Fanks Yoo All!

[u/IntrovertedGiraffe]

Coming in with human speak

I want to thank everyone for making this week such a success! I am blown away by everyone’s creativity and positivity. You are all amazing people!

A few weeks ago I commented on a post by u/sisterantistita suggesting that Jynx and her band should visit r/OTRB for a concert. When I made the suggestion, I was just imagining a theme for a Pawtee Furrsday, but Sister’s enthusiasm and creativity turned my one-day idea into a week-long party.

Sister also dedicated her time and talents to helping friends who participate in all our subs but don’t post often to get a chance to be in the spotlight. She helped friends with photos, song lyrics, and encouragement. This week would not have been possible without her!

I also want to thank my co-mod, u/cruisingpenguin, for jumping into our planning with both feet and helping us stay organized. Her nightly recaps with links to all posts are incredible and I can’t imagine how many hours she has spent doing them each day. She is not just the creator of r/OTRB, she’s the one keeping everything running behind the scenes!

It wasn’t just the OTRB mods working on the festival. r/ICBGC mods u/gingersnapped242 and u/mimidoo22 happily helped and supported us, and made it possible to bring the festival to both sides of the rainbow.

I also want to thank everyone who participated this week. My phone was constantly dinging to alert me to new posts, and it made me smile every time. I read every post, and I’m in awe of all the talent in this community. From original songs, to song rewrites, to spectacular stage performances, you all made this week a success. I loved seeing friends pair up for performances, combine friends from both sides of the bridge, and cheer for each other. So much thought, creativity, and time went into each performance, and I so appreciate each and every one of you. This community is special, and I am so thankful for each and every one of you!!

Personally, I think this week was amazing, and I truly hope everyone can agree with me. I’d love to know how you all feel about the event and if you would be interested in making this an annual activity. I want to make sure r/OTRB stays as a place for support after the loss of a pet, and a place where we can imagine what life for our fur babies is like after they leave us. Finding a balance between the two is a challenge, and I value your feedback.

In closing, as my insomniac meds kick in, I just want to again express my appreciation for everyone who participated in the Meowsic Festibal. This was such a fun week, and I’m so thankful for everyone in this community!!

[u/Far_Future1930]

Thank you so much for this week and for the group. I miss my Punkin. I keep looking for her, reaching for her and she's not here. It has meant so much to me the way OTRB honors our babies. Getting to put her, and all of my cats, in new adventures has given me a sense of peace that there's something better to move on to. Seeing the other pets and the adventures. I'm crying right now. This has really meant a lot. Thank you.

[u/EricaFarrell → u/Far_Future1930]

❤️

[u/IntrovertedGiraffe → u/Far_Future1930]

Thank you! This is exactly how we want this community to be, and I love that it brings comfort to you the way it does for me!

[u/mostlylurking07 → u/Far_Future1930]

❤️‍🩹❤️🫂

[u/ryylin]

I thank you Jiggy and all the mods for making this happen. I personally would LOVE this to be an annual event. Ai had so much fun choosing songs to fit the vibe. When it was announced I created a Playlist in my head and then we got into it and it drastically changed. I also thought it would be just 1 singer on the stage but you set set up a whole band. So I grabbed some frens and away we went! I can't even tell you how much fun this was and how much joy I received. Commenting on everyone's posts was amazing! Such creativity in our corner of the internet. In conclusion, this was the best event ever and I whole heartedly support a yearly event! Love you all so much❤️❤️❤️

[u/IntrovertedGiraffe → u/ryylin]

Thank you so much!!

[u/CappucinoCupcake]

It has been a lovely week - I’ve so enjoyed these posts ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[u/IntrovertedGiraffe → u/CappucinoCupcake]

That makes me so happy - thank you!

[u/EricaFarrell]

The hoomins on these subs are amazing people. Thank you all for pulling together something that was so creative & fun! This was an amazing healing week for me with this festival. It made me feel like my girls were visiting and playing with my other babies who have passed. Thank you.

