As I sit here, awake at 3 AM and trying to write a gift for a good friend of mine as practice before I get back to my commission, I have to say...I'm rather melancholy. 2017 is a year I am glad is here, but the wounds that 2016 ripped into me have far from healed. I still suffer from the quite profoundly painful loss of my father, and the increasing stress of being my own person after years of having my life dictated by others. Suicide remains a frequent topic, no, desire in my mind, and one that I dismiss not because of its stupidity, but of the simple fact I am a people pleaser and cannot allow myself to hurt those that care about me. But, despite my pretty damn powerful depression, I cannot dismiss the one extremely positive event that occurred in my life last year. And that was  Glide saying yes to be my boyfriend. As apathetic as my negative thoughts often make me, even in my darkest moments I always find myself remaining full of love for him. He, and all my other friends, continue to keep me alive despite my intense desire not to be. And thus, being surrounded by friends that are tragically hundreds of miles away from me, I remain cautiously optimistic about 2017. If I am lucky, with my new job and my return to classes, I will slowly regain control of my ability to write and return to posting regular content. To everyone who has watched and supported me in 2016, thank you. I look forward to providing you with new stories in this new, hopefully better year. And I hope each and every one of you has a fantastic 2017.