It has been such an amazing year, parade!
I honestly cannot believe it's been a year, parade! Drew was my very first celeb I ever wrote, and to this day almost a decade later, she's still the one I have the most fun writing. I've been through my fair share of communities back in the GJ days and now here on IJ as well with her. I have to say though that this community is easily the one that I have really ever wanted to be social and active in. I absolutely love each and every one of you whether Drew talks to you or doesn't. I read every single entry though she may not always comment on them because words fail her as well as myself sometimes. I just want to thank the community for being so welcoming and for making her feel at home.
Some of these shout outs will have some things repeated, but it doesn't make the words mean any less to me. There's a reason Drew has written about a good few of you in a couple of her entries, you have gone above and beyond to reach out to her and to be there and to allow her into your kids' lives. As someone who has been playing for the last 12 years... these are the connections you strive for. This place is a wonderful community despite some of the setbacks we suffer every once in awhile. That's life though right? We take the good with the bad, and we learn to deal with it and move on. parade is an amazing place, and I am so thankful to be a part of it.
Though let's face it there are definitely some faces I want to pick out and give my own little thank you to, so here we go.
ekalrebmit : As I quote from one of our many conversations: "That time you randomly pick a community and wind up finding the most awesome person ever." Or something like that. ;) Really. I've gone on SEVERAL times about how I've had her in other communities and no JT acknowledges her or the fact that they would know her other than you know that other one in ~wme which unbeknownst to us for awhile was you. Honestly though I made a choice to bring in Drew single not just because I wanted a line but because I cannot write premade couples. I can't and I won't. I love seeing something go from the beginning. The chase, the need, the want, and all those really amazing firsts you experience together as couples that make them grow. I never knew having an old friend say hi would lead to this, to them. Drew was just happy to see a familiar face and to have an ally, someone who understood her and what she was going through. I never expected something to ever evolve from that until last June. I love these two to pieces, and I love writing with you in general. You know the tough time I had to deal with last year, and knowing that I could come home to these two and escape was always such a treat. Seriously just thank you for being so amazingly awesome, for writing your Justin as real as possible, and for just being you. Drew and I are never letting you two go.
emilyj : What can I say? I knew these two were destined to be something great when we remade "The Breakfast Club" in their custom. They have shared everything from various epic movie gifspam to Netflix nights to some really great conversations that usually lead to some awesome interests. "His dick made of chocolate?" "That is so rhombus." Just to highlight a few. Drew loves the positivity and light that Em brings with each journal entry, and the original concepts she comes up with. Um not to mention her coding skills are so rufus they're fetch. ;) Getting to walk her through her first pregnancy is really great and being so close to her and Josh is something she cherishes a lot. Here's to another year filled with more awesome memories from the coolest mom ever!
feliciia : I've been writing with you for quite awhile. I have seen you pick up some great celebrities, and you somehow always have this knack for making each one of them an individual. It's a rare talent in the rp world. Usually you can tell when people play the same person easily, but with you I don't see any similarities between each of your characters. I think though you really picked a gem when you picked up Felicia. Writing Drew to me is what I see as writing Felicia is to you. And considering you know how much I love writing Drew, you know exactly what I'm saying. Drew loves Felicia, and seriously appreciates having her there. Felicia was there for a lot and let Drew scream and curse about wanting to throw rocks at stupid boys, and let her talk to her about things that she may have not trusted so easily to others. Just thank you for making her be so easy to talk to you and awesome. She's looking forward to another MST3K sleepover party really soon!
joshdhartnett : Um so you're just really awesome and cool. Of course I just can't leave it at that, but I've said it a few times that I was pleasantly surprised to see a Josh still being played. These two clicked almost instantly and I definitely miss their late night horror movie fests with their chats that ranged from silly pacts to serious talks. He's definitely someone Drew is so thankful for getting to know, and we both continue to look forward to all the crazy hot wiring adventures these two can get into.
ninado : I seriously cannot believe we've always managed to find each other. Though I have only watched a handful of TVD, your Nina is why and she is also why I will give it that second shot whenever I have the time to sit and focus on it. It's really crazy to think back to how these two first met through their respected 30STM guys, and their beloved talks in the back of the tourbus while Shan and Tomo slept away. ~wme and all the comms to follow it was honestly such a great ride if only because Drew had Nina. That's what saddened me the most about everything falling to pieces was that comraderie between them and our random ooc chatter. I'm really glad I decided to take a walk down memory lane and poke through that old Drew journal of mine and got back into touch with you. I am so thrilled to have you two here again and I'm not letting you two go so easily this time.
kellyclarkson : I've only had the pleasure of interacting with one other Kelly in all my years of writing, and she did not compare to yours. It's nice to see someone who can balance both Kelly's loveable dorky side, but also still able to tune in for those serious chats. Their friendship is one we both really love, and though my ooc schedule has kept Drew from chatting with her as much as she would like to, do not think for one minute she will ever forget about her Belly Bumpin' Bestie.
anakn : Um I love you. Drew LOVES her. Seriously Anna has been one of the most amazing people Drew has started talking to. Honestly I've been a fan of Anna's since the 'Twilight' days, and I really adore her. You channel that quirkiness of hers perfectly, and I appreciate that so much. We both look so forward to more late night chats and plotting against those boys of theirs much to their dismay.
alexandraanna : Sunshine Daydream! I have absolutely loved these two getting to know each other, and I'm really excited to have them talk more. We were so excited to have her show her face because we had just seen "Texas Chainsaw" and we thought she had done amazing in it. I've definitely made a mental note to check out some of her other works thanks to the budding friendship between these two.
blakeshelton : Oh Blake and his boob obsession. I think we all celebrate whenever we get a boob card in a Cards Against Humanity game with him knowing it'll be an easy point. ;) Drew is honestly thrilled to have him as her soon to be brother-in-law.
britts : When we read that first post, we knew this was going to be the start of something beautiful. I know they haven't really talked much, but I am so looking forward to their interaction in the future!
pleslie : Your Hayden is so quirky and I really love her I do. I love the random gifspam which I hope to pick back up once my schedule lightens up a bit, and their talks as spaced out as they have been are always something great. I really hope that this next year at parade leads to them talking more often.
saoirseronan : She's still just getting to know her, but all the chats/card games with her have always been a blast. Saoirse is just this beam of light who keeps things positive, but she's not afraid to speak her mind and that is so wonderful.
sebastn : Flower headbands for everyone! I expect our custom to be abused by this time next year fyi. Also, I have to take this moment and say we both so love him and taylr together. Drew misses TWD something fierce and a big part of that is because of these two going over theories and analyzing everything. Typically my work schedule has me at work all day on Sundays, so to come home to get to post that discussion entry and then enjoy TWD and Talking Dead made everything all the better. So thank you for being a part of that. Really.
tdekks : Drew enjoys his humor and his lack of fear in going there when it comes to everything hot pink feather boa and Timberfallonbome.
ttamb : Thanks for Matt being such a sport and dealing with the plotting that goes on between Anna and Drew, a lesser man probably would have had them checked into a mental rest home by now.
vancmp : Winos unite! I know they have never really talked much, which I do sincerely hope to change soon, but we have always enjoyed exchanging comments with Emily and her entries are always something special to read!
milenamakunis : You've just joined in on the fun, but really so far it's been great having your Mila around. I really look forward to all future conversations to come!
And of course to all those she may have only shared a comment or two with, or briefly spoke to... we still appreciate you and only hope to talk to you more in the future!