July 23RD

I drink a lot of beer.

I'm often short and impatient.

I'm not in peak physical condition.

I'm not an extremely handsome man.

My past is riddled with mistakes that constantly cause problems.

I've been diagnosed with a chronic, incurable disease, so my future is uncertain.

My job (and my loyalty to it) pays me several thousands of dollars less than people who haven't been there for a fraction of the time I've been there. I also tend to respond to problems during off-hours.

I game heavily, it eats up a lot of my time.

This is a (VERY) short list of my faults. By my estimation, I am not worthy of the unconditional love of any woman. Yet, 3 years later I find myself married to not just any woman, but THE woman.

I wont go into the topsy-turvy tale that is my life and previous marriage, but I will say that I finally have gotten everything right. I am so happy and content in our relationship. It makes me feel stronger.

Happy Anniversary, Paola. Here's to many more. :D

Griction Week Wrap Up

I'm sorry friends, I do not feel very creative today and the horrific news and the intense worry I felt (although briefly) for a few friends and family members has made me not want to write today's Griction.

I had already considered this for my Griction finale, so I think I'll just go with it and see what happens. Typically, I punch these things out on MS Word so that I can proofread and whatnot...but I'm just going to do this in the Blogger UI to make sure the raw emotion is captured in the moment.

***********

As much as this week was about Grindo, it was about Insane Horde Posse. The entire team was on my mind the entire time I was making up goofy ass content. No one reads this blog unless I direct them this way. The random ramblings of my silly mind are of little concern to anyone in this world and the content is not riveting enough to develop a following of readers that feed the desire to write for an audience. I do it anyway. This week was for my raid team's entertainment. Those of you who took the time out of your day, I hope you enjoyed the silliness that was going on over here inside the AoE.

I don't remember when I joined Insane Horde Posse. I know it was some time after I decided that having a new baby and being a Guild Master was too rough to juggle when raiding nightly. The team fit my schedule very well and wound up being a mixture of personalities that was something I came to cherish. The team became like family to me.

Family is a word that has been redefined in this Internet Age. We (of course) have people we are related to in real life, but the advent of social media has caused the world to become a much smaller place where we can identify with groups of people and interact with them on a regular basis. I have raided with Insane Horde Posse (henceforth named IHP, if applicable) for over two years. It's hard to believe that when I think about it, but it's true. The team is no longer composed of the same individuals but that does not change anything. IHP has a special place in my heart and I care about each and every person that comes into our "pack" as if they were our brothers and sisters. We depart each other's company each week and go back to our daily lives, but convene again to play this game every Tuesday night...yet the team communication throughout the week is active and jovial. This is a good group of people and I'm proud to belong to it. Proud? Honored is more like it.

The integration of Twitter into the lives of several team members, the ability to chat on Steam, and the way the communication on the forum has accelerated make me feel closer to IHP than I ever have before....

So here's to you IHP...this week was as much about you as it was about Grindo (<3 <3). I'm glad that our team members in the Colorado area are safe, my thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families.

Until next time IHP.......SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY.

Letters to the Editor

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

To Whom It May Concern,

It strikes me as funny that we’ve publicized the personal choices a person makes. I think a decent respect to common decency tells us that what Grindo does doesn’t concern anyone else. I believe that the statement released by Insane Horde Posse was sufficient enough for everyone else to just stop worrying about the matter. If the team is fine with what is happening, they obviously have information that we don’t.

This reader is tired of these kinds of story. Grindo does so much for you. Just leave him alone. LEAVE GRINDO ALONE! How [expletive deleted] dare anyone out there talk bad about Grindo after all he’s been through. HE’S AN ORC! WHY DON’T YOU REALIZE THAT GRINDO IS PUMPING OUT ALL THIS DPS?!

LEAVE HIM ALONE! You’re lucky he’s even out there raiding for you BASTARDS!

