It's the end of another year, and there have been a lot of ups and downs for me. Let's start with a few of the good things:

I went to two conventions this year (FC and Anthrocon). I thoroughly enjoyed both, despite a few hiccups within them, because I got to meet many of the friends I only knew online up to that point. Soem of my better times there were performing in Buckhopper's voice acting panel. That was fun. I also got several nice pieces of art, both for myself and for other people I care about. It was great seeing all my friends, and I'm thankful for having gotten the chance to meet you guys.

I also got to help Dipper with The Beach Bears a lot more than usual this year. Although I know it is his story, he's let me help him with a lot of what he's done this year, and I've had a blast doing it. My favorite part of helping him with it came with the arc we just finished. "The Trials of Birch Draper" was an arc that took months and months of planning. Listening to it again now, I can't believe what we managed to do with it. That entire arc was originally nothing more than a one-shot chapter, but it got expanded because of the ideas it sparked. When we decided to turn it into a full arc, I had no idea if we'd even pull it off. My favorite part of doing the arc though, was something done with characters that weren't even voiced by me.

The chapters that were focused on Stan were the hardest chapters to write, but, in doing them, we came up with an amazing story that took a character people were supposed to hate and turned him into someone worth caring about. Even now, I'm stunned at what Dipper and I pulled off. While I'm on the subject, let me also say a HUGE thank you to Dipper. It has been a huge pleasure to work with you on the story with you this year. Dipper willingly let me write almost all of the chapters that involved Stan. I admit that, in doing so, I was really nervous though. Not just because of what was planned to do with it, but because the last time I did a major amount of the writing for an arc (namely "Birch and Wally") it caused problems in that I got really controlling with it. With Stan's arc, I was constantly paranoid, asking Dipper if he was really okay with me writing it out, because I didn't want to make him think I was trying to control his story. Thankfully, he was quite willing to let me write it, and (save for the crux of that part of the arc) I was able to write something that was, quite literally, one of the toughest things I've ever written. In doing so, it also did something to me emotionally I never expected would happen back when the subject was touched on in the "Birch and Wally" arc.

Before this all started, if you had asked me who my favorite characters in the Beach Bears story were, I'd have told you Birch and Dipper. While my love of those two characters has not changed, neither one is my 'favorite' anymore. That distinction now belongs to Stan, who is voiced by my very good friend, Blackwell. I make no secret of how impressed I have been with his work with the character. I love the acting job he's done with Stan, but, moreso, it's his singing that has made me love the character so much. Back in 2012, he covered a song called 'I'm Not Who I Was'. It stands, today, as my favorite of the songs he's done, and it's really hard for me to listen to that without getting teary-eyed. Blackwell was even kind enough to let me post the song on my account because, at the time, he hadn't made an account for Stan's work yet. Despite the emotional reaction the song triggers in me, I still love the song. He's done many other songs as Stan now, within the last year, and every one of them produces the same reaction. Stan's story is such a shock to the system that hearing him when he sings just makes me love the character even more. Blackwell, I want to thank you for not only taking on the character, but for making me smile whenever I hear it now... even if I'm in tears when I'm smiling.

This year also saw the start of my new audio story series, On Our Own. Although the story itself is merely a possible future for The Beach Bears characters, I'm looking forward to seeing people's reactions to the ideas I have planned for the coming year. I'm also looking forward to working with my friends on it again, because having their help is what's made it enjoyable to me.

Another important thing to note involves my dear friend Kresblain. He's drawn a majority of the art I've gotten this year, and has done an amazing job with it. I've loved every piece of art he's ever done. I admit that I do tend to nitpick about details a lot though, but he puts up with the changes I ask him to make anyway. Kres, let me say this now, for all the annoyances I may cause when I ask you to change something, I'm grateful to you for doing it. But it's honestly the art pieces that I've had zero input on (the 'gift art', as people call it) that I love the most. To this day, "Me and my Dad" is still my favorite piece of art. Many of the art pieces you've drawn for me this year have come close to the same reaction, but that one is still the picture I'm touched by the most. Thank you, Kres, for the images and memories you've given me through the last couple years bring a smile to my face.

