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Full disclosure: This is a scheduled post, so apologies for the delayed response to comments. I hope that this doesn't discourage you from commenting. I'll reply as soon as I'm physically able. As you're reading this, I'm in South Korea with my fiancée and my family. WHEN you get to read this, I'm already in 2018, so hello from the future!

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It's been a long year, and it's about that time when you either realize that you have done so many amazing things or you have wasted yet another year. This time of contemplation really brings me a lot of anxiety. On one hand, it puts a lot of things in perspective, but on the other, it feels like I'm grasping on straws. It's been a long year, and a part of that is what I detailed in yesterday's post. If you're interested in reading about it, feel free to do so. We'll wait for you until you get back.

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Done? Great! Then strap on your seatbelts and join me as we take a leisurely drive down memory lane!

2017 has been a rollercoaster. Lots of high highs and low lows. In terms of Steemit and its gift economy, I think we can all agree that everything leans toward positive. Even if your post makes only $0.01, it's still $0.01 more than what you would make in other social media sites. Take it from a 1.5-year old minnow. It's tough to be noticed here, so the best we could do is to just enjoy the ride, post what we're passionate about and build strong relationships.

This is the most I've talked about Steemit during my entire stay here, so I'm going to stop myself right there. Last year, my year-end post involved my main area of interest here on Steemit: an original, fictional story. I had wanted to make something similar this year, but the thing is, the main reason why I opted for a story last year was because I didn't really spend a full year on Steemit back in 2016. I went on a 3-month hiatus, which was the result of an earlier burnout. @lukestokes set me straight, that's why I was determined to make up for lost time this year.

Many people do monthly recaps of all their posts, and that's cool, to each their own, but apart from my usual "table of contents" posts, I don't normally do these sort of recap stuff. With a solid year under my belt, I'm making an exception. _{That, or I'm just too pressed for time.}

The Ties That Bind

Who would I be without the people that support me? Well, I'd be @jedau, but a lonely @jedau. All of the people that I share a reciprocity of support are acquaintances I've made during the course of this year. Even if it's only for just a couple of months, in STEEM years it has felt like years. Most of these acquaintances have become good friends. Some have surpassed the STEEM blockchain and have become lifelong friends. As much as I want to detail how we all met here, I would only be able to do so for a select few.

@dreemit was one of the first real friends I made here, and has continued to be the best. I first met her when she saw a comment of mine on @ezzy's post, then the interaction went on from there. In the small circles where my name is whispered in hush tones, I've been known to give thoughtful comments. That's because I do unto others what I want others to do unto me. I would put her before almost all of the friends I've made in person. She's a constant sense of support and a kick-ass writer, with a very vivid imagination. There were times when she was the only one to notice my posts and her encouraging words are the things that kept me tethered to Steemit. Nothing but love for my sister from another mister! I can't wait for the day when we get to meet in person.

Boomsday. Boomerang. Boomshakalaka. What's there left unsaid about that Glasgow great @meesterboom? I first met BROseidon, Top Donk of the BROcean when I won @papa-pepper's Poetry Contest for the Wild and Strange Contest Season 2. You see, goodfellow Boom was the subject of the artwork that I based my poetry on. Little did we know that it was the beginning of a legen—*wait for it... and I hope that you're not lactose intolerant because the second half of that word is*—dairy (which is an 'i' more that legendary) friendship. It was when I was invited to join the @fiction-trail and BROdo Baggins here was tasked to layeth the (author) smackdown on me did we start to hit it off. What followed was a string of *the* most **EPIC** comments this side of STEEMtopia has ever seen! Like @dreemit, BROcahontas here is a step above friends I've made in person. Counting down the days before we fist bump physically.

The comments between us were sporadic at the start, but when it got going, it **got** going. @ryivhnn's one of those people that is filled to the brim with enthusiasm and warmth. I imagine that having three kids would do that to a person. You can always count on her to leave the most energetic comments anyone would be lucky to have on the posts. I remember that she always enjoyed reading the intros I made for **SILVER LINING** and that she would often belt it out like an announcer. We've supported each other for so long, that we're in the top 3 of both our most loyal followers list. She gave the most wonderful engagement present and I've been trying to write a story worthy enough of the honor. Oh, and the photo was done expertly by @artwatch.

Man, @artistchristian is one of the few that I've only really met recently, but we've hit it off so well, his inclusion in this list is a must. One of the most talented artists I've seen, I can't help but be at awe of all of his artwork. They're all just so great! We have similar preferences with regard to many things, and I'm sure that's what contributed to our fast friendship. We first met because we had been part of an auto-voting group that has since disbanded. He went on a hiatus and came back with the discovery that he had been voting on my posts all this time. Talk about great timing. Ever since then we have continued to build our friendship day by day. I'm so lucky to have stumbled upon all of these people.

For all the others that have made my time on Steemit as awesome as it is, please take a look at a recent post I've made about investing in Steemians.

The Quickest Way from Point A to Point B

At the start of the year, the only posts you would've ever seen me make was for A Day in the Clouds. All of the proceeds there went directly to @zeppelin, and now I'm happy to say that his father, Erwin, has taken control of the account and is now actively posting here as well. But, as much as I'd like to be just a one-hit wonder, I have since published other stories as well. My main thing here, after all, is that I'm a storyteller through and through.

During my first months here, I tried to preach the gospel of fiction throughout Steemit. I supported tons of fiction authors any way I can, and for the most part, many of them have suceeded. Now, new groups have emerged to champion cause, which is great for fiction in general. Sure, I can't help but feel dumped by the wayside because I was excluded, but yeah, nothing I could do. I would still do my part and uplift the tiny portion that I'm alotted.

Some of the other stories I published here this year were an engagement post (because I got engaged to my longtime love!), a number of short stories inspired by a trip to Singapore, a freewrite short story, a color-challenge inspired, freewrite short story series and a Halloween story that sort of parodied my last year's story.

During the course of this year, I've made a post about being a part-time acupuncturist, I tried my hand in baking a Valentine's gift, I was part of a User's Chain, I went to my first standing concert, I won several different contests (those are different links, excluding this one and this one), judged a couple and even conducted my own contest (I'm particularly proud of this TOC post, so check it out!) I was a featured writer for several posts (this and this), I listed things I used to do and I shared my thoughts about comic book things. @dreemit roped me in to a photo challenge, to which I obliged (Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7). And, I even started creating a dictionary of portmanteaus (check out the latest one here).

On top of it all, I kept my NaNoWriMo streak alive, and I made jokes here and there. I even had the chance to toss back a couples of brewskies in honor of the Boomdawg.

Man, it's been fun reminiscing my year on Steemit. Not gonna lie, my eyes glazed up a bit as I was reading the comments. Okay, okay, it glazed up a lot. I hope that you look back at your 2017 with fondness as well, and I hope that this post serves as sort of a reintroduction of me for the new people out there.

My name is Jed, but you can call me AU (eh-yu), I am a teller of stories, a solver of problems, a dependable rock when times are tough and a genuine friend you can count on. This was my 2017 (feel free to post links of yours in the comments section), and as I close this chapter of my life, I eagerly await what lies ahead. I'm calling it right now, 2018 is The Year of Resilience and we're going to own it. Will you join me?

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Solidify @lukestokes.mhth in the Top 10 STEEM witnesses! You know you want to ;)

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_{If you enjoyed this, please be sure to follow}