So long, and thanks for all the fish...

[I, Brian]

When Chris Beasley at SitePoint complained about this upstart "John Scott�, I clicked through a link to find out what all the fuss was about.

I had learned SEO the good old “whitehat� way – and was shocked to discover the way people questioned assumed ethics here.

To be frank, this place looked like a the internet equivalent of “The Usual Suspects�. But I learned some things.

Learning is good, so I stayed.

I was pretty surprised when John asked me to moderate the SEO and Google forums after Phil left. I was still on a big learning curve and I was pushed to learn harder. I felt I had to be able to give some form of “authoritative� answer to different questions. After all, moderators should know something of their subject.

So I really pushed myself to learn more, and experimented on my own hobby network of sites with things I’d never imagined to do before.

It only dawned after a couple of months that John just wanted a friendly face to greet people here.

Anyway, I now have a new baby, and a growing business to grow. I have clients to look after, new income streams to create, new forums to build and manage along with my others, and a lot of work to do with SEO lab.

I just don’t have the time for here like I used to.

I learned a long time ago that being board staff isn’t a badge – it’s a responsibility. If you can’t keep up with that responsibility then you have to move on, as we do in other areas of life. It’s progression.

So it’s without a heavy heart it’s time to give up my position as a moderator here.

I’ll still be a member, and I’ll still post intermittently, but I simply won’t be able to force myself to try and answer every question here, as I once tried to.

I’d like to offer special thanks to John for being so accommodating and gracious, and trusting me so much with his forum. If we ever meet in real life, I’ll buy you a drink (just don’t make it a double – and whatever it is, make it cheap! )

And thanks to all of you for the great spirit of discussion that has permeated this community. To each and every one of you – a toast to IMR!

And with that, bon voyage!