I wanted to take some time out to show my appreciation and acknowledge some of the members of the community who have pitched in and epitomized the values I had envisioned for this community, a place committed to being the friendliest, most helpful and welcoming community of its kind.

When my days at Cakewalk Forum came to an end, I was soon contacted by a forum member, @bluescat. I found him to be this combination of friendliness, warmth, wisdom and encouragement that it was simply a joy to find him. He’s the kind of person when you meet, after you reach a certain age, you want as a friend. Yesterday when a forum member shared that the new read / unread function featured graphics that were not friendly to those with colorblindness, I quickly committed to fixing that. But Brian didn’t catch that, and the result was that he sent me a PM making the case that this element really should consider our fellow community member. The gesture had more meaning to me that I can convey here for very personal reasons, one of which is reflected in that I advise (pro bono) an organization that provides children from low income homes with mobility equipment. I love it when people care about others the way Brian cares about others, the meaning goes beyond web graphics. The way Brian looks out for others represents the very best in human nature, IMO. Thank you, Brian.

Another LM member that I really don’t ever recall interacting with at Cakewalk Forums but almost instantly I felt a rapport with here that was like talking to a longtime, trusted friend is @lamia6
I can’t believe how many times @lamia6 has been a great help to me with this site in the past week, possessing experience with the platforms we’re using. Always willing to help and not even waiting for me to ask — just extending the offer to help or even sending me CSS or graphics. Just an amazing person. I cannot thank you enough for your generosity and kindness. Thank you, Lamia6.

Last, but certainly not least, when @cclarry called it a night in preparation for his well-deserved Vegas vacation, I made a tongue-in-cheek poll in the Deals Forum about whether we should shutdown the site for a week until Larry returns or hope that @satya comes to the rescue, as he was known to do back at the Cakewalk Deals Forum. I didn’t anticipate that he would do exactly that. Out of nowhere, overnight, Satya suddenly fills the forum with new deals. Thank you, Satya. You rock!