I tried to hold off on this as long as possible, but I guess it's nearing Christmas. Sigh... :P Better get to it before 'TWENTY-TWELVE'. Every year I tend to write a holiday greeting in the Lounge in a different way. A few years back I did so at a house party having had a few drinks (I was gushing, if I recall). The other year it was in a quiet place; it was a quick message. I don't try to make an event out of it, but there's a trend. This year I wanted to write the note on my lunch hour at work (at 3 in the morning) but I spent it reading 'The Stand'. Sometimes there are priorities. Instead, I'm writing it while cat-sitting. Action-packed, in other words. This has been a hectic year. I mean for everyone. I hear a lot of stories from our authors (and players) about real life and the one thing in common this year was that everyone has been busy. There's been a number of abrupt life changes all around. It's amazing to see where we've ended up as this alleged end of the world. FunTrivia has been equally hectic. We started the Amazing Race in January and it ended near the start of March. We hosted the Sprint in April and plowed onwards to the Lounge anniversary in June. We started the Daily Challenges. We started our own Adventures. And all along the way we kept writing quizzes. Not only that-- we've had an influx of great, new authors. For a while it was just you same, ol' boring people (that's a joke, please don't hurt me). What I mean to say is that the Lounge has always been a place of great authors in a tight pack. This year, however, I think we met a new wave of contributors, many of whom have breathed new life into our submissions and really helped keep things going. All of us appreciate your company. You're all great fits with us. ;) What I want to say is that next year is going to be pretty much amazing. Last year at this time the sign-ups for the race were rolling in. This year all I can say is that it's the first time there's a plan laid out for different events. There's a calendar for new content that I think is going to be pretty great. New stuff on the site has allowed for some creative tools we can use to make authoring 'challenges' better and fresher. Adventures will continue with a new expansion in the first quarter. Hopefully we can greenlight some more stuff along the way (I'd love to tell you guys I have another race planned, but I don't. I'd need to have a major planning sesh with the editors and 100% on-boardedness. I'd also need time. Clues don't hand themselves out. Keep the hope though! XD) There's some Sprint-esque stuff being considered as well (though not as draining). This will be a rewarding year for authors...and I mean moreso than this one. On another note, it's great to see some people arriving in Veritas (however you're getting there...it took me a hangover and a bit). Stay the course, all of you. There's a light at the end of the tunnel. ;) Please be safe this holiday season, regardless of what you celebrate. I look optimistically to 2013; it'll be a great one for our authors and players alike. If we survive the apocalypse. You know. :p PS-- Oh yes, and chocolate, coffee, and red wine for all. May 2013 contain more twitching than usual. ;)