If you gotta go.. go with a smile!

[James F.D. Graham]

I took this out of Trevor's thread since really, it didn't seem fair to horn in over there. However, I really did want to show my gratitude so I made my own!

Once again I must say that I cannot thank people enough for the time and effort they put into my.. well... time and effort.

Judges: The fact that my work was reviewed and critiqued by actual, real-life professionals of the industry was award enough to make this whole thing worth it. The fact that I made Top 8 on my first "official" try was just icing on the cake.

Thank-you for your consideration and thank you Paizo for holding this incredible contest.

Thank you, on-line community, for your excellent feedback. I want to assure you all that everything you have said I have taken to heart and as this whole thing is a learning experience, it's win-win for me!

I also want to take the time to publicly thank my wife and sister-in-law who spent countless hours being my editors and just generally listening to me rant and rave over my submissions and choices like some kind of obsessed lunatic.

Also, my heartfelt congratulations to the Top 4 - you guys have something to be proud of and I cannot wait to join the spectators for the final round.. I can only foresee good things coming down the pipe.

So now, I get to sit back and enjoy a glass of 21 year old rum that I have been saving. I promised myself it would only be drunk when my part in RPG Superstar 2009 ended.

Thanks again.

James F.D. Graham

[Neil Spicer]

Mistah J wrote:

So now, I get to sit back and enjoy a glass of 21 year old rum that I have been saving. I promised myself it would only be drunk when my part in RPG Superstar 2009 ended.

Cheers, James! Enjoy your birthday, as well...

And, on a side note, I can't help but notice your screen name is "Mistah J" and your wife uses "Harley Q." Gotta love the Joker and Harley! You even used a Joker quote for this thread. So, much respect, my friend!

--Neil

[Charles Evans 25]

As I said in the Round 4 thread, think about taking a couple of weeks away from serious stuff, to unwind and review the situation.

But well done for getting this far, and a belated welcome to your wife to posting on the paizo boards; soon the subliminal hypnotic rays which the PostMonster General cunningly interweaves with the boards will ensure that she is hopelessly addicted to posting, and the Paizo illuminati's goal of absolute world domination will be one step closer... :D

[Mike Welham]

Love the thread title.

Congratulations on making the Top 8, and I hope we'll see something soon from Paizo (or elsewhere for that matter) with your name on it!

[Sue Flaherty]

Cheers, James! Can't wait to see what goodies you come up with next :)

[Harley Q]

NSpicer wrote:

And, on a side note, I can't help but notice your screen name is "Mistah J" and your wife uses "Harley Q." Gotta love the Joker and Harley! You even used a Joker quote for this thread. So, much respect, my friend!

--Neil

Awww, you noticed! Thanks :)

[Turin the Mad]

Harley Q wrote:

NSpicer wrote:

And, on a side note, I can't help but notice your screen name is "Mistah J" and your wife uses "Harley Q." Gotta love the Joker and Harley! You even used a Joker quote for this thread. So, much respect, my friend!

--Neil

Awww, you noticed! Thanks :)

About as subtle as a rocket launcher ^_^ - but then, some times we're perceptive like that.

[Trevor Gulliver]

21 year old rum, eh? That's a good way to end the day!

[Matt Banach]

Thank you, Mistah J, for a most excellent run. I salute you.

[Mike Speck]

*applauds* Great work, sir!

[Eric Morton]

I've enjoyed reading your stuff, and I've enjoyed having you around all these rounds. Best of luck.

-Eric

I'm really, really glad no one thought of these "gracious exit" threads before now because, frankly, I feel honored to have been in this competition with all of this year's finalists. I'd have needed to post something like the above comment in every last one of those hypothetical gracious exit threads.

[French Wolf]

You can thank Joao for them ever starting. He led the way but perhaps not quite how he meant it to be.

To get to the last 32 and beyond is pretty impressive. Whilst I never voted for some of you, I am a tad envious of the banner next to your names. In this community that Top 32 etc means something.