In just over a month I'll have been an "X-Marker" for one year. SOMEHOW, over that time, I've managed +1100 posts!

What a strange feeling it is to have had so many conversations with people I feel that I've come to "know", and yet couldn't pick out of a lineup...

Anyway, when I noticed just how many posts I've accrued over the last year, it got me thinking about all the great people I've met here and what an amazingly friendly place X-Marks is.

This is truly one of the gems of the internet. Next to no flaming. Sometimes heated, but nearly always polite conversations, differences tolerated, similarities shared. All of us brought together by our love of the kilt and other things Scottish (Whisky doesn't hurt either). And, thanks to the tireless efforts of Steve and our intrepid team of Mods, a place blessedly free of spammers.

Personally, in that "just about a year", I've gone from "I've always wanted a kilt, what should I buy?" to working on designing a tartan and planning to commission a kilt from one of our many resident artists. And from not knowing how to pronounce Sgian Dubh to anxiously awaiting my custom crafted piece. I've also gone from my first cheap leather-board sporran to making them myself and sending them out all over the world (although I still have four continents to go; S. America, Africa, Asia, and Antarctica ).

Enough rambling. I just wanted to give a hearty "Thank you" to everyone here on X-Marks for helping to make this such a fabulous place to be.

We might be scattered all over the world, from different clans, countries, ethnicities, religions, political parties, and (sometimes) planets , but to me, you're all family.

Cheers!
ith: