Colin Stepping Down

[[do...]]

Thank you from a healed Man who would more than likely not be healed without this site.  You have enabled thousands of people to heal themselves.  Good luck to you in your endeavors, and THANK YOU!!

Don Julio

[[Ka...]]

Colin, I have nothing to say but..Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!

 

and

 

Wishing you the best always,

Kat

 

[[mi...]]

Hello everyone,

 

It is with some sadness that I announce my decision to formally drop my involvement in forum management and day-to-day operations. Pam and Missy (the forum Administrators) are now in charge of managing the forum and team. They head a really great group, and I am sure they will continue to serve our membership well. To reassure you, I am not totally disappearing and I still own the benzobuddies.org website. I will still help with technical matters, help develop documentation, policy, etc., but I will no longer monitor or ordinarily participate in open forum discussion or team areas, nor become involved in moderation matters. Those of you that have been around for a while will understand that we have a very able and compassionate team; there will be no fundamental changes in the philosophy of the BenzoBuddies community.

 

Over the past few months (perhaps, more like a year), I have found myself becoming less-and-less involved with forum management, and posting very little to the boards. The truth is that I am no longer needed here. A further truth is that I have become less effective - I'm burned out after nearly seven years of doing this. It is time for me to go and let others take over. I will continue to be available to the Admins to consult on issues affecting the website, so you will still see me about from time-to-time. I will also work on developing some extra features for members, take care of purely technical issues, and help with the development of some documents. It is important, however, to understand that I am no longer involved in forum management and moderation matters. You should contact an appropriate member of the team with questions and problems.

 

Apart from 'burn out', my life has become more complicated and full. I no longer have the time to commit here as I once had. It is time for me to move on and enjoy all the new positive things in my life. So, although sad, I am looking forward to my new life too.

 

It has been a genuine pleasure, and I will stop by to say hello from time-to-time. I wish you all every success and a speedy recovery.

 

Take care,

 

Colin. x

 

Thank you colin for all of your support and help.. I am so happy that you were there for me..I will miss you.. all the best in life.. Luv Mishi

[[ca...]]

Hi Colin,I was so pleased to have found your site some years ago now.Your help and advise have been a real life safer.We were lost and we found you.You will always be a treasured man.Good luck to your future.

                                                                                                            Love Caral/Vic.

[[sa...]]

Colin,

 

I just wanted to say thank you - for creating this site and monitoring/developing/responding and the many other things you've done to make BB the best  - and it is.

 

I know Pam and Missy are awesome for the job, and this is a thank you to them for taking over such a huge responsibility.

 

I appreciate your comments, and encouragement and responses when I had questions and needed support- you always took the time so here's another thank you.

 

I'm glad your life is complicated (with positive things I hope) and busy - that's what life is all about - living in the real world with family, friends and careers.  We all hope to get back to that, and you're an inspiration.

 

Wishing you a life of joy, health, loving family and friends - be well.

 

Sara

 

[[Gr...]]

Hi Colin,

 

I am glad that I joined BB when I did back in March so that I had the opportunity to be welcomed by you and acquainted to you. I appreciated that welcome more than I may have said at the time, and the comprehensiveness of information that is provided and the format of this forum and how it works, will never cease to amaze me.

 

I have gained such a great amount of insight, support and understanding from the info. you have compiled and from the wonderful people here on BB, that I am more hopeful than I could have imagined when I first began the pursuit of knowledge about how to taper from the dreadful B's.

 

Pam has been wonderful, as have Bev, Beeper, Sigma and many people who I have become buddies with.

 

Thank you so much, Colin, and congratulations on creating such a productive and helpful web forum for healing, and best wishes to you in the next chapter of your life.

 

Peace and blessings,

 

Grace Seeker~ (from northern California)

[[gi...]]

Thanks for lighting the way, Colin.

All the best to you -

ginger

[[...]]

Thanks so much for all you've done for us Colin!

Much more than you think, no doubt

 

-Chris

[[ca...]]

Thank you Colin for all you have done, I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate it. This site has literally saved my life and got me through the worst time of my life. I would have been lost without BB. Thank you for everything and enjoy your life 

[[Li...]]

Colin,

 

Thank you for the years of hard work in establishing this wonderful forum. I had no where to go till I found BenzoBuddies. You made that happen for me.

I wish you a smile on your face every morning, knowing that you have healed many innocent souls.

You have left it in very capable hands!

 

Much Love, Linda

[[km...]]

Colin,

I have to say that this site has saved so many lives including mine and am grateful you set it up and will keep it up and running.  I wish you the most success in your future endeavors.  The team you have in place are awesome people and I am thankful they are staying to help me and many more thru this horrible w/d process. Many thanks

 

Hugs

Kristin

[[af...]]

Colin-

Your site -our site, indeed- is one of the most decent, positive, and courteous forums on the net. I stumbled upon BB 18 month ago while researching my "mysterious" aches and pains. I visited several Benzo forums at the time, and joined a few, but quickly discarded them, and chose BB instead. Other than the civility of the site, it is its moderate approach regarding Benzo w/d that basically won me over. And I cannot be more thankful. This site has steered me to health over the past months, and brought me closer to the end of my personal journey though hell. You are a great man Colin! Thank you.

Kev

 

[[St...]]

Colin,

 

Thanks for everything.  Your "baby", i.e., this website, is a tremendous information resource and life line for so many.  

 

You are leaving the website in very wonderful and capable hands.

 

Wishing you all the best and more that life has to offer, Stevie  

[[wi...]]

Thank you for all you have done with this site!  I believe finding it has literally saved my life.

