You all have probably noticed that I logged off without warning a week or so ago. I apologize for my absence - especially to those I was going to help with their projects - but I had to take a break and take care of myself.

For your reading enjoyment, here's some of what I've been up to in the shadows. I can't do as much as I would've liked due to the job I'm working at this summer, but I'm determined to still be doing something.

Pokémon Mystery Meat is Not Dead

Yes, I'm going to make this "bigger game" I keep talking about real, and everything the project's been through has only added more fuel to the fire! Making a game of any size is difficult for a beginner like me, so I decided I needed to think smaller. So I revamped the entire concept, and will now be presenting the 37 entries and theme in a collection of minigames that I work on one by one to help me learn Game Maker.

Pokémon Gijinka Collab is Not What You Think

Yes, I am participating in the Pokémon Gijinka Collab hosted by @KittyhawkMontrose. I am aware that many people - be they minors, on the asexual spectrum, or those suffering from body dysmorphia - have very strong feelings about this. But many of us are more interested in the character design aspect of designing gijinkas than in the encouragement of sexual content. I know I am. It's been an enjoyable atmosphere in the collab server so far, where we lift each other up for our artwork and design choices. So if you fit in the age requirements and would like to give it a try, I'd highly recommend you apply to join in. And if you aren't interested... let us be.

I Am Not Stopping Now

Here's some of the other stuff on the horizon:

• Creature Collab participation - I've been having a great time in @Zfert's collab server! Everyone's monster ideas are so much fun, and I've been enjoying chipping in with my own iterations on theirs for the planned "evolution" mechanic. I can't wait to see how this comes out!
• Horror Comic - I am working with @awd91 to turn my original horror story "Rapunzel Tower" into a comic, and hopefully get it into the horror comic anthology that @Artist-Lost is putting together. We haven't heard a lot from the organizer, though, so if not, it'll just be posted to the Art Portal in multiple parts.
• Future Events? - When I get closer to releasing Mystery Meat in some capacity, hopefully by October, I'm hoping I can start another spooky event like last year's Costume Jam. I don't know yet whether I want it to be another Costume Jam or just a thematically appropriate event, but there's still time for me to decide.

But for now, I will be continuing my break from Newgrounds and focusing on my creative stuff until I've gotten myself sorted out.

Big thank you to everyone who's stuck by me and stayed supportive throughout all of this - including @Creeperforce24, @Billy-SuperSkullz, @TheGarbager619, @AlmyriganHero, @tarutrit, and @awd91. I can continue with confidence knowing I have people I can depend on.

I'm not dead. I'm not quitting. I'm not backing down.

-Theta