One more high point in my life came on June 26th of this year. Now, mind you, this date already has a special meaning to me, in that it's what is widely known among fans as "Stitch Day", but it also has the distinction of being the day Wessy became my mate. In the last six months, I've grown so much closer to him and he is and always will be special to me. He makes me smile, and has brought me a certain level of comfort and love that I have desperately needed. Having Wessy here when he visits, has been great.

I do, though, feel the need to inform you guys of a decision between Wessy and I. Although, yes, we both love each other and care about each other, this last visit has brought out something that I really did not want to admit to, and it makes me sad to have to admit it now. Wessy and I have reached a point that we have both realized we're far too different in the things we like and dislike to make the relationship work out, and, as a result, we have mutually decided to call off the relationship. There have been times where the two of us have argued over stupid things, primarily because of the fact Wessy and I were raised two different ways. When things are calm, we have a great time together, and the good times do heavily outweigh the bad ones, but we're finding that we can't disagree on things at any point without one or both of us upset or angry over it. I should also note though, that one of the things we both do have in common is something that both of us wishes we didn't, and this led to another reason for making the decision. Both of us are the type of people who gets their own happiness by making the other happy. This, in itself, is not a bad thing at all, but when your own happiness comes from making the other person happy, but they aren't happy unless you are, it makes the situation impossible. Having a relationship where both people are happy just my making the other happy leads to the problem that neither one actually can be. Confusing, yes, but it's hard to explain. Here's an example though. Wessy and I are trying to settle on where to go for dinner. He really has no preference on where he wants to go, and says that I can pick because he'll be 'fine' with anything. I have difficulty picking where I want to go, because I want to go somewhere he likes. I want him to be happy with wherever we go, but he'd be happy with me picking somewhere I want to go so I'm happy. Silly and stupid, yes. Neither one of us wants the other unhappy, but, at the same time, we each are being asked to do something that makes us happy. We're not fighting in any way, shape or form, but because our own happiness hinges on making the other happy, it brought up another problem in the relationship.

Please do not misunderstand though. While this is the end of us being 'mates', we both still love and care about each other. The love we have for each other will not change as a result of this. We're still going to be just as close as we were, but both of us think that we'll do better as friends than as boyfriends. There is no resentment between either of us here. We just feel it's the best thing for us to do. We still fully intend to spend time together whenever we can, both online and offline, and we're still gonna do all the stuff together we would have done as mates, just without the 'relationship'.

Despite the fact we're ending the relationship though, I don't really think of this as a bad thing. It's not good, but I don't call it bad either. Wessy is, and always will be, my special kitty whom I love dearly. It's just that we decided that we make better friends than anything else. Nothing else has changed or will change. I still love him a lot, and he still loves me.

The last thing I want to mention in this journal involves a roommate of mine: Henry. We have had some good and bad times this year. It's unfortunate to have to say that the friendship he and I have now is not the same as it was years ago. A large part of that stems from one or both of us overreacting to certain triggers from the other. Despite the unpleasantness that have come though, he still stands by my side, as a close friend and father figure, when I need him. I don't always show it the way I should, but not a day goes by that I'm not thankful for everything he's done for me. Henry, I know I've been a jerk at times, even to the point of near hatred, but, as the year draws to a close, I want you to know that I love and care about you. Even though you can't always see it, it means a lot to me to know that I have your friendship. No matter where you go, you're always going to have a place in my heart.

As I said, the year has had many ups and downs for me, but, all things considered, I'm pretty happy. Thank you to all of you whom, in your own way, made this year memorable. You guys mean a lot to me, and I look forward to what 2015 bringes me.

Now, if you'll all excuse me, the cat and I have a New Year's Eve dinner to prepare for.

Hugs and love to all of you. Have a Happy New Year.