Scruffy, you had mentioned earlier in the year that you were considering ending your financial support of the site at the end of 2023, so thanks for the update. I do want to thank you for your support all these years, not only financial but your consistent presence on this forum and your contributions. You are second to none in that regard.
I would consider stepping in to keep this site going for a while longer, but it would be under a few conditions. I would want
full administrative powers since it can be difficult to administer this forum with one hand tied behind my back. Also, I would request that vBulletin be updated to a version that supports a secured site. Who knows how many times we've been hacked already. Lastly, I would want the ability to make some content updates to at least the landing page because it is so dated. In the end it is up to Ben, of course.
With Alizee's music career most certainly dead and Mylene announcing her retirement, it sure does seem like an end to an era. We had a few times where we thought Alizee might be jump starting her music career, but that all ended with the canceled concerts in Mexico. She leveraged her fame to start a cosmetics line, sell fashion and jewelry, and get some guest appearances on TV here and there, but didn't deliver on what her fans really wanted, an album.
I don't know if it was intentional or not, but Alizee has alienated her long time fans the last few years. It would have been nice to hear her talk to her fans here and there like she used to through social media, without trying to sell something or promote a cause. Posting family photos on Instagram is not enough. Maybe the pandemic affected her like it has so many others, who knows? But one thing is pretty clear now, and that is her focus is her dance school and her family, and there is nothing wrong with that.
So anyway, your reasons are completely understandable. Basic living costs just keep creeping up and I'm feeling it too. With the world seeming to get crazier by the day, it's hard to see the trend reversing any time soon.
But I agree that it has been a nice ride. I've had a lot of fun on this forum over the years.