LEAVE GRINDO ALONE……please…

IHP OFFICIAL STATEMENT RELEASED

OFFICIAL STATEMENT from Insane Horde Posse

REUTERS- ORGRIMMAR

Insane Horde Posse recently released the following statement through their spokesman Beefmaster:

We are aware of the accusations placed on our teammate [GRINDO]. It has been decided that these accusations do not bring to light any fact that is harmful to team activity. Therefore, there will be no further investigation conducted on the matter. Insane Horde Posse will continue raids on Dragon Soul as scheduled. QUIT TWISTING MY NIPPLE WOMAN!!!!!!!!

This brings to light several questions and adds an unexpected twist to this story. It was widely expected that Insane Horde Posse would seek to pursue more information and possible consequences.

As the crowd exited the press release, one attendee was quoted as saying, “I bet the whole [expletive deleted] team is a bunch of bule-lovin’ [expletive deleted].”

What do you think?

- Saskil Holyground of alea iacta est

WHERE was Grindo?!

Grindo’s Absence: Saving Face?

REUTERS- ORGRIMMAR

Several sources have confirmed reports that Grindo was mysteriously absent during the portion of the raid when Insane Horde Posse confronted teh bule. We have been told that Grindo explained this by telling one of the team members (Otuel) he was having a “minor emergency”.

This event comes on the tail of recent accusations about Grindo having an inappropriate relationship with teh bule. Insane Horde Posse is expected to provide a press release shortly addressing the severity of the accusations and calling for an inquiry into Grindo’s behavior.

A whisper to Grindo this morning yielded “Player Not Found” as other reports have mentioned.

Saskil Holyground of alea iacta est

Hunter Teased by Raid Team Accused of “Sleeping With the Enemy”

Hunter Teased by Raid Team Accused of “Sleeping With the Enemy”

REUTERS – ORGRIMMAR

How much teasing is too much? Did Insane Horde Posse take it too far this time? These are the questions that Azeroth is asking itself after accusations that Grindo (a hunter and member of the team) has been accused of having a secret relationship with the team’s sworn enemy, “teh bule.”

The accusations came to light when other teammates noticed that Grindo was not shooting at “teh bule” during a visit to Yor’sahj the Unsleeping’s lair. The team was working toward an achievement called “Taste the Rainbow” and Yor’sahj brought forth a grouping that required them to kill “teh bule”.

An anonymous (who asked us to withhold his name for his own protection) team member told us:

“Ya, I was sitting there and DBM went off, so I was like “taunt Ot” and I went to run over there but Grindo was just doing that stupid MC Hammer dance. WTF man…”

Since the accusations have arisen, several sources tell this reporter that they’ve spotted Grindo and “teh bule” hanging out together in Dalaran. These reports cannot be confirmed because, seriously….what kind of sick asshole hangs out in Dalaran anymore?

This is the second time that Grindo has been accused of an inappropriate relationship. As early as last month there were reports of Grindo fraternizing with another team member, but those accounts were dismissed as unfounded.

A whisper to Grindo didn't yield an answer. The communication line seems to be cut as there is a message telling you "Player Not Found".

- Suhli Deloloth of alea iacta est

Part 2: The Meeting (also Electric Boogaloo)

****DISCLAIMER****

Most of my interactions with Grindo come during periods of intense and heavy alcoholic beverage consumption....I don't know what he calls his pet, I just seem to recall that name...

****DISCLAIMER****

His eyes scanned the area for his bow. It was nowhere to be found. His eyes fell on his tiger, Shia. She looked at him and went back to cleaning her big paws.

“Shia, COME,” he commanded. Dutifully, the tiger stood up and padded her way across the ground. “You didn’t see that?! Why didn’t you help me?!!” he bellowed. He reached back his hand to cuff her on the ear. Seeing his motion, Shia flinched but did not move.

“You gunna hit her for listening to you?”

Grindo spun, reaching for his bow. He found air. That’s right! Where is it?! He turned his head from side to side, trying to find the source of the question or catch a glimpse of his bow.

“W-w-who is there,” he asked, “Do not play games with me.”

He didn’t have his weapon, but being an orc had advantages. He was strong and agile. It wasn’t inconceivable that he could protect himself without it.

