I am thankful for so many people in this community! New Year's just seems like the perfect opportunity to let you know what you meant to me.
Sure, there were some downsides to 2018 - from trademark attempts... to Tumblr going 'sex-free' (yet somehow fucking us as a community)... and, of course, diaper drama and friends lost (some for good reason, some just going 'ghost'... it wasn't all good). Still, I can't complain, overall - not in the least.
From 1,500+ of you taking my Origins of ABDL survey to those of you who came and engaged with my presentation at CAPCON... and a whole bunch of get-togethers on the Luvs Boat (and a few cottage visits as well)... and - well, so, so, so much more... this was, all-in-all, an amazing year - much of it thanks in no small part to you.
From 1,500+ of you taking my Origins of ABDL survey to those of you who came and engaged with my presentation at CAPCON... and a whole bunch of get-togethers on the Luvs Boat (and a few cottage visits as well)... and - well, so, so, so much more... this was, all-in-all, an amazing year - much of it thanks in no small part to you.
A brief recap of 2018, if I may...
The Origins of ABDL Survey
I launched a survey in the early part of 2018,
and more than 1,500 of you
took part.
I hoped to glean some data
on what makes the AB/DL community tick,
and I think we succeeded.
To everyone who
shared the survey on social media
or took part,
thank you so much...
Abysitter.com's One Millionth View
My blog actually hit its millionth view
during CAPCON weekend.
That's amazing -
I still remember when I was its only viewer,
coming back to the blog day after day
in the hopes that I'd attract another one.
Hundreds of entries later,
it's steadily picked up steam.
For any of the
million + views you were responsible for,
thank you.
Photo Contest # 4
To celebrate the one millionth mark,
It featured some truly awesome prizes,
and drew 53 entries.
To my amazing prize sponsors... you rock.
To everyone who entered,
promoted, or voted in the contest...
thank you.
CAPCON Class 2018
I lead a discussion at CAPCON
in March, centered
in March, centered
on "The Origins of ABDL".
A few dozen folks came to listen,
and to discuss -
it was definitely a highlight of my year.
To everyone who came -
and, to the organizers of CAPCON for inviting me -
thank you.
Luvs Boat
We had get-togethers every single month
on the Luvs Boat,
from June until October -
and a 'bonus' gathering at the end of the season.
To date, I've hosted 21 ABDL's -
with plans (or at least hopes)
for many more!
To everyone who came out for a visit...
thank you.
I'm thankful for all of the above and more, and I'm looking forward to so many great things for 2019.
In the meantime, I can't close out 2018 without saying thank you to all of the people who made it such a special year - including those below:
BC
Reading my inclusion in your new FetLife bio a few weeks ago made me happy af. I am proud to be your oldest friend, dearest friend, and the first person you met in our community. Considering we almost didn't meet, I can't tell you how glad I am that we did!
Thanks, especially, for keeping tabs on me with so many hours of FaceTime calls this year, especially when I was depressed af in the earlier part of the year. So glad we have that technology available to us... I'd miss seeing your face considerably if we didn't.
You already know I view you as a 'little bro', and I continue to be proud of the way you make good, responsible choices designed to better our community however you can. Keep it up. Hope to see you again soon... maybe even in 2019. ;)
TH
Getting to spend time with you at CAPCON was, as always, amazing... you always make the event so much more fun for me, and I have to thank you for that. But your willingness to pack all your Pampers in the car and drive a whole day's drive to come spend time on the boat? I can't begin to tell you how much that meant to me. I appreciate you dropping everything like that, and only wish you'd had more time to spend in New York. Definitely looking forward to what 2019 brings, in Chicago, on the lake, or anywhere else our paths cross.
