Merry Christmas!

FROM SHADOWED:

As 2011 comes to a close over the next week or so, I wanted to take this chance to say thank you to our readers. Its been an incredible year for the blog, filled with ups and downs, and even a few times when I thought we'd have to close the blog entirely. With the personnel changes early in the year and the subsequent drop in the number of hunts we are able to cover every month, it has been immensely gratifying to see that our readership numbers have not only held steady, but have actually increased significantly. As with most blogs, there have been tweaks and shifts in policy concerning what we cover and how we cover it, but I hope that our growing pains as we find our own voice in light of the changes we've had are positive ones and I am happy that we have been able to continue producing a quality blog for the hunt community.

We are looking for some more changes with 2012 as well. My store is moving to a newer, bigger, better location (no more mall!) with the first of the month, and we are beginning to put some plans together for

the first-ever SL Freebie Hunters hunt. I hope the changes and plans we have in store will work out as good in theory as they are in my head while we're planning them! =)

2011 was also a year of big personal changes, the biggest of which was Thanos and I finally getting our act together. It was a long, drawn out road, filled with obstacles that seemed insurmountable at times, but in the end, we managed to pull it off. There are not words enough to convey how blessed I feel that he is sharing my life and one of my sincerest Christmas wishes this year is that this is only the first of many holidays to come that he and I will be spending together. He is truly my heart and my inspiration in so many things. Without him behind the scenes as my sounding board and crying shoulder, I would have given up on this blog a long, long time ago.

As a side note - we did a bunch of Christmas pics when thinking about what we wanted to put up on the blog. Thanos thinks its silly, but I liked them all, so...blame me for the overflow of holiday
sentiments!

Best wishes through the holiday season to each and every one of you,

Shadowed


FROM THANOS:

As my second tour of duty on the blog draws to a close for 2011, I realize that I am more comfortable with the role I have in the blog these days. I guess I took my bullet in the early days (edit from Shadow: I swear - it wasn't me who shot him!!), and now I'm mostly relegated to a desk job. As I pull a Frank Burns (and show my age) and submit myself for a purple heart, I realize that I am happy to let Shadow do most of the heavy lifting on the blog. I kind of hit a point where hunting was like drinking. I love to hunt/drink but hate the unpacking/hangover. They both make my tongue feel like it was left in the sun too long and a buzzard stopped by to take a dump. I do happen to love Shadow very much though, so we talk about the blog, and it makes her eyes sparkle and a tone of joy come into her voice when we do. She loves to give to her community, and loves to make a stand for what she thinks is right, as anyone who follows the comments that are posted will attest to. It is my fond wish that for the holidays that all of her readers are safe and sound, employed and able to provide all the Christmas cheer that they can for their loved ones. Anyway, I hate those rambly Holiday cards myself, so I will just say y'all be cool...

Thanos Darkfury

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