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May 13, 2010
No big updates for the site to announce on this, the seventh anniversary of the opening of the Ectozone, but since it's tradition I'm blathering anyway.

I'm taking a hiatus from my haitus to release Game Theory. Some of you may remember the version I put out last year, written a year before that when I was rather depressed and negative about the video game. It was the only story I ever ended up withdrawing from the site.

I did say that I might re-release it when I wrote a more positive, balanced version of the story, and that's what's out today. I won't say I took out every bit of criticism, but there's a more positive perspective, and the most negative observer--Janine--does get challenged on it.

Oh, and look at this:Matty Collector makes official post on SDCC RGB fig . Yes sir, the animated likeness figures, the Real Ghostbusters to some of us, are finally on their way. The SDCC exclusive will be Venkman in "Citizen Ghost" costume (ie the tan movie uniform) with a variant in transparent green, Anti-Venkman.

The pantleggers have already bitched about the proton pack, and it amuses me. It seems like I heard a lot of complaints about the cartoon packs being blue and not looking more like the movie packs...so naturally, when they put a cartoon figure with a black pack that looks more like the movie ones, they complain.

No pleasing some people, I guess.

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--Fritz V. Baugh

April 5, 2010
Well, after too long a delay, I know, I've finally finished The Eye of Aretpo, the origin of the Ghostbusters of the 2020's. I'm pleased with the results, even though it took a lot longer than I ever anticipated to be finished.

If you peruse the art pages, you may notice some differences. I spent a few weeks in February and March modifying and semi-"remastering" the stock pictures I use. The tan/grey/beige flight suits have been changed to a darker, more accurate color. The blues I used for black metal and plastic have been darkened. The flight suits of the original Ghostbusters have been adjusted--back when I first scanned in the pictures six years ago, I was trying to match hand colored pictures that, in turn, were colored in the days before the internet, and photoshop software capable of isolating and duplicating colors. Another change has been the standardization of equipment in the picture (what I basically did was remove the packs drawn into the hardcopies, and now drop in a standard picture. It's now easier to swap in different packs--if I wanted to see what Andy Harness looked like with a Mark 2 pack, I could do that in about two minutes)

Finishing "Eye of Aretpo", and the art project, allieviated some of the sense of burnout I've been feeling, but I still don't think I can make any guarantees for the next story. I'm officially taking a hiatus from Ghostbusters fic writing. I have a few non-GB fan fic ideas I may play around with (one set in particular isn't Ghostbusters, but does tie in to the Ectozone/GBOT universe). I just need a break from feeling bad when I don't churn out a new story every three weeks.

I'm not leaving the community. I'm not quitting the GBWC unless they want me to. I'm going to keep maintaining the Ectozone and GBWC.net. I'm still helping Troy keep Still Playing With Toys running unless he tells me otherwise. I'm still going to be posting and interacting. I'm just not making any promises about when the next story is coming out.

In my heart of hearts, I know that there will be a next story. Maybe it'll be the GB202x idea I have. Maybe it'll be a story about Ray's "missing years" in the 1990's I've been kicking around. I have the resolution of the long-running Necromancer subplot in the GBWC and the long-hinted at "Gemini Ascendant" yet to do.

I'm just not sure when.

I hope you'll all be patient. Thanks again for reading.

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--Fritz V. Baugh

January 1, 2010
Well, 2009 was over, and it was quite a ride.

I had tears in my eyes on January 20th. We'd survived the Cheney/Bush Presidency. Barack Obama hasn't been everything I'd hoped for, but he's nevertheless started us in the right direction again, despite the efforts of the Teabagging morons, Fox Comedy News, the insurance industry, hate radio, and some rather cowardly members of his own political party.

As I approach the seventh anniversary of this web site, and nearly ten dozen fan fics, I admit I'm feeling a bit burnt out. I've got "Eye of Aretpo, Part Six" (which should be the conclusion) in the works, but after that...I really can't say what will come next, or when.

I'm not lacking for ideas. There's a big showdown between the GBWC and the Necromancer I've been building up to for five years (actually, that buildup is probably part of the problem--I'm not sure I can deliver on it). A story kicking around in my head starring Ray Stantz during the 1990's "interregnum". A slightly naughty shorter piece with the Ghostbusters of the 2020's.

But lately writing stories has felt like a chore. I need some time to recharge the batteries. Feel the love again. I'll probably dabble in some other stuff, and if I think you might be interested, I'll definitely keep you informed about it.

Thank you all for your support over the years. And have a happy and prosperous 2010.

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--Fritz V. Baugh

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