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For eleven years and five months I've been a part of an ambitious experiment in making the internet a better place. For the past nine years and two months that participation has included this site. Since April 2011 I've had the profound honor of helping with the sweeping up around here.

And I can't tell you how much I've learned or how much I've been inspired, I don't even really know. Just that I have been challenged to learn and grow just by hanging around this place.

But I think I need to step down as moderator and take a break from the network as a whole for my self respect. Perhaps I'll try to patch a couple of broken windows I've left around (mostly on other sites)—also for my self respect—but otherwise I'm logging off for a indeterminate period.

All the good that has come out of the experiment can be laid at the feet of the throngs of helpful users who have selflessly given their time, effort, and expertise. I really, really hope that things can continue in that vein without end.

But you're going to have to get on with it without me for now. If you want to contact me, I've set up a blog to maintain some kind of presence on the internet.

Thanks again,

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    $\begingroup$ I really can't understand that phrase "I'm a kitten according to shog9". $\endgroup$
    – user240696
    Commented Jan 16, 2020 at 8:15
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    $\begingroup$ I'm very new to this site but you made a world of difference to me dmckee - a break might be beneficial and it would also be super if you remained - take care $\endgroup$
    – Wookie
    Commented Jan 16, 2020 at 9:19
  • $\begingroup$ Sad to see you go. It's always a big hit to lose an active member, especially a long time moderator. Such unfortunate timing too, so shortly after finding out you also enjoyed the band Rush. Best of luck going forward dmckee. I'm sure this wont be the end of your informal physics educating; even if it's the end of it on this network. $\endgroup$
    – JMac
    Commented Jan 16, 2020 at 12:38
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    $\begingroup$ Thanks for being a great moderator for a very long period. Anything important that I've learnt about community moderation, I've learnt from you, DavidZ, Shog9 and RobertCartaino. $\endgroup$
    – 410 gone
    Commented Jan 16, 2020 at 12:52
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    $\begingroup$ @Knight The kitten references go back to something that happened years ago which tickled my fancy. However, it was a minor sideshow in an unhappy incident and I felt it was inappropriate to refer to it in an official capacity. Now I am free to tip my hat to one of the most important members of the Stack Exchange community. $\endgroup$
    – dmckee --- ex-moderator kitten Mod
    Commented Jan 16, 2020 at 16:47
  • $\begingroup$ @dmckee---ex-moderatorkitten Can I join you anywhere else? Can you give some links which reaches you? $\endgroup$
    – user240696
    Commented Jan 16, 2020 at 16:48
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    $\begingroup$ Right now I don’t have any social media presence. I mostly don’t want my life online. I’m thinking about what How I might leave an open channel. $\endgroup$
    – dmckee --- ex-moderator kitten Mod
    Commented Jan 16, 2020 at 16:53
  • $\begingroup$ @dmckee---ex-moderatorkitten But please always remember that you have sown the seeds of your intuition of physics in young minds (like mine). $\endgroup$
    – user240696
    Commented Jan 16, 2020 at 16:59
  • $\begingroup$ hey think we had some nice chats over the years & hope theres no hard feelings, thanks for your contributions and general calm amidst some storms + hope you dont disappear from chat forever :) your msg is a bit cryptic/ mysterious though referring to leaving as helping your self respect... $\endgroup$
    – vzn
    Commented Jan 17, 2020 at 3:26
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    $\begingroup$ Your benevolent dictatorship will be sorely missed $\endgroup$
    – lurscher
    Commented Jan 17, 2020 at 4:23
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    $\begingroup$ I wish you all the best. Your presence on the site will be sorely missed. $\endgroup$
    – auden
    Commented Jan 18, 2020 at 19:36
  • $\begingroup$ A word of thanks, dmckee, for your wonderful contributions to this community. The mention of words "self-respect", and that new, kitten part in your bio, appear to indicate that you have some bad taste in the mouth over something, but I totally understand that you don't wish to elaborate it here in this thread. I shall respect that wish. But I really hope that you return to this site later in the future. Thanks. $\endgroup$
    – 299792458
    Commented Jan 21, 2020 at 5:08
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    $\begingroup$ Oh dmckee... You're like part of the foundation, not just of this site but of SO and several others - a true polymath and an all-around nice guy. Was great getting to work with you all these years. $\endgroup$
    – Shog9
    Commented Jan 22, 2020 at 5:17
  • $\begingroup$ I have routinely been encouraged by your sagacious comments and answers. It is going to be a sad time, for a while, traveling on and knowing that @dmckee---ex-moderatorkitten will not be bringing in true moderation and clarity to a sometime chaotic and blurry exchange. Self-respect, however, is more important. But it is also terrible to lose a nuclear guy! $\endgroup$
    – Bill N
    Commented Jan 22, 2020 at 15:57
  • $\begingroup$ @299792458 You may have the wrong end of the stick. Much of my life I have struggled with a volatile temper. Learning to be a kitten, even if only over a slow channel where I have time for third and fourth thoughts, is a step on the road to being a better me. As I said above the kitten tribute is something I've wanted to say for a long time, but felt that I had to leave unvoiced because of the position I held. $\endgroup$
    – dmckee --- ex-moderator kitten Mod
    Commented Jan 22, 2020 at 20:05

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It's hard to imagine the site without crossing paths with you frequently. I took a look at some of the stats, and you've posted almost 17,000 comments on the main site -- I can't say I've read them all, but I know that your comments always stood out to me in the past 8 years as supportive, educational, and welcoming.

Thank you for helping to make this little corner of the internet a better place. And thank you for your support over the years to give some of our smaller user groups some love, particularly experimental physics.

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It's been a privilege to learn from you, dmckee --- both in physics and in community building. I offered a few years ago to buy you a beer if we ever found ourselves in the same town, and that offer stands.

Take care, keep in touch, and best wishes on your road ahead.

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    $\begingroup$ Agree on all points. We will miss you. $\endgroup$
    – niels nielsen
    Commented Jan 23, 2020 at 9:11
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This will leave a huge hole to fill considering not only your competence and your institutional memory but also your kind and soft-touch approach to moderating.

An example to be followed by whomever tries to fill your shoes.

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Thanks for your years of hard work on this site. Your contributions as both a moderator and as a physicist have been very helpful.

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I'm so sorry to see you go dmckee! You've been one of the pillars of our community and of the moderation team since the very beginning, and it's not going to feel the same without you around. Of course you have to do the right thing for yourself, though, and I hope your life away from the site, temporary or not, is everything you need it to be.

I'm going to shamelessly copy rob and say you have a standing offer of a beer on me if we ever have the pleasure of meeting up in the future.

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Over the last 5 years, in various user incarnations, and particularly as a self study person, this website has been essential to my understanding of physics. Thank you for all your contributions to Physics SE.

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I just saw this and I am sorry to see you leave. You have been one of the few who keep up the flag for experiments. Keep well and productive.

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Sad to see you go, you were undoubtedly one of the best mods around. Interacting with you was always helpful to me. You are leaving a footprint you can be proud of on all the sites you contributed to, including here (obviously) and Skeptics.

Thank you.

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Thank you. And — good for you.

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