I am tearful...

[imb39]

I know there are a few who have achieved 'immortality' here, but for me, Justinian is one of the greats. I am often guilt of platitudes, but I think this is an apt title to apply to someone who has helped me in so many ways. I have my own personal pantheon - Justinian has been around for all of my formative years at TWC. 17 months on Staff is a phenominally difficult achievement to match (Asty, please do not stand up!) but for the last year he has served the site as admin in various capacities.

To me, the greatest thing is that despite all the success at TWC you have managed to keep your feet on the ground. You have never been arrogant. you have never acted superior. Even when you were Consul and I was UL, you took time to talk to me and help and give advice. I am a product of the system you have helped to build up. Any success I might have is due, in part ot the input you have had in helping me transforming from Civitate to Staff, to Senior Staff to Site Owner.

Staff is currently undergoing masive change and as one era ends, another starts. You, however, I genuinely believe, could operate in any era. You have a fantastic skillset to be able to be darned good at anything you put your mind to. I am truly envious of that ability!

We have had disputes - it would be foolish to deny that fact, but the one thing I will always attribute to you, Justy, is that you always acted with integrity. You are a man of honour and I salute you. I salute your honesty. I salute your dedication. I salute your wisdom.

Staff is poorer for your resignation but, as you have indicated to me, the members at large are to be richer as you intend to post more regularly. It is not easy to balance the various demands of being a Staffer and 'getting invovled' but you did as good an attempt as any and now eveyone will experience the intelligence and wit that I have had the privilege to witness over the past year.

I consider myself incredibly honoured to have worked with you. No matter what the future deals - I shall always hold you in the highest regard. remember, as far as I am concerned, you are an honourary member of House Wilpuri. I cannot pay a higher compliment!

Having just seen your badge - I am quite tearful...

[Nihil]

Me too. This is a dark moment.

[Justinian]

Imb, I may have said this already, but I know TWC is in good hands, far better hands than I could ever dream for mine to be, and so I can leave staff in peace knowing that you and the rest of our amazing group will guide it through calm seas and turbulent waves and never, ever capsize.

[Evariste]

Gah, even though I knew it was coming, a small part of me didn't believe that you'd actually go.


I'll save my more private reminiscing for staff, which I hope that you can still see.



In short:

[The Walrus]

Excuse me while I go cry

[rez]

Ah Justinian was one of the first people to make me feel like i belonged here. Its going to be sad not seeing him or the great Asterix on staff anymore.

Very sad indeed.

[Romanos]

Its so strange to see you go Just I mean you've been staff since I was a civitate 2 years ago!!! Gah I can't believe it. (I can't even type).

Just you have to tell me your favorite Beatles

[Fabolous]

I'm rather bothered by this retirement, but that sense of loss is lessened by the fact that a) I knew of it months ago, and b) he'll be back.

[Hader]

I'm rather bothered by this retirement, but that sense of loss is lessened by the fact that a) I knew of it months ago, and b) he'll be back.

Yes, they all come back eventually.....

but still....

[Ó Cathasaigh]

Yes, truely saddening.

[Katrina]

Justinian was the only administrator for a while that actually allowed me to feel a friendly and less frightenenly, professionally uptight community that I felt for a while prior to mine and his acquaintance.

If anyone needs a leaf, take it from Justinian's book. The equilibrium that he creates between intelligence, maturity, wisdom as well as a dash of spice, spunk and that admirable ability to let loose, showed an obvious many his remarkable quality.

Having him on admin was key; kept balance with pure strength.




'course, Justy, if you are still on MSN and up to a little poking and dinking around the boards like me, then i'm more than certain we remain friends! Don't drift away my good friend, you've created a bit of a home here, it seems!

What a family...what a family...

[the Black Prince]

Embargoed until 1st March 2007 00.00
Justinian
Republican Consul, Triumvir, and Friend.

On this day, amidst much sadness a long standing servant of this forum shall fall foul of the steady decline of years and real life. Standing as both the youngest ever, and only elected Administrator of TWC, the mighty Justinian, under the guidance of two noble houses, saw meteoric rises from humble beginnings to great deeds. His rise was both swift and assured as those in power witnessed his youth energy enthusiasm and integrity. Not a martyr to any single cause, nor renowned for any great triumph, Justinian remains known as a steady guiding hand, a tribute to dedicated service and a monument to the simple fact that age and inexperience are no bar where great intellect and sound mind can serve.
As he leaves our mighty staff collective, he can look forward to the respectful tribute of citizens and masses alike, remembrance in our hearts, and by virtue of his position as a Senator of TWC. Free now from the great burdens of state, he is able to pursue his passtimes of Football Forum Posting and Sex with equal aptitude. We wish him every success in his endeavours and look forward to his continued worthy input to the greater glory that is, TWC.

[Obi Wan Asterix]

Come come Justy.... visit me in my Villa... There is good plot of land to buy just in the Appenine foothills... I also have a slave girl or two you might take as a retirement gift

[gigagaia]

Ah Justinian, it has been a great and long ride for one such as you.

You have been one of the true greats at TWC. You were a fabulous mod, great admin, good friend.
Your accomplishments in staff, content and moderation are too long too simply list here, nor would I want to bore us all by simply listing out things we all know you have worked your proverbial heiney off for.

I will simply thank you muchly for helping me when I needed it, making TWC a greater place and for investing time from your life into TWC. You've been a rock tieing down TWC through weathered storms and you've been there through thick and thin.

So with your departure, I wish you well as a member. Without pressure, I hope you find time to enjoy the TWC which you have been instrumental in creating.

Here's to a great moderator, strong leader and good friend.

Cheers

[Lusted]

Even though i knew about this from your post in Hex when i was still part of it, it is still sad to see you go.

