Important updates and a new chapter -- Where have I been?

Author: MisterChris

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MisterChris
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Hello friends, I have a few updates and an important announcement.

MEEP Results

It took a while, but the MEEP results have been tallied and implemented (the help center now reflects this: https://info.debateart.com/). All motions passed, and while I understand some of you disagreed with them strongly, I believe you will come to appreciate them in the future. 

Where have I been?

I've been gone for a while... I apologize profusely to anyone who has been trying to reach me for the past three or four weeks, as I probably haven't answered. So where have I been?

Frankly, absolutely drowning in real life responsibilities.

Just so you all can get a feel for what I'm dealing with here, here's a rough outline of my schedule recently:
  • Sundays - Get up, go to church, come back, eat, crunch homework, go to small group, get back, recover mentally, go to bed
  • Mondays: Get up, go to class, crunch homework, more class, go home, eat, recover mentally, maybe go on a flight lesson, crunch more homework, go to bed
  • Tuesdays: Get up, go to class, crunch homework, more class, go home, eat, go to work, get home and go to bed
  • Wednesdays: Get up, go to class, crunch homework, more class, go home, eat, go to my weekly Men's Leadership Training class (it's a two year class), get home, go to bed
  • Thursdays: Get up, go to class, crunch homework, more class, go home, eat, recover mentally, maybe go on a flight lesson, crunch more homework, go to bed
  • Fridays - Saturdays: Get up, do whatever I have neglected over the week (usually that's a lot), eat, go to work, get back, go to bed
Then I rinse and repeat the whole cycle... And again, this is rough so things can either be a lot worse than this or a bit better depending on the circumstances.

Point is, by the end of each day I can't so much as rub two braincells together, and I have so little free time that DebateArt has taken the backseat recently in favor of "more important" things (In fact, I'm writing this now when I probably should be studying for an exam tomorrow).

What's worse, is it doesn't look like this is going to get any better anytime soon. To be honest, none of these things I'm doing are things I'm able to (or want to) back out of. And these are all going to be long-term weights on my schedule. 

So... what?

I guess all of this is to say... I need to step down, for my own sake and for the sake of the site. And I will being doing so shortly. 

It's a decision I've had a tough time making. When I commit to something I try my hardest to see it through, and I wanted to lead the site into a new chapter. Plus, the last thing I want to do is make us administration-hop.

But, to be fully transparent with you all, I don't have enough time to dedicate to the site anymore to justify my position. And ultimately, I'm doing the site a disservice because of that. An AWOL chief mod is just not healthy for the site long-term. More than that, I need to protect my mental health somewhat, which has been suffering a bit.

What's next? 

I will be tying up loose ends and handing the reigns to Whiteflame by tomorrow, who has agreed to take my place. I know he will be amazing in the role, and I'm fully confident in him. Ideally, I'll be able to find a good work-life balance eventually... I'd like to be able to return to the site at some point. In fact, I'll probably pop in every now and again, just at a much lower frequency. 

I'm quite optimistic about this site's future. And while I may not be a huge part of that future, I'm glad I had the time with you all that I did. It really meant a lot to me to have online friends to talk to and a platform to hone my skills as a debater and leader. I do intend on returning at some point, but in all honesty, that may very well be years from now or for limited bursts every once in a while. For better or for worse I'm entering a new chapter in life...

So, farewell I guess. 

MisterChris,
Chief Moderator



MisterChris
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P.S.

If you all need to contact me at any point, feel free to Discord me @MisterChris#1660
drlebronski
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farewell, you were a good mod
Vader
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@MisterChris
Adapting to college life is difficult and with the amount you have on your plate already, if you believe stepping down is right, please do so.

It was great working with for the short period of time we were together, drafting the new SPES and such were great

Thankfully I have some time to spare so I can resume my duties, so I will not be leaving. Your legacy will live on forever
ILikePie5
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Don’t stress too much my man. Never worth it
Vader
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I'm excited to work with Whiteflame as he assumes his role into the moderation team. Whiteflame is an excellent moderator with loads of experience that will be great for the development of this site. 
whiteflame
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I certainly appreciate the circumstances that led to MisterChris stepping down. I know that during my time on both this site and DDO, there were times when I couldn't put the amount of time and attention into the site that I felt I needed to provide to fulfill my position in moderation. Thankfully, these days I'm more available, hence my willingness to step into this role.

To be clear, while my role is changing (for those who didn't know, I've been the voting moderator), this isn't a dramatic shift for the site. I plan to carry forward the rules and standards that we have in place, and I will obviously continue working with the moderation team to apply and improve what we do.
David
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Thank you for the hard work you have done. 
RationalMadman
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All jokes and accusations aside, this is the real reason you don't put an 18 year old in charge of demanding tasks on a website. Their life is just starting to get busier than it ever was before.
Ramshutu
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TBH this what comes from taking someone who uses a forum as a fun hobby, taking all the fun out of it, and then making it shitty and stressful. 

I’m unsurprised that people haven’t lasted that long in the lead mod position.
ILikePie5
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@Ramshutu
Can’t be that hard. I’m doing 16 hours with ECs and I’m sure I could mod
Castin
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So head mod on DART is like the Defense Against the Dark Arts job at Hogwarts.
janesix
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@MisterChris
Flight lessons? Leadership classes? Interesting life you have chosen. Someone who gets things done, I like that.
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@Castin
So head mod on DART is like the Defense Against the Dark Arts job at Hogwarts.
Nice.

Castin
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@RationalMadman
I fear this place will just use up mod after mod until it becomes an unmoderated ghost town like DDO.

338 days later

Shila
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@Castin
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I fear this place will just use up mod after mod until it becomes an unmoderated ghost town like DDO.
Unlike DDO the mods here don’t have anywhere else to go. They are doing fine!!

31 days later

Ehyeh
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If push comes to shove, we ought to make RM head moderator. As the greatest tactician and innovator on the planet, we can sleep well knowing the site will be in the good hands when he steps up. When RM is president, he will usher in the golden age of debate through his tactical genius and his 4D unthinkable maneuvers. These maneuvers will be completely incomprehensible to 90% of the lowly vile human population. Such is life when you're as smart as his highness.
Shila
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RM does spend a lot of his time on DebateArt. He would made a good moderator.