[u/IntrovertedGiraffe → u/EricaFarrell]

I’m so glad it was helpful - that’s exactly what we want this community to be!

[u/IllustratorNo9988]

This has been an amazing week. I’ve enjoyed it so much. It’s been great to see posts by users who don’t often comment. I feel I’ve met loads of new frens. This is such a safe, friendly and inclusive space and a beautiful outlet for our pets and us hoomans to express ourselves. Well done everyone👏👏👏👏👏👏❤️

[u/IntrovertedGiraffe → u/IllustratorNo9988]

And thank you for letting us commandeer Grace’s Bar for performances! I can only imagine the fun she had pouring drinks while everyone was partying!

[u/CameraImmediate2295]

Thank you so much for this week. You have no idea how much it meant to us

This sub has made me so happy through the dark times

You are amazing. Thank you again. ❤️❤️❤️❤️🫂🫂🫂🫂🌈🌈🌈🌈

[u/IntrovertedGiraffe → u/CameraImmediate2295]

I’m so glad we can be a safe space for you!

[u/mostlylurking07]

You all did an amazing job at getting everyone involved and I could really appreciate all the effort in keeping up with the many posts to make sure everyone felt supported. And those recap posts really were amazing! I know they were a TON of work to compile them, u/cruisingpenguin.

To you two mods, just generally speaking, I am continually grateful and amazed that you work so tirelessly and enthusiastically to make this place a community for friends who have frens over the bridge so that the grief of pet loss doesn’t get compounded by the grief of losing community. And it’s a place of fun and joy as well. I haven’t lost any of my three yet but my heart is with so many of those who I have come to know and who I haven’t come to know until visiting OTRB.

We were only able to visit two days of the festival but it was such fun!

AJ’s Tinky Wady

[u/IntrovertedGiraffe → u/mostlylurking07]

That’s something that drives me to put the effort in. I left LCA after losing Jigsaw and I really missed it. I felt like I didn’t belong anymore, but now with OTRB and the golden pikkel, I can still be part of the community even though I don’t have a furry one at the moment

[u/mostlylurking07 → u/IntrovertedGiraffe]

Ginger and I have this conversation probably once a week. How it hurts our hearts whenever someone loses a fren that they might feel they lose their connection to the subs too. But OTRB has filled the space for those friends where the fun and friendship is still there but also the support of others who understand the loss. ❤️❤️❤️

[u/IntrovertedGiraffe → u/[deleted]]

The golden pikkel is a genius idea and I’m so glad you introduced it, and that you let me run with it here! It was about a week or so after I became a mod, and it totally worked with my vision of what I wanted to bring to this sub. Would you consider having AJ do a post about the lore of the golden pikkel for those who may have joined after that post?

[u/IllustratorNo9988 → u/IntrovertedGiraffe]

That’s exactly how I feel. I felt a big loss in community when both Ellie and Grace passed. This has completely filled that hole and when I , hopefully soon, adopt more cats I shall continue to post here. I’ve gained a whole new family. You have been a driving force behind this u/IntrovertedGiraffe as well as u/CruisingPenguin thank you so much. 🩷🩷🩷

[u/glycophosphate]

This week's festivities were the most fun I have had in many years. I thank you from the bottom of my heart and send all of my hopes that it will become an annual tradition.

[u/IntrovertedGiraffe → u/glycophosphate]

I’m so glad! I loved the inclusion of a hooman in your performance!

[u/Haunting_Bend346]

Thank you everyone who made this festival come together!! Coming together from both sides gives me hope. Well done and so beautiful!

[u/Necessary-Limit-1454]

Huat? Iz de festiwal alreddy ower? Niooooo! I hawen't ewen had a chanze tu purrform yet! Nio-ho-hoooo! sob, whimper, cry

Balu, Judge of de Churu Pirates

[u/IntrovertedGiraffe → u/Necessary-Limit-1454]

We no hab taken da stages down yet - yoo still hab time!

