Rushing home from work,
Shovel down my food,
Trying to be on time,
Try to not be rude,
Show up with all my flasks now,
Raid team forming at the Citadel door,
Nights like this,
Moments like these,
That’s what I live for!
(Chorus???)
There are things in life,
You wish you had,
But love the things you’ve got,
Because when you take for granted,
They are there,
Suddenly, they’re not.
Love your life,
Family and friends,
Don’t treat it like a chore,
Nights like this,
Moments like these,
That’s what I live for…
(Chorus???)
Kickoff at 7,
Friday night lights,
Battles in the trenches,
2 yard struggles,
10 yard fights,
On the edges of our seats,
Cheering the boys on in war,
Nights like this,
Moments like these,
That’s what I live for!
(Chorus???)
There are things in life,
You wish you had,
But love the things you’ve got,
Because when you take for granted,
They are there,
Suddenly, they’re not.
Love your life,
Family and friends,
Don’t treat it like a chore,
Nights like this,
Moments like these,
That’s what I live for…
(Chorus???)
Lock the car,
Just got home,
She’s calling out for me.
Smiles so big,
With just two teeth,
Crawling at me filled with glee.
Singing at night,
Holding her close,
Rocking her until she starts to snore,
Nights like this,
Moments like these,
That’s what I live for…..
Friday, October 8, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Beta Impressions: The Worgen
So I'd like to take a minute and express my thoughts about the experiences I've undertaken in Cataclysm Beta without spoilers.
This week's project:
The Worgen
***************************
You start as a normal citizen of Gilneas. I wont go into detail about the story that leads to you eventually becoming Worgen, but I will say that the entire storyline is one of the most compelling adventures I've ever had in a game.
READ THE QUEST TEXT. You have time to do this. Enjoy yourself and the story, it's riveting.
Now, much like the Death Knight starting area, the entire opening sequence (at least up to the Cataclysm itself -- I haven't played any further yet) is PHASED.
(This is the point at which the non-WoW readers should say to themselves..."wtf? This post clearly doesn't concern me...")
The concept of phased levels has appeared in games before, but it was only until a few years ago that it was realized how beneficial this could be in the MMO environment.
It is just that. Beneficial in every way. The phasing adds a new dimension to the feel of the gameplay that allows you to further immerse yourself into that world.
That's as much as I'll get into that.
The art work is fantastic. The world is drawn in such a way that you can realistically believe that your character is running around in it. Everything from the random dust being kicked up by the wind, to the architecture of the homes and farmsteads in Gilneas, to the way the cornstalks sway in the breeze is outstanding.
For those who have played WoW for sometime, fire is fire. You don't stand in it. You always try to cook on it just to see if it works. (FTR -- you CANNOT cook in Onyxia's deep breath.....yes...I wiped a raid just to find this out.) The particle effect of the fires and explosions is NOT unlike any other fire you might see in the game, however, Gilneas and the surrounding areas are set to a backdrop of a grey sky that could seemingly burst any minute into an all out downpour...this accentuates the fire.
Let's face it. Much like the Ghostlands..it's very dreary. The difference here is that you don't have flamboyant Blood Elves prancing around with their pink tutus to brighten the day up.
So, that's about as much as I can say without spoiling much of anything. Definitely remember to read your quest text and when you talk to an NPC...stick around for a minute and listen to what he has to say...there's some very dramatic voice acting in this area.
I will play with the Worgen for the rest of the week (or so)...and if I have any more dramatic findings, I'll go ahead and post them.
Stay tuned next week for my Goblin adventures. :)
This week's project:
The Worgen
***************************
You start as a normal citizen of Gilneas. I wont go into detail about the story that leads to you eventually becoming Worgen, but I will say that the entire storyline is one of the most compelling adventures I've ever had in a game.
READ THE QUEST TEXT. You have time to do this. Enjoy yourself and the story, it's riveting.
Now, much like the Death Knight starting area, the entire opening sequence (at least up to the Cataclysm itself -- I haven't played any further yet) is PHASED.
(This is the point at which the non-WoW readers should say to themselves..."wtf? This post clearly doesn't concern me...")
The concept of phased levels has appeared in games before, but it was only until a few years ago that it was realized how beneficial this could be in the MMO environment.
It is just that. Beneficial in every way. The phasing adds a new dimension to the feel of the gameplay that allows you to further immerse yourself into that world.
That's as much as I'll get into that.
The art work is fantastic. The world is drawn in such a way that you can realistically believe that your character is running around in it. Everything from the random dust being kicked up by the wind, to the architecture of the homes and farmsteads in Gilneas, to the way the cornstalks sway in the breeze is outstanding.
For those who have played WoW for sometime, fire is fire. You don't stand in it. You always try to cook on it just to see if it works. (FTR -- you CANNOT cook in Onyxia's deep breath.....yes...I wiped a raid just to find this out.) The particle effect of the fires and explosions is NOT unlike any other fire you might see in the game, however, Gilneas and the surrounding areas are set to a backdrop of a grey sky that could seemingly burst any minute into an all out downpour...this accentuates the fire.
Let's face it. Much like the Ghostlands..it's very dreary. The difference here is that you don't have flamboyant Blood Elves prancing around with their pink tutus to brighten the day up.
So, that's about as much as I can say without spoiling much of anything. Definitely remember to read your quest text and when you talk to an NPC...stick around for a minute and listen to what he has to say...there's some very dramatic voice acting in this area.
I will play with the Worgen for the rest of the week (or so)...and if I have any more dramatic findings, I'll go ahead and post them.
Stay tuned next week for my Goblin adventures. :)
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Request
As is the case with any person's life, my life hastaken many twists and turns. I've evolved (socially at least) from a teenagerwho loved to spend his free time in *~The Room With Padded Wallz~* to amilitary man, to a father of two who played WoW too much, to the same guy whodecided to leave his server in favor of one that would allow him to play much,much less and spend time with his family.
Along the way, I've met several very interesting,very good friends (and even some enemies. (There's people that don't like me?!WTF) I've moved from the military lifestyle to the civilian lifestyle. I'vechanged MMO's three times. I've been in a guild. I've led another one. I'veleft them both.
Like nearly everyone I know, I was active onMySpace. I was active on IMVU for a spell. I'm still active on World ofWarcraft. I spent time on Xbox Live, I even branched out into a few differentMUDs along the way.
I've lived in a handful of states and made goodfriends there along the way. Every person I was closely involved with in someway (apparent or not) shaping the personality I now have.
Sappy introduction (and lack of being able tofollow my own train of thought) aside, I have decided to take a few (hopefullymore) memories from the perspective of the OTHER person and compile them into acreative writing that will demonstrate my strengths (and severe weaknesses) asa writer. This has nothing to do with absolutely anything and I expect this "project"to take a very long time, as I'm aware that many of these stories may takemonths to receive or my request to even be read.
So I am asking you, members of several forms ofcontact and social media to please reply to this call. I would like you to tellme what you remember me for. Good, bad, indifferent...I don't care what thecontext. I want to know how you remember me. Fond memory, quirky thing I did,giant booger hanging from my nostril...anything. The more content I receive, theeasier it will be to write this.
This will be going out to a lot of people in emailand several different social networking sites, as well as forums for differentmediums I used to meet people that are still active. Thank you in advance!
Jimmi AKA:
Kelenya,Suhli, Coajik, Jinha, hypnotized_moon, sTiCkY_lOlLiPoP_kIsSeS, Jimmily,Freegrazer, Osnapp, buttonbuck1123, Seriously Casual, Thumper3300, Poor and Irish,. ( <---that's the alias), SomeDude, Lt. Moon, AHHbrainfreeze, Jimmie, Jimi, and Jimmy
Along the way, I've met several very interesting,very good friends (and even some enemies. (There's people that don't like me?!WTF) I've moved from the military lifestyle to the civilian lifestyle. I'vechanged MMO's three times. I've been in a guild. I've led another one. I'veleft them both.
Like nearly everyone I know, I was active onMySpace. I was active on IMVU for a spell. I'm still active on World ofWarcraft. I spent time on Xbox Live, I even branched out into a few differentMUDs along the way.
I've lived in a handful of states and made goodfriends there along the way. Every person I was closely involved with in someway (apparent or not) shaping the personality I now have.
Sappy introduction (and lack of being able tofollow my own train of thought) aside, I have decided to take a few (hopefullymore) memories from the perspective of the OTHER person and compile them into acreative writing that will demonstrate my strengths (and severe weaknesses) asa writer. This has nothing to do with absolutely anything and I expect this "project"to take a very long time, as I'm aware that many of these stories may takemonths to receive or my request to even be read.
So I am asking you, members of several forms ofcontact and social media to please reply to this call. I would like you to tellme what you remember me for. Good, bad, indifferent...I don't care what thecontext. I want to know how you remember me. Fond memory, quirky thing I did,giant booger hanging from my nostril...anything. The more content I receive, theeasier it will be to write this.
This will be going out to a lot of people in emailand several different social networking sites, as well as forums for differentmediums I used to meet people that are still active. Thank you in advance!
Jimmi AKA:
Kelenya,Suhli, Coajik, Jinha, hypnotized_moon, sTiCkY_lOlLiPoP_kIsSeS, Jimmily,Freegrazer, Osnapp, buttonbuck1123, Seriously Casual, Thumper3300, Poor and Irish,. ( <---that's the alias), SomeDude, Lt. Moon, AHHbrainfreeze, Jimmie, Jimi, and Jimmy
Insane Horde Posse Report
Last night Insane Horde Posse (IHP) raided Icecrown Citadel.
Through the first part of the chamber there were some choppy moments with unexpected trash pulls but the team managed to make it through the first few hallways just fine. I was very glad I could be of use disarming the traps because the opportunities for one to trigger during an inopportune time seemed very good.
One of the first things I noticed is that this two hour raid team was not into taking any time more than they needed. They have two hours to get as much as they can done...and they're going to.
We mowed right through the trash and into Lord Marrowgar's lair. The Marrowgar encounter went very well, in fact, he was down in one shot. I did notice a few pointers I could give the team on positioning that would ultimately make this fight much, much easier for them.
On to Lady Deathwhisper. The Deathwhisper encounter can easily lure you to sleep, in my humble opinion. The fight consists of waves of adds that must be defeated before you switch back to her to DPS down her shield before the next wave comes. Very rinse and repeat. The entire fight went very well and in phase 2, I found that my kick alone was on a timer sufficient enough to keep her FROSTBOLT on perma-interrupt.
