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Foxy Lady – She's the One!Aug 22 '03 (Updated Jan 08 '04) Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line I cannot think of a more suitable candidate for the Hall of Fame, after all, to so many of us kcfoxy is already an Epinions Legend.
Sitting here wondering how politically correct it is for me to nominate my choice for the Hall of Legends, Hall of Fame or whatever it ends up named. It dawned on me that it should not matter what others feel my motivations might be, this comes from the heart. Like those members already mentioned and others who will surely receive a nomination as Hall of Fame candidates in the future, kcfoxy personifies all that is good within this community. Casey arrived on the Epinions scene three months before I signed on the virtual dotted line. Before the ink dried on my User Agreement, Casey’s body of work consisted of one hundred twenty-six reviews. Most of the members, back then, were prolific writers but Casey’s accomplishments seemed to shine a little brighter. On personal level, the first time the kcfoxy User ID showed up on the ratings list of one of my reviews, I felt as if I had arrived. The kcfoxy, a true star of Epinions, read one of my reviews and liked it enough to tell me just that. To be perfectly honest, I followed a handful of writers and craved some feedback from those who never failed to create something worth reading – review or otherwise. The two “P-Men,” Ptiemann and Poseidon seemed to have this Epinions thing under control. Encouraging comments left for me by Jeff Clow (bonies7), gave me the incentive to fine-tune my reviews. A “Bravo!” from Jeff equaled a straight-A report card in my eyes way back then and to this day. Pam Fitts (Mrsfitts), my mentor and friend, patiently showed me the ropes. Tanster, Leah, Counsel, Grouch, Aggiebrett, Sordid-1, mshawpyle, sweeper, Suzer, Petra, Hard_To_Please, Happy2000USA, CurtisEdmonds, Dinday, forkids, lap0530, cowboydj, 401402 and other very special people helped make the community aspects of Epinions a reality for me in those early days. Trying to focus on just one of those stellar individuals seemed like an impossible task. Should I list the people whose impact on the site during Epinions infancy turned ether into a virtual village, the list alone might very well go on for pages. So, what makes Casey Stewart my choice to highlight under this new Hall of Fame topic heading? The answer is simple - kcfoxy is Epinions. Sure, Casey writes beautifully and covered topics in almost every category Epinions lists. Over the past four years, she held every title at least once, wrote nearly seven hundred reviews and earned the trust of more than six hundred members. All those accomplishments, all that work and such high quality reviews from one individual; every bit of which has little bearing on my choice to highlight kcfoxy in this forum. What makes Casey such a perfect fit for the first round of Hall of Fame inductees has more to do with heart, soul and dedication. Any member or visitor to the site wanting to get the real scoop on products, services and topics in Music, Books, Home and Garden and a host of other categories needs only to visit kcfoxy’s amazing catalogue of reviews. That she shares herself freely with us, opens the door to the real person behind the words is what makes her unique. I always felt that Casey is in the process of writing her autobiography in spurts, one review at a time. To miss one review means missing an episode; this is especially true when following her train of thought through her critiques of the music she so obviously loves. When Epinions opened up the Writers Corner for creative pieces, kcfoxy jumped in with both feet. Through those truly remarkable short stories, she exposed even more of the real woman many of us have come to admire and adore. I doubt very seriously if there is a more visible, highly respected member on this site. There is much to be said about political activism helping to shape our community. Sordid-1 single-handedly moved the membership to question many changes and had a great impact on the way Epinions treats us all. Throughout all of the most tumultuous times we shared on this site, Casey continued to support Epinions and remained the person most often looked to for guidance. I have no recollection of her taking a soapbox stand on issues. Instead of screaming from the rafters, she simply carried on with the class and style she exemplifies. Her levelheaded example kept many fine writers from abandoning this site for other venues. Countless numbers of new members over the past four years consider kcfoxy their mentor. Many high profile writers on this site seem unapproachable to those just getting started on their Epinions journey. I cannot say whether her accessibility comes from any one particular trait, I suspect a combination of all things ‘Casey’ make people feel comfortable enough to open up a line of communication. Sometimes, cymbals clanging and brass bands blaring keep us from focusing on the quiet souls that do so much without any fanfare. I am not saying Casey has not had her moments in the spotlight. Epinions discovered a dream of a media darling in kcfoxy during those early days. My painfully shy friend felt such devotion to her newfound love that she opened up to speak about the Epinions experience with reporters from magazines, newspapers and e-zines and even agreed to live interviews with radio personalities. She became the face and voice of our community when the media first realized Epinions was about to become a major force on the Internet. Whether or not consistent activity on the site becomes part of the criteria for consideration of a shiny new “Legend” tag, kcfoxy meets and exceeds any possible baseline. Since September of 1999, she put her efforts into creating reviews, mentoring any member who came to her for advice and helping to build an atmosphere where writers and those simply wanting to share their views can feel as if they are among friends. Not everyone owns the ability or has the personality to carry off a warm welcome where the recipient knows the message is sincere. I think that is where Casey’s strong suit lies. It is a definite case of bringing her true self into every endeavor. We have a pure soul in our midst, one that cares with every fiber of her being and one that embodies the true meaning of community. I cannot think of a more suitable candidate for the Hall of Fame, after all, to so many of us kcfoxy is already an Epinions Legend.  |
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