Q1) How did you originally find Ten Forward (OTF)?:
I was looking for a Ten Forward I had been a member of in the late 80's and early 90's on Prodigy. It was the Star Scamper Enterprise D.5 run by a Captain Wolfette. I had many friends there, but when I tried to find them and reconnect in 1998, the group no longer existed. My search (via search engine) took me instead to what was then Ten Forward, created and commanded by one Admiral Rascal (a.k.a. Andrew Maxwell).

Q2) What did you like about the place back then?:
I liked the superb graphics and the Starfleet atmosphere, including the military courtesy. I liked the fact that one could advance in rank. I liked the people. They were people of character. I especially liked having gone to the first Union in Las Vegas in 1999.

Q3) Do you still remember any of the people you met in the chat, or events held during that first year?:
At the first Union, I met a good many of the members, including Admiral Rascal, Sonata Form, Tail Kinker, Dierna, Ivonna Thoni, Tommy, Tommy's dad, Sarah, Sarah's mom, Robby, Deanna, Jadzia, Joshua Hal and Kathryn Janeway. From the site I also remember RDMG, Brenda, Honey, Zilette and Draco Hun.

Q4) Do you still keep in contact with any of them?:
I kept in touch with Deanna and one other off site for a while, but I lost track of them. I've seen a few on occasion at Outpost 10F, but none lately.

Q5) Why did you stop coming to the chat?:
I don't really recall why I stopped coming to chat initially. I don't know when was my last time there, 2000 perhaps. I was a lieutenant at the time. I did come back later. I returned in about 2009 when Hal was the base commander. I remember I had forgotten my passcode and I couldn't recover my rank until Tanya posted two pictures of me at the Vegas Union, thus verifying my identity. I stayed around quite a bit after that. I worked on the Blue Report for a time creating crossword, Sudoku and word search puzzles, and I published some fiction as well. I was made assistant editor, but before long activity at OTF waned and Richard Smith ceased publishing. Later, when things picked up, I was graciously allowed to publish crossword puzzles only. Richard was no longer the Editor and I was no longer his assistant. When I was told I could not publish the Sudoku and word search puzzles, I stopped submitting the crossword puzzles. Eventually, Richard was in charge again and I was assigned to communications and the Blue Report. I was again compiling my three puzzles. At some time I was promoted to lieutenant commander (CL5).

If I may digress a bit, when I returned to OTF, a fellow member interested me in another Star Trek oriented web site, which I joined in 2010. The site closed in early 2012 (I then held the rank of captain per Starfleet) shortly after I left in protest against the member who had interested me in joining the site in the first place. He outranked me and I felt he was abusing his authority over me in my capacity as editor and publisher of their newsletter (where I created puzzles and wrote fiction). About a year later, another member of that site decided to open her own site privately with me as her second in command along with a number of members of the previous site. I created a newsletter for that site as well. The OTF member found out about the new site and joined surreptitiously. He then spied on us and attempted to sabotage us. He was banned for life and his account deleted.

So, when Richard appointed him as assistant manager of communications or of the Blue Report (I'm don't recall the exact title), I rebelled at having him in any sort of position over me. I resigned from Communications and I stopped creating puzzles for the Blue Report. I sent an email to the Executive Council explaining the reason for my resignation but I never received any sort of response from them. Now I only visit OTF now and then in order to keep my status listed as active. I maintain quarters and an additional web site through OTF for $120.00 per year.

Q6) Would you consider coming back at some point, and if so, what would make you want to come back?:
I would consider coming back. What would it take for me to return to a truly proactive role? Recognize and acknowledge my talents, allow me to contribute as I can without hindrance and don't hold me down so I remain a CL5 ad infinitum. Relevance matters as well. I received a bronze medal recently. I did nothing to earn it.

Q7) What have you done since you left the chat? What are you doing these days?:
At 72 years of age, I'm retired. My children are grown. I currently edit, publish and write articles and fiction for a newsletter for a Star Trek oriented web site where I'm the base vice commander. I create sci-fi oriented crosswords puzzles, Sudoku puzzles and word search puzzles, one each per month for that site as well as for two other web sites. When I reach a goal I've set, I'll seek to have the crossword puzzles published commercially. I write both fan fiction and original science fiction. I spend a great deal of time at and contribute to the web site where I'm the VC. I also spend time on FaceBook where I'm in contact and communicate with a number of writer friends.