So, as the 25th draws near, I figured I'd ask some questions to get the holiday spirit up. Comment your answers below.

1: Are you excited for Christmas/New Year? If so, what are you most excited about?
2: What was your favorite part about 2022?
3: What was your least favorite part about 2022? (besides people in general lol)

To my friends/audience from here, Discord, and YouTube, thank you so much for making this year fun for me. I am so excited to roll out what I have planned so far (and beyond) next year. I wish y'all a Merry Christmas/Happy New Year. Let's make the most out of this last week from this year and let's make 2023 a better one!

1: Are you excited for Christmas/New Year? If so, what are you most excited about?
Yes.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and the Oppenheimer film.

2: What was your favorite part about 2022?
Opting for YouTube Premium because life is too short for ads.

3: What was your least favorite part about 2022?
The night is still young.

1: Are you excited for Christmas/New Year? If so, what are you most excited about?

The year is almost over then starts the adventure of 2023.


2: What was your favorite part about 2022?

Getting a raise at work and moving out of the cold.

3: What was your least favorite part about 2022? (besides people in general lol)

Losing all the readership of my comic and it's all my own fault.

1. Sure, if only because Mother Nature canceled Christmas last year, when I was so looking forward to a merriest Christmas last year . . . this year, however, it is frigid cold, just as Christmas should be, so I'm definitely in the spirit now. And as rocky a year as 2022 has been, I just hope that maybe 2023 can go a little more smoothly.

2. Off the top of my head, meeting Jamie Farr (aka Corporal Klinger) at the Knoxville Fanboy Expo was a really big highlight for me. Celebrating my 15th anniversary as a Content Creator on the internet - I've just been finishing up a highlight reel to upload to YouTube on the day of on the 26th. Also, relaunching VAMPIRE GIRL for its second season/chapter, and the heartwarmingly positive and receptive response it has gotten from the wonderful community here on The Duck (the reruns were also well-received on ComicFury before they banned me).

3. My best friend of 17 years had suddenly, for no reason, severed ties with me, and had begun to ghost me. I have absolutely no idea why. And what makes it even sadder was it was only a year ago that she and I found each other again after we lost contact for a few years: I just assumed she “moved on” as some people do, but as it turned out, she had to rehab a really nasty head injury that resulted in some brain damage to her frontal lobe, and she basically had to relearn everything from executive function, to simple motor skills . . . I've always known her to be a fighter, so I not only was amazed, but also proud that she beat the odds . . . but why she suddenly just cut off all ties with me makes no sense, and it just crushed me.

1: Are you excited for Christmas/New Year? If so, what are you most excited about?
The food! You get to my age, it's the main thing in life. The New Year can wait, Xmas food first.

2: What was your favorite part about 2022?
covid-19 calmed down a little compared to previous years, although it's still around and people are still ill, and many are suffering from long covid, the after effects. Eff this pandemic.

3: What was your least favorite part about 2022? (besides people in general lol)
Catching covid. And other infections that my dear wife, who cannot stop socializing with her pals, kept bringing home with her. She likes to share everything.

I'm not downbeat though, all's well, life is good, cannot complain.

kawaiidaigakusei wrote:
1: Are you excited for Christmas/New Year? If so, what are you most excited about?
Yes.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and the Oppenheimer film.

2: What was your favorite part about 2022?
Opting for YouTube Premium because life is too short for ads.

3: What was your least favorite part about 2022?
The night is still young.

I'm also excited for Rise of the Beasts! I thought Bumblebee was a good, smooth reboot so I can't wait to see how this new story arc continues. Also, with YouTube, have you considered getting a browser with adblocker and/or an app that can block YouTube ads? Both are free to do if you can (unless there's other perks that come with YouTube Premium). Brave Browser especially works, which is what a friend of mine recommended to me.

bravo1102 wrote:

1: Are you excited for Christmas/New Year? If so, what are you most excited about?

The year is almost over then starts the adventure of 2023.


2: What was your favorite part about 2022?

Getting a raise at work and moving out of the cold.

3: What was your least favorite part about 2022? (besides people in general lol)

Losing all the readership of my comic and it's all my own fault.