The Gunship Battle is what it is....it's a rinse/repeat fight that is nearly impossible to lose as long as the tanks and healers understand the mechanics. The only hiccup during this fight is that our rogue (OSNAP...I was the only rogue!!) went to jump over to their ship to DPS the battlemage and misjudged his timing. Thankfully, when you fall you only lose time as it puts you right back on your own boat....:) I'm not even certain anyone else noticed.
Saurfang was one of the most rewarding encounters of the night. We gave him a few whacks with a strategy they were attempting before I had joined the team. Melee DPS on that fight is super easy...as we don't have to do anything more than NOT aggro the Blood Beasts....the ranged DPS -- not so much. They have to concern themselves with kiting and killing those beasts. After a few failed attempts I spoke up about the strategy and positioning that has worked for me in the past.
The next attempt was GOLDEN. Saurfang was defeated in epic, expert fashion whilst holding our pinkies in the air and ordering caviar.....(lol -- the point is that the strategy worked to such perfection in comparison that the group's leader has deemed the Lower Spire to be on FARM status.)
We moved on to the Upper Spire. I was able to once again win the appreciation of my raidmates by disarming the gas traps that line the walls of the first portion of this.
They decided that they wanted to give Festergut a try. The trash on the way to Festergut gave the team mini-convulsions because I think they were seeing much of it for the first time...but there were no wipes. After brief explanations of priorities and mob abilities, they seemed confident enough to keep pushing forward.
Bring on Precious! It's unfortunate that I describe this fight as if it was merely a speed bump...but it was. I told them what to do...they did it...the healing was good...the AoEing was good...Precious and her pretty pink bow found themselves lying on the floor ready to be skinned and trampled by Stinky. We did lose a few members of the raid because of the decimate/zombie spawn spam...but it was insignificant.
Stinky was a joke..and an even lower speed bump...as we went nearly full throttle right over the top of him.
On the way down the left hand side of the hallway, I found yet another trap to disarm, we killed one more Scientist and they got their first glimpse of Festergut.
The ventrilo rang with exclamations of how hideous he was, questions about how many eyes/mouths he had, and a very brief explanation of the fight. Once again the method being used was something I was unfamiliar with but seemed like it was worth a try before butting in with my two cents.
The first fight went surprisingly well, without Blood Lust we were able to take him below 50%.
The mechanic of the fight spawns two (on 10 man) spores over the heads of random raid members. Between those two members, the rest of the raid must make sure they are near one of the spores when it explodes to receive a debuff (that is actually a buff) called "Innoculated". Each stack of the debuff gives you a 25% reduction in damage when he exhales the gas from the room back into the room. The debuff stacks 3 times, giving you the potential (it's more of a necessity) to have 75% damage reduction from that ability. During the first attempt, I noticed some confusion and lost DPS time due to running to spores in random areas. Ultimately we wiped because he released the gas and the tanks had NO stacks of the debuff.
I quickly explained my former positioning and strategy and we re-engaged for a short lived attempt. There was apparently a bit of confusion that led to a very fast wipe. LOL.
Immediately following that, the raid leader announced that this would be our last attempt as we were pushing past the normally scheduled time.
Despite the confusion of parts of my explanation being nullified by the fact that spores tended to appear on some of the ranged DPS (vent calls easily were able to fix that.), the healing was superb and the tank swapping was perfect enough that we were able to drop Festergut with about a minute to spare on his enrage timer.
The excitement of my fellow raiders was apparent and extremely satisfying.
I definitely felt as though I was walking away having contributed as much of my knowledge, experience, and skill as I could to a really deserving and fantastically fun/nice group of people.
I thoroughly enjoyed myself in a raid with a much lighter, much less sinister mood than I'd become accustomed to with people who were REALLY willing to listen to suggestions and tactics rather than say they are willing and still do whatever the hell they want...
Next Tuesday I wont be with them as it's Heidi's first birthday, but I am really anxious to find out how they fare.
Monday, August 9, 2010
A Long, Pixilated Walk" -- by: Lanctharus
This need to be shared. :)Written SUPERBLY by Lanctharus
*******************************************************************************\
Hail, and well met, reader. Picture this, if your mind may allow it.
You’re a young man, just entering the workforce. You’ve done small jobs for a few people in your hometown- a few collected apples here, a few scorpions killed there. You’ve just branched out into the wider world, near the big city, and work is plentiful. Currently, you’re working on vanquishing a group of outspoken boars encroaching on your homeland.
From the corner of your eye, you catch a glimpse of a few people, off in the distance, walking toward you. As they come over the horizon, more and more follow. It’s an endless line, snaking from the edge of your field of vision to a few feet in front of you now, and they keep walking. They keep appearing in the distance.
The people you see passing you are as many and varied as the shapes of the desert pebbles under your sandals. All different races, sizes, shapes, colors, ages, some dressed in battle gear, some dressed in ceremonial garb. A few ride large, black bears- these seem to be protectors. Most walk in simple, understated clothing, much different from the thick armor you’re used to seeing people in. They all, however, wear red tabard cloth with gold leaves etched into it.
The line stretches from horizon to horizon, and you can no longer see the beginning of it. The end is nowhere in sight, either. You want to wonder aloud, but you find you can’t speak for amazement at the scene before you. An Elven woman in a dark blue dress steps out of the line. She rests a hand on your meaty shoulder, and gazes at you with glazed eyes. “We walk for our fallen,” she says, “for those who cannot walk themselves anymore.”
You’d noticed that some of the members of the procession were crying, and you nod to her, your tongue still captured by that elusive feline that rears its head on such occasions. “You’re welcome to join us, if you wish. Just please leave your weapon with one of the protectors, and be respectful.”
Quite a few people had that very experience on August second, just before midnight. The setting you just found yourself in is, of course, quite fantastical. This did not happen in the real, mundane world, and yet it did, at the same time. The line of bereaved souls, though, occurred in the massively popular online game, World of Warcraft.
Commonly known as WoW, World of Warcraft is, as most people know, a game. But it’s much more than that: it’s a powerful social medium. Players interact with people from around the globe in their daily online lives- getting a couple buddies together to go clean out a dungeon with somewhat powerful enemies, grouping up in teams of two, three or five to enter arena matches against other teams, or collaborating with twenty-four other skilled players to take on the hardest challenges in the game. Through this, networks are formed, and friendships are forged.
Within WoW, there is a system in which players can group together under one name, called a Guild. The guild is given a name, and players become members of that guild, and are granted access to all sorts of perks- a private text-chat channel in which you can talk to all of your guild members and nobody else, a storage vault for supplies for the guild, even the ability to design a logo to wear over your armor. I play WoW, and I am a member of a guild. That community is named Alea Iacta Est, latin for “The die has been cast”. On August second, that guild walked for close to an hour, to honor its fallen friends.
Back to our scenario: that fiendish feline finally frees your tongue, and you express a little shock at the idea of joining their march. “I’m not a member of the guild,” you say, “aren’t funerals private affairs?”
“It’s not a funeral. It’s a memorial service. C’mon, let’s find a good spot in the crowd.” She takes your hand and pulls you into the procession. Being used to sprinting everywhere (and it would be so much FASTER if you could ride one of those wolves the elders mount), you have to make a conscious effort to slow down and stroll with the rest of the group. As you both find your stride, she explains.
“On August second, 2007, our guild lost a dear friend. His name was Milliway, though some knew him as Bruce, as well. Sounds like a human name, doesn’t it?” Despite the occasion, she seems a little bubbly, and she certainly likes to chat. You nod respectfully, still feeling a little uncomfortable- you’ve never even heard of Milliway. “Anyway, we gathered at the Shrine of the Fallen Warrior that day, and we walked in his honor. He liked to stroll around and see stuff instead of just dashing by it on a mount, so we took his advice that day, and walked to see what he couldn’t see anymore.”
Touching story, of course, but you can’t help but wonder. “So, why are we walking now? Why so many, so many years later?”
Bruce Galloway was the first, but neither the last nor only member of Alea Iacta Est to pass on. After that first somber march from the Shrine to the Capital city, the day was pronounced the guild’s Memorial Day.
Most guilds in WoW are fairly small- some have ten members or less, others, close to a hundred. AIE is an exception to the rule. With the population of a small Midwestern town, AIE has seen its share of tragedy. Though Milliway started the tradition, the Guild Memorial Day honors all those who have passed away. Guild members, to be sure, and family members of the guild mates. Friends, lovers, coworkers, people who have never even heard of World of Warcraft are thought of on this day, as over a thousand pixilated avatars march across a hot desert to pay tribute to their fallen loved ones.
The journey started at the Shrine of the Fallen Warrior, a location added by WoW’s creators in memory of a developer who passed away during the game’s creation. On top of a hill , next to a mountain, in the Serengeti-inspired zone called The Barrens, a small stone altar sits, an Orc’s body laid peacefully upon it, the letters “MK” inscribed in the base. A ghostly angel floats in front of it, protecting the shrine. Anyone who moves their mouse over the angel will see that it is named Koiter- the surname of the developer who’s character rests there. The inscribed letters stand for Michael Koiter.
In front of Mr. Koiter’s memorial, the guild laid down their weapons (well, unequipped them,) and knelt. Many of them emoted crying, hugging each other, and mourning for the loss of the dead. The guild’s leader gave a short speech in the guild-only text channel. “Please never forget that your relationships are about people, not activities,” He said. “Your words are heard and your actions observed today by those who you may count on tomorrow. These relationships are real, and can be as beautiful as you make them”.
An incredible community it is indeed, as was immediately apparent from the size of the gathering, and as would grow more and more obvious as the event progressed. People from all over the world connected that night, held each other’s pixilated hands and offered their prayers. Mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, small children and old men, bankers, stockbrokers, teachers, students, minor celebrities and losers living in basements. One woman was online from the laptop in her hospital room, where she was between rounds of chemotherapy for a cancer relapse.
As the guild stood as one and began the long march toward the capital city of Orgrimmar, the guild’s text chat was alive with names and memories. People were writing messages saying, “I’m walking for my father, who died in a car accident last year.” or, “I’m walking for my friend John, who suffered an aneurism in march.” One member walked for his younger brother, a former player in the San Francisco 49’ers football team. Another walked for his son, who went to Iraq and never came back.
