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To my dear forumites, and forumitesses,

Mr Fudge's OT Awards thread has reminded me of forumites, and instances that I had temporarily forgotten; and with this sudden influx of old memories brought unto the forefront of my consciousness again, it had me reflecting on the year that has passed on this forum. The contents of my reflections will include my thoughts, questions, and apologies on certain posters that I've come across over the last twelve months; I'd like to apologise in advance for anyone, or any instance, that has escaped this reminiscence and that it is through no intent to insult, or dismiss anybody on my part. So without further ado, I will put an end to this preface.


Mr Beeston

Let me thank you, again, for your thoughtful apology earlier in the year, when you hadn't replied to me on the occasions I had replied to a post of yours. Such a quick-fire forum and knowing that posts are soon forgotten in such circumstances, I thought nothing of your silence, with no ill thought crossing my mind regarding you. Still, you had the decency to apologise, and explain, even though you was ill at the time, to a forumite you hardly knew! Such gentlemanly conduct should be admired without hesitation and I can only think awfully of my own manner in such company as yourself. I wish you the happiest Yuletide and may fortune smile upon you over the coming year.

'Sir,
The sincerest of regards,
Your humble forumite,
Sam Slater.'


Mr Caractacus,

Firstly, can I thank you for your seemingly infinite politeness and calming presence. Forever the friend to many, you've always given off an air of fairness among squabbling forumites. With hardly a bad word to say of anyone; when you do have the occasion to, I take notice and I think others do likewise. There isn't much more I can say but to express that I hold you in the highest regard. Since it is within my remembrance to know you watch QI, can I finish in wishing you the 'Merriest of Mithrases' and a bestowal of fortune for the coming year.

'Sir,
With the greatest of thanks,
Your humble forumite,
Sam Slater.'


Mr Fudge,

Sir, what can I say? It was only a year ago that we had our little disagreement due to my pig-headed nature in trying to prove a point regarding reverse-racism. Upon my creating a light-hearted 'forum awards' thread, you took the opportunity of sarcasm! How ironic that you create this years awards thread? I bring this matter back up, not to embarrass your good self, but to prove how we can now laugh about it as friends (it was, after all, all over raj!). Over the past twelve months I've found you friendly, funny, and honest; and on the long occasions you haven't posted -due, now I find, to work- I've missed your postings and humour. Can I finish by wishing you the most enjoyable Christmas period, and I hope the New Year brings you all the fortune that your genuineness deserves.

'Sir,
With the greatest of thanks,
Your humble forumite,
Sam Slater.'


Mr Jacques

I do hope that you are in the best of health, my friend. You have been the greatest of help, not only to me, but to quite a few people from this board. The internet of today is not only a mine of information, but can be the eyes, ears, and family of the lonely; and helping such people with a technical problem would be the biggest of favours anyone could grant, which can be easily likened to holding a door open for a lady; the latter is common courtesy, while the former could be classed as charity. Such reoccurring help only reinforces my admiration of you to a degree that would test your modesty and throw you into bashfulness! I will quit, then, desire that you have the merriest of Christmases, and that you become all too familiar with fortune over the New Year.

'Sir,
With an abundance of gratitude,
Your humble forumite,
Sam Slater.'


Mr Rasputin

Good day. May I start by an apology; your recent troubles on this board have actually brung a little sadness to me. Though we rarely agreed, I always found you opinionated, expressed yourself elequently, and you contributed to the board. None of us are perfect, and the unfortunite matter with Red set the wheels of your departure in motion. It was only pride, that forced you to come back to us under the username 'Giles'. This was easily seen through and our mocking nature contributed to you now refraining to post. I must apologise for my part in this, for looking back, I should have realised that your pride denied you the inclination to apologise, or admit you were wrong. I should have let bygones, be bygones and we should have carried on as before; I tasted blood and enjoyed the chase, which wasn't becoming of the gent I aspire to be. Again, my humble apologies and I wish you a the best of the holiday season. If you decide to grace these boards again, then troubles past will be as they'd never taken place.

'Sir,
Your humble forumite etc,
Sam Slater.'


Mr Trumpton

I'm so glad that your postings over the last six months have become more frequent. Light-hearted and the ability to take other forumites wit on the chin has made me laugh on many occasions. I do not say this so as to make you into a jester, but just to inform you that your presence on the forum is beneficial in my eyes. May the holiday season bring most of what you desire and that your presence on the forum continues, so our friendship can blossom.

'Sir,
With warm regards,
Your humble forumite,
Sam Slater.'


Mr Warren

Firstly, congratulations on lasting a full year. It has been an honour, not only to consider you a friend, but to cross swords as well. A gentleman of principles and fairness; a man of thoughtfulness and understanding, I hold you in high esteem. I must thank you for your civility when we have disagreed, for you have never resorted into insults and vulgarisms. Even on the occasions you've not changed my mind on a subject, you have made me rethink my conclusions, which is a most beneficial thing to have for the mind. One of the first to reprimand any immoral conduct, or hasty assumption, your essentiality to the good of the board is there for all to see; a squire for us all to respect (even if it is grudgingly by some). I can only hope to be held in a similar regard by half as many. Let me finish by invoking the happiest Yuletide and most fortunite of New years.

