Just a quick thought over why posting may stop by some members for months at a time (cough*me*cough) sometime there are external circumstances that can keep people from posting.
I for one have been missing from everywhere for months because of health issues. This tends to occur once a year usually from Jan. or Feb. into the summer months.
Aside from that sometimes you just need to take a break. I will admit to taking my posts a little too seriously and getting burned out. I do this in every part of my life, though, not just LotR stuff, for anybody thinking I need to be locked in the loony bin.
(like my mom)