This is a topic for thanking people, whether they're staffers, other volunteers or normal members. I felt like this has become a necessity because too many things go unappreciated. It's also for putting on display the fact that you haven't forgotten. I'll begin.
Thank you to
Azuria for gracing my little community with your glow for but a brief moment. I'll always love you.
Thank you to
willng3 and
~Napalm (then kartis and Napalm Grenade), whom I met in the Elements chatroom on Kong. If you had been assholes, I might not have registered on the forum. I can't see you two being anything but lifelong friends of mine.
will, you're in the top with dependable and hard-working staff members. Parts of this community would've crumbled without your unrelenting endurance and attention to detail. You have my deepest respect for your incredibly hard work, winner attitude during hardship and compassion both here and in real life. The world could use more people like you. It'd be a cushier world. (￣ー￣) (no but seriously, the amount of people I feel comfortable around to lie on, digitally or not, can be counted on one hand. you're an outstanding guy in so many ways)
Nap. How much fun haven't we had? The Triple Threat. Fire and Aether personified, side by side. Your energy and happiness, hell, even your surly days, have been a privilege to be around for. I could never do anything but smile when you showed up, and the atmosphere changed when you left. I hope you'll stop by now and then to tell us how you're doing. I'll always be your Marisa.
Thank you to all the Tournament Organizers of old who held tournaments for me to hone my skills as a nub. You were
Rastafla, Jumbalumba,
killsdazombies and
Scaredgirl.
Thank you to all the Tournament Organizers of old and to Scaredgirl for deciding I was a good pick for the TO position.
Thank you to all the Tournament Organizers of old for being there to support me as I became godlike at hosting tournaments (thank you to my ego for flattering itself). You were
Rastafla the mentor,
killsdazombies the lead-by-example guy and Jumbalumba, the inactive one.
Thank you to everything that motivated me into bringing about a golden age of tournaments. Ah, to have that creativity again.
Thank you to the entire community for voting me into the second Council and then voting for me as Head of Council for the third Council. I still treasure that vote of confidence.
Thank you to Scaredgirl, the second and the third Council, including jmdt who was Head of Council for the second Council.
Thank you to Kael Hate who was a harsh but very competent Warmaster, Master of Darkness and a friend. Thank you for keeping it real.
Thank you to icybraker who had some pretty cool Aether enthusiasm.
Thank you to icecoldbro who became my digital little bro. People aren't necessarily bad eggs just because they have issues.
Thank you to
pikachufan2164,
Dragoon1140 and icecoldbro for being my opponents in phase 2 during the 3rd Trials. You were all positive forces to be reckoned with in this community.
Thank you to
pikachufan2164 for being my final opponent in the 3rd and 4th Trials. Perhaps we'll always have this playful rivalry. I find that comforting. Throughout phase 2 and the final battle of the 2nd Trials is when I truly felt like I was approaching a masterful grasp of Aether as my intuitive conclusions were confirmed and my perspective broadened.
Thank you to my incredible War team during War 3. I hand-picked every single one of you on the grounds of mindblowing potential, and it resulted in something so much more perfect than I could've ever imagined. You were
willng3,
pikachufan2164,
YoungSot,
deuce22,
EvaRia,
UTAlan,
EngPhys and later on
(...), also known as Dots. I can't give special thanks to anyone here, because you were all far above and beyond. Thank you to Eva for your invaluable experience and organizing skills. Thank you to pika, will, deuce, Alan, Sot and Physsie for being incredible workhorses. Thank you to Dots for stepping up when I needed you. This was the longest, bloodiest and most epic War in Elements history by far, in my eyes. It shaved away the weaknessess of your spirit to find that core nugget of pure, distilled focus, skill and heart-pumping glory. A metaphorical and literal trial by fire to cleanse away doubts and fears, all because we were a team. The gargantuan sum of the small pieces we were.
Thank you to Team Fire, Entropy, Death and Darkness for being our main rivals during War 3. Thank you to Team Water for being scary for a round or two. Thank you the other teams for participating. Thank you for "enjoying" our BoneBolt and other decks of insane winrates. Special thanks to Torb, MrBlonde, Zeru, Nap and majo.