I walked with the guild that day, as a proud member. I walked to honor Bruce Galloway, who’s story came to me well before I was a member of the guild, and convinced me that I wanted to join. I walked to honor other fallen guildies that I did not know, had never met, and would not remember the names of. I walked for my father’s mother, a southern baptist hardass who died of old age three years ago. I walked for Snegurochka, a Russian WoW player in my former guild, who succumbed to Leukemia in early 2009. Had I but known, I would have walked for my employer’s mother, who died less than twelve hours after the event.
As you walk with the Elven woman in the dark blue dress and her thousands of comrades, you cannot help but hear laughter, and happy voices. Sure, some are crying, but many seem to be in good cheer. Your Elven companion is smiling, having just given a huge hug to an Orc woman you’ve both fallen in step with. You introduce yourself, to both women, and the newcomer to our little group greets you warmly. She digs into a small leather pouch at her side, pulls out a few salt-cured strips of bacon and offers one to you. I suggest you take it.
“I wish you could be in our voice chat,” says the elf, as she chews a small piece of the fatback. “The server’s full, though, which is a shame. It’s so much fun in there.” She points ahead, calling your attention to a member of the mysterious walking dead, a powerful looking being in a warlock’s robe and cowl. “That guy just extended an invitation to…” she cranes her neck. “Well, I can’t find her, but he’s invited another member to his wedding rehearsal dinner.”
If you were to hear what I heard in the voice chat server that evening, you would have heard that extended invitation. You would have heard jokes and laughter, the sound of true friends enjoying being together, some for the first time in months. You would have heard fond remembrances of Milliway- one member described the reason that they were walking: “He always said ‘you never mount up and run away after a battle. You walk away proudly, with your head held high.’”
You would have heard evidence that this community of walkers and gamers is more than just a collection of people who happen to play the same game. Stories of real-world meetings were told, offers to buy real-world drinks were made and accepted, plans of real-world get-togethers were hatched.
As the group neared its destination, spirits lifted even further. It was wondered how many people (in context, characters) could fit into the chambers of the city’s leader, which was where we were headed. The response- “I’m the fire marshall. PACK IT IN, DURNIT!” Laughter erupted, and continued until we all knelt in front of Thrall, leader of The Horde, the faction we claim loyalty to in the story of the game. A final prayer was offered silently by all in attendance, and then it was decided that we should go decimate the opposing faction’s cities in celebration- “in a half hour,” said the organizer of the raid. “If I don’t go have dinner first, my wife’ll kill me!”
While tears came to many eyes on the night of August second, 2010, this was not a sad event. The occasion was joyous and uplifting. New members of the community, like myself, were given a glance at how deep the roots of brother- and sisterhood can extend, even with a wall of technology between those surrogate siblings. Older members were able to get together with their friends and carry on the tradition. The elder statesmen of the group had the chance to honor the man they knew and loved, and played this fantastical game with. And while I never knew Bruce Galloway, and sadly never will, I have a feeling that he looked down from wherever he is (somewhere with the highest of high-speed internet, and the graphics are good), and smiled.
As for me, I looked back up at him, spoke the names of those I walked to honor, and thanked him for his life.
*******************************************************************************\
Hail, and well met, reader. Picture this, if your mind may allow it.
You’re a young man, just entering the workforce. You’ve done small jobs for a few people in your hometown- a few collected apples here, a few scorpions killed there. You’ve just branched out into the wider world, near the big city, and work is plentiful. Currently, you’re working on vanquishing a group of outspoken boars encroaching on your homeland.
From the corner of your eye, you catch a glimpse of a few people, off in the distance, walking toward you. As they come over the horizon, more and more follow. It’s an endless line, snaking from the edge of your field of vision to a few feet in front of you now, and they keep walking. They keep appearing in the distance.
The people you see passing you are as many and varied as the shapes of the desert pebbles under your sandals. All different races, sizes, shapes, colors, ages, some dressed in battle gear, some dressed in ceremonial garb. A few ride large, black bears- these seem to be protectors. Most walk in simple, understated clothing, much different from the thick armor you’re used to seeing people in. They all, however, wear red tabard cloth with gold leaves etched into it.
The line stretches from horizon to horizon, and you can no longer see the beginning of it. The end is nowhere in sight, either. You want to wonder aloud, but you find you can’t speak for amazement at the scene before you. An Elven woman in a dark blue dress steps out of the line. She rests a hand on your meaty shoulder, and gazes at you with glazed eyes. “We walk for our fallen,” she says, “for those who cannot walk themselves anymore.”
You’d noticed that some of the members of the procession were crying, and you nod to her, your tongue still captured by that elusive feline that rears its head on such occasions. “You’re welcome to join us, if you wish. Just please leave your weapon with one of the protectors, and be respectful.”
Quite a few people had that very experience on August second, just before midnight. The setting you just found yourself in is, of course, quite fantastical. This did not happen in the real, mundane world, and yet it did, at the same time. The line of bereaved souls, though, occurred in the massively popular online game, World of Warcraft.
Commonly known as WoW, World of Warcraft is, as most people know, a game. But it’s much more than that: it’s a powerful social medium. Players interact with people from around the globe in their daily online lives- getting a couple buddies together to go clean out a dungeon with somewhat powerful enemies, grouping up in teams of two, three or five to enter arena matches against other teams, or collaborating with twenty-four other skilled players to take on the hardest challenges in the game. Through this, networks are formed, and friendships are forged.
Within WoW, there is a system in which players can group together under one name, called a Guild. The guild is given a name, and players become members of that guild, and are granted access to all sorts of perks- a private text-chat channel in which you can talk to all of your guild members and nobody else, a storage vault for supplies for the guild, even the ability to design a logo to wear over your armor. I play WoW, and I am a member of a guild. That community is named Alea Iacta Est, latin for “The die has been cast”. On August second, that guild walked for close to an hour, to honor its fallen friends.
Back to our scenario: that fiendish feline finally frees your tongue, and you express a little shock at the idea of joining their march. “I’m not a member of the guild,” you say, “aren’t funerals private affairs?”
“It’s not a funeral. It’s a memorial service. C’mon, let’s find a good spot in the crowd.” She takes your hand and pulls you into the procession. Being used to sprinting everywhere (and it would be so much FASTER if you could ride one of those wolves the elders mount), you have to make a conscious effort to slow down and stroll with the rest of the group. As you both find your stride, she explains.
“On August second, 2007, our guild lost a dear friend. His name was Milliway, though some knew him as Bruce, as well. Sounds like a human name, doesn’t it?” Despite the occasion, she seems a little bubbly, and she certainly likes to chat. You nod respectfully, still feeling a little uncomfortable- you’ve never even heard of Milliway. “Anyway, we gathered at the Shrine of the Fallen Warrior that day, and we walked in his honor. He liked to stroll around and see stuff instead of just dashing by it on a mount, so we took his advice that day, and walked to see what he couldn’t see anymore.”
Touching story, of course, but you can’t help but wonder. “So, why are we walking now? Why so many, so many years later?”
Bruce Galloway was the first, but neither the last nor only member of Alea Iacta Est to pass on. After that first somber march from the Shrine to the Capital city, the day was pronounced the guild’s Memorial Day.
Most guilds in WoW are fairly small- some have ten members or less, others, close to a hundred. AIE is an exception to the rule. With the population of a small Midwestern town, AIE has seen its share of tragedy. Though Milliway started the tradition, the Guild Memorial Day honors all those who have passed away. Guild members, to be sure, and family members of the guild mates. Friends, lovers, coworkers, people who have never even heard of World of Warcraft are thought of on this day, as over a thousand pixilated avatars march across a hot desert to pay tribute to their fallen loved ones.
The journey started at the Shrine of the Fallen Warrior, a location added by WoW’s creators in memory of a developer who passed away during the game’s creation. On top of a hill , next to a mountain, in the Serengeti-inspired zone called The Barrens, a small stone altar sits, an Orc’s body laid peacefully upon it, the letters “MK” inscribed in the base. A ghostly angel floats in front of it, protecting the shrine. Anyone who moves their mouse over the angel will see that it is named Koiter- the surname of the developer who’s character rests there. The inscribed letters stand for Michael Koiter.
In front of Mr. Koiter’s memorial, the guild laid down their weapons (well, unequipped them,) and knelt. Many of them emoted crying, hugging each other, and mourning for the loss of the dead. The guild’s leader gave a short speech in the guild-only text channel. “Please never forget that your relationships are about people, not activities,” He said. “Your words are heard and your actions observed today by those who you may count on tomorrow. These relationships are real, and can be as beautiful as you make them”.
An incredible community it is indeed, as was immediately apparent from the size of the gathering, and as would grow more and more obvious as the event progressed. People from all over the world connected that night, held each other’s pixilated hands and offered their prayers. Mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, small children and old men, bankers, stockbrokers, teachers, students, minor celebrities and losers living in basements. One woman was online from the laptop in her hospital room, where she was between rounds of chemotherapy for a cancer relapse.
As the guild stood as one and began the long march toward the capital city of Orgrimmar, the guild’s text chat was alive with names and memories. People were writing messages saying, “I’m walking for my father, who died in a car accident last year.” or, “I’m walking for my friend John, who suffered an aneurism in march.” One member walked for his younger brother, a former player in the San Francisco 49’ers football team. Another walked for his son, who went to Iraq and never came back.
I walked with the guild that day, as a proud member. I walked to honor Bruce Galloway, who’s story came to me well before I was a member of the guild, and convinced me that I wanted to join. I walked to honor other fallen guildies that I did not know, had never met, and would not remember the names of. I walked for my father’s mother, a southern baptist hardass who died of old age three years ago. I walked for Snegurochka, a Russian WoW player in my former guild, who succumbed to Leukemia in early 2009. Had I but known, I would have walked for my employer’s mother, who died less than twelve hours after the event.
As you walk with the Elven woman in the dark blue dress and her thousands of comrades, you cannot help but hear laughter, and happy voices. Sure, some are crying, but many seem to be in good cheer. Your Elven companion is smiling, having just given a huge hug to an Orc woman you’ve both fallen in step with. You introduce yourself, to both women, and the newcomer to our little group greets you warmly. She digs into a small leather pouch at her side, pulls out a few salt-cured strips of bacon and offers one to you. I suggest you take it.