“Play games with you? If you play games as horribly as you shoot a bow, I don’t want to play any games with you. If the game was “Kill the Boar About to Eat the Orc” I’ve already won…the game is over.”

His bow slid across the dirt to his feet. He grasped it and picked it up. His fingers found an arrow and he nocked it but didn’t draw. He looked to Shia, but she only looked back at him with her deep yellow-brown eyes. The voice, whoever it was, was right. He had told her to stay where she was. She didn’t disobey him, even as he was being attacked. A puff of smoke and a cracking twig caused him to wheel around. He drew his bow and pointed in the direction of the noise.

“Who’s there,” he demanded.

A voice right behind him said, “You would draw on the guy who just saved your life and gave you back your bow? At least your feline friend has a little sense.”

He whirled again but stumbled backwards and found himself on the seat of his pants. Shia was nuzzling up to a goblin no taller than she was. The goblin took her face in his hands, pressed her cheeks together, and kissed her on the nose. The daggers that hung from his belt seemed too big for him, but still dripped blood. The boar’s blood.

“Name’s Suhli. Do you have a name or should I call you Greeney Mcfailshot?” He extended a hand to help him up, but Grindo swatted it aside and crawled back to his feet.

“Grindo,” he announced gruffly, “My name is Grindo and I can shoot just fine.”

“Noted,” said the goblin called Suhli, “I reckon my work here is done then. Need to get heading off to Orgrimmar. There’s never enough time in a day and time is money, Grindo.”

“Wait, you saved me, let me come with you and buy you a drink,” Grindo said, “Do like to drink?”

“Like it?” Suhli chuckled, “You could say that….”

“Good! What do you drink?”

“Anything but that troll gin. I…uh…had a bad experience once.”

They set off for the gates of Orgrimmar, Grindo wondering what adventures were to come and Suhli yearning to fill his mouth with some free grog…..

Vogon Poetry About Grindo

See, see the Muscular sky

Marvel at its big Ghastly Green depths.

Tell me, Grindo do you

Wonder why the Clefthoof ignores you?

Why its foobly stare

makes you feel horny.

I can tell you, it is

Worried by your Masshole facial growth

That looks like

A Beer.

What's more, it knows

Your fucktarded potting shed

Smells of Grindo's pinky.

Everything under the big Muscular sky

Asks why, why do you even bother?

You only charm Beefmasters.

50 Shades of Grindo - By: Ashella

"... see you next week"

"Alright Ot, see ya."

Grindo bid the last of his farewells for the evening. Flexing his exhausted bow arm, he surveyed the scene around him. The streets of Orgrimmar were nearly empty as most people settled in for the night. The sweet scent of freshly baked cookies filled his nose. "Must be someone just put some fresh fortune cookies up for auction" he thought to himself.

Grinding dust under his boot, he reflected back on the events of the evening. "Those ungrateful bastards don't realize how hard I work" he muttered as he massaged the tight muscles in his arm. It had been a close call tonight. The group of renegade vigilantes known as the Insane Horde Posse, of which Grindo counted himself a member, was fighting hard to push back the forces of the World Destroyer. Deathwing's forces were pushed back, but not yet beaten. Grindo had not escaped the evening entirely unscathed. His leg was still stiff from where Blackhorns shockwave had nearly torn it off at the knee. Mocknu's prayers were the only reason he could still walk at all, albeit stiffly.

Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he spun around.

"Heya Grin" Kitty said with a playful smile.

"Kit, you startled me!", he exclaimed.

"Sorry hun", Kitty said with a mock sheepishness. "I just wanted to see how you were feeling."

"Well, my leg hurts like hell, and my shoulder feels like Beefmaster sat on it."

"Let's see what we can do about that. Let's take a walk. Follow me." Leading, she headed in the direction of the Valley of Spirits, Grindo winced with each step as his injured knee creaked and groaned.

Kitty had always been friendly towards Grindo. Since joining their team a few months ago, her smiles and whispers had seemed to hint at something more than friendship, but Grindo couldn't be sure if he was just reading too much into her. Lost in thought, he glanced at Kitty, only to see her eyes dart away. She had been observing him, perhaps out of concern for his injuries, perhaps lost in thought herself.

