markbach: Thoughtful post. I know a couple of things happen for me periodically. Once in a while, when chaos breaks out here, I'll just get sick of it and think "FlyerTalk has really gone down the tubes." Another is that after reading the board for almost 2 years, I know a lot of the tips that I didn't when I started, so the whole whole thing seems not very fresh.

I agree with the suggestion about taking a vacation once in a while, especially if you're getting fed up with things. My experience was that I missed the boards after about a month off. I also agree with the suggestion about helping others, when you start to get to know more and more. People really appreciate it when they post a question and have an answer within a few minutes. It can seem uncanny if you're new to the board.

I guess the thing that makes FlyerTalk most worthwhile to me is following the continuing cast of characters, many of whom I count among my friends after having met them in person and corresponded with them. What gem will punki come up with today? What exotic locale will BlondeBomber fly off to tomorrow? What will those writers par excellence Jailer, Opus17, and QuietLion come up with to entertain me next? and on and on and on. There's a real community here, and when you're on the road in a little room at a Marriott somewhere like Roanoke, VA, working all day with strangers who are pounding away at you, you can plug in pretty easily. I value that, and it's a big reason I stay around.