As 2012 comes to a close, I reflect on many, many things which have transpired. From things I expected, but never believed would happen, to the unexpected, which I never wanted to happen. I have felt loved and lost, agony and ecstasy, the good, the bad, and the unforgettable.

I sit here at my piano, a gift from my wonderful Ryoken, but...something has changed. I feel frail, and weak, as life slips from me. I see myself and do not recognize what I see; I am a stranger to my own recognition. Or maybe the world has changed, is not the same. Have I become unfit for it?

I am...hollow...