Eponysterical

January 6, 2020 7:59 AM

Hey all! As you might have guessed from the post below, there’s a vacancy being created for a new hire to fill, and I’m the one creating the vacancy. I’m going to be leaving Metafilter in the next month or two - not immediately, but soon. I’ve been staff here for almost nine years - by far the longest job I’ve ever held! - and it’s been fantastic, and it’s also time for me to do something else for a while.

I’m currently working half-time, and will continue to do so as long as I reasonably can, but I’m announcing this now for a couple reasons. My final day is currently TBD, dependent on hiring and the timing of my new job (which I’ll be happy to talk about once all the paperwork has been sorted) and also because y’all would really start to wonder, otherwise, given how firm we’ve been about not having the budget to add staff! Which we still don’t have, so hot-swapping a seat is where we’re at.

It’s been a hell of a ride. This is a fascinating, fantastic, messy community, and we have been through a lot together since I started. I will be watching with interest as Metafilter continues to evolve over the years, and I’ll bring many things from it into my own community work in the future. Thank you all for being part of it, and I’ll see you around! (A lot, as it turns out, since I’m not going anywhere just yet :P)

posted by restless_nomad (staff) to MetaFilter-Related at 7:59 AM (92 comments total)

This is a very bittersweet thing for me because I am excited for restless_nomad to get to do other stuff but I am gonna miss working with her a ton.

This has been a ride and it's hard to overstate how much you've contributed to how this place has worked and changed and grown over the last almost a decade, Jeremy. I'll keep it short for now and just say MeFi's better as a site and I'm better as a person for the stuff you've accomplished here.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:07 AM on January 6, 2020 [27 favorites]

Thank you so much for everything you've done here.
posted by frimble (staff) at 8:31 AM on January 6, 2020 [11 favorites]

Did a little digging and realized it's been almost nine years since r_n was made a mod. Crazy!

Happy trails!
posted by SpiffyRob at 8:32 AM on January 6, 2020 [2 favorites]

Thanks and good luck!
posted by ODiV at 8:33 AM on January 6, 2020

Congrats and good luck on the (yet to be paperwork-sorted) new job!
Thank you for your hard work!
posted by Thorzdad at 8:38 AM on January 6, 2020 [1 favorite]

Best of luck and thank you for all the hard work you've put into making this a great place!
posted by Tevin at 8:52 AM on January 6, 2020

Nthing the best of luck aspect of things, mods here have a special place in my heart.
posted by RolandOfEld at 8:54 AM on January 6, 2020 [3 favorites]

I hope you'll be active, and that the new stuff is excellent.
posted by theora55 at 8:56 AM on January 6, 2020

Thanks for wrangling us for these many years. Best wishes for your new adventures. Hope you'll still participate in discussions.
posted by agatha_magatha at 8:57 AM on January 6, 2020 [1 favorite]

A huge thank you for the years put in to help this community!
posted by meinvt at 9:04 AM on January 6, 2020 [1 favorite]

My most Favorited comment was posted in your defense so, ya know, thanks for that.

You will be missed. Thanks for the top-notch moderatin' and good luck in whatever path you take in the future.
posted by bondcliff at 9:05 AM on January 6, 2020 [4 favorites]

Thank you for your work and good luck in you new endeavors.
posted by Pendragon at 9:34 AM on January 6, 2020

Congratulations! I hope you'll hang around MeTa talk enough that we get to see your "Retired" tag alongside jessamyn's from time to time. All the best in whatever comes next.
posted by Rock Steady at 9:36 AM on January 6, 2020 [12 favorites]

Thanks for helping throughout the years, wishing you all the best going forward. Cheers.
posted by Fizz at 9:36 AM on January 6, 2020

Thank you for all the hard work and patience and kindness.

