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This is something I haven't done in all my years running CoN, so please bear with me if it gets rambling or stupid or even offensive. It would indeed surprise me to go the offensive route, but it's certainly happened before.

As you get older and/or more mature (though God knows they're not very strongly linked), the holiday season starts to take a little bit of a different timbre. I'm sure most of us remember being children and being excited solely for the gifts that were going to show up with our names on them. It might have been under a tree, it might have been in front of a menorah, or it might have been in any other of the hundreds of ways that people celebrate this time of year, but it doesn't matter. We, as kids being most susceptible to base human nature, desired the presents in a selfish way, regardless of how much we tried to hide it. (Now, you holier-than-thou types out there, don't post saying, "I was never like that." I don't care. Just keep your peace).

I'm rapidly approaching my mid-twenties now, and things have changed for me. I was never what most people would call a selfish kid - I was generally too sensitive for my own good, and would become more upset at upsetting someone else than having someone walk all over me. But something's changed in the last few years. Since I graduated Uni, things haven't been the best for me and my young family. Money has been tight, job satisfaction has been low, even finding a decent job to work in has been challenging. Things like that put a lot of stress on life, no matter how much you try to ignore it, avoid it, or fight it.

Now, let me condescend for just a moment, and give you the key to happiness in the face of adversity. It's love. You have to love, and you have to be loved. It doesn't necessarily require a person-to-person relationship. You can love an idea. Something abstract can love you. You can love the annoying little cats that are begging for food at your feet if you want; I know I do. Find someone, some thing, some nebulous abstract concept that you love, and let that love carry you through your days, because love will open a lot of doors that you otherwise would never get into or even know they existed. They kinda just blend into the walls, those doors, like Merlin's Mystery Shop in River City Ransom. There should be more odes to River City Ransom in holiday messages.

Anyway, back on topic. Love opens a lot of doors, and it lets you grow outside of what you might otherwise be. Love allows you to give of yourself to others, and it makes them giving back to you all the sweeter. As most of you probably already know, I celebrated my one-year wedding anniversary this past Sunday. While we've struggled mightily over the last twelve months, and sometimes wondered if and how we were going to make it, there has been one thing that keeps bringing us back to the ground floor to start again - it's the love that we share and has been compounded over and over again by each other. That's the kind of thing I'm talking about. It's not that anyone would think we have a perfect love, but it gets us through the day. We give to each other, and what we take in return is negligible in our minds. I've been torturing Angie with her Christmas gifts for a couple weeks, at least, and the anticipation that has been building far surpasses any gift that I might get this holiday season. Knowing how happy she'll be with what I've picked out for her makes it all worthwhile, even if there were no boxes under the tree for me.

Now, here's the point as it applies to you all. As I've learned over the past several years how much more important giving REALLY is, it's really affected the way I interact with the living organism known as CoN. I would imagine you all don't see me doing as much obsessing over site stats and how we're comparing to the goals I've put in place for the site. Well, okay, you probably do if you come to chat. The site is still my favorite topic in there. Fine, whatever. I've come to understand more fully how you all have come to be here and why you stay. For the most part, it's not because you want to look important, or show off your knowledge, or be part of something popular (at least, popular in an indie underground kind of way). It's because you want to be in the community. You want to give what you have to others, and feel what others have to give to you - like, in Phoenix' case, a real bad case of crabs*. Everyone wish him a full and expedient recovery kthx.

Six and a half years ago, the Web wasn't a place where people went out looking for sponsorships to pay for gaudy web sites, and it wasn't a place where the goal was to shove one's foot into the door to bigger and better things by making small sites that eventually get noticed. It was much more mom-and-pop back then, more frontier than Las Vegas Strip. I started CoN as a hobby that, on a good day, might be useful to someone. It's still a hobby, and it's certainly proved useful to the hundreds of thousands of individuals who have visited over the years. Or at least to five or ten of those hundreds of thousands. Are you one of them? I would think it would be like having the golden ticket to Wonka's Chocolate Factory in terms of rarity.

Even after all this time, the reason I still work here isn't that I want to make a lot of money or gain notoriety in the world of gaming for the work that I've done. A little money and maybe just a bit of notoriety would both be nice, but they wouldn't really change what the site is: a labor of love. I wake up in the morning and come up with ideas to improve the site when I'm in the shower. I write code and design graphics when I'm supposed to be doing work at my office. I chat more than I should. And it's all because I truly enjoy seeing each of you every day and interacting with you, sharing the things that I have to share and receiving the things that you choose to contribute yourself. Even when I have to hand you a warning for doing something stupid, I appreciate the fact that you're here and not somewhere else, ignoring us.

