That was an unexpected stroke of kindness. First, thank you!
Since I feel some small obligation to say something, and never miss an opportunity, I'd like to share my appreciation for a couple groups.
1. Rick, a group unto himself! Though I support the forum in terms of a bit of money and a bit of time, Rick is certainly the most uncompensated member of this forum in terms of time and effort put in. He never asks anything in return and served this community for years before I purchased it from the second owner (Orin). Likewise, he runs that mantis display at his local museum, each year. He's as dedicated a mantis enthusiast and educator as they come.
2. Orin. He's been here since the beginning too. His service to the collective pet bug hobby is unmatched. So few people have any idea how signficant his contributions have been to the US and world pet bug hobbies. I spend several hours on the phone with him each week, always learning something new.
3. My wife. Only Roxanne knows how much I put into this hobby. Since the day I met her, she's been completely supportive. Phil got to meet her 2 years ago on the 9th day of my dragging her around the deserts of Arizona on another bug collecting trip, when we stopped through Yuma. She busts her butt for our family from sunrise to sunset. I work hard too, but because I work a different shift, I get all this quiet time to myself. And I pour every minute of it into this hobby. Making bug videos is a very selfish pleasure:
http://www.youtube.com/user/bugsincyberspace?feature=mhum
Today I spent the day creating a substrate product for millipedes, beetles and cockroaches and spent hours associating the new product with species through my website. I also fed bugs and revised a few cages and packed the rare Thursday order. Off to jog 2 miles on the treadmill and hit the shower before the kids get off the bus and it's homework time. I've got the night off from work for my daughter's 4th grade program. She has two speaking roles!
4. We see members come and go on this forum, but there's a big handful of people that have personalities that have come to be associated with the forum. I'm too nervous to list them out because I'll undboutedly forget somebody, but from dealers to hobbyists to our own Dr. Phil, we've got a fun mix here and like the rest of you I can get so immersed in the conversation sometimes that an hour goes by and I'm getting behind on something or another.
On a final note, I am a bug generalist. I particularly enjoy reading posts in the other insects category. I'm moving to Tucson, Arizona in 3 months to be closer to the bugs I love! You'll probably see me even less than you do already, but I will still be bringing you what we all love most...bugs!