Thank you to Team Aether for working with me when we revolutionized Aether in the War format. You guys made it possible for me to put the element where it belonged, to revolutionize its fanbase and to express why it can be such an incredibly inspiring element on an artistic and even philosophical level. That is the ultimate power of a Master and the fans of an element.
Thank you to subsequent Councils that I was a part of. Working to improve the community and forum somehow still hasn't gotten old. I think it's because of every single motivated person I've met on here, and because of every single person I've managed to motivate.
Thank you to
GG (formerly girlsgeneration) for being such a great gal, Gravity Master and dependable staff member. I'll never forget how me, you and Nap all became Masters at the same time and were cheering each other on, and I'll never forget you. Heck, I still feel like you and Nap are around. Your presence will always have its mark left here, and both of you tend to come back now and then as if to just say "I didn't forget this place. I didn't forget you".
Thank you to
TheonlyrealBeef for stepping up as TO after me and doing an almost as incredible job for about as long, I think. Endurance is an admirable quality that I thank the universe for possessing as well.
Thank you to my Team Aether in War 4. Again I looked for new people with incredible potential, for that's how I forged new everlasting fans of the Element. Though I lacked for time, I was able to see the light of your potential, and it shone powerfully and clearly. Two of you have yet to unlock the awe-inspiring full extent of your potential as I saw it, and you were my dear
Shaliyah and
markilleruk, but you'll always shine bright in my memory. I still hope you'll be back one day, whether you'll be fans of Aether or not. Having you back would be great enough. Ah mark, the yankee killer. Yer truly a gem. Shaliyah, you have an incredible energy that makes me smile. Very few can do that to me. I hope I get to see you again. The rest of you blossomed or already had blossomed, and you were
OdiiOdsen,
mrpaper, ever and always my
EvaRia and
hainkarga. Odii, yer a creep, but you're alright. Don't ever leave us.
Thank you to hainkarga for being a good friend and fellow hard-ass. We'll always share something special, and I retain that you're quite possibly still the best player around.
Thank you to
xn0ize for being a good long-time friend. You remain full of potential, old friend.
Thank you to
n00b (formerly Iman00b) for also stepping up as TO and doing a great job for a long time. Watching tourneys decline would've been terrible for me. You were incredibly dependable in your every position. It has taken more time to see just how dependable you were. The forums aren't the same without you.
Thank you to
ddevans96 for being around since forever. I can always trust some people to be a part of this place, and that's something irreplaceable.
Thank you to
Terroking,
MrBlonde,
Xinef,
10 men and
Zeru for being those ornery old Masters you'll never forget. You guys kept it real, honest, and rational. Xinef, you're a kook and I miss both your humour and philosophical/artistic ramblings.
xdude, you're not ornery enough to be listed with the rest (I kid), but still I thank you for representing Light with more zeal than anyone before or after you. That's the kind of passion I want to see in a Master.
Thank you, of course, to my
Kuroaitou. You've done so very much for this community and it makes me so happy that you're still here. Not only do you work the hardest anyone could demand of a person, but you also remain one of the nicest people I have ever met. I hope that never changes, for the sake of the world.
Thank you to
skotadi phobos for being a good sport and thank you for all your staff work. I mean, you asked for it by picking a username like that, but still yer a good sport.
Thank you to
Ryan666 for being one of those uppity new-comers with potential and energy. You actually dethroned xdude, and no one thought you would. Sure, there's RNG, but it took the ability and courage to take it to the point where RNG is even a factor. Plus you were smart enough to use the available SoG's. I got the impression from talking to you that you were a young man with lots of potential and strong emotions. That will cause problems as it did, and I don't know where you are in life now, but I hope and believe it's someplace good.
Thank you to
TStar for being a good friend and MMO buddy. We made a good team and even better good-natured opponents. I'm glad you're not gone forever.
Thank you to
OldTrees for being a voice of rationality and a presence of inspiration and support for many. As a fellow mentor of younger people and endurer of hardship, you'll always have my respect.
Thank you to
Dm (formerly Dm1321) for being another contender for most dependable and enduring staff member. You'll always be a friend.
Thank you to
majofa for being yet another contender for most awesome, most dependable and most enduring staff member. The forum wouldn't be anything near what it is without you and others like you. Thank you for carrying all those medals as well. They must get heavy. (he's the most decorated PvP'er in the community and easily one of the best)
Thank you to
Essence for the Oracle fortunes and for being such an old dog of the community. It'd take ages to recount everything you've done for this place, but when someone's gone you tend to mainly miss how their presence affected the atmosphere.