So, in terms of my holiday greeting to you all, let me sum it all up as this (because most of you probably skipped my horrid writing early in the post anyway): It's all about love. Give it. Receive it. Enjoy it. Appreciate it. Do things for the love whenever you can, and do things for the money when you have to protect the love. And while you're doing all those things, make sure you throw a little love our way, because we'll be waiting to toss it back to you. Thank you all for being here with me, in particular my staff who have put in another good calendar year of taking what little vision I have and making it their own. You guys are some of the best friends I've ever had.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays - and lots of love.

J


*To prevent staff members suing me for libel, I issue this disclaimer: some statements may be utter lies.



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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

Ah, yes... Love is nice...
*sniffle

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I would think it (being one of the five or ten of the thousand that have found CoN useful) would be like having the golden ticket to Wonka's Chocolate Factory in terms of rarity.

I think we've all won at least one of those tickets here before. I was, and still am surprised that you awesome people had enough time and effort to make them all solid gold.
Thanks to all the staff, Josh, Neil, Denise, Neal, Elizabeth, Ryan, Stephen, Jacob, and last but not least, William.

Merry Christmas

This post has been edited by Figaro on 24th December 2003 22:58

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Wow. 1,000 posts.

I miss you all now that I'm in boarding school! ;_;

How touching...

i find CoN useful -how else d'ythink i killed Rubicant? skill?!-

Proper Crimbo Everyone!

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"Only the dead have seen the end of their quotes being misattributed to Plato."
-George Santayana

"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here..."
-Abraham Lincoln, prior to the discovery of Irony.

Quote

So, in terms of my holiday greeting to you all, let me sum it all up as this (because most of you probably skipped my horrid writing early in the post anyway)

I'll have you know I read the whole thing you deep depp man you! Thanks for those words of wisdom, they will stick with me for quite a while. Everyone have a merry merry Christmas, or any other holyday you have!

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At times one remains faithful to a cause only because its opponents do not cease to be insipid.
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900)

There's a lot of truth to that post. I know that Christmas when I was younger was the most exciting day ... Christmas Eve was always the most sleepless night of the year... Always wanted to get up at like 5:00 to see what "Santa" had brought.. it was a great day usually between me and both my sisters. My parents had really split it down the middle... same number of gifts for basically the same amount of money. And it was always great fun in going back to school after vacation had ended and share with everyone what you had gotten for the holiday and comparing what they got (and occasionally some trading )

And now that I'm older, it's taken a lot of the emphasis on receiving things off. For the past 3 years now, I've taken sincere joy in buying and giving items to show how much I care for my good friends and family. This year, I bought a lot of joke gifts for my friends ... a lot of random objects. And if there's one thing that I've found out for myself, it's not about the money or the gift-getting or anything like that... What makes it worth it is watching the reaction that certain person has when they open your gift... whether it's hysterical because it's a joke gift (like buying "Mr. Nanny", a horrible movie starring Hulk Hogan as a nanny, for one of my friends) or it's getting that one gift that someone has been looking for (like a certain cd that someone was looking for for awhile, but couldn't find) and seeing the look of... "w00t" on their face... it's what makes it great. And you want to show you care no matter what the cost. I spent over $300 on gifts for my friends this year, but I really don't care. This season is, as Josh said, all about the love and showing you care... And that makes it all worth it.


I hope you all have a great holiday season, surrounded with people you care for and love...

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"When I turn the page
The corner bends into the perfect dog ear
As if the words knew I'd need them again
But at the time, I didn't see it."

~"This Ain't a Surfin' Movie" - Minus the Bear

I haven't posted a meaningful post in at least a couple months, but something about this topic makes me want to. Really.

My childhood is a blur to me, but from what I can remember, Christmas was a very important event. Aside from my parents beating into my head that it was about Jesus' birth, which I have no problem understanding and seriously consider it the "reason for the season", I remember the presents. A video game here, a yo-yo there, I had to have something memorable every year. I was somewhat spoiled so I definitely didn't enjoy getting presents I didn't want. Looking back, I feel horrible about that. Looking back again, I really lead a meaningless life.

But that was then, and this is now. As I get older, I realize that Christmastime has really dulled down. I barely even thought about it until it jumped in my face a couple days ago. No super long Christmas list, no requests that only my generous friends or relatives might give me, no sleepless nights on Christmas Eve. The thing I look forward to the most is seeing my extended family which I have seen less of this year than usual. And you know what, it feels much much better.

So, anyway, thanks for this post Josh. It really made me think about Christmas this year, and my life in general. I realize I take a lot of things for granted, and I really should be giving back. And as I think things through, one place that I should thank is right here in CoN. Sure, that sounded corny as hell, but this place is my "home on the internet" for lack of a better term. You guys are really some of the greatest people I have ever met, and I hope we can interact for as long as possible. Happy Holidays. I'll give, recieve, enjoy, appreciate, and hold on to the love as long as I can. And I mean it.

