It's amazing how some realities can be beyond imagination. I can scarcely imagine the fact that my father makes in a day at his job what I made in a month at my last one. It's hard to think that with a degree, I'll make twice in a year than I do now. I can't even begin to fathom a life where I'm an adult, living on my own, with a career, my own responsibilities, my own bills. It's all so hard to think about a life that can be so structurally similar, but functionally completely different.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/NewClassic/Forum%20Stuff/Indent.pngWhich is an interesting thing to consider when on the topic of the forum moderators. It's difficult to imagine that for every report-worthy thread I bump into, they face ten to fifteen. For every post I see of theirs, there are probably seven more that I don't. It leads me to believe that there is a lot more to the mods than any of us sees, and a lot less of us they probably see in return. Can you imagine one hundred new posts every time you log on, and all of them being bannable? How must can these guys put up with our incessant complaints, with a smile, every. Damn. Day. And still wake up in the morning and do it again, all for us.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/NewClassic/Forum%20Stuff/Indent.pngBoggles the mind.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/NewClassic/Forum%20Stuff/Indent.pngAlthough, I do wonder what a mod looks like behind the scenes. How they see the user base, how they feel the members see them, how they would want us to act amongst each other, how they wish they could interact with us. More importantly, how they feel about us simply seeing them as nothing but a ban-hammer and a tool, an end to justify our means. For every "epic troll hunt" a user puts together, there's a scowling mod behind us with a janitor's cart. We ask everything of them, and give nothing back. Hardly any appreciation, nothing but endless demands, trouble users, and public outcries for them to work harder. Day in, day out. Yet they always do what we ask, without fail, despite that we offer them no carrots, and all stick.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/NewClassic/Forum%20Stuff/Indent.pngIt's amazing how, without thinking about it just now, I couldn't even imagine it. The harder I think about it, the more difficult time I have thinking it's real. Amazing how moderation can be so similar, but so functionally completely different. Yet I can scarcely imagine how things could be different, and what difference (if any) I could make. Aside from mentioning it, and sending the Staff and mods thank you cards at Christmas, I'm at a bit of a loss.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/NewClassic/Forum%20Stuff/Indent.pngPerhaps I should start small, and work my way up. Maybe even even see what I can do from there. So, consider this the smallest step in the right direction.
[ul][li]To Kuliani and SpinWhiz, who've both done untold amounts for the community, I appreciate it. You both work tirelessly behind the scenes, catch all the flack for any hiccups the community has, and are never thanked for the things we appreciate but never see. I appreciate the work you folks do, and feel like the thanks don't do enough, but it's what I offer just the same. You work hard, and I appreciate it.[/li]
[li]To Russ Pitss, Susan Arendt, Jordan Deam, and Lauren Admire, you work tirelessly on the articles weekly and more often, work with every bit of news and more. Even if our comments don't show it, I'm sure many of us appreciate it, and it wouldn't be the same without any of you.[/li]
[li]To John Funk, Greg Tito, and Logan Westbrook, you guys are always working on the news which we use daily but hardly spare a passing thought for your input and work on it, I appreciate it greatly.[/li]
[li]To everyone else on the staff, including writers and columnists, whom I've missed, haven't met, or don't know, you do a job which is as thankless as it is invisible. Yet the site isn't possible as it is without you in some part. I can't say I'm proud to have not listed your name, but I'm glad you're here. Without all of your efforts, I doubt any of us could be. It's a thankless job, but here's a single thanks of the many you're owed.[/li]
[li]To BTea, Alex_P, Ultrajoe, Wilson, LaCoil, and Varchld: You put up with a lot of crap at our hands, from our mouths, and from our egos. You do it loud, you do it proud, and you do it for free. I can't say you're the brightest bunch for taking the job, but it's one that someone has to do. Despite the unglamorous job description, you do it with charm, tact, wit, and poise. Endlessly. There really should be a memorial for you guys somewhere, or failing that, a paycheck. Since I can offer you neither of those, I hope this and thanks will do.[/li][/ul]
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/NewClassic/Forum%20Stuff/Indent.pngSo, again, thank you one and all for everything you do for this site, for us, and for the less vocal users. You spend 5 days a week thinking of us, and we spend less than a minute a day thanking you for it. Well, here's the start of what I can do. I appreciate it, more than I can give voice to in just text. Hopefully this is just a little more carrot. Perhaps we should all try harder to give them a lot less stick.
