Greetings, fellow monks -

today I'm getting messages from the system like the following

You gained 1 experience point. (But it really doesn't matter.)
You have 117 points until level 14 - Priest.

Happy Monkday!!
You've been here 1 difficult year.
It seems like you were an Initiate only yesterday!

which pretty well matches my feeling (darn, is it one year yet?) since I still feel very much like an initiate - in what there is to learn for me about perl, about you and the wealth stored here at perlmonks.

Although I had known of the existence of this site for a long time, I didn't somehow "dare to visit" let alone sign up; I thought it was some experts bulletin board where dim lights like me would just make a wimpy appearance; but lo! I was taught different rather quickly. The first note I read excited me, and I was instantly spell-bound by the way ideas are discussed here, and I still am.

This site ended my sort of Kaspar Hauser way of life as a perl programmer, in which I myself deprived me of the wonders of the perl community, open for all eyes to see that can. Since then I try to contribute with whatever means I have and as time allows.

"I'll keep that short", as another Monkday poster promised - not because I hadn't more things to say - and just want to use this opportunity to thank you all for your effort and time, widening my empty heart to a deep hollow ringing bell as I speak.

With due reverence to ye masters (each of you is one, in your particular way) and warm regards,
--shmem

update: s/exited/excited/, of course.. thanks to ptum :)

_($_=" "x(1<<5)."?\n".q·/)Oo.  G°\        /
                              /\_¯/(q    /
----------------------------  \__(m.====·.(_("always off the crowd"))."·
");sub _{s./.($e="'Itrs `mnsgdq Gdbj O`qkdq")=~y/"-y/#-z/;$e.e && print}