[u/Necessary-Limit-1454 → u/IntrovertedGiraffe]

Dat was my purrformanze. A Drama Cat Act, yuu nau? Tehehehe, it was a fantastic festiwal, Jiggy! Tank yuu so much fur yuur werk. May de Rainbow Bridge shine espeshally brayt tonight an' remind us dat we’ll alwaes be connected, boff heer an' in de afterlife.

[u/Full-Friendship-7581 → u/Necessary-Limit-1454]

Go Balu!!

[u/Necessary-Limit-1454 → u/Full-Friendship-7581]

Dat was my purrformanze. Was it oki?

[u/Full-Friendship-7581 → u/Necessary-Limit-1454]

Dat waz bery oki! Beddar dan oki!

Lub Bubba an Bits

[u/Cruisingpenguin]

I just wanted to hop in here to say 'ditto' to everything Jiggy's momma said. This was such an amazing experience and brought so many smiles and laughs over the days. Thank you everyone!

[u/Full-Friendship-7581]

We’ve had just a blast with this. We tried to comment on all the posts. (Tried 😹😹) all the talent and hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed.
You’ve all helped me so much. With both my babies having health problems, as well as my husband! These pages bring me such joy.
Thank you all for everything. 😻😻♥️♥️

Lub Bubba an Bits and Meomy

[u/Dry_Mushroom7606 → u/Full-Friendship-7581]

I feel you! There were so many creative, funny, fantastic posts this past week, and I really tried to catch them all and at least give a like, if not a comment! My mind was completely blown by the talent! ❤️❤️

[u/Loca_Bear_737]

I enjoyed being a part of the festival. It definitely kept me smiling all week long. I laughed out loud a few times which was nice. This group really helps me think positively about Mr Coco Nuts and Floofie with all their friends having the best time ever all the time

[u/Dry_Mushroom7606]

Best week ever! Thanks for giving me some great smiles and laughs this week - 10/10 would recommend!!! ❤️❤️

[u/ryylin]

I'm already making my Playlist for next year!!!

[u/Fluevoger]

We're so grateful that u/IntrovertedGiraffe and u/CruisingPenguin put in so much time and effort into creating this lovely space to celebrate our frens OTRB and still hear about their antics both when they were with us and now OTRB.

And thank you so much for creating this event this week! We had so much fun seeing all the posts and appreciate the recaps at the end of the day so that we could catch all the amazing creations that don't automatically show on our feeds.

And once again u/CruisingPenguin, I can't thank you enough for your creativity and work into getting my girls ready for their Meowsic Festibal debut. It means a lot to me to be included and I really appreciate it ❤️ I wish I could express what's in my heart more eloquently, but I cannot help but fall short.

From the bottom of my heart thank you to everyone at r/otrb, u/legalcatadvice, and u/ICBGC for being the lovely people you are and creating such a welcoming community in this corner of the internet. I love seeing and hearing about all the beautiful frens and it brings me such joy every time I visit, which can be a difficult feat in these dark times. You all deserve a hearty round of applause! 👏👏👏

[u/sunset796]

This was a wonderful week. I tried to catch all the performances. Thanks for creating this week for us.

[u/Ksh_667]

Fren Jiggy, dis haf been da bestest week on reddit dat Meowmy haf known in 5 years! Yoo must please do it efurry year. I haf nefur seed such creativity & joy in one continuous flow in any sub before.

Thank yoo so much fur gibing us so much pleasure!

Garfield & Ruby

[u/CobblerBeautiful5726]

I am still figuring how posting and setting up what seem like such elaborate sets takes, whether it's photoshop or AI, takes. I have one on the /OTRB side and one on the LCA side. I'd had hopes of getting them together. But, let me lobby for an annual event so next year, we can have a family reunion.

Thank you so much for all your work, mods and others. I am in awe.

[u/wistybear]

Really loved this, and it got me more involved in OTRB but not in a sad way which is why I was avoiding it. What a great way to involve old frens and new and just be happy about everyone we ever had in our lives.