Thank you to
Kamietsu for the playful arguments and for also being such an old dog. I always meant well.
Thank you to
Daxx for being our old GlobMod. No thanks for that PoisonKing debacle though. You bastard. Thanks to you and SG for being a part of WoE with me.
Thank you to
jmizzle7,
Dragoon and
kev (formerly kevkev60614). Three giants who did so much for this community. Why must you leave these holes when you move on?
Thank you to
Calindu for keeping the PvP scene competitive. Yer one of the oldies up there with the rest. Thank you, as well, for all your staff work.
Thank you to
RootRanger and other Leaguers like
worldwideweb3 for keeping the competitive scene competitive.
Thank you to
Jenkar for all your work as Wiki Editor and Warmaster and LO and god knows how many other things. Also thanks for being Jenk.
justaburd, thank you for being just a burd too.
Thank you to
Opsinis,
whatifidogetcaught? and
Krzysiekxd for being those new, dependable staff members.
Thank you to
Submachine,
dawn to dusk,
jippy99,
scauduro221095, pika,
Vineroz,
Zawadx,
iancudorinmarian,
Ginyu,
mathman101, ddevs and GG for taking care of my lovechild; the tournaments. It was easy spotting your potential during the auction, Ginyu. You'll go far.
Thank you to
dracomageat for being around for such a long time. I can't imagine this place without you, to be honest.
Thank you to
CuCN and
serprex for being our resident coders and for your Warmaster work. You two are extremely reliable. Thanks to deuce and previous Warmasters as well. Special thanks to kdz who basically rescued an entire War for us for no reward. I'm sorry that this happens to some staffers now and then. Sometimes you just can't plan for everything.
Thank you to
SpikeSpiegel for your hard work and pleasant company. Yer a hothead, but I can't imagine the forums without you.
Thank you to
Naesala for your passion and your work. It's rare to find someone who cares so much. Just remember to take care of yourself before anyone else.
Thank you all my League Organizers, Competition Organizers, Wiki Editors, Trial Overseers, Card Curators, Forum Game Organizers, Deck Helpers, Bug Hunters, Brawlmasters, Social Network Managers, Chat Moderators, Mentor Managers, Quiz Moderator (oh Mal), Feedback Manager (more like thank you to Jappert for being a great member in general), Newsletter Writers, Guildmasters, Idea Gurus, Battle Master, Art Curators, Duel Overseer, Trial Overseers, PvP Event Managers, Arena Moderators, board Moderators, World of Elements contributers, tool makers and project leaders. Some of you have been extremely enduring and dependable, and it's been a privilege to see you grow and contribute.
Thank you doesn't cut it when it comes to
Zblader. A friend for life and someone I'll always care for. Someone whom I can always have a deeper conversation with.
Thank you to ddevans again for being such a good friend of Z's. Thank you to
Bloodshadow for being a real community veteran and deep well of artistic musing despite everything. Thank you for all the good you've done Z and thank you for giving me a chance as well. I hope you're doing well. You're one of those that left a mark on the community that will never fade completely, and I hope you'll always know this place will never forget you.
Thank you to
Xenocidius and
UTAlan for stepping up as Admins alongside me when SG left us. Thank you to
antiaverage for stepping up after Xeno. Y'all are figures of professionalism and maturity, and you're super easy to work with. This volunteer job could've been hell if you had been dinks.
Thank you to Scaredgirl and the entire goddamn community for thinking I was suitable for the position of Global Moderator. This was, has been, and is an honor and a privilege.
Thank you to
zanzarino and the entire community for thinking I was suitable for the position of Administrator as well. The level of trust and faith so many people have put in me still brings me to tears some days. I constantly feel like I could be better and do more, but it's not hard to bear. I need only look to other members and see that we're all doing our best in spite of real life. Thank you to zanz for responding to my e-mail and caring enough to give me the reins.
I know it in my heart that I've forgotten some. Don't take it personally; I've had memory problems all my life due to rough times. If you have a place in my heart, I will remember you at some point and I will edit you in here.