“I wish you could be in our voice chat,” says the elf, as she chews a small piece of the fatback. “The server’s full, though, which is a shame. It’s so much fun in there.” She points ahead, calling your attention to a member of the mysterious walking dead, a powerful looking being in a warlock’s robe and cowl. “That guy just extended an invitation to…” she cranes her neck. “Well, I can’t find her, but he’s invited another member to his wedding rehearsal dinner.”
If you were to hear what I heard in the voice chat server that evening, you would have heard that extended invitation. You would have heard jokes and laughter, the sound of true friends enjoying being together, some for the first time in months. You would have heard fond remembrances of Milliway- one member described the reason that they were walking: “He always said ‘you never mount up and run away after a battle. You walk away proudly, with your head held high.’”
You would have heard evidence that this community of walkers and gamers is more than just a collection of people who happen to play the same game. Stories of real-world meetings were told, offers to buy real-world drinks were made and accepted, plans of real-world get-togethers were hatched.
As the group neared its destination, spirits lifted even further. It was wondered how many people (in context, characters) could fit into the chambers of the city’s leader, which was where we were headed. The response- “I’m the fire marshall. PACK IT IN, DURNIT!” Laughter erupted, and continued until we all knelt in front of Thrall, leader of The Horde, the faction we claim loyalty to in the story of the game. A final prayer was offered silently by all in attendance, and then it was decided that we should go decimate the opposing faction’s cities in celebration- “in a half hour,” said the organizer of the raid. “If I don’t go have dinner first, my wife’ll kill me!”
While tears came to many eyes on the night of August second, 2010, this was not a sad event. The occasion was joyous and uplifting. New members of the community, like myself, were given a glance at how deep the roots of brother- and sisterhood can extend, even with a wall of technology between those surrogate siblings. Older members were able to get together with their friends and carry on the tradition. The elder statesmen of the group had the chance to honor the man they knew and loved, and played this fantastical game with. And while I never knew Bruce Galloway, and sadly never will, I have a feeling that he looked down from wherever he is (somewhere with the highest of high-speed internet, and the graphics are good), and smiled.
As for me, I looked back up at him, spoke the names of those I walked to honor, and thanked him for his life.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Goodbye Perseverance, Hello alea iacta est!
Earlier this week I paid the $25 to move Kelenya over from the Llane realm to the Earthen Ring realm to join the famed guild "alea iacta est".
During the change I was told that the name Kelenya was taken on that realm, so I was asked to rename her. Well, I figured it was high time to stop being the statistic of a dude playing a hot blood elf chick....and give her a character re-customization into a male. She was renamed "Suhli" and transformed into a male.
Very nice transition. With the two girls I already have in my life, I was finding that the love affair with the third was wearing thin anyways. :)
Joining alea iacta est has changed the face of World of Warcraft for me. It's gone from being in an intense situation where my absence caused consequences for other people and negative attitudes from self-proclaimed "good people" to arise to being in a more relaxed environment with a larger community that is OK with me playing the game at the pace I want to. (Which honestly is the essence behind a subscription...you should never feel forced to do anything beyond what you want to do...it's your money.)
Originally I intended to keep my other characters active on Llane, but quickly realized how annoying and unfriendly the people had become in comparison to AIE. Thus, I've elected to play Suhli, at my own comfortable pace, in the presence of other people who are aware that the internet is not SRSBZNS. (Whilst being able to allocate far more time to my family that I enjoy being around more and more.)
Suhli was recruited as an alternate into two raid teams.
"Insane Horde Posse" is a 10 man raiding team that appears to be taking a beginners dive into Icecrown Citadel. They look to have cleared the first wing. I'm excited that I can bring utility (being able to find traps) and experience (I'm 8/12 in ICC) to this team and look forward to continuing to enjoy raiding as a more "light-hearted" and fun event.
"That's What She Said" is a 25 man raiding team. I have a little less faith that I'll be selected out of the alternates for that one because they have several melee DPS...but should I be called on, I look forward to meeting 24 new people who also have the same idea about raiding as I do.
This was a great move...I have to say...coming home and eating dinner before being immediately involved in a raid multiple nights a week has been nothing short of WELCOMED.
More to come...
TWSS - Saturday 8 PM - 12 PM EST
IHP - Tuesday 9 PM - 11 PM
During the change I was told that the name Kelenya was taken on that realm, so I was asked to rename her. Well, I figured it was high time to stop being the statistic of a dude playing a hot blood elf chick....and give her a character re-customization into a male. She was renamed "Suhli" and transformed into a male.
Very nice transition. With the two girls I already have in my life, I was finding that the love affair with the third was wearing thin anyways. :)
Joining alea iacta est has changed the face of World of Warcraft for me. It's gone from being in an intense situation where my absence caused consequences for other people and negative attitudes from self-proclaimed "good people" to arise to being in a more relaxed environment with a larger community that is OK with me playing the game at the pace I want to. (Which honestly is the essence behind a subscription...you should never feel forced to do anything beyond what you want to do...it's your money.)
Originally I intended to keep my other characters active on Llane, but quickly realized how annoying and unfriendly the people had become in comparison to AIE. Thus, I've elected to play Suhli, at my own comfortable pace, in the presence of other people who are aware that the internet is not SRSBZNS. (Whilst being able to allocate far more time to my family that I enjoy being around more and more.)
Suhli was recruited as an alternate into two raid teams.
"Insane Horde Posse" is a 10 man raiding team that appears to be taking a beginners dive into Icecrown Citadel. They look to have cleared the first wing. I'm excited that I can bring utility (being able to find traps) and experience (I'm 8/12 in ICC) to this team and look forward to continuing to enjoy raiding as a more "light-hearted" and fun event.
"That's What She Said" is a 25 man raiding team. I have a little less faith that I'll be selected out of the alternates for that one because they have several melee DPS...but should I be called on, I look forward to meeting 24 new people who also have the same idea about raiding as I do.
This was a great move...I have to say...coming home and eating dinner before being immediately involved in a raid multiple nights a week has been nothing short of WELCOMED.
More to come...
TWSS - Saturday 8 PM - 12 PM EST
IHP - Tuesday 9 PM - 11 PM
Monday, May 17, 2010
Yellow Tail Shiraz: Review
For a relatively low price, this wine falls under the category of "must buy".
Abundant in flavor and with a beautiful aroma, I found this wine to turn my pork into a delicacy that I encourage every person who drinks to experience.
While not quite as "fruity" as White Zinfadel, the combination of flavor and bite in this wine made it a perfect companion with food. I tried it with french toast (lush!), PB toast, and pork and white rice. While still better with food, I found it to be a better addition to the pork (though none of them were bad at all).
I didn't dislike it as a sipping wine (w/out food) but I found it less enjoyable than the light, fruity tasting White Z....that seemed to be a very nice wine to casually sip on during our Icecrown Citadel run last week. :oP
Abundant in flavor and with a beautiful aroma, I found this wine to turn my pork into a delicacy that I encourage every person who drinks to experience.
While not quite as "fruity" as White Zinfadel, the combination of flavor and bite in this wine made it a perfect companion with food. I tried it with french toast (lush!), PB toast, and pork and white rice. While still better with food, I found it to be a better addition to the pork (though none of them were bad at all).
I didn't dislike it as a sipping wine (w/out food) but I found it less enjoyable than the light, fruity tasting White Z....that seemed to be a very nice wine to casually sip on during our Icecrown Citadel run last week. :oP
Friday, May 14, 2010
Day 3
Three days into my latest adventure.
Last night I decided that I would prefer the trim and proper look over something savage and homeless-looking......therefore I went ahead and trimmed the wild hairs and established an actually lip line.
My cheeks have started to sparsely cover with hair but they have a ways to go in order to catch up with my goatee.
The hair has gone from a brittle, spikey feel to a more relaxed softer feel. It's still quite rough, but I can feel it starting to soften out. This has been without the use of conditioner...which I plan to apply liberally as the next 177 days unfold.
Last night I decided that I would prefer the trim and proper look over something savage and homeless-looking......therefore I went ahead and trimmed the wild hairs and established an actually lip line.
My cheeks have started to sparsely cover with hair but they have a ways to go in order to catch up with my goatee.
The hair has gone from a brittle, spikey feel to a more relaxed softer feel. It's still quite rough, but I can feel it starting to soften out. This has been without the use of conditioner...which I plan to apply liberally as the next 177 days unfold.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Day 2: (I ate Day 1)
Day 2 of what?
I have made a personal goal of NOT shaving my beard for 180 days.
Why?
No particular reason...it just seems like everyone capable of growing a full Grizzly Adams beard should at least try it out once in their life.
Will you keep it?
Probably not.
I have made a personal goal of NOT shaving my beard for 180 days.
Why?
No particular reason...it just seems like everyone capable of growing a full Grizzly Adams beard should at least try it out once in their life.
Will you keep it?
Probably not.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
...
So, all World of Warcraft news aside -- I think it's time for an update on my life (because lately I've been leaving out my friends and family)
During our move to the new apartment, my digital camera (and I) found out that it didn't have a self-deploying parachute installed.....as such, even the short 5 feet it fell proved to be sufficient enough to render it incapable of functioning. Damn the bad luck. If anyone knows how I am or has guessed from my Facebook -- I'm somewhat of a shutterbug and really, really into the technology that allows me to take a picture and share it with all my family and friends. (Hence, the reason I have so many albums on both MySpace and Facebook.)
I love the idea that people I DON'T see regularly can still become ♫♫ accustomed to my face...♫♫ (<3 My Fair Lady) Alas, it's broken and that fact is incredibly LAME.
The new apartment is fantastic.
The people who live above us are a family of Brachiosaurs(es) who spend most of their day doing jumping jacks and practicing their backflips...but that is largely inconsequential (until one falls through the roof and suffocates my dog..........then it's ON!)
Unfortunately, after much effort, we were unable to get DIRECTV installed in our place, so we ended up staying with Time Warner Cable. Time Warner is the provider for the area and is already providing me with internet and phone...so it was easier to just continue with their bundle package than it was to get yet ANOTHER vendor involved in the hullabaloo....
