Hi folks,
I've been postponing this for months now because I'm not an eager writer under any circumstances and have been rather dreading this one, but November is drawing near and - straight to the matter - I have to find a successor by then if we want this forum to live on.
To step aside has not been an easy decision for me. The Amorphis forum became my home on the internet in 2005, before Myspace and long before Facebook. Back in those days, it offered an unexpected road of escape from the traumatic isolation of an abusive "relationship" and it's hardly an exaggeration to say that almost my entire circle of friends has its roots here in some way or another, directly or indirectly. Most of the people I originally met through this forum have long since quit here and moved on to Facebook (as have I, for by far the most part of my online time) but a few of you have stuck around here as well (you know who you are
), and I'm happy to see even a few newcomers. 
While I was working as a webmaster for Amorphis, I twice (in 2008 and 2011) managed to save the old board from termination with the help of active members, but by 2012 I was no longer a part of the team and there was nothing I could do - except pick up the torch and create a new forum here on Ultimate Metal (thanks Deron!). I'm glad I did it at the time, it felt like the right thing to do and I don't regret a single penny spent on maintaining this community - but as the phrase implies, the fun has not been for free. For the past four years, I paid this forum out of my own pocket, which was fine with me as long as Amorphis was the center of my life and I still had a steady job, but neither has been the case for quite a while anymore, and now the time has come for me to pass said torch to whoever is willing to carry on in my stead.
I wouldn't mind to pay a small contribution if the next forum mom/dad decides to go for some sort of crowdfunding (which might be the fairest solution), I just don't want to be the person responsible anymore. I hope for your kind understanding, and I want to thank you all from the bottom of my
.
Love,
Tina
I've been postponing this for months now because I'm not an eager writer under any circumstances and have been rather dreading this one, but November is drawing near and - straight to the matter - I have to find a successor by then if we want this forum to live on.
To step aside has not been an easy decision for me. The Amorphis forum became my home on the internet in 2005, before Myspace and long before Facebook. Back in those days, it offered an unexpected road of escape from the traumatic isolation of an abusive "relationship" and it's hardly an exaggeration to say that almost my entire circle of friends has its roots here in some way or another, directly or indirectly. Most of the people I originally met through this forum have long since quit here and moved on to Facebook (as have I, for by far the most part of my online time) but a few of you have stuck around here as well (you know who you are
While I was working as a webmaster for Amorphis, I twice (in 2008 and 2011) managed to save the old board from termination with the help of active members, but by 2012 I was no longer a part of the team and there was nothing I could do - except pick up the torch and create a new forum here on Ultimate Metal (thanks Deron!). I'm glad I did it at the time, it felt like the right thing to do and I don't regret a single penny spent on maintaining this community - but as the phrase implies, the fun has not been for free. For the past four years, I paid this forum out of my own pocket, which was fine with me as long as Amorphis was the center of my life and I still had a steady job, but neither has been the case for quite a while anymore, and now the time has come for me to pass said torch to whoever is willing to carry on in my stead.
I wouldn't mind to pay a small contribution if the next forum mom/dad decides to go for some sort of crowdfunding (which might be the fairest solution), I just don't want to be the person responsible anymore. I hope for your kind understanding, and I want to thank you all from the bottom of my
Love,
Tina
