A few words, if I may:

[Daniel Bates]

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. Along with the usual thanks we give for friends, family, work, and play, I'd like to remind us all to thank Abel for creating this website and maintaining it impeccably for the past few years. I know that I have improved tremendously since logging into TPF for the first time, and I can only hope that I have been able to help others advance their craft as well. This forum really is the best photographic community on the Internet in terms of the kinds of people we have as members and moderators, and I thank each and every one of you for making TPF what it is today.

Of course, I wouldn't be here without the help of some close TPF friends. I can't name them all without inducing carpal tunnel syndrome, so I'll just throw a few names out there... you all know who you are anyways! Teri Elizabeth, Mike, Holly, Nathan, Raymond, Jesus... you all helped me become a professional and have continued to inspire, challenge, and amaze me to this day. Abel, Lisa, Scott, Mike and Nathan (again - you guys are everywhere), and the rest of the old-time mod team - I cannot thank each of you enough for your confidence and support. Michael - damn... I still can't repay you for what you did for me two years ago, and I will never forget it. Ever. If I can ever help you out in any way, you know how to find me. Andrew, the other Mike, Scott, Peter, and the rest of the forum wise guys: thanks for keeping my sense of humour alive and well! Ming, it's been a while but I wish you the best with Y Channel. Monique, when I first met you, you were a pretty good photographer already - but today I look at your work and daydream about someday making images kinda like yours (not to mention the processing).

Ummm... yeah... I know I'm forgetting a huge number of people right now, but my turkey-stuffed brain is working at the speed of, well, stuffed turkey. (The Army serves their feasts the day before, so we get the food AND the day off. Heh.) Speaking of the Army, a year and a half ago I was a soft civilian 17-year-old with a camera in one hand and a bookbag in the other - now I'm a not-quite-so-soft 18-year-old with a camera, an M4, and a bookbag all in one hand and an OCS application in the other. That's right, I'm switching to the dark side! (More to come on that.)

Once again - Abel, you rock. You have been tirelessly administering this rapidly-growing family of 17,711+ for the last few years, and it's a big burden. I had no idea how time-consuming your job is until I became a mod, and even now I don't see but a tiny fraction of what you deal with - and yet you still find time to work on site improvements and new features. You are the man!

To all the new members out there - make yourselves comfortable. Believe it or not, I was a lurker too, just a couple of years ago. TPF is a great place to relax, learn from masters in the art, and hone your skills, all while building lifetime friendships with photographers from all over Texas, the United States, and the world.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

--Daniel Bates
The Camouflaged Moderator

[Dobick]

Thanks for your service and thank you for the reminder -- indeed, this is a nice corner of the interweb.

By the way -- happy 10,000th post!

[SaSha]

Great words soldier! ;) Congrats on you 10,000 as well.

[Truckman]

Thanks to all who make this site possible and thanks to all who work to keep our world safe...Ben

[Sonny]

Well said DB!

Thank you Abel for all the hard work! If I can help you lighten your TPF work load in any way....you just name it.

I too cannot thank this photographic community enough for all the knowledge I've gained over the past few years.

[ttusa]

Well said PRIVATE!
Thanks Abel, I enjoy TPF sooooooooooooooooooooooo much!

[ngoduyviet]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, and thanks Abel.

[Roy]

Texas Photo Forum is a special place with special people. Thanks Abel.
Everybody have a Great Thanksgiving!

[Gambit]

Thanks Abel!!

(And DB - good luck with the OCS!)

[LoungeLizard]

Daniel, I'm flattered that you'd include me in your list.

I am very grateful and thankful to Abel for putting this site together. I haven't been posting much lately - my post count rate has been slowing - but I still find it a great place to come back to.

There just seems to be a lot more people out here helping each other out that by the time I get to it, I'd be repeating myself.

Everyone: have a great Thanksgiving.

[JohnT]

Good post, Daniel.

"Thank you" to those who choose to share their knowledge and experience rather than hoard it all to themselves. I've learned tons of stuff here and hope that I've helped one or two along the way.

Happy Thanksgiving, fellow TPFers!

[Lexie]

Well said Daniel! TPF is a great place to share and learn. Happy Thanksgiving to all TPFers.

[janetg]

here here daniel - well done.

thanks abel !

hope everyone has a stellar day tomorrow! take lots of family photos and one of the bird as well.

[srwatters]

Here-here!

Many thanks to Abel and all the members who support and make this community what it is!

And thanks to you also Private Bates. Your service to our country is much appreciated! And you're not a bad Mod either...

[nancyc]

As this space has been created, I want to thank everybody who has give me support in the last week or so. I never though I could find this type of support in a photography forum.

And of course, thank you Abel, for providing the opportunity to create a community like this one where there are so many wonderful people who are not just photographers.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!