From: To: playtrek@world.std.com Date: Sun, 12 Sep 2004 10:17:41 -0400 Subject: [PT] Announcement Hello Playtrekkers, I'm not really sure how to start this message. I've thought long and hard about it and there's nothing more than just to say it. Effective immediately, I am abdicating the Playtrek throne and will no longer be the Playtrek owner and administrator. Playtrekker Dean Andrade, with my blessing, has agreed to take over list ownership. There, I said it. Now I know that may come as a shock to some of you, so let me provide the long winded explanation about why this is happening and what to expect. First of all, the decision has not been easy. For over seven years now I have spent nearly every day with Playtrek. I've gotten to know many of you very well and I consider you dear friends. We've laughed and cried together. We share the same passions for Star Trek stuff and that's what's brought us together. You've looked to me for guidance and I've been happy to provide it. I've given a lot of my time and money to Playtrek and it's been a great pleasure to do so. I have no regrets. In recent years, I've seen my Playtrek enthusiasms wane. With the Playmates line ending, I haven't been into the toys as much. The Art Asylum line is nice, but it's not a "gotta have" for me. I've tried various things to promote the list with variable success. And with the advent of the Art Asylum message boards, many left Playtrek for that forum. I'm just tired of trying to promote Playtrek, so these days I only give it a half-hearted effort. At the same time, I'm also finding myself getting back into music collecting with great enthusiasm. It is taking up much of my time and money. Playtrek is only getting my half hearted guidance. I don't believe that I'm giving enough of myself to Playtrek as I should or as Playtrek deserves. It's time that someone else take it over and take it into a bold new direction. Or at the very least, someone with more enthusiasm for Playtrek than I should run the list. I want what is best for Playtrek. I'd been contemplating this for quite a long time, now, and in an almost passing comment I mentioned it to Playtrekker Dean Andrade and asked if he would be willing to take over the list. He agreed to do so, with the proviso that I could take the list ownership back over if I wanted to. So in a sense, I'm taking a hiatus. Although in all honesty, it will likely be a permanent hiatus. More than a month ago, Dean had secretly taken control of the list and I have been guiding him behind the scenes. He's done an admirable job of it. Let me also take a moment here to sing the praises of your new king, King Dean. Dean has been, in my honest opinion, an unsung hero of Playtrek. He's incredibly humble, which is why I don't think some have truly appreciated all that he has done for this list. Since almost the beginning, Dean has been on this list, jumping in on the conversations, joining various contests and events, mediating disputes, and all in all, participating in Playtrek regularly. He is a member of the Playtrekker of the Month committee, which makes him ineligible for the honor-- something which I think he does on purpose. He's given away countless prizes in the various Playtrek contests and has contributed many of the prizes to the POTM prize pool. He has been instrumental in creating and delivering the prizes for the Playtrekker of the Year for the last three years. He manages the POTM website. He has been my second in command for more than two years now, covering the list while I've been on vacation. And so, so much more. I'm sure I'm forgetting a vast many things. He is a wonderful person and a friend who truly embodies the Playtrek spirit. I trust in him and he will make a fine King for Playtrek. Playtrek is Dean's to do with as he pleases. I leave the reigns to him. If he wants to leave it as it is, move to YahooGroups, or turn it into a simple message board forum, the decision is up to him. I have no say in the matter because it is his list. So what am I going to do now? Well, I'm not going away altogether. I've still got some updates I want to do to the Playtrek website, including putting up the Playtrek limerick contest entries. And speaking of contests, I still have a large stack of prizes from our very own Mysterious Benefactor which have been awaiting another contest. More on that as it develops. I'll continue to own Playtrek Pals since that takes no maintenance. I'll still head the Playtrekker of the Month committee, and since I have all the prizes, I'll be sending them out as well in my usual untimely manner. I'll continue to actually pay for the list for as long as Dean wants to keep it at World. So I'm not going anywhere. I'm abdicating the throne, but now I'll just be the doddering old man rumbling around in Dean's castle, full of sound and fury, but signifying nothing. I might, at some point, sign off the list for a while to give Dean a chance to take full control of the list without feeling that I'm looking over his shoulder. I trust Dean and I want him to feel comfortable in his new role. It's been a challenging and fun 7+ year journey with Playtrek. I thank you all for making it a worthwhile journey. I count you all as friends. E Pluribus Unum -- Out of Many, One. It takes all of the many Playtrek members together to create Playtrek, not just one person. Playtrek will live on without me at the helm. Keep it fun and be nice to Dean. Your friend and former ruler, Robert Porter (AKA Roberto)