This post has been edited by Kappa the Imp on 25th December 2003 02:56

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I find your lack of faith disturbing...

I agree with you completely, Josh.

Although I did want one or two things this year, I wasn't so much concerned about it. I mostly wanted to give things to my friends, and prepare a turkey dinner (the first I've ever done) for Rich, and get decorations up and have music.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, or, for you Jehovah's Witness's out there, happy Winter Vacation ^-^

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I had an old signature. Now I've changed it.

Quote (Rangers51 @ 24th December 2003 18:40)

They kinda just blend into the walls, those doors, like Merlin's Mystery Shop in River City Ransom. There should be more odes to River City Ransom in holiday messages.

That made the post wonderful for me. I hope I can get Josh his christmas present from me . Happy christmas, merry holidays, and such.

This post has been edited by FraudulentTommah on 25th December 2003 05:48

I take your words to heart R51. I hear ya loud and clear.

This Christmas has truly been unique for myself and my family. Because my father lost his job last year, he had to relocate in Virginia back in May, and my brother and I headed off to college in late August, leaving my mother essentially alone from summer till Christmas. This started to drive her crazy, and I seriously feared for her well-being and tried to come home as often as I could. Well anyway, it wasn't until Christmas Eve that our family all came back together in our hometown, to celebrate the last Christmas in this house that I've spent almost my entire life in. We didn't even get a Christmas tree, and don't have a single decoration in the house.

It was then that I realized the true meaning of Christmas: Love. Love in its purest form. Our family came together to really make Christmas special for all of us. Over the years I began to realize that Christmas is more about giving than receiving. I started to think I wasn't a normal person when I was about 14 or 15, because while everyone I knew was still whining about presents they got that they didn't want, I was giving more presents just to feel good about making someone else's day, and I haven't really wanted anything to the point of madness. And now, at 18 years old, I give gifts all year round just to make people happy, and not just material gifts. I do it because making other people happy, makes me happy. In fact, this year, my parents got more gifts than I did (I thought it was funny that this year they got all the toys and I got clothes).

Anyways, the most important gift to give to others is love. Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays everybody.

This post has been edited by TheEvilEye on 25th December 2003 06:53

A little over a year ago I came to this site and started posting, basically because I had taken rather ill and spent most of my days in a chair. Over this year I have regained much of my health, and am very active, but I always find time to visit the CoN, because the community and people here mean a lot to me. In the meantime, most of the family has grown up, and has fallen on hard times; people generally don't buy many christmas cards anymore, our sales are basically nil. So this year, as we gather to celebrate (without fancyness and presents) the birth of our lord into the poorest of conditions, we've had to rethink christmas, and what our (rather large) family means to us.

Josh (If I can call you that), I can't add much to what you have already said (and didn't really mean to, sorry about my lengthyness), and I'm not very good at being positive, but I'll try and lend my support: If any of you doubt or make little of what R51 said, you're fools.

This communtiy means a lot to me (even though in many ways I still feel like a n00b ). Being able to come here and talk respectfully with good people means a lot to me. However, knowing that my being here means something to you, means the most to me. I truely wish all of you seasons best, a rediscovery of yourself, your family, your friends, and the god who became one of us on christmas day so that he could have community with us. A Merry Christmas to all of you.


And R51: I was a tyrant at christmas when I was younger. Quote - "A Helicopter!?!? I didn't want a helicopter, Danny likes the Helicopers! Give it to him!"

Quasi-edit: Man, I think this is the only place that makes me this sappy.

Even though I joined only recently, I feel like I owe much to CoN. I found out about it this summer, due to my intense websurfing (intense because I had just had my connection, and because I had free time). Over all the sites I have been, this place is now special for me : it is the only site where I'm a member, and the only chat I come to, despite the language barrier..
At that moment in my life, things weren't going the way I wanted them to be : I was searching much things, including a company to pay me my year in college. And CoN gave me something : over the days and the weeks, I connected to people, people from over seas and lands, who gave me consideration and respect, wich I consider as some form of love. So, at this period of celebrating love with the people you care about and who cares about you, I feel like I owe much to CoN members.
Thanks to you, Josh, for starting CoN, and thanks to all the people that made it a special place to be : Denise, Tids, Neal, Phoenix, Ryan&Liz, ZH, SM, Sabin, Tommah, Elyse, Kame, AD, Kara, Lilly, Kappa, Soup, Del...as I almost always call you in Chat .

Joyeux Noël, et paix aux hommes de bonne volonté.

This post has been edited by Mr Thou on 28th May 2004 14:16

Since I can't write for crap I'll just say that I agree and wish you all a belated Merry Christmas and a happy new year.