JS & AB
Getting to know you both via Telegram this past year has been incredible. I've thoroughly enjoyed our many, many chats... and the stickers... and pics... so many pics... :P
You are, in my opinion, ABDL twins separated at birth, divided by all of these miles called the United States. Hope we all get to meet one day, at CAPCON, on a certain boat, or at some other location at some point in the future. Keep on keeping each other positive, and being there for each other, in the meantime... that's what our community is supposed to be about.
JS: Our hours-long Telegram calls have been something else. There aren't many people I can talk with for that long without getting bored - thanks for keeping it light and entertaining. Looking forward to more of those in 2019! ;)
AB: Watching you frolic in the backyard, padded, doing soccer tricks was a lot of fun. I wish you had more time for littlespace, but watching you make strides in your career is a nice trade-off. Here's hoping I'll get to see more of that adorable padded ass in 2019.
ML & FRIENDS
Your many visits to the boat and the cottage have been a highlight of my year, once again. From our pajama party on the first spring-like day of 2018 to crowding on the foredeck listening to a band play across the canal, you certainly added to the fun.
I especially enjoyed our wine-beer-and-Chinese outing last month, and hope to get to do another one of those soon - you have some cool-ass friends, and I'm glad that they're willing to tag along some of the times that you come out.
Next up for 2019: take me glamping!!!
NP
Little has changed since last year's New Year's entry... you still live closer to me than any other ABDL, and I still don't get to see you enough. Our visit on January 1, though, was especially welcome - I'd been hit by a sudden intense burst of depression for reasons I still don't understand, and your willingness to drop your lucrative Uber routes to go out to lunch and do a little shopping was more appreciated than you probably realized. Breakfast with me and a friend a midnight snack with me and Evan, and visiting in the wee hours of the morning earlier this month... I always enjoy seeing you. Hope to see more of you in 2019.
ME
After so many years of missing each other on our vacations back to NY, finally getting to meet you this year was amazing. Your facial expressions in our pictures still crack me up every time I look at them. Thank you for entertaining my boat neighbors in your own unique way, and for being so nice to everyone else who came out to the boat. You became a 'regular' and added something to every single boat get-together you came to. Including urine all over my footstool. But I promise to stop bringing that up in 2019.
TOMO
After three years of me cajoling you into making a trip out to the boat, you finally made it! I honestly wasn't sure if you were coming because you wanted to or just because you wanted me to stop asking, but you quickly became a 'regular', and every visit with you was more fun than the last. I first saw you as this shy kid who I assumed would come out to the boat once and only once, and who certainly wouldn't pose for pics, but you've surprised me so many times lol. One thing is for sure: you are a crowd favorite over and over again. Looking forward to more of the same next year...
LUVS BOAT VISITORS...
JO: I can't lie - I did not expect you to fly in for a boat get-together all the way from Miami. Who even does that? But I am glad that you did, because I got to see in person what I've always suspected... you are a super nice kid and a loyal friend. Glad you got to enjoy some time in the crib. Hope flying all of those hours was worth it... looking forward to seeing you for longer in 2019.
PS: It was great meeting you, and your parents (lol) this year. I'm glad that you had a chance to come out to the boat and spend a weekend with us - I know Tyson enjoyed it too. Sorry you had to experience my meltdown of 2018... and that your card wasn't accepted after that long-ass walk into town lol... hope you enjoyed your time with us anyway! Hope to see you again next summer...
EVAN: Who knew a last-minute CAPCON diaper change would turn into my first out-of-state Luvs Boat visitor? It was cool having you come chill with us on the boat, and at the cottage. Glad you could make it - look forward to more visits from you in the future. Get your schoolwork done so you can make the next one!
SILVER: It was fun having you out to the boat - I enjoyed seeing the Finger Lakes from the perspective of someone who's seeing it for the first time, it kinda brought back the magic I used to see in it when I was first discovering it. Enjoyed lunch on the water and our duck egg ice cream - so glad we got to host you before you migrated south. Hope you rock Orlando and fit in better than I did ;) ... if you're ever back in NYS you're welcome out to the boat anytime!