I too am excited for the year to end. I also got a raise at work. That's unfortunate that you lost your readership. Keeping an audience engaged and interested is hard to do.

J_Scarbrough wrote:
1. Sure, if only because Mother Nature canceled Christmas last year, when I was so looking forward to a merriest Christmas last year . . . this year, however, it is frigid cold, just as Christmas should be, so I'm definitely in the spirit now. And as rocky a year as 2022 has been, I just hope that maybe 2023 can go a little more smoothly.

2. Off the top of my head, meeting Jamie Farr (aka Corporal Klinger) at the Knoxville Fanboy Expo was a really big highlight for me. Celebrating my 15th anniversary as a Content Creator on the internet - I've just been finishing up a highlight reel to upload to YouTube on the day of on the 26th. Also, relaunching VAMPIRE GIRL for its second season/chapter, and the heartwarmingly positive and receptive response it has gotten from the wonderful community here on The Duck (the reruns were also well-received on ComicFury before they banned me).

3. My best friend of 17 years had suddenly, for no reason, severed ties with me, and had begun to ghost me. I have absolutely no idea why. And what makes it even sadder was it was only a year ago that she and I found each other again after we lost contact for a few years: I just assumed she “moved on” as some people do, but as it turned out, she had to rehab a really nasty head injury that resulted in some brain damage to her frontal lobe, and she basically had to relearn everything from executive function, to simple motor skills . . . I've always known her to be a fighter, so I not only was amazed, but also proud that she beat the odds . . . but why she suddenly just cut off all ties with me makes no sense, and it just crushed me.

I hate the cold this year, but you make a good point lol. That's how I feel about 2022/23. Hopefully next year will be better! That's so cool that you're celebrating 15 years of making content! I myself have been a content creator for 5 years so far and it's been an absolute blast. I also have a YouTube video planned for release on Christmas (a new channel trailer). I agree about The Duck. This site is so cool and so much better than DeviantArt, especially with the algorithm here, holy cow! What surprised me about DD was that it's been around since the 2000s, yet I never heard about it until this year. Back in 2017 was when I had originally hand drew Set 1 of The Faceless Comics. I was a bit nervous about not just digitally redrawing Set 1, but then making Set 2 in 2020/2021 when I did, but it came out really amazing to the point where I have so much more planned for TFC. I'm really sorry to hear that about your friend. I know the feeling all too well of having friends who you've known for years ghost you, cut ties with you, and/or do a complete 180 on you. I've even had a couple of more-than-friends relationships end that way where she ghosted me and cut ties with me for no reason and without warning. All you can do is realize that THEY lost YOU as a friend (not the other way around) and then move forward. Hopefully, you'll find some more trustworthy people in this next year or so.

dpat57 wrote:
1: Are you excited for Christmas/New Year? If so, what are you most excited about?
The food! You get to my age, it's the main thing in life. The New Year can wait, Xmas food first.

2: What was your favorite part about 2022?
covid-19 calmed down a little compared to previous years, although it's still around and people are still ill, and many are suffering from long covid, the after effects. Eff this pandemic.

3: What was your least favorite part about 2022? (besides people in general lol)
Catching covid. And other infections that my dear wife, who cannot stop socializing with her pals, kept bringing home with her. She likes to share everything.

I'm not downbeat though, all's well, life is good, cannot complain.

I love food as well, whether it's a big meal or something to snack on. I personally don't think that Covid itself isn't around too much these days, although it's long term effects on people still are, and I'm not talking the physical symptoms. These last couple of years have really screwed everyone over one way or another. Still, I'm really sorry that you caught it, but that's good that you survived (and hopefully your wife as well if she caught it). Sharing everything in a marriage can be a blessing or a curse depending on the situation. I wish the best of luck to you both during this next year!

ThrisbyDude wrote:
1: Are you excited for Christmas/New Year? If so, what are you most excited about?
Eh… Christmas is not as a appealing to me as it was back in my child days, but I can see the appeal for some {young} adults who celebrate it. Plus, sweets and stuff!

