The End

[Fleet Admiral Connor Grey]

My dear colleagues and friends,

Over three years ago, I tried to attempt something, nothing truly visionary, but something bold nonetheless. To gather people with talent, artistic talent, and see them flourish with each other. I find that much of the world tries to hinder this. Perhaps this tiny outpost could harbor everyone.

I must say to you that you are all much more talented than I. I feel so humble among such impressive writers and poets and musicians and photographers and artists. I am amazed at all of your abilities. And, with that, I am so grateful to have started this. I have met so many creative people, and I have learned so much. I hope you all have grown as much as I have.

And now, I believe it is time to admit that the end is here. We have all known of our lack of enthusiasm for a long time now. I have admitted this, but never wanted to accept the true end. It is always difficult in the span of life. I find myself most productive when I am at home, and not burden with everything thrown at me, and I know the same is true for each of you who have tried to remain loyal to the cause.

I am now at a fork in the roads in my own life. Thinks seem to be changing around me too fast, projects dropping off the face of the earth, people leaving forever, friends forgotten. I must find what to do now with my time to think. As I type this up here, I have a short word to all of you, whether you are still here or not:

To Capella, thank you for starting this with me. Thank you for all of the support. I do not even remember why we started talking about this in the first place, or how I truly got to know you, but it happened, and this is what we have created. I thank you so much.

To shorah, your skill with the pen is incredible. Never give it up, ever. If you have the time, write. Only good things will come out. I have always enjoyed reading what you have to say. And should the pen decide to draw something, let it, it will be just as wonderful to look upon.

To Korora, your humor is refreshing. Your way with words and images is magnificent. I love reading your lyrics and know that I'm in for something to brighten my day. Always be happy, and make people happy the way you always have.

To Erture, your first works were of the visual sort, and they were absolutely stunning. Being someone who envisions the worlds out there, you have sparked my imagination. And your poetry afterwards is something always to be treasured. Like shorah, never stop your imagination. Let it color the page before you.

To LinguistApprentice, my spiritual programmer out there, thank you for the support as well. You gave this place life. You breathed color into it and made it live. And then with the comics, you gave it personality and made it sing. You have always been there and have been so reliable, there is nothing greater I could have asked.

To Tanhithion, what you hear in your head is magic. When I play, I think of one of the most talented musicians ever, and I mean that. Composition for you is like what talking is for most people, it is so natural, and at times, can be so beautiful. Please continue to give your gift to the world.

To Gehn III, the darker side of the world came out in you, but it was not a depressing one. Philosophy and psychology are easily worked in your head, cherish your ability to perceive the world. Perception of fiction often allows a window into reality, and you have made me question this reality.

To Sothis, Mispeled, RealityX, Mortal Ambrosia, and everyone else, thank you for your additions to the site. I can only wish the best of luck to you wherever you are, wherever you may find yourself. Whoever may meet you will find themselves lucky as well, and I am glad to have shared with you.

Thank you everyone. I will leave The Outpost open forever and ever, as a safe haven in the desert as I envisioned it. It will be the reminders of what we have done, and perhaps occasionally see some activity, and perhaps continue to add to the memories myself. I will always stop by and look over and remember how much of my life you have all influenced. Maybe one day, life will be better to our wishes.

In my story, my own character is lost to the void, thrown into the future during the end of the galaxy. He takes his life and begins again as best as he can. I, too, will leave on the wind. It is time to look forward.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Fleet Admiral Connor Grey

*Salute!*

[Capella]

I'd like to echo everything the Admiral said about this being a wonderful place, a safe haven, an area where I've read and viewed and heard some of the best work that I've been honored to be shown. Thanks to everyone who's come here along the way and contributed to our forum.

I'm sorry that, in a way, we were mostly limited to members of the community in which we all met. I can't speak for anyone else, but I was hoping we would expand to add some total strangers, to get to know and treasure other people who believed in this dream of creativity, the same as all of us. That never quite happened, but we did have a good run, and I know we became a good and close-knit group.

I miss the meetings we used to have and wished we could've gotten something out of the Christmas meetup plan- I have to admit I didn't think about it much, but I was going through some powerful emotional misery at the time, and in hindsight I wished I'd focused on nicer things to deal.

I know I haven't been sharing much here. The problem is that my recent works have been far darker than what's traditionally seen here in The Outpost- stories of violence, and death, and I've hesitated to post them because of their subject matter. They're also supposed to be published at some point, so putting them here somewhat invalidates that. However, I had been intending to proposition a LJ community or the like where we could hide our posts from all but each other, so as to share what we wanted published. I guess, now, it's a bit too late.

Or maybe not.

I'd like to disagree with the Admiral, however, and quote one of all of our favorite Writers- "the ending has not yet been written". I don't think this has to be an end for The Outpost. Over three years, most of us have gone into college or are about to go there. We've taken on new interests. Our current interests have changed. We have new responsibilities, new activites, and often, we have less time. But that doesn't mean we have to end The Outpost.

I propose instead a hiatus for a few months, a board downtime, in a way. Perhaps a restructuring of administrators, moderators, the forums themselves. Come up with multiple challenge ideas, come up with prizes and ideas, a board logo or symbol, a website... Make this a place people want to come, then start a recruiting drive and hope they do. I think perhaps one of our issues lay in the fact that we were content with who we had and never tried to actively seek new members that often- perhaps if we change that, we can keep The Outpost alive.

It won't be the same. I have the sense some of you have moved away, permanently perhaps. But I think the initial idea is valid and that if we care, if we try, we can keep the spirit of the dream alive. It won't be the same, but it will still be a haven- perhaps that will be enough. If not for us, then for the others that will come in the future.

[Erture]

I guess it really is telling, that I didn't find this post until today. Not much to add to what Grey and Capella have already so eloquently said. I know I'll always remember you guys, all of you, and this corner of the internet very fondly.

I will definitely keep checking in here, and if there's interest in starting up again, I'm all for it. I have a bad habit of letting go of communities I was once interested in (I revisited Myst Community today after over two years' absence. Wow, was that a trip down memory lane!)

And if anyone's interested in keeping in touch, I've got a livejournal under the name erture, and PM notifications here go to my email inbox, so that's always good.

Best wishes to all of you creative spirits. Hope to see you again sometime in the future we're all working on building today.