Oh, hello. I didn't see you there. How long have you been watching? An hour? A day? A fortnight?

It doesn't matter. Now that I've seen you, I can begin. Which is to say I can end. Well, not me exactly. The year, really. The decade, even.

The year two thousand and nine (written out of those who hate numerals) has come and is about to go. I can hardly believe it. Can you? Well, of course you can. You are an intelligent person who understands that time passes linearly and that with each day we come closer to the end of a year. That is just how the world works. What I mean is that, it is hard to comprehend that all these days have gone by so quickly. And, yes, I know, the days still pass at the same speed. I am merely describing the sensation. You are very picky today, aren't you?

This year, as many, was full of highs and lows, at least for me. Oh the things I've seen and done. I wish that along the way I was given the ability to share those things with you, for good or for ill, so that we might have experienced them together, and maybe learned a thing or two.

Oh, well, I suppose that is what this edifice is for. Point taken.

Truth be told, I missed you all. You, you, and especially you, and not so much you, and you (and your sister), and to an extent you as well. I miss our little chats. Sometimes I think about writing to you again, just to say hi, but then the words don't come, and the time grows short, and I'm afraid of disappointing you again when the days and the months go by. And often I think of all the things that need to be fixed here--all the things I need to change, and update, and correct, and make better--and my heart grows heavy and my patience grows thin and the feeling of being overwhelmed washes over me. And so I don't.

But I do miss you.

And some of you still came by, just to say hi. And the occasional new visitor stumbled their way upon this almost forgotten archive of fits of wit, and left a little scrawl to show they were here. I saw them all. Thank you for your comments.

Still, my words did at least have some outlet in 2009, if mostly not here. I have traded long-winded exposition for short bursts of observation, opting to slake my creative thirst in 140 characters or less. Even my sometimes nemesis got into the act, though he's been very quiet of late (plotting another evil scheme no doubt).

And then of course there was the very generous offer to host my "humorous" video-game related musings at the ever salacious HawtyMcBloggy.com. For fifteen weeks I did my best to satire the gaming industry... with mixed success (but overwhelmingly positive feedback). At this point, I'm uncertain if it will continue into 2010, but there's a good chance that something from me will grace her pages in the future, couched between Spartan pr0n and crocheted katamari.

I suppose I could wax on here for quite some time, reminiscing about 2009 (remember that great video on YouTube? That was awesome!) and I really want to, but it's time for me to go. And not just because it's almost midnight and this bottle of champagne isn't going to drink itself (even though that would be a neat invention).

So, to the people who I've come to know through this blog (and the people I haven't), and all those great people on the Internet who have enriched my life through their creative endeavors, and really to everyone out there, I wish you a Happy New Year. I hope 2010 brings you happiness, prosperity, and tacos.

Because tacos rule.

Warmest regards,
Kato