If you've paid attention to my Facebook feeds or this blog at all, you'll have seen the video of Heidi crawling already. She's zipping around the house and getting into everything. It's actually quite exciting and terrifying at the same time. Along with the ability to crawl also came an understanding of how to pull herself up on objects into a standing position. Far LESS exciting than terrifying, IMHO, but apparently something I've already done once...
Jimmi(cito) is doing very well. His teacher called me the other day to tell me how wonderful he was doing. He's still very timid and seems to not grasp the concept of standing up for himself. Aside from all of that, he seems to be understanding the idea that his step-mom is his mom and Heidi is his only true sister. I'm very grateful for that but I hope the feeling of family continues to grow in him so that he understands it's importance more than he does now.
Paola is doing very well, most people question how she can look so good after having a baby. Heidi is 8 months now and Pao has lost all of her "pregnancy weight" and more...she continues to have the utmost patience for all of us and her selflessness reminds me of how lucky we are to have her in our lives. :)
Soon, Jimmi will be going back to Beaumont Elementary...the school he originally attended. I'm really happy about this because the drive is less cumbersome and I really feel like he has a better opportunity to thrive socially in that school.
:) -- I walked away and lost my train of thought...
During our move to the new apartment, my digital camera (and I) found out that it didn't have a self-deploying parachute installed.....as such, even the short 5 feet it fell proved to be sufficient enough to render it incapable of functioning. Damn the bad luck. If anyone knows how I am or has guessed from my Facebook -- I'm somewhat of a shutterbug and really, really into the technology that allows me to take a picture and share it with all my family and friends. (Hence, the reason I have so many albums on both MySpace and Facebook.)
I love the idea that people I DON'T see regularly can still become ♫♫ accustomed to my face...♫♫ (<3 My Fair Lady) Alas, it's broken and that fact is incredibly LAME.
The new apartment is fantastic.
The people who live above us are a family of Brachiosaurs(es) who spend most of their day doing jumping jacks and practicing their backflips...but that is largely inconsequential (until one falls through the roof and suffocates my dog..........then it's ON!)
Unfortunately, after much effort, we were unable to get DIRECTV installed in our place, so we ended up staying with Time Warner Cable. Time Warner is the provider for the area and is already providing me with internet and phone...so it was easier to just continue with their bundle package than it was to get yet ANOTHER vendor involved in the hullabaloo....
If you've paid attention to my Facebook feeds or this blog at all, you'll have seen the video of Heidi crawling already. She's zipping around the house and getting into everything. It's actually quite exciting and terrifying at the same time. Along with the ability to crawl also came an understanding of how to pull herself up on objects into a standing position. Far LESS exciting than terrifying, IMHO, but apparently something I've already done once...
Jimmi(cito) is doing very well. His teacher called me the other day to tell me how wonderful he was doing. He's still very timid and seems to not grasp the concept of standing up for himself. Aside from all of that, he seems to be understanding the idea that his step-mom is his mom and Heidi is his only true sister. I'm very grateful for that but I hope the feeling of family continues to grow in him so that he understands it's importance more than he does now.
Paola is doing very well, most people question how she can look so good after having a baby. Heidi is 8 months now and Pao has lost all of her "pregnancy weight" and more...she continues to have the utmost patience for all of us and her selflessness reminds me of how lucky we are to have her in our lives. :)
Soon, Jimmi will be going back to Beaumont Elementary...the school he originally attended. I'm really happy about this because the drive is less cumbersome and I really feel like he has a better opportunity to thrive socially in that school.
:) -- I walked away and lost my train of thought...
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
A Few Notes:
First and foremost, my baby girl, Heidi, decided that she was no longer content with a life of immobility and has elected to start crawling around the house. (Getting into positions and stuff that are usually not what I would have recommended...)
That being said, sometimes over the course of the next........well........forever......I might seem semi distracted when we're playing. :) I juggled that with healing last night and although we did lose a few, I didn't feel like it was completely my fault.
There's been a recent influx of players into the guild and an increase in the interest of ICC raids. (Of course, we've proven we can do it!) I've gone ahead and outlined what I'd like to do to accommodate this, but also, I wouldn't mind recommendations.
I actually believe that we have enough active members and raiders that we could likely get a second ICC group going. This week Lord Marrowgar is the weekly...so I'd really like to see the first 4 bosses go down tonight...and the second group go in tomorrow.
We may not have enough of each class to make a full second group, so we will likely have to PUG a spot or two. :)
In the interest of fairness, we do need to make sure that we rotate a player or two out of the "core" group that does ICC...but not so many that the entire raid's makeup is transformed. I believe it is wiser for us to KEEP the core/initial ICC group as intact as possible and begin working on forming a secondary group.
I thought about this long and hard. I didn't want to make anyone feel UNWELCOMED or keep anyone OUT of any content they want to see. When it comes time to form that raid, we'll go ahead and discuss how to rotate people in whilst still maintaining the balance we had originally.
This is going to be rocky for a week or two. Please bear with us while we figure it out and please do your BEST to not get offended. I promise you now, it was not intentional. We have a good solid core of active officers and I have alot of faith that we'll get it right quick.
As for the second group, I'm actually excited about making this a reality...I feel like this might also be a great way for us to recruit members...people may come over if they see we're doing stuff.
Marching Orders For The Week:
Down the first wing of ICC
Get your easy badge in The Plagueworks
At that point, the raid can decide what they'd like to do. I recommend Festergut, though there are mini bosses on the way there. Next Monday I will post strats for those fights -- since Marrowgar is the weekly and that makes him worth SEVEN Frost Badges..........priority
That being said, sometimes over the course of the next........well........forever......I might seem semi distracted when we're playing. :) I juggled that with healing last night and although we did lose a few, I didn't feel like it was completely my fault.
There's been a recent influx of players into the guild and an increase in the interest of ICC raids. (Of course, we've proven we can do it!) I've gone ahead and outlined what I'd like to do to accommodate this, but also, I wouldn't mind recommendations.
I actually believe that we have enough active members and raiders that we could likely get a second ICC group going. This week Lord Marrowgar is the weekly...so I'd really like to see the first 4 bosses go down tonight...and the second group go in tomorrow.
We may not have enough of each class to make a full second group, so we will likely have to PUG a spot or two. :)
In the interest of fairness, we do need to make sure that we rotate a player or two out of the "core" group that does ICC...but not so many that the entire raid's makeup is transformed. I believe it is wiser for us to KEEP the core/initial ICC group as intact as possible and begin working on forming a secondary group.
I thought about this long and hard. I didn't want to make anyone feel UNWELCOMED or keep anyone OUT of any content they want to see. When it comes time to form that raid, we'll go ahead and discuss how to rotate people in whilst still maintaining the balance we had originally.
This is going to be rocky for a week or two. Please bear with us while we figure it out and please do your BEST to not get offended. I promise you now, it was not intentional. We have a good solid core of active officers and I have alot of faith that we'll get it right quick.
As for the second group, I'm actually excited about making this a reality...I feel like this might also be a great way for us to recruit members...people may come over if they see we're doing stuff.
Marching Orders For The Week:
Down the first wing of ICC
Get your easy badge in The Plagueworks
At that point, the raid can decide what they'd like to do. I recommend Festergut, though there are mini bosses on the way there. Next Monday I will post strats for those fights -- since Marrowgar is the weekly and that makes him worth SEVEN Frost Badges..........priority
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
How Gaming Is Intended To Be
I remember, as a kid, being bet $5 by my parent's friend that I couldn't reach level 100 in Stealth ATF Fighter .. this was by no measure to be considered a small feat during the time where many games didn't have the option to "continue" after your 3 lives were up. It would obviously be a frustrating time for anyone to try to play for that long without dying and even then, even if you were on lvl 99, if your last life was consumed, it was over.
I promptly one-shot it. $5 = 10 Jack In The Box tacos these days. Clearly a significant sum of money for a child. (Though I had not yet discovered the wonder that is Jack In The Box)
Not only was there the monetary reward, but the sense of accomplishment, even for something as simple as reaching level 100 on a C rated, repetative, yet rare Nintendo game is something that I have carried through life as an example of my resolve, as an example of a time when I exemplified the word tattooed on my right wrist: Perseverance
(Aha! You knew this would find a way to tie into WoW!)
Brief rundown:
Starting Wednesday night, the guild ventured forth into Icecrown Citadel. Little did anyone know just how much we all wanted to win this.
After being told "we couldn't" for long enough, I had grown very anxious to prove the naysayers wrong. There was much drama that ensued when the vast majority of Requiem of Decay decided it best to come over to Perseverance. There were many upset people (who conveniently were NOT invited due to their severe, SEVERE mental incapability) and there were /whisper Kelenya's that said we'd NEVER see the inside of ICC and our guild would FAIL.There were times that real life kept several members away, and still does, and we went through a period where things were very stagnant in the early parts of our conception.
Those whispers haunted me. Everytime I logged on I was always afraid to look at our guild log and find a mass exodus, the same way we had done to Requiem of Decay. I really believed we had the right foundation, I just couldn't imagine them wanting to continue to pay for content they were never seeing. (No matter how awesome we are)
Fast Forward:
Recruiting has been done, officers have been appointed (very good ones, I might add) and the guild is observing a far more regular schedule. This week: Wednesday/Thursday Icecrown Citadel 10 man.
I don't know what the expectations of everyone were. We'd taken a few pokes, unsuccessful pokes, at Lord Marrowgar (that usually ended up somehow landing right back in our OWN eyes). While I feel like the videos and information Shannon had posted were insanely useful, I didn't really know if everyone would adhere to the coordination that is required to down that encounter. (Plus, not everyone will go to the Guild Portal site....some refuse...) In the end, Lord Marrowgar lay in a heap of bones on the floor after only one attempt. A one-shot. I felt very good about this, and even though that big three-headed asshole didn't drop my axe, I was happy to see that the loot that was being dealt out was stuff that was useful to people.
On to Lady Deathwhisper, this is where the resolve, dedication, and communication of this group REALLY showed through to me. (This is also where I began to realize that the illness I had was actually SUPERAIDSARRHEA and I was gunna start having trouble soon) I didn't keep track, I don't know how many times we failed, but no one, NO ONE even suggested calling the raid and trying again some other time. After every attempt it was "What did we do wrong? What can we do different? Who DID put the bump in the bump-dee-bumpty-bump?" By the time we were finished with that, we did it so easily that I could definitely see us downing that fight as well on a weekly basis.