The first part of next year is probably going to half-suck on my end - as much as I want {a full} 2023 to be amazing. Hopefully by the end of April (The Super Mario Bros. Movie comes out earlier that month and I'm excited to see it), the year can suck even less!

2: What was your favorite part{s} about 2022?
I guess the quick onboarding of my job back in October through November was my favorite thing about this year. Easy access to food all around (get the hint?).

Talking to my grade advisor(?) about figuring out ways to boost my college grades up and keep focus; nice talk with the man.

Also, I've been on a pre-2010 VeggieTales and VeggieTales fan-animations spree this year, so that's good as well.

3: What was your least favorite part{s} about 2022? (besides people in general lol)
The very long job search after taking online college courses and finding out you need money to become a freelancer or a travel agent.

This as well… My dad shouted at me driving home from a car rental place after finding out about this. I deserved that and I forgave him a few days after.

I'm really sorry that you don't have that same holiday spirit as you used to before. Hopefully, one day, you'll get that back. You never know what this next year might/will bring. It could suck, and probably will time to time, but there's also room for good things happening. I'm also excited to see the new Mario movie. Hopefully, Chris Pratt puts more effort into his role than what he did during that first teaser trailer lol. As someone who works in a restaurant at the moment, I can relate to getting free food and how good it feels. That was good that you were able to find a way to boost your grades/focus. I understand that gen-eds particularly can be boring and mundane. Just keep pushing through and picture the diploma you'll get at the end of your college journey! Veggietales is an honest vibe, whether you're 2 or 20 years old (plus, meme content). Yeah, freelance is incredibly tough to set up and manage. I was thinking about doing that myself, but decided against it. I did read your other post. I'm guessing that you turned off mobile data due to worry of running out. If so, maybe look into buying a card with unlimited data if that's available in your area. For me, I purchase Total Wireless' $50 Unlimited Talk, Text, and Data plan. That's good that you recognized that your father's response was fair. I would definitely react in a similar way if I were in his place. You could also get a separate GPS (such as a TomTom). My mom uses her phone and her TomTom just in case one or the other either fails, turns off, or is inaccurate.

1: Are you excited about Christmas/New Year? If so, what are you most excited about?

Not really. The New Year thing is meaningless to me and Christmas is for the kids.

2: What was your favorite part about 2022?

Something finally happened with my comics. Technology has reached the point where even I can make decent-looking comic art using 3D software. I have spent the last year developing a style I am happy with.

3: What was your least favorite part about 2022? (besides people in general lol)

A few months ago I was walking with my best friend, my dog Pan. I turned away for a few seconds. When I looked back he was gone, and I haven't seen him since. Pan was the only thing I have cared about over the last 15 years, he hasn't been more than 20 feet away from me his whole life. Now he is gone and I really miss him.

Pan

ThrisbyDude wrote:

The first part of next year is probably going to half-suck on my end - as much as I want {a full} 2023 to be amazing. Hopefully by the end of April (The Super Mario Bros. Movie comes out earlier that month and I'm excited to see it), the year can suck even less!

Alright. I watched the entire trailer for The Super Mario Bros. Movie and I really like how they made cinematic references to Gladiator while setting it in a Super Smash Bros. melee session v. Donkey Kong (or was that a reference to Mario’s first ever appearance?). The amount of references they can make from all the different “reincarnations” of Mario is sure to make this movie a complete love letter to the fans.

I am excited for this film’s release as well! Mostly for the nostalgia trip.

1: Are you excited for Christmas/New Year? If so, what are you most excited about?

Wasn't really excited for Christmas, it was probably the worst Christmas I've had in a while, working three 12-hour shifts, having to deal with loud, drunk or drugged people and complaints about them. I'm excited to spend the next year working on my comic. I'm also looking forward to catching up on seasons of anime I skipped, manga as well, plus a few movies.

2: What was your favorite part about 2022?

Easily creating and getting readers, mostly from the Duck. I really don't have a life outside of all this, so being able to dedicate myself to a creative project and getting responses is peak experience. I also had a fanart or two made by a member of the community, so that felt great.