"Where are we going?" He asked.

"There's a nice little secluded spot by the lake. We can sit and.... talk." she giggled.

Grindos pulse quickened. This was the first time the two of them had been alone without the rest of the team around. What is she after? he wondered to himself. I suppose I'll find out soon enough.

Rounding a corner, the lake came into view. The burnt amber light of evening reflected off the lake, giving the whole area an almost magical glow. Grindo had always thought that this lake was one of the most beautiful places in the otherwise desolate city of Orgrimmar. The taurens had somehow found a way to cultivate lush aquatic plants and exotic trees to provide a shaded canopy at the lakes edge. The gentle smell of water blossoms filled his nose as Kitty led him to a secluded spot near the western shore.

"This is my spot. I come here often after we fight to relax and unwind. No one ever seems to come over here." she said as she took a position with her back to one of the Nelam trees. Grindo sat down next to her. Not too close as to be presumptuous, but not as far away as one of her business associates would've sat.

"Yeah it's nice here. Quiet. So, what did you want to talk about?", Grindo asked nervously.

"Oh nothing specifically" Kitty shot back. "We just never get to spend much time together outside of work. Tell me Grindo, do you find me attractive."

Stunned, Grindo did his best to hide his shock at her forwardness. "Of course, you are very beautiful" he said with a quivering voice.

"I've noticed how you look at me Grindo. You aren't very good at hiding your thoughts. They are as easy to read on your face as 'Introduction to Arcane Incantations'. OK, bad example..." she said when she saw his expression. "My point is, you want me. I want you. So what do you say we have a little fun" Kitty said with a mischievous smile.

It was true. He did want her. All words had left his head as he struggled for a response. He tried to form a response, but all of the saliva had left his mouth. "Kit I... we... why....".

She cut him off with a kiss as she tackled him to the grass. Suddenly, she was on top of him, pinning him to the ground. She fumbled with the laces on his pants, half ripping them in her hurry. Suddenly, he was inside her.

"GRRINNNDDOOOOOOOOOOO" she gasped.

* * *

Lying on the shore, covered in sweat with Kitty laying on his chest, he smiled to himself.

"That was amazing" he said, still breathless.

"Thanks. You weren't too bad yourself" she smiled. "So what do you think? Would you like to join me here after work, to help me 'unwind' " she asked him playfully.

Grindo smiled to himself. He knew raid night would never be the same again.

Griction #1!

The boar wandered slowly across the dusty ground, foraging for small plants and roots with its round snout pressed to the earth. A soft breeze breathed across the valley causing the leaves to sigh as they rustled together. The boar continued on his way, nose to the ground, trying to scrounge up more food. An arrow sailed harmlessly over his back into the cactus next to him. It made a loud crack as the shaft smashed through the soft flesh of the cactus and the boar raised his head to look in that direction. Its muscles visibly tightened as it prepared to flee. The next arrow did not miss. It slammed deep into the boar's flank. The beast wheeled in anger and blindly charged at the first shape it saw.

Grindo reached into his quiver and pulled out another arrow. He fumbled with it as he tried to notch it on the string of his bow. He didn't quite have the hang of it yet and the boar charging straight at him didn't make it any easier. Steady, he thought as he drew. By now the animal was about 60 yards away. He aimed for a spot right between its eyes and let loose. He'd forgotten to adjust for the fact that the animal was moving toward him and the arrow skimmed just over the boar's head and grazed its back. The animal scarcely seemed to notice. In fact, it seemed as though it was sprinting even faster now. Less than 20 yards remained. He reached back for his quiver, but couldn't find any more arrows.

The boar slammed into him and sent him sprawling across the dirt. His bow flew from his hands and slid out of reach. The animal was on top of him again before he could roll all the way back over, viciously ripping its head from side to side, tearing at his feeble chainmail with its tusks.

So this is it, he thought, This how I die. Right after my first shot ever.

