It's been a very twisting road, and if there's one thing that's certain, it's that you can never perfectly predict where you end up. If 2010 was the year of change, then 2011's been the year of teaching.

Some of the many things I have learned over the year:


-I am capable of doing anything I put my mind to. If I'm willing to work hard for something, then there's a way to get it. It might have taken 6 months(-ish), but there is a very pink hammer and shield in my bedroom as a testament to this.

-Pain isn't a weakness, but instead a sign of strength. Myself, but even moreso my family has been hurting incredibly these past four months, but its shown me how strong people are, including myself. It's the classic Tank role in MMOs and RPGs: One person takes the most pain and injury, because he's the only one strong enough to do so. My mother continues to demonstrate this strength to me daily.

-Always be prepared for change. Even when things seem the surest, you never know what curveball God can throw at you. The best you can do is react to it, and adapt to the circumstances.

-Everyone needs a little room for fun in their life. Seriously, I wore a pink suit of armor (and I'll be repairing it and bringing it back for cons this year), and I've started watching My Little Pony in my spare time. Yes, it's goofy and beneath me. No, I frankly don't care.

-Look into the darkness, but with the confidence that you can overcome it. This fall, I had to take a deep look at myself, from my darkest core up. In doing so, I saw who I really am, my darkest nature. It reminded me of everything God's done for me. He saves us from the three evils of the universe: The Devil, the World, and most evil, our own sinful natures. I saw the face of darkness, and it was myself. And I also remembered that that being has been destroyed entirely. I don't have to fear him anymore.

-Stand firm, even when no one else will. Sometimes you have to take a stand for what's right, even when everyone has turned against you. If He ever puts you in a position where you need to stand alone, you need to remember: You are never alone, because He's standing with you.

-Demons Run when a good man goes to war. Yes, it means something incredibly nerdy and awesome, but it means something entirely different for me, something I'd rather not divulge. It's kinda become my catchphrase in the past few months.

-The Star Wars Blu-Rays weren't as groundbreakingly terrible as we thought it would be. Yes, the new "Noooo!" is kinda dumb. But it's not that bad, and they're PRETTY. (Hey, I learned this this year. IT COUNTS. >.>)

2012 is going to be... interesting. If anything, I have a feeling it's going to be the year of rising, and in a few cases, a year of finality. There's a lot of things coming to an end, but also enough that will be beginning. Some things end (The Avengers being an endcap of sorts for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and The Dark Knight Rises marking the end of the Nolan Batman films), but change is inevitable, but probably won't be quite as sudden.

I have a few resolutions this year, namely losing about 15 pounds (well on the way to fixing that) and building another massive armor project by July. Yeah, it's unlikely that the second will happen, but a tough goal is better than no goal.

To end, I'll quote one of my favorite movies. "The night is darkest just before the dawn. But I promise you, the dawn is coming."