jtrey wrote:By happenstance, I was in my junk folder this evening doing some cleaning, and I came across today's message about the name change and BDWF's demise. I'll admit I've been a poor contributor over the course of the last couple years. A divorce, an overseas tour, a new relationship, another move back to the states, a marriage and a set of twins later, will do that to a guy I guess. While my purchases have come to all but the occasional "milestone grail" purchase, there isn't a day where I don't put something on the wrist. That said, I miss the days of chatting watches, and hope this may have been the spark to something great in the coming weeks.
Hope ya'll are doing well. For now, I need to get back to my homework, but I'll be checking back in soon.

Best Regards,
JTrey (Jon T)

Thank you for being so passionate with our hobby. Yes - I've 'moved on' as the "Moveon" folks have so aptly
put it. Been a good run since 2004 when I got into the hobby. In all aspects of my life - and at my age - I've
reprioritized the most important choices of my remaining years. Being overseas for over 6 years now - I realize
how big the world is and how much of it I still want to experience. One can only delve so deeply into a hobby before
it gets to a dead end of diminishing returns. This is my time. Rather than being herded into taking sides or
qualifying personalities my life will take a much different direction.

The United States - which I served in uniform for 26+ years seems to be melting down into internecine squabbling-
most of it mindless and certainly partisan. More and more - it looks like I will not retire to the homeland - and if
so - a place far removed from the inane political quagmire our country has become.

BDWF shrunk to maybe 6-8 folks by the time the final days came about - and I felt it not worth saving. Rather than
let it continue on life support - I made a decision to let it die a more natural death.

To me - getting involved in a 'horo' culture war was not near a priority of further time and effort. As historically
"valuable" as the site might have been - going from an Invicta 'fanboy' site - wracked by defections to RENATO and every other
snake oil TV salesman pitched in front of the mouth breathers among us - it has come to this.


My wife - the mother of 3 children (1.Ph.D. Geotechnical Engineering, 2.MBA and 3.MEducation) and 2 grand daughters (BS UNH both)&
and 2 grandsons yet to make a mark on the world - has chronic health issues. My military contract expires next month and what
comes next, where it comes next and the 'why' I will then do is most important as it will set the course for the rest of my and my
families' lives.

Indeed - I wish everyone well who illuminated my discretionary time over the span of years - to include the rascals, the posers,
clowns, impersonators, mentally deficient, (comma optional) over achievers and all in between.

In the meanwhile-now -waiting outside my computer lab-I have 24 soldiers-mostly young men and ladies under 20 years old who have no idea
the magnitude of responsibility they've incurred by signing a military contract, the pressure it puts on parents, spouses and children.
They serve a mostly uncaring society, many themselves uncaring about either their own lives or the society they've been deigned to protect.
They are a mirror picture of the hardscrabble neighborhoods, barrios, ghettos and failed opportunities of our educational systems and family
structures. I owe them every opportunity to be more survivable in a world again gone increasingly mad.


Every soldier I reach, everyone whose light goes on is a personal victory. Back home-the political rhetoric rings hollow-the astounding
ignorance of our world repeated as fact by bleating cattle of a herd of media journalists frightens me beyond belief. My priorities going forward
have apparently been set. Sadly - continuing responsibility of a forum is not one of them.

To sum up - my best wishes to those who shared time with me - either on the forum, in person or both. I remain sometimes reachable by social
media - but it again is not the priority of my remaining life. My best wishes and God's grace to all I have associated with over the years.

Regards,

Mike Horn
Daegu Korea

arubalou wrote:Quite a plea....the interest of those who wanted to save bdwf should have been taken into consideration. There was alot of interest to do so. To let it die like that was such a damn waste.