In honor of FotW taking the week off, let's take a short walk down memory lane and appreciate how we have come to this sub's institution, posted weekly by u/ID10-T: the Flavor of the Week thread.

FotW: a half assed history lesson

The Modern FotW Thread as we know it boils down to one unique element and that is none other than u/ID10-T. To suggest anything less is a crime of omission to the effort he's put in to maintaining, growing, and developing this niche in the DIY community. While we can't forget that each week he and his other cohosts/guests on the Noted podcast purchase and test every flavor they can and describe them in great detail for us, there's other overlooked aspects that I want to take a second to acknowledge:

• The puns are legendary, if not downright racy. Go find the blackberry title. Thank me later.
• The associated Noted podcasts feature a guest who is a volunteer of any level of experience in DIY. That is pretty bad ass imo. Anyone can be an expert in what they are tasting and this is the HEART of DIY right there.
• The actual Flavor of the Week is chosen by YOU! Well, those few of you who actually participate. Want to know more about how Lilies of the Valley taste? Just ask in the thread and ID may figure out a topic that fits your needs. All the flavor topics were requested by someone other than ID himself.

Ok, doggo, what's the fricken point, you ask. This is just barely scratching the surface of what makes this thread so great because what makes it great, or not, is really you. FotW was a difficult thread for a new pup isuamadog to participate in when I came out of the lurking shadows in 2017. I knew nothing of flavors, profiles, or whatevers. I was just trying to make something that didn't suck and delivered my nic. But I wanted to be better, so I read, rarely contributing. What did/could I possibly have to contribute? Before we answer that, let's have a gander down memory lane...

FotW: Ground Zero

The very first FotW was posted nearly 7 years ago to the day by u/Botboy141. Blueberry. Check it out. You can see the purpose fleshing out then: "The purpose of this thread is to gather the community to explore a flavor and it's [sic] many uses." Way back in these ancient times of mixing, there wasn't the wealth of information that we have at our disposal today. So you can see how the thrust would be not only in exploring a flavor, but the contributors to the thread are also sharing recipes, ideas, opinions... all the makings of a discussion! If I can wax poetic about a time that I was not actually around for, it's a refreshing read to see people interacting and sharing their current creations, versions that were 'unfinished' or even unsteeped/untested.

FotW: Reboot

Somewhere between April 2015 and September 2016, u/ID10-T took over posting the FotW and gave it a mini-upgrade in scope: you can find it here. One guess what the first flavor topic was!!! Yup, you guessed right, of course. The spirit of collaboration is alive with discussion and sharing still, yet there was one major component written into the body: have fun! In this thread you should see some familiar 'faces' as well as a discussion on mango chicken ejuice recipe. Seems mixers have been forever chasing the weird and the potentially gross, eh? This also marks the beginning of u/ID10-T's upkeep of the FotW wiki and his enslavement to the cause of mixers worldwide. I think if you listen closely, you may actually hear the Devil discussing the terms of their agreement...

FotW: Duly Noted

In May 2017, we had our first Noted Episode. Rewatching it, I didn't realize that u/mLnikon was the one who had the idea to connect the reddit FotW post to the Noted episode. That week's FotW post included the now-ever-expected pun embedded flavor title: sheesh what a strange flavor of the week: shisha. What else is there to say about the first Noted Episode? We have u/CheebaSteeba, u/ID10-T, and u/skiddlzninja filling in for u/mLnikon talking shisha flavors and strap-ons. Even back then with no precedent, it's flavor descriptions with discussion on how to use the flavors and opinions galore and a clear love for INW Shisha Strawberry. The concurrent FotW has a long list of participants whose names you should recognize to boot. Give it all a gander and walk with us down memory lane.

FotW: in decline?

Sadly, over the years (YEARS!) of FotW posts, the decline in energy and participation in the threads lead our poor community servant to post this appeal: FotW and Noted Need YOU. In this post, u/ID10-T lays out all the ways you can contribute to the FotW thread. I don't know what else to tell you other than the appeal then still stands today. I am literally going to be late for work trying to get this post done on this day where FotW takes the week off, so I am sadly glossing over the incredible generosity of u/Flavorah and the giveaways of the flv flavor packs with every week. When this ended, u/ID10-T began to offer $20 worth of the FotW and the generosity of our community favorite flavor store, BullCityFlavors, offering a 10% discount on that week's flavors kept this tradition (and FotW participation) alive. However much I appreciate the effort of the companies, the personal efforts of the Noted crew and ID specifically, the quality of those weekly posts come down to YOU, our community members. So, come out of the shadows, and participate!

Sorry, this was a half assed post, Dave. You deserved a better song from the Griots of old. Sadly, you have me. So, here's to hoping that the comments section fills in the gaps with messages of appreciation, references to your best puns, missing history, any and all comments honoring the efforts you've put into keeping this amazing resource alive and still FUN after all this time.

Much appreciated,
i