Merry Christmas

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has participated in the FSO. January will mark one year since Reggie Girl and me started the shootouts. Wow! How a year changes things. We lost Reggie Girl (still alive and kicking but no longer a member), and many people have come and gone. But mostly people have stayed.

Due to my time restrictions and crazy newspaper job, you have also lost me, at least as a Friday shooter. But thankfully other people picked up the ball and kept things going. Gordon is still an adviser. ChefE, GingerV, and Sarah have made great administrators. Jen also worked as an admin for some time and did a wonderful job as our photo editor.

I want to thank all of you for your hard work. And believe me, it is hard work. And the pay is not that good.

I also want to thank the participants. We have some wonderful shooters and I have seen a lot of you become better photographers. Sometimes seeing is learning. But this is not at all about who has the best photographs or techniques.

The FSO was designed to share, meet, laugh, and enjoy. The best things that we can give each other are a part of ourselves. And everyone has done that so well. Also, being able to go around the world in an hour or so is a pretty good deal to me.

I hope that the FSO continues in 2010 and beyond. Change and growth are good. There will always be stumbling blocks, but I have confidence that your team administrators will keep things moving along.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.