A New Year's message to all members...

[Flybrian]

2005 has been a turbulant year in so many respects. For most of us, we spent the past twelve months seeing continued war in the Middle East, unfathomable natural disasters, and stratospheric gas prices. We've also seen the automaker we care and admire face difficulties of its own with the postponing or cancellation of several models and the sword of Damocles that is bankruptcy. The forums we call home have probably been up-and-running about 80% of the past year. And a few among us have even lost cars, jobs, or worse.

I've felt a general malaise around here now and then, often evidenced by our conduct towards our fellow members. In light of that, I'd like to say this:

If...
1) You have some sort of desire/passion/care for or positive concern about General Motors...

2) You do not engage in trolling and/or mindless bashing of General Motors with no constructivity...

3) You treat the opinions of others with the same respect you demand for yourself...

...you're welcome to post here. If the opposite is you, well, I don't need to elaborate.

One thing I would like to remind everyone is that we all share that basic passion for automobiles and the automotive culture. Let's face it, its hard to find a nice place to engage in the debates we do here without being ridiculed, ignored, or being met with blank stares and the one aspect of Cheers and Gears that attracts people and sets it apart from the dozens of other automotive boards on the web is our community spirit. We share our purchases, our accidents, our losses; our first cars, our last cars, and the cars we wish we had and we do it with the intensity that one would usually only find in a specific model's owners' club. That means something to me and - I would like to believe - others as well.

We don't have as many members as some forums or as many hits even, but its never been about that here. Being the "#1 GM site on the 'net" is more than rote figures; its about being a place you want to point your browsers to and hang out. Consider this your neighborhood bar & grill in a world full of McDonald's, Subways, and Paneras.

So, as we embark on the year of 2006, let's keep our family, friends, and fellow C&Gers in mind. Let's all let the plastics and politics, the OHVs and overhangs, and all the old feuds fade away with the year's passing. Look out towards the horizon for a brighter year is about to crest in a couple of hours and let's remember why we're all here...

Because we have computers and want to talk about cars but can't find anyone else to talk about them with.

That, and we get bored frequently.

I hope you all have a wonderful evening and an even better New Year. I want to thank you all for being what makes this site great and worth returning to daily. You guys are awesome. And I end with the last verse of today's traditional melody, the one we never sing and probably should...

And surely you'll lift up your glass,
For surely I'll lift mine,
And we'll drink a cup of kindness yet,
For old lang syne.

:CG_all: Happy New Year! :CG_all:

[Mike The Canadian]

here here! happy new years c&g this has been one hell of a year.. i've had my share of ups/downs platelets returned to normal :) not doing so good in math and physics :( my grandfather passed away :( I started driving a tonne :) I think i'm in love :lol: (another post for another day) well I could probably think of more, but thats just a short and important list. new years resolution? do good in school and get on the tredmill.. man I dont know where i'd be without this site, from cars, information about cars, insiders & spyshots all the way to the stories and life experience of everyone here... this is a great site, now lets all look forward to a bright 2006 :) - Michael

[bowtie_dude]

2005 was great, i hope 2006 is better, if this looks weird its becaue i'm drunk. i hope to get a cobalt ss in 06, i reaklly loike how the guages light up. thjhere are pictures at coablt ss .n et and it looks really hood. i hope you giys have a great new years like me. i've had so muych fun chatin on herer qwit h all of you over the past three years. keep the best automotive news in tyhe net coming. no site on the intertron beats this one. joshj you are great. i think my capt morgan is wearing off. i'm goin to drink some more.; gnight;.

[I hope GMRULES again]

Happy New Year. Hopefully it will be a much better one for the General. The GMT 900's are now officially ON SALE! :P

[NOS2006]

Great summation, Fly. Also, thanks, guys. 2005 was indeed a great year, but I guarantee '06 will be better both for me and GM fans. :cheers:

[Croc]

hi i am drunk bye

[NOS2006]

lmao Classic. I'll pm that to him for when he's sober.. :P

[ocnblu]

Agreed, 2005 was pretty turbulent, with all the world events. It also ended on a sad and uncertain note for me, with the loss of my dog, and big changes coming at work.

I don't know how to say this, but the worse things get out here, the more I tend to visit this place. It's been an oasis at times.

The auto show season, as always, will be a way out of our winter doldrums. There are a lot of momentous debuts coming from GM, starting with the brilliant Solstice GXP. I am feeling good about what's coming from them.

So, I say, out with the old and in with the new. We've been given a clean slate and a new piece of chalk. Time to draw a bright future!

[trinacriabob]

Ocn, I am really sorry to hear about your dog. I had been wondering about that. In November, while in So. America, I came across two black (mostly Lab) pups that were abandoned in an empty lot being readied for a new house within a fairly nice enclave of homes. I stopped my car at the curb and went to check on two tiny creatures I saw moving around within this lot. I sat on the ground and they immediately were all over me, yelping, pawing and licking me. They were no more than 2 to 3 months old. I eventually flagged down an Argentine chick in a Mercedes SUV (like Croc's, I guess) and talked her into taking them home with her. She lived around the block and said she had not seen them when she was taking a walk through there in the morning. I gave her my e-mail to let me know how they were and I never heard from her. Today, I talked to my best friend from college who now lives in San Diego...big, big dog fan. I told him how my mind was spinning at the time as to how to bring them back into the states (with check ups, air arrangements, the fact that I had another 6 days of vacation in another city - B.A., quarantines) and opted not to. He said he probably would have brought them back. At any rate, 2005 was NOT great for me: 1) taking classes at night, so feeling a little stretched 2) our office dynamics have changed. we used to be in a low-rise, residentially styled and informal building but are now in a true office building. we added this one chick, previously an intern but now a full fledged employee after graduating from college, to our group who is a high maintenance brat who criticizes everything and everybody and has really spoiled the more laid-back, "water off a duck's back" environment that prevailed before. she is in the office across from me and I am moving my office space tomorrow when I get in. 3) 2003 was the year of turmoil over getting my mom to do an estate plan and 2005 was the year of turmoil in disposing of an asset held in common between me and another family member, but I got through it. I don't want to do any family admin. things this upcoming year. Yeah, I'd say 2005 was generally shitty for most Americans: 1) war 2) Katrina, Rita, Wilma 3) GM and the ripple effects among others. Here's to hoping and praying for a better 2006 for all! Cheers. Edited January 3, 2006 by trinacriabob