'Sir,
With honour and thanks,
Your humble forumite,
Sam Slater.'


There are others I have obviously missed, but let that not play on your mind, for though I have the wish to, I don't have the inclination to include everybody I've had the pleasure of discourse with. As with all such declarations as these, I set myself up to pain somebody or other, who feels unjustly left out. I can only express my apologies and ask that you forgive my unwillingness to carry out such a task. There are forumites I can think of right now whom I could have included, given time and will. They being: The Mods, Miss Hex, Miss Ice, Miss Caine, Mr Bigalo, Mr Jaxxon, Mr Randy, Mr Freeman, Mr Dibble, Mr Wonderland, Mr TBT, etc. I can only thank you for your time and effort in replying and contributing to these boards; and good or bad, I have enjoyed my time on here, whether to vent my anger, or to express my delight. I wish you all a good holiday, and that good fortune becomes a familiarity over the coming year.
I apologise for the epistolic nature of my reflections, but we are all very informal all year and so I hope I haven't tested anyone's patience too far with such a formal style; and talking of patience, I will test it no more in putting an end to this discourse.

'Good forumites,
With the most profound respect,
Most obliged and thankful aquiantence,
Your obedient, humble servant,
Sam Slater'

Dear S"ts"S

You have just made me cry a little.

May I take this opportunity too wish you and yours a most wonderfull Yule tide season. I hope that it brings you every thing i'm sure you deserve. And may you continue to prosper into the new year and beyond.

I would also like to extend this greeting to all forumites,despite past grievances with certain folk. I sincerly hope no one is party to any ill fortune during this special time of year.

Sam,I salute you. My virtual life is that bit brighter with you in it. Long may it continue.

Yours,most humbly

BB

Mr Slater, sir, you are a gentleman and a scholar and this place is all the better for your input, not to mention preventing some of us getting het up and windy.

If only you could keep yourself out of the Promo forum . . . .

Best Mithrastide wishes to Mr Slater, the Beeston lad, Magoo, JJ, Trumpy, Ace, Buttsie, OEJ, Jacques, Steve56, Ace, Stripey, Fudgey, Wazza, the Mods, and well everyone. Hope Santa is good to you all.

To the ladies, honour us with your wit and wisdom more often please. Best wishes to you all too, and much success and happiness for 2008.

Finally, may I wish a special Christmas for ChrisD. I hope his Nan gets him a computer with a search engine.

All the best, guys and gals. Even those of you I don't agree with provide something worthwhile. So thanks for all the laughs, the education, the banter and particularly the warmth provided on this site. Cheers.

(And now to eat some porridge)

Thank you very much for the mention and thank you to all you guys for welcoming me to the dark side of the Forum and allowing me into the OT family.

I hope you all get everything you want for Xmas and have an amazing 2008 xx

As eloquent & succinct as always Samwise

Here we all are celebrating another good old pagan tradition

May we all learn to bury the hatchet as well as Caractacus(Merlin-he's been around that long)every day

Festering resentment is as real as cancer even in this Virtual kingdom


peace & goodwill to all

Sam,

Thank you very much for your kind words. I have always seen you as a beacon of intelligence and fairness to all. I have never had a cross word with you and I do recall that you did post a number of placatory postings to me when, unfortunately, I became angry.

You are prepaired to tackle difficult issues such as your postings on the Promotions forum without fear or favour.

I hope the goose you have for your Christmas lunch is better than the one I had a few years ago. All the best for the yuletide season to you and your family.

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holiday .. practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice .. with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others .. or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all ..

My best wishes are also proffered, on the above same basis, for a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year of 2008 .. but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make Britain great, (not to imply that Britain is necessarily greater than any other country or is the only "Britain" in the western hemisphere) .. and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform, or sexual preference of the wishee.

By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal.
It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting.
It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher.
This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish, or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.

The wishee further agrees to hold harmless and indemnify the wisher, along with its heirs, assigns, officers, directors, and shareholders, against any statutory claims related to the wish, issued against the wisher.
The wisher advises that he/she has taken every duty of care to ensure that the wishee is in receipt of the wishes, but cannot be held responsible if said wishes do not reach the wishee, or meet the expectations of the wishee, or are deemed responsible for any statutory neglect on the part of the wisher.

In conclusion .. the wisher wishes the wishee .. Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year!!

Btw Sam, your post here is not one of valediction is it? Your not leaving us are you?

No Trumpy, I was planning on being offline due to a PC upgrade and XP reinstall, but, as is the norm, certain things have not been delivered today so my online status hasn't changed.

Bloody delivery companies!