Next up: Lootshi...er Gunship Battle! The same process that had taken place on Lady Deathwhisper took place here, but with less failures. After each attempt there was discussion about what we could do differently or what mechanic we weren't doing so good at. In the end, Skybreaker sank to the ground (as aforementioned, with Kelenya's mangled body onboard)...and the party arrived at Deathbringer's Rise to face Deathbringer Saurfang.
Deathbringer Saurfang was NOT an easy fight, and the first night, as it got later, we didn't finish it....we decided that while we were progressing, we had far overachieved our expectations for the night and we'd come back on Thursday and attempt him.
I went to bed Wednesday night very proud of the progress we'd made. I always knew in my heart of heart's that we could do this despite what I'd been told. I wanted to believe it...they gave me what I wanted: proof that my desires were realizations.
Thursday morning came. (Sadly...FYI..Douglas Adams has proclaimed that the world will end on a Thursday...) I spent part of my morning looking at video of the Deathbringer Saurfang encounter and reading up on it. (Then aptly posted this information on Guild Portal!) Time passed, I got home, we did Vault of Archavon while waiting for our snuggly-wuggly chicken-bear-dude, Twinleaf, to show up.....and then we got back after it.
We really struggled on that fight. We failed time and time again...but the true perseverance of Perseverance (lol! That will never get old) shone through. No matter how many times we tried, we always seemed to be willing to try again and try something else...even to the extent of one of our members swapping toons for the sake of the group on that run.
Right before the final attempt, I remember Neytiry saying with great confidence, "We've got this next time guys."
Every attempt seemed to get us closer, and we engaged for the final time that night. The mechanics of the fight were being handled well, everyone was doing appropriate DPS, and the tanks were getting healed well.
I heard Anodomini's voice at 30%, "Keep it up guys."
15%, "Good job guys, keep it up, we've got this."
9%, there is a ball in my throat the size of the state I was born in. (If you don't know, it's a rather large state...)
Scrolled all the way out at 4%, I'm looking at what's going on. The ranged DPS are frantically scrambling about trying to avoid but kill the adds. The healers are now in a constant spam of big heals on our tanks....
I glance back to Deathbringer Saurfang just in time to see the achievement for downing him and clearing that wing of the Citadel pop up. Immediately, my face buried itself in my hands. Emotions wracked my body as I thought about each and every member of the raid and how well I've grown to know them each individually. This was a well fought, hard sought after, extremely profound victory for our "little guild".
From a group of players who were told they couldn't, to a group of players that DID...and all along the way, strengthening friendships forged over the little chat room with a theme, World of Warcraft. :o)
Having done this only proves that we can continue to. The sense of accomplishment is huge. The pride I have in our members is unparalleled ... I can think of no better name for a guild that exhibited the traits these guys have in the last couple of days than the one we have:
Perseverance
I promptly one-shot it. $5 = 10 Jack In The Box tacos these days. Clearly a significant sum of money for a child. (Though I had not yet discovered the wonder that is Jack In The Box)
Not only was there the monetary reward, but the sense of accomplishment, even for something as simple as reaching level 100 on a C rated, repetative, yet rare Nintendo game is something that I have carried through life as an example of my resolve, as an example of a time when I exemplified the word tattooed on my right wrist: Perseverance
(Aha! You knew this would find a way to tie into WoW!)
Brief rundown:
Starting Wednesday night, the guild ventured forth into Icecrown Citadel. Little did anyone know just how much we all wanted to win this.
After being told "we couldn't" for long enough, I had grown very anxious to prove the naysayers wrong. There was much drama that ensued when the vast majority of Requiem of Decay decided it best to come over to Perseverance. There were many upset people (who conveniently were NOT invited due to their severe, SEVERE mental incapability) and there were /whisper Kelenya's that said we'd NEVER see the inside of ICC and our guild would FAIL.There were times that real life kept several members away, and still does, and we went through a period where things were very stagnant in the early parts of our conception.
Those whispers haunted me. Everytime I logged on I was always afraid to look at our guild log and find a mass exodus, the same way we had done to Requiem of Decay. I really believed we had the right foundation, I just couldn't imagine them wanting to continue to pay for content they were never seeing. (No matter how awesome we are)
Fast Forward:
Recruiting has been done, officers have been appointed (very good ones, I might add) and the guild is observing a far more regular schedule. This week: Wednesday/Thursday Icecrown Citadel 10 man.
I don't know what the expectations of everyone were. We'd taken a few pokes, unsuccessful pokes, at Lord Marrowgar (that usually ended up somehow landing right back in our OWN eyes). While I feel like the videos and information Shannon had posted were insanely useful, I didn't really know if everyone would adhere to the coordination that is required to down that encounter. (Plus, not everyone will go to the Guild Portal site....some refuse...) In the end, Lord Marrowgar lay in a heap of bones on the floor after only one attempt. A one-shot. I felt very good about this, and even though that big three-headed asshole didn't drop my axe, I was happy to see that the loot that was being dealt out was stuff that was useful to people.
On to Lady Deathwhisper, this is where the resolve, dedication, and communication of this group REALLY showed through to me. (This is also where I began to realize that the illness I had was actually SUPERAIDSARRHEA and I was gunna start having trouble soon) I didn't keep track, I don't know how many times we failed, but no one, NO ONE even suggested calling the raid and trying again some other time. After every attempt it was "What did we do wrong? What can we do different? Who DID put the bump in the bump-dee-bumpty-bump?" By the time we were finished with that, we did it so easily that I could definitely see us downing that fight as well on a weekly basis.
Next up: Lootshi...er Gunship Battle! The same process that had taken place on Lady Deathwhisper took place here, but with less failures. After each attempt there was discussion about what we could do differently or what mechanic we weren't doing so good at. In the end, Skybreaker sank to the ground (as aforementioned, with Kelenya's mangled body onboard)...and the party arrived at Deathbringer's Rise to face Deathbringer Saurfang.
Deathbringer Saurfang was NOT an easy fight, and the first night, as it got later, we didn't finish it....we decided that while we were progressing, we had far overachieved our expectations for the night and we'd come back on Thursday and attempt him.
I went to bed Wednesday night very proud of the progress we'd made. I always knew in my heart of heart's that we could do this despite what I'd been told. I wanted to believe it...they gave me what I wanted: proof that my desires were realizations.
Thursday morning came. (Sadly...FYI..Douglas Adams has proclaimed that the world will end on a Thursday...) I spent part of my morning looking at video of the Deathbringer Saurfang encounter and reading up on it. (Then aptly posted this information on Guild Portal!) Time passed, I got home, we did Vault of Archavon while waiting for our snuggly-wuggly chicken-bear-dude, Twinleaf, to show up.....and then we got back after it.
We really struggled on that fight. We failed time and time again...but the true perseverance of Perseverance (lol! That will never get old) shone through. No matter how many times we tried, we always seemed to be willing to try again and try something else...even to the extent of one of our members swapping toons for the sake of the group on that run.
Right before the final attempt, I remember Neytiry saying with great confidence, "We've got this next time guys."
Every attempt seemed to get us closer, and we engaged for the final time that night. The mechanics of the fight were being handled well, everyone was doing appropriate DPS, and the tanks were getting healed well.
I heard Anodomini's voice at 30%, "Keep it up guys."
15%, "Good job guys, keep it up, we've got this."
9%, there is a ball in my throat the size of the state I was born in. (If you don't know, it's a rather large state...)
Scrolled all the way out at 4%, I'm looking at what's going on. The ranged DPS are frantically scrambling about trying to avoid but kill the adds. The healers are now in a constant spam of big heals on our tanks....
I glance back to Deathbringer Saurfang just in time to see the achievement for downing him and clearing that wing of the Citadel pop up. Immediately, my face buried itself in my hands. Emotions wracked my body as I thought about each and every member of the raid and how well I've grown to know them each individually. This was a well fought, hard sought after, extremely profound victory for our "little guild".
From a group of players who were told they couldn't, to a group of players that DID...and all along the way, strengthening friendships forged over the little chat room with a theme, World of Warcraft. :o)
Having done this only proves that we can continue to. The sense of accomplishment is huge. The pride I have in our members is unparalleled ... I can think of no better name for a guild that exhibited the traits these guys have in the last couple of days than the one we have:
Perseverance
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Perseverance's Progress
From the very humble beginnings of a guild that worried about getting the Weekly Raids done to an efficient, lively, and fun group of raiders that are progressing and moving through ICC 10..........that's the course of evolution our guild has followed.
There were times in our very brief history where I wondered if we were going to lose people because we weren't getting this done, I'm happy to say that as of NOW, I no longer feel that way.
Last night the guild showed it's progress in the form of one shotting the very position/coordination oriented Lord Marrowgar, moved on to Lady Deathwhisper, evolved our strategy until we found something that worked...then Mgsnake dropped 5 million DPS (for srs, I saw it. It were radimous, Dawg!) After a few attempts at LD and eventually finding the proper strategy for us, we moved on to what has become easily my FAVORITE fight in WoW -- The Gunship Battle.
A few failures and adjustments later Skybreaker crashed to the earth (is it earth? It's on Azeroth...) with Kelenya's badly mangled body on board...
All in all, I would have to admit that our accomplishments have exceeded my expectations and I am very happy about that. We're pretty much on schedule for the plans I laid out month ago...........somewhere on the forums I said that I'd like to see us attempting the Gunship Battle in April............it's April, we downed it. :)
Let's get our legs under us for this first wing and start working toward the next one. :)
There were times in our very brief history where I wondered if we were going to lose people because we weren't getting this done, I'm happy to say that as of NOW, I no longer feel that way.
Last night the guild showed it's progress in the form of one shotting the very position/coordination oriented Lord Marrowgar, moved on to Lady Deathwhisper, evolved our strategy until we found something that worked...then Mgsnake dropped 5 million DPS (for srs, I saw it. It were radimous, Dawg!) After a few attempts at LD and eventually finding the proper strategy for us, we moved on to what has become easily my FAVORITE fight in WoW -- The Gunship Battle.
A few failures and adjustments later Skybreaker crashed to the earth (is it earth? It's on Azeroth...) with Kelenya's badly mangled body on board...
