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I’d worked out a lot of fancy ways to say this and none of them are even near adequate. So, here goes: Come Monday, I’m no longer Community Manager here at TV Guide Online.

For now, I’ll be handing over the daily duties of the Join the Discussion homepage along with handling questions about the site to Lauren Washington. She’s a good person so take it easy on her.

I’ll definitely be looking in on the community here from time to time and though I’m leaving TV Guide, I’m not leaving the online realm. I’ll be working on community over at Everyday Health.com, a site which is about … well, health.

Two and a half years online is something like 14 dog years and I can honestly say that the people here at TV Guide are the tops. I’ve got nothing but good wishes for them and TV Guide in general.

And then there’s the heart of why any of us came to TV Guide in the first place: you. It’s been my pleasure to be your community manager.

Reading your blogs, messages, groups and watching the occasional video has been a pleasure and an honor. I’ve learned a lot about television; learned a few things about people, too.

I’m naming a few of you (and apologizing in advance to anyone I’ve left out), so forgive me while I try this.

Cindy (many thanks for all your help), Famin, the M&Ms (you’re a force of nature), Vickkie, Amber, Taz, Trish, Rick, Smileyteach, Frederic, Kath, Lynn, BewiXed, Mollymac, CindyRose, Metalligirl, Moschops, Panns and all the Supernatural fans who have been so great, Mr. Furley, and yes, even you Mr. Stone, have all been part of what I think of as a great community of users. The best online communities recognize that it’s not about winning an argument, but sharing a common, pleasant place and helping one another. You’ve especially shown that when someone’s had a hard time in their personal lives.

Finally, there’s Rev(RevVee). I know that somehow you’ll see this and you’ll want to hit me upside the head with a shoe. That makes me happy. I’ve never been “cracked by the LPP” but you always let me know when technical issues wore our your last nerve. Thanks for not giving up. And thanks for being so personally helpful to so many people here. You’ve made our online world a better place. I pray and expect you’ll get well if only to find me on the Web and give me a piece of your mind about this note.

And with that, I think it’s time to say, not goodbye, but until next time.

Thanks to all of you.

David

Well, not really my toons, but rather MyToons.com a site that serves up great HD quality short animations and images. I'm not big into the new generation of cartoons, but I really got a bit of that great feeling watching Big Buck
Bunny, the story of a gentle, but huge rabbit pushed too far by a trio of evil rodents. You can watch it here and find even more enjoyable animation over at My Toons. BTW, My Toons works best with IE7 or FireFox.

I stumbled upon this web series about a bunch of online game players who get together in real life. It's kind of The Office meets World of Warcraft and is called The Guild. I'd probably laugh harder if I gamed, but still, it's good silly with some good insights about the strong online/offline relationships that develop across the Internet.

Check it out at: http://www.watchtheguild.com/

Just caught up with a recent episode of Top Chef that I really enjoyed. In it, the challenge for the contestants was to come up with a movie-related theme for their dish.

The winning movie dish was a beef one in honor of the flick, Top Secret. The explanation of why a beef dish has something to do with Val Kilmer and a cow suit, but I digress.

Anyway, this all got me thinking about what dinner I would make in honor of a movie.

After much thought, I came up with this: A giant meatball perched on an incline of spinach and julienned carrots, surrounded by a grotto of mashed potatoes.

I think it would be a fitting tribute to Indiana Jones' famous footrace with a boulder in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Though technically a reference to the sequel, I'd call this dish 'Indiana Jones and the Meatball O' Doom'.

So what do you think? Inspired or just inspiring nightmares? What recipe would you come up with in honor of your favorite movie?

Awards season is over, isn't it? Well, not if you're the Media Industry Newsletter!

Earlier this week, TV Guide Online took home a coveted Best of the Web Award for Community and Social Networking!

We were cited for our Writers Strike coverage, how we use social networking to get the word out about our content and also our ability to engage loyal user communities in our content and actively cultivate a culture of criticism both on and off site.

I'm not really sure what the award looks like or if I'll be one of the people who gets to take it around the city and try to get a free meal out of it like you can with hockey's Stanley Cup, but I'm pround to be a part of this and I thank all of the TV Guide Online community for helping make it possible.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Ever wanted to be on the cover of TV Guide? Well, you can now, sort of. Follow this link and see how you can put your picture on the Sexiest Stars 2008 issue online. And check it soon for your last chance to win a trip for two to TV Guide's Sexiest Stars Party.

I don't generally post this late, but I just want to say that this was a damn awesome episode of The Office. One of the actors (can't rememeber which) promised that this pre-strike script was one of their best.

That's usually the promise that falls short. Not this time. For anyone that's undergone dental-surgery- without-novacaine-like agony of a failed dinner party, I whole-heartedly recommend this episode.

"I don't care what they say about me, I just want to eat."

According to Complex mag online, UK rapper Wiley walked off the set of the video for his song, “Wearin’ My Rolex”.

Can’t say I blame him. Be sure to peep the astounding model eats chicken out of a trashcan’ sequence at 1:26.

Models eating? Songs about Rolexes? What year is this? 1995?

Who'd a thunk it was possible?

Happy April 1st!

Mental Floss, a great site for random information, recently presented its list of 10 TV Shows That Changed the World. When you look at the list provided, I think the writer makes some very good choices for shows that changed world history, such as General Electric Theater with Ronald Reagan as host.

Which series do you think changed the world? And do you think there are any shows today which might be influential as more than just entertainment.

Off the top of my head, 24, with its take on terrorism, the presidency and anti-terror tactics might join this list one day. What do you think?

So, as I left for work this morning, I thought I'd wear my sweater in honor of Sweater Day, which is being held in honor of Mr. Rogers.

Frankly I just thought it would be a nice thing to do. Truth is, my cube here is freezing today.

So I'm wearing my sweater and a lot happier than if I didn't.

Thanks again, Mr. Rogers!

Did you wear your sweater?

Over in the Zagat.com forums, they're gearing up for tonight's premier of Top Chef and their question is, 'With so many of the cheftestants from NYC, is it likely to produce the next winner?'

I'll definitely check out the first episode or two this season, if only to find out whether I'll recognize any of the contestants as I head to work.

And, of course, you can tell Zagat if you've eaten at any of the restaurants the chefs have worked at and then come back and post your thoughts about Top Chef in our TV Show Blog after the premier.

There was a brief in the NY Times today about an event being planned for March 20th in Pittsburgh.

Everyone on that day is being asked to wear their favorite sweater and it's all in honor of Fred Rogers -- of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood -- , who would have turned 80 on that date.

Check out the event's webpage and click on the video for a special message from Mr. McFeely (very cool to see him again, too).

Got the sweater. Now, where did I put my sneakers?

Here's a link about what happens when TV judges encounter real judges.

I'm just surprised that it's taken this long to get one of these tv "judges" into a court of with no TV cameras.

The blog Who's In Charge Here ask you to identify publicity stills of bands and asks you to identify the leader.

Now, if you're of a certain age, you remember a time when pop music featured a lot of goofy guys from England with spiky hair. One of these bands was called Seona Dancing. Maybe it was this photo, or maybe their music that propelled its lead singer to a great career in comedy.

Course he didn't forget his singing career completely. Check out Gervais alter ego David Brent's version of If You Don't Know Me By Now to see that he made a wise move indeed.