I wanted to say farewell because I’m leaving my post as an EF mod. However, I realize that many of you are now wondering, “Um, who are you, and what did you even do at Elysian Fields?” I stay relatively behind the scenes, so they’re both valid questions.
Megan, Kathleen, and Amy brought me into the admin crew back in 2013 after a site crash that caused EF to go offline. I helped them get everything back in working order, and things blossomed from there. I don’t like to brag (who am I kidding, I love to brag), but in the years since:
I updated the site software, and gave the site a bit of a facelift by refreshing the site’s original skins, and creating multiple new ones.
I modified the site a number of ways, including things like giving stories on bookshelves the ability to remember the last chapter that was read, adding many new options for members to sort/search for stories, giving members the ability to save challenges and second others’ challenges, giving authors and readers the chance to communicate back and forth multiple times on story comments, displaying the number of likes that a story received, and giving members the ability to edit and search shouts.
I coded many features from scratch, such as the private messaging system, beta reader and banner artist listings, the member of the month system, the suggestion box, the awards sections in profiles, and the daily digest emails.
I worked to make the site more than just a general archive by adding Buffy-centric touches like the “lurking standing about” member count on the home page, and little Easter eggs hidden throughout the archive.
There are countless other little things I’ve done that no one will ever know about because they’re just odds and ends that help the site run more smoothly.
I’ve been the loudest voice on EF’s social media, so if you’ve seen a relevant (or not so relevant) gif announcing a site event, a silly post featuring a bad photoshop of Spike in an ugly Christmas sweater, or the scooby gang wearing goofy New Year’s Eve hats, that was probably me amusing myself.
Phew! When I write it all out like that, it feels like a lot. Even so, I think maybe the best way to show you how I’ve changed the site is to let you see what Elysian Fields looked like when I found it. If you’re curious, go here: http://dark-solace.org/oldEF and when a log in pop-up appears, enter username OldEF and password 2013Elysian (the site is password protected to keep search engines from finding it, but I’ve kept it as a time capsule all these years).
Anyway, now that I’ve rambled long enough, I want to thank my fellow mods, Kathleen, Megan, Amy, and Katie for their trust in me, and for the camaraderie we have, and will continue have even though I can now rejoice in my lack of responsibility. I leave you all in their capable hands. In addition, I’ll stay on call as an admin emeritus to help get EF’s new tech mod up to speed (more to come on that soon). I want to thank every member who’s ever provided a great site suggestion that sparked my imagination to create something new for the site, every member who’s ever stopped to say thank you when I’ve provided technical assistance, and every member who changed from a fandom friend to a real life one. I’ve put so much time, effort, and thought into this site for so many years, but I’m ready to let go. Thank you for letting me be part of your lives.
--Susan on March 04, 2020 12:37pm 46 Comments
You've done lovely work here, and every time I've needed your help, you've been nothing but patient with me and gracious with your time. May your new endeavors be fruitful, and I wish you all the best in the coming days.
We'll miss you so much, Susan. We never interacted but I knew you worked quietly behind the scenes to all of EF's tehcnical genius, and coming on here was such a welcoming and fun experience that you 100% helped make happen. Thank you for being such an awesome Mod!
Susan, it has been the greatest pleasure to work with you this last year and a half. Thank you for everything that you've done for EF over the years, helping to keep and cultivate a space for this amazing community to thrive. Love you bunches, lady!!! 
I guess the word that wants to leave my lips the most is this: wow. Just, wow! You've clearly done so much for this website, and now I know just how much I and we all owe you for the way we enjoy this beautiful Internet place. So, just after wow I have to add this: THANK YOU!! I'll be forever thankful to you and every other mod here for the wonderful gift that EF is, and so many of the things
Thank you! I can't imagine this place without all the wonderful work you've done
*I love about this site exist thanks to you. Again and forever THANK YOU!
(My inability to type on my phone without messing stuff up is, alas, my own doing.)
I wish you all the best for everything that you're going to be doing! <3
I don't know what it was like before you came aboard, but it is certainly a wonderful site now, so many thanks for all your hard work! Enjoy you new leisure time.
Thank you for all your time and effort and imagination! And all the blood, sweat and tears you've clearly put into the site to make it the amazing, wonderful place it is now. I know you'll be missed, even if we didn't know everything you were doing, which clearly was TONS.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thanks so much for all you've done, Susan!
Thank you so much, Susan! Your love of EF shows through your fabulous work on this site, and we owe you so much for making EF so 'user friendly.' Thank you and bless you for your time you've put into our enjoyment when we visit here.
Susan, thank you so much for everything you've done for this site, truly.
Susan, your work has been amazing, and your sense of humor is delightful, and I hope, hope, hope the next tech mod is up to the challenge. We will miss you so much, you fantastic person you! Thank you for all your help over the years, in making this website the best place on the internet.
Thank you so much for all you’ve done! The comparison between 2013 to today is startling! Your talents will be missed!
You know how much we will miss you (you've heard the sobbing and separation anxiety wails from this corner). You LITERALLY saved this site and didn't just end it with that. You made it a thing of beauty.
You are also a STELLAR human being with a brilliant mind and heart.
Thank you for all that you've done and all you've put up with over the years! You leave a hole in our hearts.
*hugs* and love,
Kathleen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziSX4JfXtJY&feature=youtu.be
Sad to see you go, Susan, and thank you for all your hard work over the years, ensuring that the site looks good and works smoothly for all of us.
Best wishes for the future, and I hope you enjoy your new freedom!
Aww Sorry to hear you're stepping down. You'll still be around tho, right? You're not leaving us for good... I hope.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! You helped me when I needed info or had technical problems, and even if we will (most probably) never meet, you're a friend. Love and
You will be missed.
Wow, I knew you did a lot, but I never realized how much. Thank you so much!
Thank you for all you've done for this site - and you've done a LOT! And aren't you an admin of the Elysian Fields Facebook page, too? Your technical expertise and responsiveness to problems is appreciated. You will be greatly missed.
Thank you so very much for everything you've done 💙 You've made this site easily the most wonderfully practical and easy to use and navigate reading site I've ever seen. (Unlike that sentence I just wrote 😂) And as if that wasn't amazing enough, your friendly and swift assistance with annoying little tech problems has been above and beyond every time.
Thank you, you fantabulous creature 💜
I’m a relative newbie, one year and counting, but I am so grateful to you for all that you’ve done to keep this amazing site running smoothly. Happy trails!
Thank You so much for all the hard work you have done to develop Elysian Fields - I only wish that I had your computer skills so that I could help with all the work. You have done SO MUCH for this site and the Spuffy fanfiction community - Sending you all my best wishes to you for the next phase of your life.
Thank you Susan for all that you have done; I hope you aren't leaving the community even if you are stepping down as Mod. I love the little touches you added to the site and hope we'll see many an amusing pic from you when you have time in coming years. 
Thank you for all you have done! we may not have known how much work and effort you put in but we definitely appreciated it
Thank you so much for all your work on our behalf. We have been so blessed to have you.
Just sending you all the thanks and love! Thank you for everything you've done! 
Hope you will still be around to say hi and chat with us!
I am honestly still processing this. I literally cannot imagine EF without the pillar of Susan supporting it. (I know all will be well, but man.) Love you and hope to still see you around a lot. Thank you for being fantastic in every way.
Thank you for all your hard work Susan.
We'll miss you, Susan!
You did so much, and we appreciate you immensely