It seems that for most folks 2017 was a difficult year. I suppose i can be thankful that this was a truly amazing year for me, and I'm sad to see it ending.

2017 was the year i finally became active in the fandom. Despite lurking around for over a decade now I've never even had a fursona until this year.

So for those looking to know a bit more about me (it's a long read!), read on. If not, Have a great new year!

To understand why 2017 Was a great year for me, it needs to be compared to the last 5 or 6 years since i moved back to Michigan.

I've always disliked it here, I've never had any friends and was generally a social outcast and very reserved in most every way. I needed to escape it, so i left the state for college and went to virginia, where i finally had a taste of what I've been after. Friends, adventure, freedom, finally i had a chance to work on a relationship. The good stuff! Then it all came crashing down again after i couldn't find a job after graduation and had to move back to Michigan 6 years ago. The friends I've made gradually faded away, relationships I've built crumbled. And once again, i was alone, with my closest remaining friends 100s of miles away and busy with friends and relationships of their own. I fell into depression and borderline alcoholism for years, until finally this year in February, i came to the conclusion that if things didn't change I'd likely not see 2018 at the rate things were going. I've never been active as a furry before and always feared judgement. But who was left to judge? What was left to lose? So for my birthday I worked out my character and got my first commission ever (my ref).

I've always looked at the fandom as kind of a mix of the strangest, and sometimes most toxic people you will ever meet. Little did i know at the time, it's really what i needed. Almost immediately after making my new account and paying my ref people began to talk with me. Within a few months i had overcome a lot of my social anxiety, my openness to you all online and seeing I'm not alone anymore began to affect me offline as well. I say i based Vincent off of myself, but the reality of the situation is, hes based off of who i want to be, and now know i can be. I find myself becoming more the person i want to be every day, and finally feeling confident talking to new people and going out in public for the first time in my entire life. It's strange, i actually really enjoy going out now, which is something i never thought would happen. The best part though is after years, I'm finally starting to have friends again.

While none of you are local to me, i still count many of you as good friends who have helped me along more than you will ever know.

In addition to all that however, 2017 have me plenty of other bonuses as well! Good raise, huge bonus, loss more time off, new fursuit that should be ready any week now. The list goes on! I think more surprising than all that though is that seemingly out of nowhere and completely unexpectedly i found somebody i care very strongly for. The kind of person where you know you can never be good enough for, yet inexplicably they seem to like you as well. I never thought I'd even be interested in a relationship, and yet, here i am. Helpless and hopelessly giddy and nervous everything works out, if it does this will really be the best year of my life so far.

If you read through all that, you know more about me than even most of my family, who i am rather close to. Hopefully it helps outline just how important you all have been to me this year, and even the little things like comments and shouts on the things i upload always brighten my day. Even if some of you are lewd and thirsty as hell lol.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, hope you have a great 2018, and thank you all for being you! All of you are great and important, even when you don't feel that way!

Ps: raffle coming soon, and i think I'll make it a big one to start the year off right!