Warmest regards,
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/NewClassic/Forum%20Stuff/Indent.pngWhich is an interesting thing to consider when on the topic of the forum moderators. It's difficult to imagine that for every report-worthy thread I bump into, they face ten to fifteen. For every post I see of theirs, there are probably seven more that I don't. It leads me to believe that there is a lot more to the mods than any of us sees, and a lot less of us they probably see in return. Can you imagine one hundred new posts every time you log on, and all of them being bannable? How must can these guys put up with our incessant complaints, with a smile, every. Damn. Day. And still wake up in the morning and do it again, all for us.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/NewClassic/Forum%20Stuff/Indent.pngBoggles the mind.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/NewClassic/Forum%20Stuff/Indent.pngAlthough, I do wonder what a mod looks like behind the scenes. How they see the user base, how they feel the members see them, how they would want us to act amongst each other, how they wish they could interact with us. More importantly, how they feel about us simply seeing them as nothing but a ban-hammer and a tool, an end to justify our means. For every "epic troll hunt" a user puts together, there's a scowling mod behind us with a janitor's cart. We ask everything of them, and give nothing back. Hardly any appreciation, nothing but endless demands, trouble users, and public outcries for them to work harder. Day in, day out. Yet they always do what we ask, without fail, despite that we offer them no carrots, and all stick.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/NewClassic/Forum%20Stuff/Indent.pngIt's amazing how, without thinking about it just now, I couldn't even imagine it. The harder I think about it, the more difficult time I have thinking it's real. Amazing how moderation can be so similar, but so functionally completely different. Yet I can scarcely imagine how things could be different, and what difference (if any) I could make. Aside from mentioning it, and sending the Staff and mods thank you cards at Christmas, I'm at a bit of a loss.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/NewClassic/Forum%20Stuff/Indent.pngPerhaps I should start small, and work my way up. Maybe even even see what I can do from there. So, consider this the smallest step in the right direction.
[ul][li]To Kuliani and SpinWhiz, who've both done untold amounts for the community, I appreciate it. You both work tirelessly behind the scenes, catch all the flack for any hiccups the community has, and are never thanked for the things we appreciate but never see. I appreciate the work you folks do, and feel like the thanks don't do enough, but it's what I offer just the same. You work hard, and I appreciate it.[/li]
[li]To Russ Pitss, Susan Arendt, Jordan Deam, and Lauren Admire, you work tirelessly on the articles weekly and more often, work with every bit of news and more. Even if our comments don't show it, I'm sure many of us appreciate it, and it wouldn't be the same without any of you.[/li]
[li]To John Funk, Greg Tito, and Logan Westbrook, you guys are always working on the news which we use daily but hardly spare a passing thought for your input and work on it, I appreciate it greatly.[/li]
[li]To everyone else on the staff, including writers and columnists, whom I've missed, haven't met, or don't know, you do a job which is as thankless as it is invisible. Yet the site isn't possible as it is without you in some part. I can't say I'm proud to have not listed your name, but I'm glad you're here. Without all of your efforts, I doubt any of us could be. It's a thankless job, but here's a single thanks of the many you're owed.[/li]
[li]To BTea, Alex_P, Ultrajoe, Wilson, LaCoil, and Varchld: You put up with a lot of crap at our hands, from our mouths, and from our egos. You do it loud, you do it proud, and you do it for free. I can't say you're the brightest bunch for taking the job, but it's one that someone has to do. Despite the unglamorous job description, you do it with charm, tact, wit, and poise. Endlessly. There really should be a memorial for you guys somewhere, or failing that, a paycheck. Since I can offer you neither of those, I hope this and thanks will do.[/li][/ul]
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/NewClassic/Forum%20Stuff/Indent.pngSo, again, thank you one and all for everything you do for this site, for us, and for the less vocal users. You spend 5 days a week thinking of us, and we spend less than a minute a day thanking you for it. Well, here's the start of what I can do. I appreciate it, more than I can give voice to in just text. Hopefully this is just a little more carrot. Perhaps we should all try harder to give them a lot less stick.
Warmest regards,
