I'm absolutely floored by this little world called the Internet. There are billions of sites, and each of them requires a team of people willing to donate time, energy, money, and headaches to keep it all running more or less smoothly. FA is a perfect example. The furry world has always had its fair share (and more) of annoyances and trolls, and yet there are plenty of furs willing to step up, take charge, and help keep the chaotic masses organized enough to form a coherent community. I've got no idea how many (wo)man hours it takes every day, but I'm sure the number is staggering. There's so much great art to see and so many fabulous people to meet here, and it's no small miracle that it exists despite all the trolling, hardware hiccups, and daily short-circuits that must go on behind the scenes.

Just like any leadership role, running FA brings with it a billion challenges, and being a leader means dealing with these challenges while still finding time to smile and keep life fun. That's what this comic is about. It's mind-boggling and heart-warming to know that throughout everything, there are still plenty of people that care enough about the community and the connections that are formed to keep it going, to keep trying to make things even better.

It's all these little things that keep us thriving. Every artist that submits a picture/story/song, every watcher that leaves helpful or encouraging comments, every performer that steps out into the real world to show that we've got something to show people, something that's damn cool, helps our community to grow. However, there's a special place in my heart for the ones that work more outside the limelight and content themselves with nurturing what we already have, creating room for it to develop.

So if you see this, be nice to the leaders of whichever communities you find yourself a part of. They put in a lot of work, often at great personal expense, to give you something nice to play around with, to make things just a little bit better for you, and their reward might be nothing more than to be yelled at when things don't run perfectly. Go out of your way to thank an admin, a teacher, a volunteer, or someone else that deserves it, and let them know that you appreciate them. A few words could mean the world to someone.




Art © Me, Jan. 3, 2011
Dragoneer ©  Dragoneer
Laykien ©  Momma Sciggles
Fender and Rednef © Preyfar (???)