 

Best wishes for a wonderful life ahead!

WishIdKnown

[[pa...]]

Hi Colin... I joined this site 7/2010 to help my hubby get off these drugs; you approved and replied.  I want to thank you for forming this site, sharing your courage and struggle to get through what you went through, helping each and all to be here to heal each and everyone of us to go forward; most especially through example and courage on your part.  What a life review of joy you will have in the next plane of life.. you couldn't even imagine it on this plane of life

 

To say "you are no longer needed here" will never be correct.  To say "you a burnt out, need a change" - yep you are correct.  So... take these few words I wrote... go forward to a new life.. check back in with "us".. that I know you will.. your purpose of your journey (part of it) you fulfilled... oh..... or I should voice ahmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.. you fulfilled it, you extended it to thousands - from bbs to beyond... "your journey"  Know you are probably pooped from it all, burnt... travel freely dear spirit, a new beginning, hold onto what you provided... amaste to you...  Always, Pattylu

[[el...]]

Colin,

 

What can I say? For the past nearly-4 years, you have been my friend and mentor.

 

I'm so proud of you for what you have done here and all the great plans you still have in store for this wonderful site. You are truly one of the best people I've ever come across.

 

love, eljay 

[[Co...]]

Hello everyone,

 

I've been following the replies of the past few days to my farewell post, and have just read through them all again. Thank you so much for all kind works and well-wishing of my future. And a big thank you too to all those that contacted me by PM to express their regards.

 

It was reassuring to read the many comments about how well you feel we do things at BenzoBuddies. It is tricky organising the forum in a way that is, on the one hand, protective of what are sometimes vulnerable members; and on the other, allows members to properly express themselves. I hope and feel we get the balance mostly right - we do put a lot of thought and effort into achieving this end.

 

The reality of this place is that it is a joint effort by the team - providing structure and keeping the forum safe; and the members - providing the bulk of the support. BB is about mutual support, and this is why it works. We try our best to avoid a top-down structure and mentality. This is reflected in team discussions too: we include as many of the team as possible and appropriate to any given discussion. Where possible, we even seek feedback from the wider membership when proposing changes to policy, etc. We know that we do not have all the answers - this is why the mutual support provided by wider membership is so important. Each member will have his or her own individual experience and perspectives - the recipients of support and feedback can choose what they feel best suits them and their needs.

 

I wish to thank all the team - past and present - for taking on the extra work and responsibility of running the forum, when - mostly - they themselves are still tapering or recovering from their use of benzodiazepines. But it is the work and support of fellow Buddies that make this forum such a pleasurable environment. All the efforts of the team would amount to little if our members did not understand and appreciate what the BenzoBuddies community is all about.

 

I will not be around here as much as I have been, but I will remain on the team to help where I can with documentation. Although I will have little or no involvement in the running of the forum and its management from now on, I know it is in good and safe hands. I have complete confidence in the team - they will continue to serve you all well.

 

Thank you, all my Buddies,

 

Colin.

[[uw...]]

Thank you, thank you, thank you (it can't be said enough times) for everything you have done here. This website is a life saver for so many people and we will always appreciate you - and never forget you.

 

Go out there and enjoy your wonderful, fabulous life!

[[...]]

Hi Colin:

 

Having a real life away from the site means that you have healed a lot.  I hope that you spend the rest of your life reaping the good Karma you earned by what you did here for the last seven years.  You couldn't have chosen better successors that Pam and Missy.  I, and everybody else here, owe you more than we can ever pay. 

 

ntw

[[ey...]]

Thank you Colin for everything you've done for us. You gave me a place to share my success story to ease the pain of others and for this I thank you.

 

 

[[it...]]

Colin,

I join in with the others to express my gratitude for all of your years of hard work creating this wonderful and safe place to find information and heal from benzos.

As someone who "C/T'ed" several times and just felt that was my brain off K, I spent many years living in fear, anxiety and hopelessness.  Finding this site was a godsend for me, and from all the reading, countless others as well.  It is amazing to me and so precious.  I cannot thank you enough!

 

You are also leaving us in wonderful hands.  Pam, Draftsman, Missy and the "crew" are simply fantastic. Thank you again, Colin, and  I hope the next phase of your life brings you much well deserved happiness.

Blessings,

itzsweird

 

[[gu...]]

Colin,

I only check into the forum nowadays every now and then, and just read that you are stepping down. I want to thank you.

 

Like everyone else here, I found you at the worst time of my life, and in a way you saved me. I thought I might die, and felt that it wouldn't be that bad. Yikes!!!

 

Looking back now, I wonder what was going on in my head? But no one can understand, that is not going through it themselves. Finding a place where others could relate, help me through it, share in the torture and the healing, and just be a sounding board, truly kept me sane. For that I thank YOU.

 

Good luck in your endeavors and bless you for putting this forum together. You're the man!

 

Bob

[[of...]]

  Good luck, you will be missed.

 

Enjoy what comes next to the fullest.

 

And thank you.  Katie

[[me...]]

Good luck Colin.............your website saved my life....................mebooboo

[[...]]

Thanks, Colin, for this site.  You and your team have done an excellent job managing this place.  As previously stated by so many members, if it hadn't been for benzobuddies, I shudder at the thought of what might have happened to me.  This was the only place that "got it".  Thank you for protecting your members and truly looking out for their best interest because, you're right, they are vulnerable when in the midst of benzo withdrawal.

 

Now that I am basically fully recovered, I look back on the support I received here with immense gratitude.

 

Thank you.  And I'm so happy that life is good for you, too.