I will no longer be posting on this account and will be abandoning ship

The staff on this site supports certain things that I cannot get behind.

I've been on here for who knows how many years now?

I don't feel any reason to completely quit despite my previous journals.

While I don't post on here much, that doesn't automatically mean I don't want to be active.

So... despite political tensions and my personal affairs outside of Furaffinity.... I shall press on!

Reason being that I shouldn't be concerned with currently ongoing political tensions.

My good friend  wrytergirl is taking sketch rq's.

Come on over and get 'em while they hot! XP

https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/11167676/

Well, at the beginning of the year, it actually started with a bang. I was able to take my first railfanning trip to Folkston and hope I can do so again sometime in 2025. During the spring, I was able to go to several events particularly in the Atlanta area. Went to my first concert and also attended my first Monster Jam event in Atlanta in 20 years. But once June rolled around things took a downward spiral which made the ENTIRE 2ND HALF of 2024 equal to if not EVEN WORSE than ALL of 2023.

Stuff that had happened since June 6th....

A former friend of mine doxxed me and  RoninHunt0987 online.

A thunderstorm cut a day at work short which really had an impact on my paycheck

Then Hurricane Debby which had an EVEN BIGGER impact on my paycheck during THAT two week period.

My Uncle's declining health....

Then Hurricane Helene and the death and destruction from that....

Losing my job (at a Beer and Wine store I worked at)

And a raging fire caused by a downed power line which damaged six structures in my hometown (COMPLETELY DESTROYING two of them).

Despite all that during the 2nd half of this year, I was able to go to a couple of events such as going to my local racetrack on a Saturday night AND going to the Monster Jam event at the Enmarket Arena at Savannah (after going there for one in 2023). The video of the action that took place at my local racetrack is up and is the latest video posted on my YouTube page. Monster Jam at Savannah will be posted late next week.

Since getting laid off at the beer and wine store, I had since gotten a job at a Zaxby's restaurant and have been in a grind to get back on my feet.

Hopefully, as I get adjusted to my new job, I will be able to push out more content on here and YouTube. I'm behind on a lot of stuff regarding my YouTube activities and am looking for the motivation I need to get back on my feet.

Regardless, the link to my YouTube channel will be provided to you below. Hope you guys can follow me there.

Follow me on YouTube! XP: https://www.youtube.com/@tomtodd7744

The racing world lost one of its all time greats today....

I am saddened to announce the passing of NASCAR and USAC Stock Car legend, Fred Lorenzen. He was 89 years old.

Fred Lorenzen was a 2-time USAC Stock Car champion, 1965 Daytona 500 winner, and a TWO time Coca-Cola 600 winner.

26 NASCAR Cup Series wins in 158 starts....

May the racing legend rest in peace.... 😢

I need y’all’s help.

The warranty on my computer has run out and is running VERY slow, but I have been offered by HP to get a new laptop. However… I need a whopping lot of money to get it.

If any of you are willing to buy a fanfic commission. SFW or NSFW, it’ll be greatly appreciated. I charge 0.015 cents per word.

Sonic, Freedom Planet, and/or StarFox themed stories preferred.

You’re welcome to note me for further terms and conditions.

I survived Hurricane Debby just to let you all know.

Send me your prayers, well wishes, anything… as I prepare for the worst of what will be Hurricane Debby.

I am officially back from Semi-Retirement on Furaffinity.

Can’t say how active I am going to be on here but I wanted everyone to know that THIS account isn’t dead yet! XP

Idk how many of you are active on there or follow me there but...

This year is my 10th Anniversary on YouTube.

I'd like to encourage you to follow my channel if you hadn't already. Link to the channel will be down below. :)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6.....Ffxmk1Rn9cJl-A

Who either knows how to or potentially can draw a locomotive?

Since the late 80s all the way to just this year... One driver in the monster truck world stood out during my lifetime above ALL the rest....

Tom Meents....

He was truly an ambassador in monster trucks and especially in Monster Jam. From his mud racing in Shake Me debut in 1988... to winning the NMRO Mud Racing championship in Mud Patrol in 1993, to his debut driving Paul Shafer's Monster Patrol in 1994, to beating Bigfoot in the 1ST EVER Thunder on the Beach in 1995, to his nationally televised victory at Orlando driving Bulldozer in 1999, to winning the INAUGURAL Monster Jam World Finals at Las Vegas in 2000, to me personally get to see him win Freestyle at Atlanta in 2004, to winning at Minneapolis in honor of his father last year, and everything in between... The man has done it all.

He'll be well known as "Maximum Destruction" and for his competitive nature on the track... and he'll always be an inspiration to me... and many other monster truck fans. He was instrumental in monster trucks' rise in popularity.... and while he'll be missed by many.... He'll still be around to teach new drivers at Monster Jam University.

#thankyoutom

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4j9Knucqfs (not my video)

Some sad news for the Open-wheel racing world….

I regret to inform you all that former IndyCar racer and world record speed holder, Gil De Ferran, has sadly passed away in an accident racing with his son….

De Ferran was a three-time Open-Wheel racing champion. Winning two championships in CART and one in the Indy Racing League. He was also the winner of the 2003 Indianapolis 500, as well as holding a record of the world’s fastest lap on an oval track. A speed record of 241 miles an hour.

Gil De Ferran was 56 years old.

My sincere condolences to his friends, family, and fans….

Welp. The 2023 NASCAR season is now OFFICIALLY in the books. Ross Chastain wins the season finale at Phoenix ending his season on a high note with 2 wins to his name this year, but the bigger story was Ryan Blaney... finishing 2nd and staying ahead of Kyle Larson and William Byron to win the championship. He proved that he didn't have to win the race to be the champion and to me that IS NOT a bad thing. Blaney almost lost his cool with Ross Chastain... but luckily his crew chief kept him in line. He got him to keep his cool, didn't let Blaney get over his head bc of Chastain. Kept his mind on the bigger picture. Without him imo, Blaney wouldn't have won the championship.

