Transcript there from a real conversation that occurred over at SG offices*.
(*not really)
Petri is our community manager. Which, by my count, is a 100% thankless job (other than the pay, I guess. I assume he gets paid. It’s possible he’s some sort of automaton slave thing. But let’s assume that he is a he. And that he, like many of us, is employed in a job where he doesn’t make boatloads of cash money. And if that’s the case then he’s got a mostly thankless job)
Because he is our community manager, and because he takes grief from us on a nearly daily basis. I think it is only right that we make some effort to say thank you.
My proposition is this:
We celebrate International Petri Day 2018 on 10/21/18. (I arbitrarily chose this day. It’s open for discussion!)
The community will create and post tributes:
videos
stories
songs
poems
heartfelt thank yous in other mediums I haven’t thought of
I leave it to my friends here to think up other things that would make this event really special. Get your thinking caps on.
how you can help
Post your support here.
post that you’ll contribute something to IPD 2018.
post ideas for what others could do to make the day special
@rook or another mod… could you move this to community content? Really sorry that I didn’t think to place it there originally. The thought didn’t occur to me!
Hoping some other creative types wander in here with some ideas
I would love to support Petri day. Although I like to think that some of us have added the occasional thanks…it probably makes up at least 1% of his mail bag.
Perhaps everyone celebrating could change their game avatar to Derrick - Petri’s Doppelgänger (umlaut noted, moustache cat).
According to his profile, his official anniversary (or cake day) would be in April…but I expect we’ll forget by then!
Thank you guys, I am humbled and honoured but may I suggest that we would rename it to moderators and staff appreciation day? You know we have other staff here as well and our wonderful moderators @Rook and @Coppersky who help to keep things in order here!
Forum Staff Appreciation Day - yes to including wider staff, although Petri is the poster-boy and most widely known. So I think plenty of Petri specific content is justified. Including the others means he won’t get stick in the office!
Bit torn on moderators.
Rook, who I would gladly vote for President of the World, was celebrated on her ‘cake day’ forum anniversary and very rightly so.
However, I think it is sometimes unhelpful to conflate mods and staff. When people are getting angsty and a bit vocal, I think it serves the mods to be seen as independent.
As such, I would suggest that as there are only two mods, that we can manage to celebrate them in their own right on their anniversaries or another date.
Am I overthinking that part?
But a big YES from me - I love positivity in the community.
I’d say, pick a day a bit sooner - we aren’t actually booking a venue, caterers and a DJ - go 1st Oct.
Then run regular encouragement and reminders. Launch a fresh thread on the day with a brief explanation and hopefully we can enjoy some fun with our forum buddies.
I have no idea who Petri is but for a shot of whatever that thing in the green bottle is or less I will turn my Photoshop on. The graphic artists in my neighborhood said they will be there too.
…nice reference @JonahTheBard
Unfortunately, if you think @Brobb (or indeed anyone) is going to be sat in their armchair doing that strange Blockbusters Dance, while sniggering to themselves “Can I have a P please Bob”, you’ll be well wide of the target.
Now it’s time for the Gold Run…