December Update · 4:24am Nov 29th, 2018

Given that Dead Week is about to begin on my campus, I thought it might be prudent to put out December's update a little early. To begin with, happy holidays to all. Regardless of what you celebrate, or if you celebrate at all, I hope that your midwinter is full of cheer, peace, and warmth. Especially warmth. I swear, one of these days the wind is just going to peel my entire face off. May you all spend this month with friends and loved ones.

On a darker note, I must remind you all that Article 13 has yet to go away. As a reminder, this is the legislation being considered by the EU which, if passed, could effectively eradicate fan culture on the internet. No more fanfiction, no more fan art, no more memes. If you live in the EU, please please please contact your MEP and tell them that passing this bill would be political suicide. Call them every day if you can. If you live outside of the EU, spread the word, sign all the petitions against the bill that you can find, and kick up an enormous fuss. Even if the rest of the world can keep accessing fanfiction and the like-- which is a pretty major 'if'-- your favorite writers and artists might disappear from the web entirely if this censorious bill is passed into law. The next vote on the article-- which I believe may be the final one-- will occur in January.

In happier news, The Rising Night will be concluding on December 5, and on December 8, I will begin posting a new story involving the ninth Doctor, traveling time and space with one of the least likely companions conceivable. There's going to be mystery, intrigue, murder, and more. All very much in keeping with the holiday spirit, I'm sure you'll agree. Also, I'll be participating in Jinglemas this year, which I hope will be fun. I've never done a Secret Santa or anything like that before. If you're interested in signing up, I believe there's still a little time left to do so.

I'm pleased to say that neither finals nor holiday cheer will impair my regular updates this month; I've got all of the next several chapters ready to go, so all I really need to do is remember when to upload them. After my first semester at college, I'm really looking forward to this break. I'm going to celebrate Christmas at my grandparents' house, and all of my cousins should be able to make it, for a change! I'm looking forward to our annual traditions of Christmas dinner, grab-bag presents, and going out to see a movie the day after.

One final note for all the Whovians reading this; while I'm sure most of you have already heard, there will not be a Christmas special this year. It's a New Year's special instead! I'm torn between hoping it will pay homage to the last time the Doctor had a New Year's adventure...

...and hoping that it won't be quite as cheesy as that. If you're suffering from Doctor Who Christmas withdrawal, might I recommend the audio "The Chimes of Midnight" by Robert Shearrman? The Eighth Doctor and Charley Pollard land in the cellars of a peculiar Edwardian manor, and must solve a bizarre Christmastime murder over and over again. Like I said, murder and extreme existential horror are just part of the holiday fun. As, of course, is plum pudding.

Joyous Solstice, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Pancha Ganapati, Merry Mōdraniht, Dies Natalis Sol Invicti, Joyous Saturnalia, Blessed Yule, Happy Hearth's Warming, Peaceful Otherstide, Enthusiastic Candlenights, Happy Hogswatch, and Happy Holidays Generally,
-6&7