I've said it before and I'll say it again, "Where did the year go?" Weren't we just getting ready for Drums Along the Maumee 3? Weren't we planning on our summer conventions like Warparty, Origins and the first trip to Gencon for historicals in many years? It seems like we just started this year and now it's almost over with. Where did the time go? Regardless of where it went, we have had one fine year again.

All of our conventions have been successes for us, starting with another excellent effort by the Colbys with Drums 3. We went from there to Historicals at Origins (HOT), Warparty and into our first attempt at getting historical miniatures games into Gencon for several years. Then, in September, on to what has arguably been our best Advance the Colors ever. Now, we are getting ready for our two final events: Gamefest Indy and U-CON. By the time many of you read this, both of these events will be history and the numbers are looking good for both.

It looks like we will be getting more events for U-CON at the University of Michigan and it also looks like we will be getting a great number of events for Gamefest Indy as well. Gamefest Indy is a first time event for us, so those of you in south central Ohio and in Indiana, please get out to Gamefest Indy. It will be your last chance to escape the wife and kiddies before the Christmas shopping season. Besides, you can pick up some nice "toys" for yourself too! Seriously, Gamefest Indy is in a similar vein as Origins and Gencon, being something of a generic gaming convention. As such, this is an excellent opportunity for us to show our hobby to a wider audience.

Likewise, I strongly recommend anyone in the Toledo, Cleveland, or Detroit area please stop by U-CON at the University of Michigan. It's only over in Ann Arbor so you should be able to stop in for a while. I'm glad to see the growth in the number of historical miniatures events at U-CON, another "generic" gaming convention. Conventions like Gamefest Indy and U-CON help showcase our hobby to the wider gaming audience. I hope all of you can make it to one of these events.

I'd like to close this issue's "Oval Office" with a heartfelt and grateful thank you to all of my fellow board members, particularly to David Van Hoose for all of the effort he has given this year. He helped me pull events together for Gencon and has pulled together the events for Gamefest Indy.

While I'm at it, I need to thank all of you for bothering to show up at all of the events we work on each year. It would all be wasted effort without you folks. I'd like to give one last, very important, "thank you" to our families who put up with all this craziness. I am glad that I can get away as often as I do and am thankful that so many of you can do the same. We are indeed blessed with spouses and kids who understand, or at least accept our hobby graciously. We couldn't do it without you all.

Thanks again. Now, good luck and good gaming!