This is EN #199. We’ve done nearly 200 issues of this crap? Jesus! And people are still reading it? What the hell?

Seriously as, we draw to our bicentennial issue I can’t help but contemplate what EN has achieved since September 2003. There are quite a few things that EN has helped every member to accomplish, but for the moment I want to focus on what it helped me achieve. More confidence in my writing ability, it has widen my areas of interest and circle of friends, hell a comic I wrote (I think it was one of mine anyway) even got published in print form. But the single greatest thing that EN has helped me achieve is the meeting of my fiancé, Raye.

Twenty two years ago this very day, the most wonderful woman in the world was born. I will accept no argument or debate on this matter because whoever you think is more deserving of the title is just plain wrong. This wonderful, beautiful, elegant, and down-right nutty woman is perfect in every way, shape or form. I count my blessings everyday that she, for some reason I will never understand, has chosen to share her life with me.

We met through EN, because while she was at college Raye, knowing Virus through a pre-existing friendship, contacted the various members of EN to ask if she could use their characters in her work (a fine example to some of our readers, yes Knuckles6K I’m looking at you). I agreed and we started talking from there, and at first you could barely classify us as friends the amount of times we argued. But as we got to know each other better, things changed. I still remember the first time I saw her picture, I was stunned! Unable to say how beautiful she was to her and the feelings I had, I kept them to myself, until one day I told her she was my girlfriend, something she wasn’t aware of beforehand, but agreed to. This just goes to show that the direct approach works. The rest, as they say, is history.

So I just wanted to say Happy Birthday to Raye, the anniversary of your birth is something that should be celebrated worldwide, marking the arrival of the kindest, funniest, most intelligent, sexy, and beautiful person to ever arrive on the planet. I am eternally grateful that you exist and somehow fell in love with me. You traditionally receive gifts on your birthday, this one being no different, but I am the one who feels gifted by your presence in my own life.

Michelay, a good friend of Raye also made this picure for her birthday. Another good friend, Riley, also did a very sweet picture on her DA page. They are both made of win and awesome, so go see.

Happy Birthday my love.