Woo. Disco Day. What a trivial day to celebrate, but hell, I've put up with you cats for a year, so I'm going to have my fifteen seconds. As these things go, I suppose, here's the faction stuff out of the way.
OSI - Jesus Christ, I've been part of this faction for a year too. First thing I did when I signed up for Disco was apply for OSI and I never regretted it. By far, the best group of people you can find on Disco. Every other project I've done on Discovery stems in some way from my time with OSI and I love you folks so much. Even Penpen. Time flies when you're having fun, and thus the past year feels like the blink of an eye. I'm come a long way since that punk who couldn't even properly rep up his first Zoner.
GRP - It's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. Our short time as official was uneventful, but leading up until then was glorious. Killed by the Gallic Activity Stigma, it was, but the time I spent in Gallia was always made better by you folks, from beginning in the GRP and into the...
GMS - For Ze Arch, damnit. You folks are tied with OSI for my favorite faction, although I'm a tad biased since I led GMS until a couple days ago. I wasn't there from the very beginning, but we hopped in shortly thereafter, and I'm glad I did. We turned a ragtag group of lolminers into an official group of lolminers with cheese and Arch and some of my fondest memories are with you lot. Turning over leadership was one of the hardest decisions I had to make in my time here, but I felt I wasn't any longer the best man for the job, so I took my own advice and abdicated the throne. I learned so very much from GMS and I can't thank you enough for joining me on the ride, past, present, and future, fellow Jean Pierres.
Samura - My time with you in an active capacity was short, but you lot are cool, so I'm glad I made the dive. A great group of people, some of the most dedicated cargo runners in the five houses. Stay classy, and watch out for the GMG.
Reavers - Although short as well, I had the most fun PvPing with you folks at my side. Taught me a lot about fighter mechanics and good Lord did we have a fun time, especially with the Novas. I've got more I'd like to say, but I think I'll sum up my time with you folks in a few lines Dusty wrote about me, which I still take to heart in PvP situations:
[2:54:18 AM] Dusty Lens: I think when he was expressing some uncertainty about his pvp skill
[2:54:23 AM] Dusty Lens: We all told him that the best teacher is the undock button and dying.
[2:54:27 AM] Dusty Lens: I think he took that too literally
Bretonia - On the whole my time in the various Bretonian groups was educational, although most of it was from my early days. Thank you for teaching me a lot of what not to do, but also giving me the opportunity to make friends that have followed me and vice versa since.
And, of course, individual notes. I'm quite sure most of the people who I speak to know how I feel about them, but I want to point out a few special ones, which of course are going to get ridiculously sappy and personal even though we've only ever chatted over the Interblag.
Duncan - I've never connected so well with another person in this past year on Discovery. You often provided for the comic relief, but your desire to always do what's good for the whole has made you an invaluable friend and trusted confidant. It's a shame you haven't been around as much lately, but life is life. When things are chaotic, though, you often pop up at just the right time to provide a moment of clarity that is well needed. No homo bro, I love you.
Cross - To be entirely frank, before your hiatus and Justin took over OSI, I thought you were a dick. Cut to a few months later, you come back, I'm on the board, and we get to know each other better. I was right, you're still a dick, but your my favorite out of all the roosters in the yard. You've taught me a fair bit, and I'm pleased we've been able to share a couple factions. After all, I left you join-in-charge of GMS. That's gotta be sayin' something, right?
Justin - Unlike Cross, I think you try to be a dick but are too lazy to follow through, which endears you to me in some strange way. OSI wouldn't be what it is now without the changes you made once you took it over, and the ride certainly has been fun. Really, you're a great guy and I'm going to continue to try to shoot down your TIE. It's the only way I know how to show you my affection.
You two together have made being a Zoner fun. We've headdesked together, we've schemed together, we led OSI to what it is. While I may be closer to one or two other individuals personally, you two are my go-to guys when I want to just chat, and being on the Board under you two has been nothing but joy. Thank you.
Shagohad, James, and Twisp - Where do I start? If I were to get started, where would I end? You folks were the GRP, and made Gallia the fun it was before I even really knew Gallia. We've had our ups and downs and massively fun projects in between, but I think it was all worthwhile. Stabby McStabberkins. Calm with the stabbing...
I know there are a lot of others, but just like I didn't go on about every faction I've been in, if I were to hit every single person I'd be here forever and I doubt many are reading this post anyhow. To all those who I love or dislike, everyone means something to me and has impacted my time here in some manner. Just because your name isn't here doesn't make your interactions with me any less valuable.
Of course, with the girly stuff out of the way, I do have another note to make.
I shall be taking a hiatus from Discovery in an activity sense. As was alluded to in my post here, I've begun to tire of the regular Disco routine, which has slipped form comfortable to grating. I've given the advice before, and thus I'm going to follow my own now - because it's becoming more like work, I'm going to step back for a few months. I've picked up Freeworlds 1.66, which has introduced me to a completely different environment, and I'll be doing that for a while so I can refresh and recharge for here.
GMS has been left in capable hands and OSI is well managed, especially since I wasn't on top there. Really, everyone who needed to know should already know about this, but yeh, figured I'd make it as part of my announcement. I will be still very present on Skype, though, and may even pop in for a spot or two of mining or trading should I get the bug, but for now, I'm taking a vacation.
And before you ask, the ships that were in my posession that I was even thinking about giving away have already been turned over to people who I trust with them. You no can haz ships. Beware of Daedric on the Canaria Unyielding.
And with that, I'll draw an unnecessarily long post to a close. Perhaps we'll even meet on Freeworlds. For now, though, good night Disco. It's been swell. See y'all in a few.