So in the wake of us trying to get the site funded for another year, it has come to my attention that many think I have abandoned caring about this site because I'm not in everyone's face and posting a lot, and watching for all the drama. I've gotten several emails and PM's alluding to this, so let's address it.

Yes honestly to some degree I have avoided the drama because I'm just sick of it. Flat out sick of the arguing, sick of the silly fights between members over a rock band, and just tired of playing referee all day. No matter what decisions I make, there's one group that thinks it's great, there's another that thinks I'm an asshole. So there's no way to please everyone no matter what I've tried to do, I'm always right and I'm always wrong. After 17 years of being in the middle of it, and being a hell of a lot older now, I'm just tired of it. And I know most of the mods are too...what's left of them.

Now there is a MUCH bigger issue for me, and I'm a private person, so I don't share personal stuff much ever, certainly not on the web. But I've been very preoccupied with some very serious issues in my personal life that have obviously taken precedent over this web site, and will continue to for a while. So the little time I feel in the mood to visit the site, I'm not going to spend by making myself upset by reading things that upset me, and get me very negative. I have enough of that right now in my real life. I'll spend those few posts I'm making in areas of the site that don't do that to me, which are the sports and guitar forums. I can post there and not worry about any drama, and actually get a laugh or some good feelings. The Van Halen forums? Yeah not so much, so absolutely I am 100% avoiding them except for a thread or two that looks actually fun to post in.

My goal continues to be to keep the site going for as long as we can, I guess the idea it's winding down because I'm not being the site asshole pouncing on every thread anymore might be true to some, but that's not what I had in mind. I want the site to continue because it seems like many still like it. Will the world end if we don't raise enough money? Well no of course not, but it will be disappointing...to me. To some, maybe it's run its course for them and they'll go post on the VHND, the Army, or some other forum and it won't matter. Or spread their warmth on the various VH Facebook groups that are littered with shit that makes the arguing here look like a bible study group (I don't know what that is really but it sounded good ).

I also assumed that at some point these petty differences between members would just work themselves out over time, I can't believe how fucking ridiculous all this stuff has gotten. Can't you all just shake hands and be done with it? Geez think about what you're arguing about. Nothing. And yeah all you guys who hate each other because you hate Dave or you hate Sam would all be shaking hands at a concert and laughing it up. You can think all you want that you wouldn't, but I know differently. Van Halen fans are very good to each other, so whatever silly differences you have here you need to agree to disagree, treat each with respect like you would in person, and MOVE ON! It's fine to debate, stop making it personal, and stop with these silly cliques that are well-suited for high school, not for this site. We're all old, and we're ALL Van Halen fans. None of us are in high school anymore.

So tomorrow we will start the drive to keep the site alive another year. If you don't want to donate because I'm not banning and yelling at your favorite enemy, then that's your choice. If you have issue with me taking a bit of a backseat because I just need to for my own well-being, and therefore don't want to donate to keep the site going...while I don't understand why that has any bearing on anything, that's your choice as well. If you want to donate because you do enjoy the site still, then that is very much appreciated and hopefully that's how most will feel. My goal is for the site to be here on October 2nd like it has been for the last 17 years, and ANYONE asserting anything to the contrary has certainly not gotten their info from me.

The bottom line is I still oversee this web site, I still care about it, and I still plan to continue it if we can. If I wanted to close it, I'd just close it, I don't need to have a failed donation drive as an excuse to get rid of it, that's so silly. If anything, I've had to do more this year to find us a way to donate because PayPal fucked us over, I could have just closed up shop then. And if I really wanted it to fail, I wouldn't start it more than two months early. I'm a realist and know it's going to be tough this year, so I'm giving us the most time I can so we CAN make it, which is what I want.

Hopefully this puts all the debate aside about everything going on, and yes I plan on being here October 2nd. I hope you do too.

No need for responses here, if you feel the need to reply to this thread simply send me a private message.