3: What was your least favorite part about 2022? (besides people in general lol)

Probably that day when someone left a dead cat (some debate it was a beaver) in an open trash can outside my work place in the summer heat, while the AC was broke, so even with closed windows I've got to spend an entire work shift nauseated by the smell of a decomposing animal and without any nicotine. But having peak anxiety about getting forced to fight for my corrupt government in a war that we might or might not get involved in was a strong contender.

InkyMoondrop wrote:
1: Are you excited for Christmas/New Year? If so, what are you most excited about?

Wasn't really excited for Christmas, it was probably the worst Christmas I've had in a while, working three 12-hour shifts, having to deal with loud, drunk or drugged people and complaints about them. I'm excited to spend the next year working on my comic. I'm also looking forward to catching up on seasons of anime I skipped, manga as well, plus a few movies.

2: What was your favorite part about 2022?

Easily creating and getting readers, mostly from the Duck. I really don't have a life outside of all this, so being able to dedicate myself to a creative project and getting responses is peak experience. I also had a fanart or two made by a member of the community, so that felt great.


3: What was your least favorite part about 2022? (besides people in general lol)

Probably that day when someone left a dead cat (some debate it was a beaver) in an open trash can outside my work place in the summer heat, while the AC was broke, so even with closed windows I've got to spend an entire work shift nauseated by the smell of a decomposing animal and without any nicotine. But having peak anxiety about getting forced to fight for my corrupt government in a war that we might or might not get involved in was a strong contender.

Having to deal with the dead cat/beaver AND working that much during Christmas must've sucked along with the anxiety of being pulled into a war where you'd be fighting for something that you don't even support. I'm really sorry to hear all of that. As someone who also spends a lot of time online, I highly agree with you about The Duck. I've only been on this site for a few months (since August) and already got my comic featured, which completely blew me away!! I love the people here and I love the engagement from them compared to Instagram or DeviantArt. It's interesting too how this site has been around for 20 years now, which is rare, and that I share the same first name as the founder, Dylan Squires lol. I'm definitely excited to roll out more content on my end as well as see what others come up with. I also agree that getting fanart made is the best! I've gotten a few art pieces here and there (even from my mom) and I'd love to get more, maybe from here :)

DylanTale Comics wrote:

InkyMoondrop wrote:
1: Are you excited for Christmas/New Year? If so, what are you most excited about?

Wasn't really excited for Christmas, it was probably the worst Christmas I've had in a while, working three 12-hour shifts, having to deal with loud, drunk or drugged people and complaints about them. I'm excited to spend the next year working on my comic. I'm also looking forward to catching up on seasons of anime I skipped, manga as well, plus a few movies.

2: What was your favorite part about 2022?

Easily creating and getting readers, mostly from the Duck. I really don't have a life outside of all this, so being able to dedicate myself to a creative project and getting responses is peak experience. I also had a fanart or two made by a member of the community, so that felt great.


3: What was your least favorite part about 2022? (besides people in general lol)

Probably that day when someone left a dead cat (some debate it was a beaver) in an open trash can outside my work place in the summer heat, while the AC was broke, so even with closed windows I've got to spend an entire work shift nauseated by the smell of a decomposing animal and without any nicotine. But having peak anxiety about getting forced to fight for my corrupt government in a war that we might or might not get involved in was a strong contender.

Having to deal with the dead cat/beaver AND working that much during Christmas must've sucked along with the anxiety of being pulled into a war where you'd be fighting for something that you don't even support. I'm really sorry to hear all of that. As someone who also spends a lot of time online, I highly agree with you about The Duck. I've only been on this site for a few months (since August) and already got my comic featured, which completely blew me away!! I love the people here and I love the engagement from them compared to Instagram or DeviantArt. It's interesting too how this site has been around for 20 years now, which is rare, and that I share the same first name as the founder, Dylan Squires lol. I'm definitely excited to roll out more content on my end as well as see what others come up with. I also agree that getting fanart made is the best! I've gotten a few art pieces here and there (even from my mom) and I'd love to get more, maybe from here :)

Thanks. Yeah, Keep up the good work. I'll check out what you have.