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What would Zorro do?-Homer Simpson

Isn't that the absolute truth? There's no doubt in my heart that it is. I'm thankful for messages like this because I have certain relatives who have no sense of guidance in life, and it saddens me. It sounds like you guys have got it together. R51 gives us a message that needs to be heard throughout the world repeatedly. We need to be reminded of what everything is really all about. I hope you're all having a great holiday season, and it's time to prepare for a fantastic new year.

I've been to many places on the web in the last 5 years but this is my new home (along with one other site). I hope to stick around for a long time. This is the first time in years that I've had engaging conversations in a chatroom. You guys are great, and we all share things in common. It makes for a good community, and I'm really impressed at all the positive values you all abide by. This seems like a very clean place to come and hang out, especially when compared to other forums and chatrooms.

Keep it up everyone and may we all have a great 2004! I can't say have a Merry Christmas because it's over now.

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FFXI (Siren server)
Tauu the Windurstian Tarutaru!
White Mage & Paladin

Very noble of you, Josh.

Hey, everyone, I know it's probably not a good time to say this, but I'd like to apologize to everyone about being away for so long...it's China, so if I'm bearing with it, you should too. You're not the one stuck here. ^^;

Christmas never had a very special meaning for me, really, since I was never really close with my parents (something that I regret), and I was never the social type around my childhood (which is something I don't quite regret). Now that I've moved to China, Christmas kind of lost more meaning for me. I didn't even remember that December the twenty-fourth was Christmas Eve, until someone mentioned it. I almost skipped it altogether. In other words, I guess you can say I've never received a lot of gifts from friends, family, blah-blah-blah. But still, it's a sad thing that some people don't quite remember what Christmas is...until they seem to mature.

Oh well...since I think I'm out of crap to say, I guess that it's Happy New Years to all...my co-workers and I are going out to a bar tonight and drinking until New Years Eve, which is in thirteen hours.

Thank you very much.

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Nine-hundred ninety-nine billion nine-hundered ninety-nine million nine-hundred ninety-nine thousand nine-hundred ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall...

I haven't said anything 'cause everyone else's already said what I was gonna say...and since I've nothing to say...happy New Year's! ^^;




...I feel so spammy now... ( ._.)

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~Status Report~

* Completed... Dragon's Head
* Completed... Soldiers of the Empire: Disciples (release pending)
* In Progress/Undecided... Of Love and Betrayal
* Planning/Assembly... Where it all Began

As I've begun making my push through the twenties, I've started to notice what Josh is talking about. I really didn't feel excited about getting any presents this year as much as I did giving them. Probably even more so this year because I made most of my presents this year (paintings, even though I'm really not much of an artist.) But the point is the emphasis for me this season has really been taken off of getting and on to being with people I love. A lot of things change in life, but friends are as reliable as buying Dragon Feet from the first book store (hey, at least I tried, Josh ) And included in that are my friends from CoN. The best thing about this place is that even when drama unfolds in the real world, you can always count on CoN to be there to lend an ear.

My new year's resolution is to find more time to return to the old chatroom. Student teaching has taken more time than I thought it would, but hey, who needs a social life, anyway?

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Hip-Hop QOTW:

"Yeah, where I'ma start it at, look I'ma part of that
Downtown Philly where it's realer than a heart attack
It wasn't really that ill until the start of crack
Now it's a body caught every night on the Almanac"

"Game Theory"
The Roots

I can relate as far as the Webmaster thing is concerned. I, too, spend my work days writing ideas down and coming up with new things while I shower...and eat...and sleep...and that other very strenuous activity that people like to take part in with someone else.

OK...naughty mental image is my present to all of you. Happy Holidays!

Quote (FraudulentTommah @ 24th December 2003 23:59)

Quote (Rangers51 @ 24th December 2003 18:40)

They kinda just blend into the walls, those doors, like Merlin's Mystery Shop in River City Ransom. There should be more odes to River City Ransom in holiday messages.

That made the post wonderful for me.

...and I third the motion: I too feel River City Ransom holds the true meaning of life. You can walk in and out of stores all day buying lemonade if it suits you. The freedom of the universe!

...but anyway, I loved being here with my family and friends for X-mas and New Year's. Presents shmesents! I'm also in my mid-twenties, and I'm wishing I had more of that love-thing that you guys are talking about, seeing as it's been a tad scarce in my life (admitting too much?), but oh well; there's my resolution.

Here's a Danbury Connecticut style greeting: Prospero ano novo!

P.S. You guys are great.

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Get me off this Disciplinary Committee so I can play any FF except for FF8!!!

Quote (Rangers51 @ 25th December 2003 00:40)

I was never what most people would call a selfish kid - I was generally too sensitive for my own good, and would become more upset at upsetting someone else than having someone walk all over me.

Really? That's not exactly the first thing that comes into your mind when you see those red text boxes signed "-R51" in your posts.

.

.

.

...No really, I'm just playing around.

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People say I'm a slow learner, but I type fast!