All in all, I would have to admit that our accomplishments have exceeded my expectations and I am very happy about that. We're pretty much on schedule for the plans I laid out month ago...........somewhere on the forums I said that I'd like to see us attempting the Gunship Battle in April............it's April, we downed it. :)
Let's get our legs under us for this first wing and start working toward the next one. :)
Friday, April 16, 2010
One Hitter Quitter
Last night, like a heavyweight champion (pre- the division turning into two really huge dudes sweating all over each other while they hugged for 12 rounds) we went in and did Onyxia and the Weekly nearly flawlessly with a "quasi" makeshift group. :)
Patchwerk is nothing overly special (especially with Mgsnake dumping 203987203892398 dps these days) but I was quite proud of the progress that has been shown in the one-shotting of Ony. We had one PUG member who had never OTed it before, but I was quite content at how easily and quickly the fight went. In fact, a few people even got my FAVORITE Onyxia achievement!
She Deep Breaths More!
Yay for not standing in the fire!
Patchwerk is nothing overly special (especially with Mgsnake dumping 203987203892398 dps these days) but I was quite proud of the progress that has been shown in the one-shotting of Ony. We had one PUG member who had never OTed it before, but I was quite content at how easily and quickly the fight went. In fact, a few people even got my FAVORITE Onyxia achievement!
She Deep Breaths More!
Yay for not standing in the fire!
Friday, April 9, 2010
I Used to Write...
There was a stretch of a couple of years where it was very, very easy for me to write. Songs, poems, stories, blogs........it all seemed to flow from my fingertips. Now though, it feels as though that talent has left me. I'm not sure if the "talent" left or if the will to do it and the inspiration to write things has vanished.
I'd call it writer's block, but that doesn't seem right because if I actually set my mind to it, I can write. I just don't.
After much thought and contemplation, I've come to the following conclusions about this matter:
1. I'm still good with words.
2. Happiness has eliminated the need to use writing to fill a void by completely eliminating the reason the void was there in the first place.
3. Writing while unhappy is far easier than writing when you are happy. (No wonder they commit suicide and do drugs...)
4. Donuts combined with coffee are essential to the continued success and productivity exhibited by employees. (Once a week, at least.)
So, it's clear to see that the reason I DON'T write as much anymore is because, despite my own financial woes (COMMON), my enjoyment level of Life has increased exponentially. (See my Facebook page if you wonder why...)
(I'm not sure what #4 has to do with anything, but at the moment, as my teeth sank into the flak(e)y dough of this delectable pastry...it seemed VERY important as I washed it down with bean juice...)
I'd call it writer's block, but that doesn't seem right because if I actually set my mind to it, I can write. I just don't.
After much thought and contemplation, I've come to the following conclusions about this matter:
1. I'm still good with words.
2. Happiness has eliminated the need to use writing to fill a void by completely eliminating the reason the void was there in the first place.
3. Writing while unhappy is far easier than writing when you are happy. (No wonder they commit suicide and do drugs...)
4. Donuts combined with coffee are essential to the continued success and productivity exhibited by employees. (Once a week, at least.)
So, it's clear to see that the reason I DON'T write as much anymore is because, despite my own financial woes (COMMON), my enjoyment level of Life has increased exponentially. (See my Facebook page if you wonder why...)
(I'm not sure what #4 has to do with anything, but at the moment, as my teeth sank into the flak(e)y dough of this delectable pastry...it seemed VERY important as I washed it down with bean juice...)
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Quel'thetards
***DISCLAIMER***
This is WoW oriented. While you may enjoy reading it, you probably will not fully understand it unless you play the game.
***DISCLAIMER***
This is the new term I am now (not so affectionately) referring to members of the Quel'Thalas realm on World of Warcraft as.
My realm (Llane) is part of the battlegroup "Vindication". As such, when we queue up for a random dungeon or heroic, we are grouped with people from other realms within our battlegroup. Sadly, our battlegroup seems to have been assigned the unsavory task of hosting 3 realms from "Latin America": Ragnaros, Drakkari, and Quel'Thalas.
While QT is being picked on exclusively in this name -- I feel the term is to be deemed viable for members of all three realms.
Over the last month or two, I have noticed that there seems to be an increasingly large amount of these guys running around in our random dungeons, finding a way to make the "language barrier" nearly impossible to deal with. In a game where communication is key, especially between tank and healer, I often notice the frustration that spawns from these folks having no idea what to do, how to communicate, or which way to best handle situations that arise.
Before any accusations are thrown -- I'd like to point out that I am married to a very beautiful, very smart, South American woman....however, the significant difference between her and these asshats: SHE SPEAKS GOOD ENGLISH!
Why we were selected as the battlegroup to continuously pound our heads on our keyboards in frustration, I may never know....but do me a solid, if you're in a group and one of these Quel'Thetards is tanking or healing for you ---- make the world a better place and /votekick him. (Unless you are able to speak spanish...in which case you should explain to him that he should have rolled a Warlock.....it's much easier to faceroll.)
This is WoW oriented. While you may enjoy reading it, you probably will not fully understand it unless you play the game.
***DISCLAIMER***
This is the new term I am now (not so affectionately) referring to members of the Quel'Thalas realm on World of Warcraft as.
My realm (Llane) is part of the battlegroup "Vindication". As such, when we queue up for a random dungeon or heroic, we are grouped with people from other realms within our battlegroup. Sadly, our battlegroup seems to have been assigned the unsavory task of hosting 3 realms from "Latin America": Ragnaros, Drakkari, and Quel'Thalas.
While QT is being picked on exclusively in this name -- I feel the term is to be deemed viable for members of all three realms.
Over the last month or two, I have noticed that there seems to be an increasingly large amount of these guys running around in our random dungeons, finding a way to make the "language barrier" nearly impossible to deal with. In a game where communication is key, especially between tank and healer, I often notice the frustration that spawns from these folks having no idea what to do, how to communicate, or which way to best handle situations that arise.
Before any accusations are thrown -- I'd like to point out that I am married to a very beautiful, very smart, South American woman....however, the significant difference between her and these asshats: SHE SPEAKS GOOD ENGLISH!
Why we were selected as the battlegroup to continuously pound our heads on our keyboards in frustration, I may never know....but do me a solid, if you're in a group and one of these Quel'Thetards is tanking or healing for you ---- make the world a better place and /votekick him. (Unless you are able to speak spanish...in which case you should explain to him that he should have rolled a Warlock.....it's much easier to faceroll.)
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Yay!
So, since I've been slacking on this blog, I think it's time for an official update and for me to frequent here more often.
First off, my Dad is returning on the USS Carl Vinson on Monday. (According to the news.) I don't know or remember exactly how long he's been gone...but I'm very certain that it's been FAR too long and we are more than ready for him to return to us. There is a very cute, very active young lady that I am quite certain he would like very much to meet again. :)
Secondly, Paola and I have relocated. We've moved into the same complex as her family, and everyone seems very, very happy to finally be together again. I, myself, am pretty stoked that we're now back in the "circle" that includes her family and mine as well (instead of way off in the middle of nowhere.)
Next, (for my Wowheads)Perseverance (our guild) has grown very quickly but slow enough to make sure we are adding quality players and people to our ranks. Recently the guild cleared ToC 10 (all by ourselves!) I didn't find myself lucky enough to be on that night, but I am very, very pleased and proud of the members and officers who have all maintained the determination it takes to turn a small guild into one that is capable of such things. My hat is off to you all. The leadership and perseverance (aha!) exhibited by all the members who have been running with us remind me of why I love WoW so much. The personal relationships formed, and the character traits of each and every person are fundamental in the continued success we've managed to achieve.
Finally, (not really because I'm still going to mention something) for those who do play with me and have followed my own progression.....Freegrazer (Resto Druid) has finally hit level 80. I am increasingly fond of playing him and obsessed with becoming the best healer I can be.
As a sidenote - (that deserves more mentioning than a sidenote would) - I'd like to take a moment to thank my wife for all of the wonderful things she does. From supporting my heavy gaming addiction (lawl) to maintaining a house to raising a baby to reminding me to stay on top of my MS shots so I can stay healthy (etcetcetcetcetcetcetcetcetcetcetcetcetcetcetcetcetcetc)a big, big kudos to Paola.
They say that behind every great man is a great woman. Never could I see more clearly than here that this is true. (Because deductive reasoning would tell me that since I AM GREAT...she has to be great too........jk)
If you're on my Facebook page, or you know her.......remind her of how fantastic we all think she is.
Until next time.......FOR THE HORDE!
First off, my Dad is returning on the USS Carl Vinson on Monday. (According to the news.) I don't know or remember exactly how long he's been gone...but I'm very certain that it's been FAR too long and we are more than ready for him to return to us. There is a very cute, very active young lady that I am quite certain he would like very much to meet again. :)
Secondly, Paola and I have relocated. We've moved into the same complex as her family, and everyone seems very, very happy to finally be together again. I, myself, am pretty stoked that we're now back in the "circle" that includes her family and mine as well (instead of way off in the middle of nowhere.)
Next, (for my Wowheads)Perseverance (our guild) has grown very quickly but slow enough to make sure we are adding quality players and people to our ranks. Recently the guild cleared ToC 10 (all by ourselves!) I didn't find myself lucky enough to be on that night, but I am very, very pleased and proud of the members and officers who have all maintained the determination it takes to turn a small guild into one that is capable of such things. My hat is off to you all. The leadership and perseverance (aha!) exhibited by all the members who have been running with us remind me of why I love WoW so much. The personal relationships formed, and the character traits of each and every person are fundamental in the continued success we've managed to achieve.
Finally, (not really because I'm still going to mention something) for those who do play with me and have followed my own progression.....Freegrazer (Resto Druid) has finally hit level 80. I am increasingly fond of playing him and obsessed with becoming the best healer I can be.
As a sidenote - (that deserves more mentioning than a sidenote would) - I'd like to take a moment to thank my wife for all of the wonderful things she does. From supporting my heavy gaming addiction (lawl) to maintaining a house to raising a baby to reminding me to stay on top of my MS shots so I can stay healthy (etcetcetcetcetcetcetcetcetcetcetcetcetcetcetcetcetcetc)a big, big kudos to Paola.
They say that behind every great man is a great woman. Never could I see more clearly than here that this is true. (Because deductive reasoning would tell me that since I AM GREAT...she has to be great too........jk)
If you're on my Facebook page, or you know her.......remind her of how fantastic we all think she is.
