I wanted to include a "Tips" page on my awards program, but it needed to be something unusual to go with my personality and writing style. Having read other tip pages, basically the same concept but written in different styles, I needed to come up with something original from my "senior citizen" mind.

The first thoughts whirling in my senile brain were how I felt physically when evaluating a website. At my age, it takes a lot of endurance and dedication to operate an awards program. I also thought about how I would soon be reaching the "Big 5-0" (unfortunately, not AS! 5.0), and came up with a plan. Knowing other evaluators in my age group and what I'm sure they endure during an evaluation, my "over age 40" idea originated.

After completing a rough draft of the "tips" page, I decided to let a couple of people have a sneak peak to get their opinions on whether or not I should go through with the project. I heard from those chosen few and each one of them responded with a type of "go for it" attitude. I proceeded onward.

Needing volunteers, I posted messages at several award forums with the following stipulation: "Volunteers should have a sense of humor, and not mind being on the page no matter what the content." Several award program owners responded, and it actually shocked me that community members would agree to be part of this...sight unseen.

I spent the next 5 days editing, tweaking, and listing the "volunteers" on the page. On the 6th day (I can't explain why), I thought of TR Grier and his circumstances. That same night I sent him an email along with the URL to the Tips page and asked if he would be offended. I was determined to drop everything if it bothered him in any way. Two hours before the actual deadline to reveal the "Tips" page, I received this reply from TR, "I like that. It is a different approach and it does NOT offend me. As you might can tell I am all for difference."

Poor Maggi. On Friday after waiting patiently for a week, she posted the following at the Awardsville Forum: "OH Jannnnnnnnnnnnnnn! Do you know what today is?" I replied back, "Oh Maggiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii........Yes I do!" For the next couple of hours it was a cat and mouse chase between Maggi and myself. At this point, Maggi started getting restless with her "knees bouncin and nails tappin." For around 2 hours that night, we went from one forum to another leaving each other tantalizing remarks.