Best wishes in your new position, and I hope we will continue to see you here as well.
posted by jaruwaan at 9:38 AM on January 6, 2020

Thank you, congrats, and good luck !!
posted by Sparky Buttons at 9:40 AM on January 6, 2020 [1 favorite]

Thanks for all your hard work over the years, restless_nomad. I'm sure it must have been very taxing at times but I hope you found it meaningful and made good memories too.
posted by Foci for Analysis at 9:50 AM on January 6, 2020

Thank you, and all the best with whatever (paperwork pending) is coming next for you!
posted by nubs at 10:06 AM on January 6, 2020

Thank you for your hard work (and I must add, solid advice over the years on AskMe!). Wishing you a wonderful next chapter!
posted by ifjuly at 10:12 AM on January 6, 2020

I've often thought that one of the problems with interesting and thoughtful people becoming moderators is that their duties tend to silence them. I wish RN well and hope we get to hear more from them, here or elsewhere.
posted by Joe in Australia at 10:16 AM on January 6, 2020 [8 favorites]

Congrats on your new job, restless_nomad! And thanks for all you've done here to keep MetaFilter "Best of the Web!"
posted by droplet at 10:19 AM on January 6, 2020

Much thanks and good luck. Please take as much of a break as you need from the site, but I hope to see you here again after.
posted by brainwane at 10:21 AM on January 6, 2020

Thanks for all that you've done for the site, restless_nomad. I know that we are not always the easiest bunch to deal with, but you have handled us with style.
posted by hydropsyche at 10:48 AM on January 6, 2020 [1 favorite]

restless_nomad! I was so happy when you started here, a little bit after I met you in Austin when I was there with MeFi House at SXSW. You brought a lot of professionalism to us half-assing it here and it was a huge deal. It's been great to get to know you over the last decade-ish and I hope you move on to even greater things. You'll be missed.
posted by jessamyn (retired) at 10:53 AM on January 6, 2020 [9 favorites]

So it isn’t just a clever name!

All the very best to you. ❤️
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 11:14 AM on January 6, 2020 [2 favorites]

So long, and thanks for all the mods! Good luck on your new job.
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:46 AM on January 6, 2020

oh my, has it been 9 years? I remember when we welcomed you

Best wishes for your future
posted by Mrs Potato at 11:49 AM on January 6, 2020

Thank you so much for all your hard work over the years. Your cool, steady presence and vast experience has really helped make this place better.

I hope your next gig appreciates how lucky they are to have you.
posted by smoke at 11:52 AM on January 6, 2020

Damn, you’ll be hard/impossible to replace. Best of luck in your new endeavors and thanks for all you’ve done!
posted by From Bklyn at 12:09 PM on January 6, 2020

I'm so happy to have had the chance to work with you, RN! You've been a hugely valuable to the site, a wonderful coworker, and will be an asset wherever you go, whatever you do. But I selfishly hope we get to continue to see you on the site, and perhaps on the team for filling in if circumstances allow. ❤️
posted by taz (staff) at 12:29 PM on January 6, 2020

Your modding always seemed really good! Best wishes in your next job, it's hard to imagine you'll have quite the same flavor of snotty old nerds community as MeFi.
posted by fleacircus at 12:35 PM on January 6, 2020

Thanks for being such a great mod!
posted by XMLicious at 12:39 PM on January 6, 2020

It's crazy that it has been 9 years, r_n. It's also crazy that 9 years ago was the start of 2011. Yowza, time flies.

I am grateful to you for the work you did here, and hope you stick around and hang out with us in future. Good luck with the new gig, I'm sure you will be great at whatever you tackle next.
posted by lazaruslong at 12:44 PM on January 6, 2020

Thank you for everything!
posted by churl at 12:58 PM on January 6, 2020

I cannot believe it's been 9 years! I hope you stick around and we get to see lots of your Retired tag. Best of luck in your new gig!

Signed, someone you've never really interacted with but who really appreciates you all the same.
posted by widdershins at 1:08 PM on January 6, 2020

Happy travels, may we see you often, and thanks for your service!
posted by Bella Donna at 1:58 PM on January 6, 2020

Thank you for all the hard work and many hours you've put in here in one of the mod seats, r_n! Hope to see you around a lot in future as a valued MeFi member and good luck in your future pursuits!
posted by Lynsey at 2:57 PM on January 6, 2020

Thank you for all your hard moddin’. Best of luck in your new job and don’t be a stranger x
posted by billiebee at 2:58 PM on January 6, 2020

restless_nomad: I hope the days ahead go easy and the good moments pass slow; and that the new road leads you to where you want to go.
posted by mightshould at 3:18 PM on January 6, 2020

Happy trails to you, until we meet again!
posted by briank at 3:36 PM on January 6, 2020

Happy -sterical E-pony riding! And thanks for all the modding!
posted by Namlit at 3:40 PM on January 6, 2020

*screaming-at-the-sky-NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-gif*

I do wish you all the best in the future and really really truly hope you continue to participate here - your perspective, empathy, wisdom, and humor would be sorely missed.