Until next time.......FOR THE HORDE!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
MS and WoW
World of Warcraft has been fingered as the blame for many real life problems and even some marital issues. Addiction to the game has led many people to lose control over aspects of their life that they would normally be able to handle no problem. These are the most extreme cases, and not the type I will be talking about. Rather, I'd like to speak about the positive influences that WoW has had on my life.
Let's start in the pre-WoW era of my life:
In 2005, while attending Comic Con, I picked up a trial version of the game. Promptly I stuck it in my Comic Con "swag" bag and forgot about it. As the year progressed, I started to realize that I was having some interesting problems with my health. (Details spared) After an MRI in December of 2005, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and the symptoms that led me to believe I was having health issues were in full force. Basically, as I have relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, I was in the middle of a major relapse.
Things became very hard for me. Running was no longer an option. Being a huge sports fanatic, I basically lost the ability to do everything I enjoyed...and found myself spiraling downward into what would become (thanks to my now EX wife) a period of my life that I refer to as "The Great Depression" (Original, huh?!)
Enter WoW:
As everyday activities became more and more of a chore for me, and my marriage faltered even further -- I began to desperately seek an escape. In a matter of months my entire life had been turned upside down. My marriage began to decline even faster, I lost the necessary skills to do the things that were so near and dear to me, and I struggled to fight through the acceptance process involved with being diagnosed with a chronic, incurable disease.
What was going to happen to me?
How much more was my life going to change?
Was I going to be able to continue to work?
These questions and many more plagued me for months. In June of 2006, while digging through my "swag" bag (an action prompted by a visit to my aunt's and seeing the game) I found my 10 day WoW trial.
After some time, and a few guilds, I can honestly point to a couple of major benefits that the game has given to me:
1. I can run, jump, duck again. -- No, not physically, but my character can and for someone who used to love to do this kind of stuff, it feels great to be able to have the control to cause myself to do this. (Even if virtually) I don't know how important this is to other people, but this really was a gigantic part of my life pre - MS. It's not like I ran miles for fun -- but if there was anything involving a ball and running around -- I pretty much did it for my main source of fun.
2. I have a "social" life. -- People often argue that talking to people over the computer does not constitute a "social" life because you are not physically near those people. I disagree completely. Whilst in the Army, and dealing with people everyday (some of whom I had great personal relationships with, even though I was highly social, I did not consider my social life to be NEARLY as active and fruitful as it is now. I care a great deal about many of the people I've met on World of Warcraft as more than just the avatars that flit about my screen. Through the game I've managed to form fantastic, meaningful relationships that have been even further solidified by our ability to voice chat with each other over Ventrilo.
These are just a couple of the benefits WoW has given me -- and I walked away and lost my train of thought..........so TTFN!
Let's start in the pre-WoW era of my life:
In 2005, while attending Comic Con, I picked up a trial version of the game. Promptly I stuck it in my Comic Con "swag" bag and forgot about it. As the year progressed, I started to realize that I was having some interesting problems with my health. (Details spared) After an MRI in December of 2005, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and the symptoms that led me to believe I was having health issues were in full force. Basically, as I have relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, I was in the middle of a major relapse.
Things became very hard for me. Running was no longer an option. Being a huge sports fanatic, I basically lost the ability to do everything I enjoyed...and found myself spiraling downward into what would become (thanks to my now EX wife) a period of my life that I refer to as "The Great Depression" (Original, huh?!)
Enter WoW:
As everyday activities became more and more of a chore for me, and my marriage faltered even further -- I began to desperately seek an escape. In a matter of months my entire life had been turned upside down. My marriage began to decline even faster, I lost the necessary skills to do the things that were so near and dear to me, and I struggled to fight through the acceptance process involved with being diagnosed with a chronic, incurable disease.
What was going to happen to me?
How much more was my life going to change?
Was I going to be able to continue to work?
These questions and many more plagued me for months. In June of 2006, while digging through my "swag" bag (an action prompted by a visit to my aunt's and seeing the game) I found my 10 day WoW trial.
After some time, and a few guilds, I can honestly point to a couple of major benefits that the game has given to me:
1. I can run, jump, duck again. -- No, not physically, but my character can and for someone who used to love to do this kind of stuff, it feels great to be able to have the control to cause myself to do this. (Even if virtually) I don't know how important this is to other people, but this really was a gigantic part of my life pre - MS. It's not like I ran miles for fun -- but if there was anything involving a ball and running around -- I pretty much did it for my main source of fun.
2. I have a "social" life. -- People often argue that talking to people over the computer does not constitute a "social" life because you are not physically near those people. I disagree completely. Whilst in the Army, and dealing with people everyday (some of whom I had great personal relationships with, even though I was highly social, I did not consider my social life to be NEARLY as active and fruitful as it is now. I care a great deal about many of the people I've met on World of Warcraft as more than just the avatars that flit about my screen. Through the game I've managed to form fantastic, meaningful relationships that have been even further solidified by our ability to voice chat with each other over Ventrilo.
These are just a couple of the benefits WoW has given me -- and I walked away and lost my train of thought..........so TTFN!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
An Oldie but a Goodie. :)
Eighteen weeks pregnant,
Running to my car,
Stops about halfway,
Because 20 feet's too far.
Glowing like an angel,
Huffing and puffing in her seat,
Bending over to tie her shoe,
Is now an impossible feat.
Not sure just how I got her,
Not sure just what I've done,
Still trying hard to figure,
Why I'm having so much fun.
Sitting back now to enjoy it,
Earned a lover from a friend,
Trying hard to conceal a giggle,
While she starts to eat again.
I don't think that you could dream this,
Couldn't find a feeling more true,
Couldn't breathe in cleaner air,
Couldn't swim a sea more blue,
Couldn't find a brighter star,
Way up high above,
All pale in the comparison,
To the smile of my Love.
Melting just like butter,
As her hands run through my hair,
I'm late now every morning,
But I don't really care,
Stifle another chuckle,
As she's waddling along,
Or hearing what we say,
Then bursting into song.
I'd stop to call her silly,
But she acts alot like me,
And now that she's gunna have my baby,
It's easier to see.
I don't think that you could dream this,
Couldn't find a feeling more true,
Couldn't breathe in cleaner air,
Couldn't swim a sea more blue,
Couldn't find a brighter star,
Way up high above,
All pale in the comparison,
To the smile of my Love.
Shining bright,
On me and you,
My love is great,
It shows right through,
If I try to hide,
You see it still,
I'm not ashamed,
You always will...
I don't think that you could dream this,
Couldn't find a feeling more true,
Couldn't breathe in cleaner air,
Couldn't swim a sea more blue,
Couldn't find a brighter star,
Way up high above,
All pale in the comparison,
To the smile of my Love.
Running to my car,
Stops about halfway,
Because 20 feet's too far.
Glowing like an angel,
Huffing and puffing in her seat,
Bending over to tie her shoe,
Is now an impossible feat.
Not sure just how I got her,
Not sure just what I've done,
Still trying hard to figure,
Why I'm having so much fun.
Sitting back now to enjoy it,
Earned a lover from a friend,
Trying hard to conceal a giggle,
While she starts to eat again.
I don't think that you could dream this,
Couldn't find a feeling more true,
Couldn't breathe in cleaner air,
Couldn't swim a sea more blue,
Couldn't find a brighter star,
Way up high above,
All pale in the comparison,
To the smile of my Love.
Melting just like butter,
As her hands run through my hair,
I'm late now every morning,
But I don't really care,
Stifle another chuckle,
As she's waddling along,
Or hearing what we say,
Then bursting into song.
I'd stop to call her silly,
But she acts alot like me,
And now that she's gunna have my baby,
It's easier to see.
I don't think that you could dream this,
Couldn't find a feeling more true,
Couldn't breathe in cleaner air,
Couldn't swim a sea more blue,
Couldn't find a brighter star,
Way up high above,
All pale in the comparison,
To the smile of my Love.
Shining bright,
On me and you,
My love is great,
It shows right through,
If I try to hide,
You see it still,
I'm not ashamed,
You always will...
I don't think that you could dream this,
Couldn't find a feeling more true,
Couldn't breathe in cleaner air,
Couldn't swim a sea more blue,
Couldn't find a brighter star,
Way up high above,
All pale in the comparison,
To the smile of my Love.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Changes!
So, as many know, and several have been a part of -- our forces have parted ways with Requiem of Decay and formed a new guild (Perseverance).
The reasons for this significant change are many, several of which became abundantly clear when Kelenya made the move by the actions/words of certain ex-members.
All that behind us, the guild is progressing and succeeding very well. Our progress can be viewed at http://www.guildportal.com/Guild.aspx?GuildID=334218&TabID=2797362
I feel like we have continued the tradition of success and fun we were having...whilst eliminating ALL of the drama and adding additional members. I'm very excited to point out that as our numbers have increased, so has the amount of genuinely good people in the guild. We've been lucky to not (yet) have to deal with any douchebags and have added very mature and knowledgeable players to our ranks. :o)
I'd like to expand upon our success both winning instances and adding players (good ones doesn't mean they are skilled at WoW alone -- they also require people skills.)
Thanks to each and every member for the time and effort (and personal interaction!) you have put into raiding and simply NOT being an outcast in a friendly group of players. I am very, very lucky to be the GM of a group of such extraordinary people. You have made my time in Azeroth a real joy.
Kelenya AKA Jimmi
The reasons for this significant change are many, several of which became abundantly clear when Kelenya made the move by the actions/words of certain ex-members.
All that behind us, the guild is progressing and succeeding very well. Our progress can be viewed at http://www.guildportal.com/Guild.aspx?GuildID=334218&TabID=2797362
I feel like we have continued the tradition of success and fun we were having...whilst eliminating ALL of the drama and adding additional members. I'm very excited to point out that as our numbers have increased, so has the amount of genuinely good people in the guild. We've been lucky to not (yet) have to deal with any douchebags and have added very mature and knowledgeable players to our ranks. :o)
I'd like to expand upon our success both winning instances and adding players (good ones doesn't mean they are skilled at WoW alone -- they also require people skills.)
Thanks to each and every member for the time and effort (and personal interaction!) you have put into raiding and simply NOT being an outcast in a friendly group of players. I am very, very lucky to be the GM of a group of such extraordinary people. You have made my time in Azeroth a real joy.
Kelenya AKA Jimmi
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