As a Hendrick fan, I am disappointed that William Byron didn't win the championship bc statistically speaking he deserved it, but I'm not mad... bc Ryan Blaney is an underdog and the underdog winning the championship is a good thing.

I am also disappointed that my guy, Chase Elliott, didn’t go to victory lane this year but at this time of year it makes no difference. The season is ALL OVER with. Chase Elliott had an inconsistent year and was injured in a skiin’ accident, really messed up his year. Congrats to Ryan Blaney though.

In the wake of the tragic passing of a friend... and because of the fact that fully leaving doesn't sit well with me.... I've decided NOT to fully retire from FA... but SEMI-RETIRE from this site.


I don't know if I will ever find the strength to be active here again... but I'm not gone for good.

I don't know how much longer I still want to be around.... but I'm not yet ready to make such a move.

This probably isn't over so.... please stay tuned for future journals.... A journal regarding my future on this site will be on a later date.

Last call for you guys to get my info if you REALLY want to be friends with me.

I WILL be leaving Furaffinity on July 30th (Delayed a month bc of a friend's passing).

As stated in the previous journal... If you want anywhere you can contact me, please by all means note me.

I am making this journal to formally announce my retirement from Furaffinity.

My reason for this is simple....

You see... Most of the site's moderators are volunteers and they can EASILY abuse their authority and wrongly and/or unjustly suspend and/or ban someone's account INCLUDING mine and yours if they found something they personally didn't like.

THAT'S my issue with FA.

It's been a wonderful run here since 2016. But my road on this site is about to draw to a close.

I hope this next paragraph comes out sincere bc it truly comes from the heart. I never thought I'd have as such as a strong support group as I did have over here. I met and talked to a lot of artists here over the years. And commissioned a lot of people here.

People like  PrivateDoomsday,  MaverickHunterDBoy,  RoninHunt0987,  KatPanik,  Darkshadowfax,  fang980,  JacenXYZ, and  MilesPrower33 have all become like-family to me over the years. Especially RoninHunt0987 who is arguably my biggest fan. To the followers I hadn't mentioned, I want to give you guys and gals a great big thank you. There is honestly NO WAY I can thank you guys and gals enough.

So... As I wrap this journal up..... Where could y'all find me?

Well...

There is Discord, Skype, Facebook, Twitter, Inkbunny, Weasyl, Gamejolt, AND YouTube.

Please let me know in notes if you want to follow me at any such platforms.

Thank you all... Thank you all so much for what you have done for me.... And I'll miss ya.

I will be deactivating this account on June 27th.

My birthday is coming soon! This Saturday! XP

The month of May.

The month where school gets out in most places

The month where spring kicks into high gear

And the month where I celebrate my birthday (May 20th).

Hopefully this May will be better than last year's. Idk what I want for my birthday as of yet. And I want this month to be better than last year's.

Hopefully I receive a lot of surprises this coming month. XP

After 123 years, The Kansas City Southern Railroad will cease operations and transition into the Canadian Pacific railroad as the company has been bought out and the purchase has been approved by the Surface Transportation Board. It’s officially the first major railroad merger since the Southern Pacific buyout by Union Pacific in 1996, the final merger will take place on April 14th...

To quote from S1apSh0es (a racing youtuber I follow) and the comment he recently posted in his video.

Link to comment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp5X0SQ8ffo

"UPDATE

Apparently the track owner was in final negotiations to sell the track, but the deal fell through which is par for the course with Kevin Whitaker as some have tried to buy the track outright to keep it going but those deals also fell through. Anthony Anders, the 2014 late model National Champion, had leased the track in the late 2010's, and that's how it had been operating ever since; Whitaker doesn't do any promotion, he just leases the track. But for 2023 no lease agreement exists so while the track will not be demolished, there will be no racing there for the 2023 calendar year. It may come back in 2024."

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Greenville Pickens Speedway in Greenville, South Carolina is being torn down at the end of this year....

It's heartbreaking and as a fan of short tracks is a real gut punch to me and the racing community.

Greenville Pickens Speedway was most notable for being the venue where the FIRST EVER NASCAR race was televised live.

RIP Greenville Pickens Speedway

1940-2022

It is with deep sadness that I announce that Rick Eshelman, a dirt track racing announcer I did job shadowing with for my senior project at Swainsboro Raceway..... has passed away....

Words cannot describe how hard this is for me.....

This was a man I personally knew.....

This was a man I actually worked with.....

I am crushed.....


Rick Eshelman was a Michigan native who grew up around Flat Rock Raceway.... He worked from the scoring booth to the announcer's booth where he called races....

His career as an announcer for dirt tracks all over the country spanned over 40 years...... And he became most well-known for his work for dirt racing league, World of Outlaws.... where his calls in races became most legendary......

I had the pleasure of working with him when I went to Swainsboro Raceway for the Turkey 100 back in 2015..... He even went as far as handing me the microphone to call the Pure Stock feature race at the track......

It was the most shining moment of my life as I wanted to be someone like him, Army Armstrong, Scott Douglass, and countless others who have worked in any form of racing.......

He was one of my heroes.... and I will never forget him.....

Rick Eshelman.... was 61 years old.......

I forgot to tell you all that I'm back after my break. Most of y'all probably know already bc I posted THIS.

https://www.furaffinity.net/view/49055283/

I have decided to take this weekend off of Furaffinity and Discord to focus on other things (like my YouTube obligations for example).... This entire week and subsequent weekend just hasn't been a very happy one for me and I feel I must have a break.

I will see you all Monday evening when I get home from work