As some of you may, or may not have noticed, the little "supporting member" bar under my name went M.I.A. about a week ago. Thankfully today I can report that it has been found safe and after a through debriefing has again taken its rightful place above my avatar for the next year.

It has been a trying week. Trying in vain to log on to a full server. Secretly hoping for someone to drop and early IDS just so I could have a shot of getting in (thank you Reader, it was a big help). Playing every minute like it was my last fearing that at any time I could see my name followed by "You are welcome back next time." Realizing after my 15th or 16th attempt that I really would just have to play elsewhere... A trying time indeed.

It gave me a chance to reflect on just how much fun I have had as an SM. In the last year, I have spent over 600 hours playing on the two 2142 TG servers. Running the numbers, that works out to around 13.3 cents per hour on my $80 investment this time last year. However, that does not cover the countless hours of Pub raiding with Zho, or phrosty raids with the 55th or seeing a buggy land on the back of a Titan with the 11th. That does not include all of the fun on Teamspeak such as least one night of recordings that may or may not get a few people in trouble should they ever surface, or the countless tears I have shed just because I was laughing so hard. It does not include all of the fun I have had for the last year.

To that end, I would like to thank you to everyone that has made this year great, and say I am looking forward to the next year ahead.

I also want to say to anyone that is unsure about the value of a Supporting membership: at 13.3 cents per hour... Worth every penny.