Well, really haven't done or posted as much as I've wanted to. I have made some progress here and there, but it looks like I posted a concept fan story for Macross...and that's been about it since last semester started. None of the stuff I was working on and thought would make great additions to the site. Not even the next Tergonaut story complete, though it is a lot further along than it used to be.

Looking back at the last decade, it surprises me at how much things have changed when I think about it. This was the decade where Tergonaut was first created. Unlike any of my other net identities that I've had on various sites and MMOs, the name and the character have persisted beyond all others and remains with me today. This was also the persona I used to join the Mobius Forum back in 2001, after I had made my debut at some RPing sites in 2000 but then was searching for more and found the Roleplayers Guild at the MoFo. I called that community my Internet home until just recently, and that is where I met a majority of the friends that I know today on the Web. I have lived to see the development of not one, but three entirely separate RP chat groups develop out of the original "lodge" concept that I contributed a lot to back during the Emerald AIM Chat days of the Mobius Forum. I served my mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints during 2003-2005, which is easily the event that has had the most impact on me, perhaps in my entire life. I finally settled on a major for myself in theatre, and have one last semester to go through before I graduate and can try my hand at getting a job and seeing what I can do.

In short, the last decade has been pretty big. 15 to 25 was rough, but I feel that I have grown a lot and experienced things that have developed me as both a person and a writer.

The last semester has been kind of interesting too. My younger brother joined me out here in Utah, and has helped a lot with chores around the house and helping take care of Grandma when I've been busy with schoolwork. Both of us will be taking classes next semester, so it's going to be busy no matter what else is going on. We came home for the Christmas holiday though, and have enjoyed being at home for a while before the action continues next Monday.

Speaking of next Monday...not only does school at BYU start then, but that's my birthday too. Dang. My birthday for the last few years has felt more like a crazy reminder of how old I am rather than an event I look forward to for presents and parties. But I also know it's insane to think that I'm "old" - and living with my 80-year-old grandmother certainly helps to keep things in perspective.

So. New year coming up here, fast. I'm determined to finish the Tergonaut story arc this next year; I've only got two stories left before I feel the series will be complete, at least as far as I've worked the plot out. I've had this plotline mapped out mostly since 2005, so it will be nice to see it end and feel like I've completed something significant, which I will have by the time I finish my next story.

As for other ideas and projects that I want to post on DeviantArt, I've been inundated with a number of fan and original concepts just over the past few months. Sometimes I feel held back by the idea that I want to save my best writing for commercial purposes, but all this accomplishes is that I don't write as much as I should to hone my skills to write books. I need to write more, not just to have something to post on this site, but to really make progress as a writer and grow beyond my current limitations.

But despite all that, and perhaps the somewhat depressed/nostalgic tone of this entry, I'm feeling fairly optimistic about my uncertain future. I think I've finally found an MMO game I can stick with (Earth Eternal), I've really got the Tergonaut stories mapped out better than ever with at least one significant new character owned by someone else guest-starring in it, and I've got graduation to look forward to. And in the last year, I've solidified and been strengthened by a friendship that has helped me carry on and feel upbeat - and it looks like it can only get better from here.

Besides, Macross Frontier came out last year, and I finally have a copy of it for myself. Nothing to cheer the cockles of my heart like seeing giant transforming mecha use gratuitous amounts of missiles and J-pop to save the universe!

So, here's to the new year. Life and Story go on. To the reader, I'll see you later.
-Tergonaut