A toast of the beverage of your choice to you!
posted by soundguy99 at 4:13 PM on January 6, 2020 [1 favorite]

I will miss your nodding. best wishes in your next adventure.
posted by biggreenplant at 4:17 PM on January 6, 2020

Best of luck! Thanks for your work here.

And thanks for being so quickly accommodating with those "Oh, hey I just fucked up some typing in this FPP can you please fix this for me" requests via the contact form.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 4:30 PM on January 6, 2020

Thank you. Home is where the heart is. Keep moving but know a little bit of your heart was left here, and we'll always treasure it.

Visit often.
posted by Stanczyk at 4:35 PM on January 6, 2020 [1 favorite]

Best wishes, restless_nomad!
posted by CarrotAdventure at 5:56 PM on January 6, 2020

Best of luck, restless_nomad - thanks for everything you've done for Metafilter these past 9 years!
posted by DingoMutt at 6:20 PM on January 6, 2020

Best of luck in your new nomad adventures, and thank you for all the work you have done here as a mod!
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 6:28 PM on January 6, 2020

Hooray! Good for you and I hope the next thing you find is totally awesome.
posted by rmd1023 at 7:06 PM on January 6, 2020

Thanks, r_n!
posted by zamboni at 7:32 PM on January 6, 2020

Thank you for everything you've done. Good luck to you in your future endeavors.
posted by kathrynm at 7:38 PM on January 6, 2020

Good luck to you, and many thanks!
posted by alwayson_slightlyoff at 8:06 PM on January 6, 2020

Thanks for all of your efforts, RN, and best wishes in future endeavors.
posted by Chrysostom at 9:25 PM on January 6, 2020

Thanks for all you've done, and good luck!
posted by Secretariat at 10:26 PM on January 6, 2020

Thanks for everything! Can't wait to hear about your next adventure.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 10:55 PM on January 6, 2020

Thanks for your long and excellent service! Best of luck with the new work.
posted by col_pogo at 11:00 PM on January 6, 2020

Thank you for your work here, can't believe it's nine years, feels like only yesterday we were doing this in your honour....

Best of luck for your new job!
posted by Pink Frost at 11:54 PM on January 6, 2020 [1 favorite]

Thank you for everything! Best of luck for your new endeavours.
posted by ellieBOA at 12:02 AM on January 7, 2020

I miss seeing you around Austin & I’ll miss seeing you here. Hope you plans beat all your wildest expectations. Good luck - we’re all counting on you.
posted by Devils Rancher at 4:24 AM on January 7, 2020

Congrats on your move, and thank you so much for all the work you've put in here! Really hope I'll still be seeing you around!
posted by cendawanita at 6:23 AM on January 7, 2020

My name is Johnny Wallflower. You deleted my very first post. Prepare to…change jobs.

Thanks for your work, and good luck with all your future endeavors!
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 7:52 AM on January 7, 2020 [1 favorite]

Thanks for your work here, and good luck for what is next!
posted by Kwine at 8:11 AM on January 7, 2020

Thanks all! I'll definitely still be around here (and may well help fill in shifts in the future) although I'll probably take Metafilter off my usual rotation for a few months to break the habits. I am very much looking forward to joining Jessamyn in the back seat with my Retired tag.
posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 8:12 AM on January 7, 2020 [16 favorites]

congrats on your new job! you're one of my favorite people here, one of the reasons i've been around so long. take care in your travels!
posted by FirstMateKate at 8:12 AM on January 7, 2020

Thank you very much restless_nomad. Good luck.
posted by AugustWest at 8:17 AM on January 7, 2020

We're going to miss you a lot. Thanks for all your hard work.
posted by wintersweet at 9:38 AM on January 7, 2020

Thanks and good luck!
posted by Quietgal at 10:49 AM on January 7, 2020

Congratulations on your new adventure, r_n, and thanks for all your hard work here!
posted by blurker at 11:22 AM on January 7, 2020

Thank you for everything restless_nomad.
posted by turbid dahlia at 4:00 PM on January 7, 2020

Thank you, and may what's coming next be wonderful.
posted by minervous at 4:51 PM on January 7, 2020

