Reflections: My One Year Anniversary
Entry posted by Drew Espinosa
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On this day, June 29, 2015, I celebrate one year as a member of GA.
To mark this day, I want to take a look at how I became a member, reflect on my first year, and take a guess at my future here. 
Becoming a Member: One day in early June, I was perusing through Nifty's SF-Fantasy section and I came across a story called Your Alpha, My Mate. It was just one chapter at the time, and I read it and I was hooked. Of course, the author added a note that she would add on soon. Well, I couldn't wait soon. So I went to her personal site and YAY!!! I found more chapters! I might have went on a reading splurge. Anyway, when I was done I noticed Wolfwriter had links on her page, and for some reason the one called Gay Authors caught my eye, and so I clicked on it.... dun! Dun! DUN!!! LOL
Anyways, I came to a familiar site. It turns out that I did visit this site sometime in March. That first visit didn't really leave a lasting impression. But the second one sure did. As an avid reader I only cared about reading the stories this new place "GA" had. Anything else was not even important. So I mainly stayed on the Stories or Authors Tabs. Anything else, like Forums, did not matter all that much. Back to the stories, I rapidly expanded from Wolfwriter's stories to others. Those stories made me realize that GA was a serious place when it came to marvelous stories. So it became a new addiction for me. This leads me to how I joined. In those first few weeks lurking about as a guest, this Help box followed me around everywhere, and I just had enough. I wanted to get rid of it, so, I on June 29, 2014, I joined GA as a member! Yay! the Help box was gone! It wasn't some special way or a noteworthy reason to join, but that is how I joined GA.
My First Year: Well, as a member, I continued with reading. I also continued with ignoring the wider GA Community. This is where I need to explain: Guys, I am really shy. I knew what the Forums, Chat, and more entailed: I would actually have to get out of my comfort level and socialize. The horror! 
So I just stuck with the stories. As a member, I was given privileges, I could review chapters, I could "like" chapters and stories, and so much more besides. I didn't use them 
Again, it comes back to being shy. I couldn't face putting myself out there. So what I want to focus on at the moment, are the Reviews. I didn't think what I had to say mattered. So what, if I left a review "Great Story" or "I love [this] because___" Many other reviewers have said the same things. Would the author even care for what I thought? My answer: why would they? 
Well, that became depressing! On a brighter note, in my first year, I read many fantastic stories, I devoured things like Timber Pack Chronicles, A Rescued Life, Let the Music Play, and so much more besides. So, nothing really changed, other than reading more and more. That is until a fateful day in January. On that day, I received a message. Someone had added me as their friend. 
But but but, I am a recluse how did this happen? To top it off, my new friend was an author, Sacredlove. I just about had a meltdown. 
I am a huge fan of his. It was like getting a personal letter from JK Rowling (I should add, that to this day, I have to restrain myself from asking for an autograph from any author on here, because, I see all of you as I would Rowling or Stephen King) This was actually the catalyst to opening up
It wasn't until the start of April, that things began to change quickly. I bit the bullet, and wrote my first review to a new chapter of Sacredlove's story. Also, on April 8, I celebrated my 20 Birthday Sacred, responded to both. With the former, he thanked me for my review On the latter, he wished me a Happy Birthday!!! Add to this, the fact that I was taking a Western Civilization course at the college. This was my first discussion based class, it was so different and refreshing from the usual lectures, I also realized that if I could discuss with my peers on topics like the Reformation, I sure as heck could open up here on GA. So, with that said, I began visiting the Forums. So, I need to tell my first experience: It was in the Lounge that I came across a thread called "Spiders" and I felt a sense of foreboding, because I am arachnophobic. But, I previewed the topic and... the first post was by a member named Zombie. It was the lullaby to itsy bitsy spider! My first thought was, Is this man, Zombie, in the loony bin? LOL So, my curiosity was piqued and I clicked on it.... Worst. Mistake. Ever. 
From that moment on, I really just opened up. I rapidly made friends, heck I made family. I love you all! 
Gosh I am actually crying, typing all of this! Happy Tears! Here I am on June 29, 2015, celebrating my First Anniversary, and *raises imaginary glass** here's to many more to come!
The Future: I will continue meeting new friends. I will write down things as often as I can, and just having a blast being a GA Member!
*I really need to review the stories I have read...
**I have a confession: Drew Espinosa isn't my "actual" name. Drew is a shortened form of Andrew, and that is what I am known by back home. Espinosa is my mother's maiden name. Please guys, continue to call me Drew, I actually like being called so
***Boy, I used a lot of emojis, sorry for the clutter.
Thanks everyone!
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