Melodious Inkwell: 3WA

So, www.threewayaction.com was closing down. No, it's not what it sounds like; it's a message board community, full of mostly journallers, but all intelligent, funny, cute people, talking about everything.

Anyway, it's a cool place, and it was going to close, but so many people cried out against it and said they'd spend money to keep it going, that it's staying open, subscription-wise. They've actually raised $20G or so already, which is just amazing. People are just haphazardly sending in extra $120/year donations to cover other people. Where do they get the money? I have no idea. But the lovin' comes from 3WA.

Earlier this morning, I posted this:

"So, the board is going subscription in a few days. I'm truly happy to see that the site will be here that much longer. Yay Sara and Stee!
"Unfortunately, I have come to the conclusion that I cannot justify spending $120USD to visit a website, no matter how beautiful and wonderful and useful and nifty it might be. I can justify even less letting a stranger spend that money on it for me, so I don't feel the 3WAngels is an option for me. It's a testament to the magic of this place, however, that it even exists.

"Perhaps if I'd cultivated some of the close friendships many of you have, or if I could spend more time here, I could scrape together and cough up the money. But I haven't, and I can't (work-surfing is limited; at home I'm computer-ed out), so I guess I won't.

"If I understand correctly, I will be still be allowed to lurk; so know that if I can, no matter how painful it might be to read and be unable to participate, I'll still be here, in the shadows, watching you all play.

"I feel like my slutitude [a user level that indicated I've been around a couple of years and half a thousand posts] requires that I give an explanation for my no longer contributing, hence this post. I guess.. I wanted to say goodbye, and not just disappear.

"I will miss being here. You guys and gals always know everything, and you always make me realize that I am never alone, in anything. It's comforting, that.

"So long, and thanks for all the fish."

Just now I went back to see if there had been any replies, to find that the thread was entirely missing. Just gone, as though it had never been there. Before I worried, I noticed the flashing "you have 2 private messages" at the top of the board. They were these:

"are you sure it's not the money? We can get that together!" - pineapple

and

"You've been sponsored. You're not taking anything away from anybody else, so please don't worry about that. We'd miss you at the Crafts Fair if you left!

xo Sara" - Sara, as in, the owner of the board.

Wow. I was blown away. I have this thing where I feel invisible all of the time; where no one pays attention to me. The fact that two of the coolest of the Cool Kids took such quick action so I could stay on a message board... I dunno. Just wow.