We've announced all the winners and given them their trophies, but there is one last awAARd to hand out. It is a new awAARd and this is the first time we shall see a member honored. I thought it an important awAARd to include this year for a number of reasons. One, of course, is to honor the great MrT. It has been said before, but the rumor/legend has it that at one time, MrT wrote at least one third if not a half of the posts within the nascent AARland, or should we call it the proto-AARland? He was foundational in the building of this place both as a writAAR and a community member. He was a personal mentor/hero of mine and in many ways, I have patterned my behavior here much to follow that example. As a side note, I lost a very close friend of mine this year and began considering such honorifics and this of course led to thoughts of MrT (Chris). Sadly it seems that sometime after 2013, MrT also passed away and due to the nature of the internet, there was no real announcement of such. I know he was hailed by many of the old guard, but he should never be forgotten for his contributions to this place. Frankly, never be forgotten for the person that he was. Others knew him better, to be sure. But I am personally in debt to him and this awAARd is the least I could do.
The second reason follows from the first. Over the years, there have been many people to not only write but so too contributed to the community with comments, participation and general comradery. It is the backbone of this institution (if we are allowed to consider ourselves as such.) Those that do have certainly seen their fair share of thanks, but I thought it perhaps important to "put it down on paper" as it were. Let us call it a statue in the hallowed halls of the bAAR, or at least a plaque.
There are no real guidelines to this awAARd. I suppose one might say, "longstanding member that has given the forum time, efforts, energy, AARs, comments and any other contribution that helps AARland to not only sustain but grow." That about sums it up for me. Those of you that offered a vote here seem to also hold that mind and six different people were put up for nomination this year that certainly have done that very thing over their tenure within AARland. However one member was given nomination a number of times and thus I give to you...
Nikolai joined the forum in 2001 an at early age. Like many, he waited a while before starting an AAR. Yet by 2004, he was ready and released two in short order. This is not surprising given how many he writes as by my count, Nikolai has 38 more since those first two. That is a lot of writing and yet that did not stop him from joining into conversation within AARland, by both comments and support to other writAARs, as well as giving back in special projects and of course, the most recent ACAs that he's been running for some time now. All of this has been done while he has been quite honest with us about many medical problems that have impeded both his life as well as time and effort here with us. Yet he returns and continues.
I cannot be more proud to present this inaugural awAARd to @Nikolai for he is a model of what it is meant to represent. A fine tradition continues because of people like you, sir! Thank you for everything that you do and we, AARland, are better for it! Congratulations, my friend!
The second reason follows from the first. Over the years, there have been many people to not only write but so too contributed to the community with comments, participation and general comradery. It is the backbone of this institution (if we are allowed to consider ourselves as such.) Those that do have certainly seen their fair share of thanks, but I thought it perhaps important to "put it down on paper" as it were. Let us call it a statue in the hallowed halls of the bAAR, or at least a plaque.
There are no real guidelines to this awAARd. I suppose one might say, "longstanding member that has given the forum time, efforts, energy, AARs, comments and any other contribution that helps AARland to not only sustain but grow." That about sums it up for me. Those of you that offered a vote here seem to also hold that mind and six different people were put up for nomination this year that certainly have done that very thing over their tenure within AARland. However one member was given nomination a number of times and thus I give to you...
@Nikolai
Nikolai joined the forum in 2001 an at early age. Like many, he waited a while before starting an AAR. Yet by 2004, he was ready and released two in short order. This is not surprising given how many he writes as by my count, Nikolai has 38 more since those first two. That is a lot of writing and yet that did not stop him from joining into conversation within AARland, by both comments and support to other writAARs, as well as giving back in special projects and of course, the most recent ACAs that he's been running for some time now. All of this has been done while he has been quite honest with us about many medical problems that have impeded both his life as well as time and effort here with us. Yet he returns and continues.
I cannot be more proud to present this inaugural awAARd to @Nikolai for he is a model of what it is meant to represent. A fine tradition continues because of people like you, sir! Thank you for everything that you do and we, AARland, are better for it! Congratulations, my friend!
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