly enjoy the posts of
Cancerian Tiger. They are incredibly detailed, interesting and entertaining to read, often quite humorous,
and clearly have a lot of work and thought put into them. Moreover, she always seems to have something good to post even when the RP is going slowly, and has possibly done more to keep it running than any other participant.
I’d also like to give an honorable mention to the abstaining nominee Noname, one of the few members whose role playing exploits outside “In The Land Before Time” I know anything about. In a PM conversation of ours, he mentioned that he was playing in six ongoing RPs. That, in my eyes, takes dedication.
Philosopher Award: I’m taking a cue from Malte279
* (who looks certain to earn yet another award in GOF Philosophy this year
), and nominating a member who may not prevail in this category, but whom I firmly believe should be given her due. In my eyes,
DarkHououmon has been very proficient at making clear, concise analytical posts, often on controversial topics, firmly stating her opinions while taking care not to offend other people. Her points are well explained but not excessively long, and easy to understand (all of which I have perpetual trouble with
). Time and again Kacie has amazed me by pointing out something about a topic that I probably would not have noticed on my own, but which made absolute sense once she had brought it to light. She has also shown herself to be quite good at introducing thought-provoking ideas to a discussion (particularly in the numerous PM conversations we have had).
Malte at least deserves an honorable mention in this category, as does Almaron (It’s a shame his visits to the GOF are so sporadic, given the quality, thoroughness, and stimulating his posts are.
*specifically, his nomination for the Fanart Award
Fanart Award: This is a challenging category, because the GOF has so many fantastic artists (Sky, DarkWolf91, Malte279, DarkHououmon, Mumbling, and LBTFan, to name just a few) whose respective styles and areas of talent are individually unique and therefore incomparable to one another (in my opinion, anyway). My nomination, therefore, relates to the level of personal involvement I have had in the artist’s work. I started reviewing this member’s art thread in late December 2009; since then she has posted over a hundred pictures (including alternate and edited versions and works in progress), nearly all of which I gave her feedback on. Time and again her artwork has made me gape, laugh, and smile, and even tickled my tear ducts on at least one occasion. If you page through her art thread, you can see the phenomenal amount of development her artwork has undergone. I hope she continues to produce art, and perhaps broaden her horizons a bit (though seeing as most of her work relates to her fanfiction, which centers around flyer characters, I consider it understandable that they are the primary focus of her art). I feel honored to have been involved in
Ptyra’s growth as an artist.
Friendly Member Award: This could be the most difficult category of them all. There are so many kind and courteous people contributing to its warm and welcoming atmosphere of the GOF, that isolating the largest source of this cordiality is like identifying the body of water whose evaporation spawned the largest cloud in the sky. However, by excluding members I have already nominated for other categories, and those with whom I have had little personal interaction, and focusing on ones who have not yet received much voting attention, I have narrowed it down to
Saft. In every post of hers I have seen, and every PM conversation we have had, she has been nothing but polite, compassionate, and sympathetic. She is always respectful and concerned for those around her, and strongly conscious about not making others annoyed or upset.
I would also like to give an honorable mention to The Friendly Sharptooth, with whom I have regrettably had only a few brief conversions, but who has always been impeccably polite and considerate.
