With this post, my post-meter hits 10,000. But there are over 130,000 messages scattered around here thanks to hundreds of participants over the years.

Some register and never post a message.

Some come and stay for a while, dropping out never to be heard from again.

Others come and drop out but reappear every once in a while to say 'hi'.

Thanks especially to those who started back in 1997 and have stuck around mostly active and participating for all these years.

This is not something that one person can do without help and extra eyes. To the Saints and Cruise Directors (Past and Present), extra 'Thanks'!

It's been a lot of fun for me and I've benefitted by making friends of people I would never have had the chance to meet without these Forums.

So thanks to you - whether you are reading these threads without being a registered member or whether you joined last month or whether you were among the members of the early AOL "Lighthouse Discussion" group that attended the first Reunion in San Diego so that we could finally meet for the first time.

My plan for 2006 is to continue to hang around here, but to reduce the amount of time I'm spending here and therefore probably the number of posts I make.

I need to look after my 'real job'.

I hope that part of what I'll do in 2006 will involve Harbour Lights under the new ownership.

I hope that we'll get a chance to meet in person again -- and to see each other around the halls of the Collector Forums! Thanks to one and all.

CONGRATULATIONS!! YOU DID IT, JOHN! Thanks for all you do and a BEAUTIFUL New Year to you!

JOHN, YOU ARE AWESOME!!
We all appreciate everything you have done to get these forums up and keep them up for all these past years. There are so many many wonderful people that I would never have met had it not been for this great forum. Thanks just doesn't seem to cover it, but I do thank you and the rest of your Saints for all the work that goes in to keeping it working smoothly. I'm looking forward to another fantastic year with these great forum friends.

Way to go John. It seems like only yesterday that you were at 5000 posts. Time sure does fly when your having fun.

Way to go on your 10,000 posts, John!!

Congratulations John on 10 000 posts, but most of all THANK YOU for all your Forum-Work!

Thanks especially for "dragging" me into this community! I love it here and it is thanks to you telling me about it, that I have made so many new freinds!

Keep up the good work! We couldn't do without you!