JM: Glad seeing Silver's pics prompted you to reach out - it was fun having you visit, and watching you make some new ABDL friends was cool - that's what the boat is supposed to be all about. Glad we caught you before you leave the USA - hope to see pictures of your future world travels soon!
BDC: Thanks for making the drive from DC to come stay with us! I'll admit that I was a bit nervous when you seemed to know just a little too much, but you turned out to be a cool guy - glad we could host your for your second visit to the marina hehe. Hope to see you again in the future!
BJ: It was awesome getting to meet you - funny that you're from right up the road and have been here so many times but we've never gotten a chance to meet. It was fun getting to see you rock different kinds of diapers, and watching you try to duck the view of neighbors still makes me laugh. Proud to be the first ABDL you met... hope to see more of you in 2019!
PABDL: I love being the first ABDL people meet, so it was nice to not only get to meet you but to get to introduce you to your first diaper - well, in a long time lol - and to another member of the community, as well. I remember what being new was like, so I fully expect it to be a period of adjustment for you. Hope to get to introduce you to even more people in 2019!
MC: Not quite a boat bro, but if your visit had coincided with boating season I definitely would have enjoyed having you aboard! Thanks for visiting the cottage - you're a cool-ass little dude, and it was nice to finally get to meet the person I spent $60 to send three diapers to after Contest 2016! I can't imagine what it must be like to have to spend what you'd have to spend to get ABDL diapers shipped to your country - hope you got your fill of good diapers here in the US!
JB: It was great catching up with you at CAPCON again this year - wish we could do it more than once annually. Funny that we both live in NY but have our annual reunion in Chicago. Hope to see you back on the boat for 2019!
SP: I'm sorry that you weren't able to make it to CAPCON this year - I definitely miss my co-presenter (and your then-'other half', my breakfast buddy, too). It was awesome, though, to stop by rural IN to have all-you-can-eat-spaghetti-and-breadsticks at a smoke-filled bar lol - I can't believe how much I actually missed that after I left the state. Looking forward to spending some time together in Chicago in 2019 - better see more of you inside the hotel this year.
Z
Spending a week with you to close out 2018 ended this year on the perfect note for me. Your creating gourmet meals for us has me watching those cooking videos wanting to learn how to make some of these dishes again. And dinner your last night here was far more than I could have expected - I can't thank you enough for that. Glad we finally got to have that celebratory milkshake, too... keep on the same path and there'll be another (hopefully less-minty) one in your future. Mad proud of you for everything you accomplished this year.
Ever since our photoshoots last year your pics have garnered so. much. interest. here - including from some people I can say I wish hadn't taken an interest. Sorry about that. I'm one of few people in our community who have been lucky enough to get to know you, and I feel fortunate for that. You are an amazing kid, and an amazing friend, and I'm so glad that our paths crossed again when they did.
The list above is limited to people I’ve met in person, and a few people I have Telegrammed with so much it feels like I know them offline lol.
For New Year's 2017 I wrote about people I'd become friends with online who I hoped to meet in 2018. And, with the Luvs Boat get-togethers this past summer and some cottage trips this fall/winter, almost a dozen of you went from being online-only friends to IRL ones. I can't wait to see who makes that transition in 2019...
For 2019 I’ll also be meeting up with more people at CAPCON, and maybe other cons, as well. And I’ll be inviting more people out to the boat: local people from upstate New York who never made it in 2016/2017/2018, and some national/international littles, too. I might even do a little traveling.
If you and I are still keeping it virtual, and you want to meet in person, I look forward to turning whatever we have into a real friendship in the New Year - let’s get the planning started.
To everyone who made the list above... and to anyone I forgot... and, of course, to everyone who reads my blog, supports my contests/surveys/presentations/etc., and has impacted my life in any other way... you made 2018 such a great year for me.
Next up... let's have an outstanding 2019, everyone.
Thanks, as always, for everything.