I didn't really talk to you much during the time we were in staff together, and i regret that. I always had the utmost respect for you and your abilities.

TWC Staff is going to miss you, but its good you are sticking around at TWC.

[Tom Paine]

Dammit, just as I become staff and all, I was hoping to be working alongside you for at last a short while Justinian... Truly, this is a sad day for all TWC.

[Simetrical]

[Kagemusha]

Thanks for all your hard work Justinian. You will be always remembered with good thoughts as our Republican Consul. Also on more personal note,your Avatars before you turned into those hidious Beatlemaniacs will be remembered as user friendly.

[Justinian]

I have no intent of leaving TWC. I love this site and this community too much to leave it entirely; I am just leaving, in quite good conscience, my capacity as staff. It's been a long and glorious ride, and I have grown more in my 17 month tenure as staff than I have in any other period of my life, and indeed, more than I expect to grow in any other period in the future. It means so much to me to have been a part of what TWC is, through peaceful times and turbulent waters. The stress, the problems, the coups, and the rare bickering is all outweighed by the joy of camaraderie, all the moments I've had with these incredible people, sharing bonds of brotherhood and friendship, coming together and truly finding our strength in unity.

Together, this staff has guided TWC through its most peaceful, productive and untroubled time since the golden ages of which so many of us have only a fleeting memory; we have truly taken the step from small gaming community to premier gaming site, and despite the sacrifices we have made to achieve it, I look back at my time on staff with immense pride and a feeling of, not accomplishment, but completeness. I have done my part in the role that suited me best, and there is nothing more fulfilling or rewarding than sitting down after a long day's work and being able to say to yourself, my work is finished, and it was good.

I know that people like imb39, gigagaia, Mimirswell, Simetrical, Fabolous, Spiff and Halie Satanus will continue to guide TWC on to greater glory and heights.

I'd also like to thank the people who retired before me, who I worked with from months to years. People like Archer, whose work on this site is greatly underappreciated; Belisarius (aka Lucius Vorenus aka Jacobus Maximus aka GENERAL_MAXIMUS aka...) who has managed to be involved in almost every political upheaval in TWC's long history but has also contributed a great deal of its content and policy; Asterix, the longest serving staff member, who brought so many amazing things to the site, never getting ahead of himself or letting his ego swell despite his many accomplishments; Soren, who despite his comparatively short tenure had a massive impact on how I thought of myself and what I thought of as an ideal admin; Seleukos, who I had the pleasure to serve with in my first months as an admin, who brought wisdom (and spice!) to the Hexagon; and the countless staff who have worked diligently for this community and have resigned with far less gratitude than they deserve.

Lastly, I thank the Curia for your constant votes of confidence in me . . . I owe all that I am to you, as every rank and rung I ascended on the ladder was due to a Curial vote. The Curia is TWC's sixth sense; the Curia is TWC's fourth dimension; the Curia is what I am most proud of, not because of my accomplishments in it, for they are admittedly few, but because it has stood the test of time and is still here, alive and fresh and vibrant, despite upheaval that could have undone everything that I and my comrades did. You gave us the support and confidence we needed to get the job done.

[imb39]

I have no intent of leaving TWC. I love this site and this community too much to leave it entirely; I am just leaving, in quite good conscience, my capacity as staff. It's been a long and glorious ride, and I have grown more in my 17 month tenure as staff than I have in any other period of my life, and indeed, more than I expect to grow in any other period in the future. It means so much to me to have been a part of what TWC is, through peaceful times and turbulent waters. The stress, the problems, the coups, and the rare bickering is all outweighed by the joy of camaraderie, all the moments I've had with these incredible people, sharing bonds of brotherhood and friendship, coming together and truly finding our strength in unity.

Together, this staff has guided TWC through its most peaceful, productive and untroubled time since the golden ages of which so many of us have only a fleeting memory; we have truly taken the step from small gaming community to premier gaming site, and despite the sacrifices we have made to achieve it, I look back at my time on staff with immense pride and a feeling of, not accomplishment, but completeness. I have done my part in the role that suited me best, and there is nothing more fulfilling or rewarding than sitting down after a long day's work and being able to say to yourself, my work is finished, and it was good.

I know that people like imb39, gigagaia, Mimirswell, Simetrical, Fabolous, Spiff and Halie Satanus will continue to guide TWC on to greater glory and heights.

I'd also like to thank the people who retired before me, who I worked with from months to years. People like Archer, whose work on this site is greatly underappreciated; Belisarius (aka Lucius Vorenus aka Jacobus Maximus aka GENERAL_MAXIMUS aka...) who has managed to be involved in almost every political upheaval in TWC's long history but has also contributed a great deal of its content and policy; Asterix, the longest serving staff member, who brought so many amazing things to the site, never getting ahead of himself or letting his ego swell despite his many accomplishments; Soren, who despite his comparatively short tenure had a massive impact on how I thought of myself and what I thought of as an ideal admin; Seleukos, who I had the pleasure to serve with in my first months as an admin, who brought wisdom (and spice!) to the Hexagon; and the countless staff who have worked diligently for this community and have resigned with far less gratitude than they deserve.

Lastly, I thank the Curia for your constant votes of confidence in me . . . I owe all that I am to you, as every rank and rung I ascended on the ladder was due to a Curial vote. The Curia is TWC's sixth sense; the Curia is TWC's fourth dimension; the Curia is what I am most proud of, not because of my accomplishments in it, for they are admittedly few, but because it has stood the test of time and is still here, alive and fresh and vibrant, despite upheaval that could have undone everything that I and my comrades did. You gave us the support and confidence we needed to get the job done.

If this doesn't exemplify what I believe know, nothing does...