Last year I had become so disillusioned with what this board had become that I had to take an extended break. It was either do that or leave forever which I didn't want to do and it actually worked out well.
I still lurk and post here every now and then when I see a topic that interests me, but the problem, like AndyC mentioned, is that us longtimers have written and/or posted on topics that have already been brought up before...sometimes more than once and it can get pretty stale after a while.
One big reason for my absence is the extreme sport of Airsoft. I created and run
Eastern Iowa Airsoft and it has taken up a huge chunk of my time. In the beginning I was always losing money and operating in the red. Nowadays it's gotten to the point where I can easily net $500-$1000 for each event I host. Players are hungry for it and cannot seem to get enough and it takes up the majority of my time.
I'll try to post more interesting topics when I can.
In the meantime, Trek, take a break if you need it and come back later.
It worked for me!