Yes, new job but still a member and your gonna come around I hope, round house a few threads. R_N I've seen you make tough mod calls. Tough, a few i didnt agree with but you held your ground and admitted if a mistake was made. Can't ask for more
God speed.
posted by clavdivs at 4:56 PM on January 7, 2020

Dang r_n, leaving so soon? Vaya con queso!
posted by a humble nudibranch at 5:43 PM on January 7, 2020

Best wishes on your new venture restless_nomad - thank you for all that you've done for us here.
posted by NoraCharles at 6:05 PM on January 7, 2020

r_n, congrats and best of luck in whatever comes next!
posted by capricorn at 6:06 PM on January 7, 2020

You're one of the greats, r-n. Thanks for being around.
posted by thivaia at 7:21 PM on January 7, 2020

I'm sorry to hear we're losing you, restless_nomad. You've been a great mod during a very difficult time for the site. I hope, after you've had some time to regroup you'll return as a member. Even aside from your own contributions and presence, selfishly, I feel there's a real place for former mods who choose to stay on. Jessamyn has demonstrated what a fantastic contribution former mods who remain active members make to the community, as a kind of informal ombudsman and voice of sanity for both users and mods, and I think you'd be a really valuable voice there.
posted by tavegyl at 8:54 PM on January 7, 2020 [2 favorites]

Congrats on nearly nine years, restless_nomad!

Thanks for answering a few of my admin-related questions -- I remember one time in the Early Age you helped me test out why I was having an issue with sending contact form messages. And I definitely still appreciate your constructive feedback on my very first MeFi post -- I was nervous about it and you helped me cut down the cruft and made the post better and made me feel better.

Just two small examples among many, many other questions and issues (simple and not simple and in-between, I'm sure) and mod-hours and mod-days that have become almost nine years. It's a fantastic achievement.

I hope the next stages go great and that you're able to pursue what you'd like to do -- and that you're still able to do those no-Internet Saturdays if you want, and hang out here and not have it feel like work. I'm excited for you!
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 9:34 PM on January 7, 2020 [1 favorite]

Congratulations, and thanks for your work and everything you've done for the site.
posted by box at 5:08 AM on January 8, 2020

Congratulations and thank you for everything, restless_nomad! You will be missed!
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 7:13 AM on January 8, 2020

I hope we'll see you around, restless_nomad, as “just” one of us, without the small text! I imagine it'll be lovely to get some restorative time away and hope your new gig is everything you hope. I cannot imagine how much work and care goes into moderating Metafilter and I know for the past 3+ years it's been an especially stressful time. Thanks for shouldering that stress along with the other mods, it doesn't go unnoticed or unappreciated!
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 5:19 PM on January 8, 2020

Thanks for everything, restless_nomad, and good luck!
posted by dhruva at 8:54 PM on January 8, 2020

Good god, nine years. I remember when you came on board. Best of luck in the future, and thank you for your service!
posted by Acey at 7:20 AM on January 10, 2020 [1 favorite]

Was just singing the blue’s moderators praises to my relatives yesterday! You will be missed, but warmest wishes for the new job and loads of thanks for your stellar work.
posted by mollymillions at 10:43 AM on January 10, 2020

Best of luck, and thanks. Moderation is hard, but no community works without that labor.
posted by zenzenobia at 8:34 AM on January 11, 2020

Cheers and good luck - thanks for all you've done over the years!
posted by symbioid at 1:06 PM on January 11, 2020

All the best, r_n! Thank you for all of your hard work and patience!
posted by darkstar at 10:57 PM on January 11, 2020

Damion and I wish you luck! Can’t wait to hear what you’re doing next.
posted by liet at 2:57 PM on January 12, 2020 [1 favorite]

Stay restless! Happy exploring!
posted by not_on_display at 10:34 PM on January 12, 2020

Thank you for everything you've done, r_n! Good luck in your future endeavors.
posted by Caduceus at 10:15 AM on January 13, 2020

Guess I’m going to have to stop thinking of you as “one of the new mods.” Best wishes in your next endeavors!
posted by Pater Aletheias at 4:37 AM on January 14, 2020

Is it true the MefiMod Pension plan is an all you can eat bean buffet?
posted by Nanukthedog at 9:45 PM on January 15, 2020 [2 favorites]

Wow, 9 years? They should change your name to restful_nomad. I kid, thanks for your contributions and don't be a stranger.
posted by axiom at 2:32 PM on January 20, 2020