I can't say I'm a dedicated modder - I know Photoshop/Illustrator well enough, using Blender on-and-off for many years and some basic Nifskope gets me through modding my latest game craze (often a Beth game) and they have all been for personal use.
I don't often participate in forums, since I can usually find what I need by reading. However, I miss the days when people ported or created their favorite characters from other games, films, etc. and got a pat on the back instead of a slap on the wrist.
Looking forward to sharing some cool experiences.