After 15 3/4 years as a Moderator, I am stepping down or out.
Keep the cheering down: I am not leaving, just getting out of the “keeping order” business.
It has been fun and educational, going all the way back to the AOL board in 1998, but with new blood coming in, I figured I’d give you folks a break.
Tom~
“Oh he’s a jolly good mod’rator…”
~Max
Wow. You’ve been a part of this since I first started reading and posting. I know you’ve had some controversy, but I thank you for your long service to a board that has been an enjoyable source of entertainment and education for me for well over two decades. Fare-thee-well!
15¾ yrs is a long time in message board years!
Thanks for doing it!
Thank you for your long service!
That’s like 110 in dog years. 
Thank you Tom for all the work.
Thank you for your long service.
Thanks for all the fish!
Well done. I remember when you got your mug.
Well done, thou good and faithful servant.
Wait, what about Debb? 
I’m glad you’re not leaving us and thank you for your service.
Wow. The one person I consistently agreed with. What will become of me?
Thank you, Tom.
You are the calm voice of Reason.
Thank you for all your work over the years, it was greatly appreciated.
Thank you for all of your service.
One o’the good’uns.
Congrats on your distinguished career in moderation AND your decision to lay down that duty.
First off, and I’ve been here 20 years, is to acknowledge what an unusual place the SDMB is. Because it still feels like what the Internet was meant to be - the one full of promise and education; information for entertainment as well as to improve stuff. Go to any newspaper (in Canada anyway) and see how long it takes the discussion to devolve into crass insults and crude trolling. Probably within ten posts. Every time.
That happens here far less. And the main reason is the skilled and reasonable moderation. Not every board acknowledges, for example, women may be discomfited by bullshit humour. All the moderators deserve kudos for doing the dirty and keeping rare traditions alive. Tomndebb especially so for doing it so long. Probably half a saint. 
Congratulations on a job done well for a decade longer than any of us had a right to expect anyone to put up with doing it.
And welcome back to the land of us ordinary schlubs!