He tried to grasp the boar's tusks with his big hands and managed to get a grip on at least one of them. With all of his strength he did everything to keep the tusks from tearing at his torso, but in order to do so he had to squirm along the ground. He was nearing a small outcrop of rocks. He knew if his back were pressed against those he'd be done for. There was no give in the rock and he would no longer be able to squirm out of the way. The boar thrashed more and more ferociously. He could feel himself losing his grip on the tusk as the boar's head swung violently from side to side; in and out. The last of his fingers slipped from the tusk. Instinctively, his hands went up to guard his face. The boar seemed to realize that it was free. It reared its head back for the killing blow. Grindo clenched his fists in preparation and squeezed his eyes shut.

The blow never came, or at least, he never felt it. In fact, he couldn't even hear anything above the rustling of the leaves. Am I dead? Slowly he opened one eye and then the next. The boar lay on the ground next to his legs, its eyes wide with death. Blood dripped from its mouth slowly. Grindo scrambled to his feet.

To Be Continued....

Adding Apples

Alright, so I'm not content w/ the Cream Ale that is in secondary....

I've decided to add 3 lbs. of Granny Smith apples to it. :) That will pick up the alcohol content (which is potentially very low atm).

The apples are sitting in the freezer right now. I read that it's better to break the cell walls by freezing it. When it freezes, I'll go ahead and cut them up and then puree it all. The puree is going to be added to a 5 gallon carboy and then the beer will be racked on top of it.

This should be an interesting experiment. I also went with vodka in my airlock this time (as opposed to the tap water I've been using). It was only because I happened to have it. Supposedly this will keep the entire process more sanitary.

Still a fledgling beermaker, but I'm starting to get more confident in the entire process. :)

Griction week starts tomorrow! No one else is submitting anything (to be expected for such a derptarded idea) but I'll be sure there is some content for every day until Friday!

Coming Soon: Grindo Fan Fiction Week ("Griction")

Hey all! Inspired by the recent Twitter hashtag #GrindoRules (which only I seem to use), I've elected to name next week "Griction Week"!

An entire week devoted to fan-fiction about Grindo! Will I get any other submissions? Probably not. Will I be posting stuff I've written? YES!

I've already started on the first short story and was able to churn out a neat little mini-scenario.

I can't wait to share it next week! Griction Week will officially start on Monday, July 16th! Look for the first episode of my short story about Grindo that day. :)

GRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNDOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Brew Notes!

Last week I got involved with brewing again. I had taken a little time off from the hobby during (and after) our trip out to Florida, but my wife made sure to let me know that the extract kit sitting in the fridge was taking up too much space.

It's hard to say why I needed a kick in the butt to get going; I really enjoy brewing (nearly as much as I enjoy drinking). Part of it likely had to do with the fact that I didn't have many bottles, but a good friend came by and dumped a plethora of them on me. I just had to clean them out and get them ready for the beer that I had sitting in secondary.

That beer is an IPA that smelled heavenly. I'm really looking forward to getting after it in a couple of weeks. It sat in secondary for longer than any other beer I've brewed. Secondary isn't completely necessary, but it really helps the beer's clarity and adds to the time it's spent aging. My plan is not to open that beer until my wife's birthday (September 4th) but we'll see. The one that I brewed last night was called "Cream of the Crop" American Ale. This is supposed to be a lighter beer that is a little bit smoother. Based off of the ingredients and the smell/color as I brewed it, I'm pretty sure it's going to be. This morning, the airlock was already going off, so it must be working the way it's supposed to.

This was a little bit of a big step for me. Until now, I have always followed the directions that they send me very closely. This time, I didn't even have to look at them because this has become habit. I knew all of the amounts & times to add ingredients. I also knew which actions to take. This may also have been the fastest batch I've brewed. Not because it spent less time boiling, but because I am understanding my equipment better and getting more efficient at getting the wort to a boil. It also didn't take as long as I thought it would to cool the wort down afterwards. I seem to have got that system down. I could really use a wort chiller to make the process faster, but to be honest, I don't mind the time. Brewing extracts still takes way less time than brewing an all-grain brew. It is for this reason that I've decided I don't need to switch to all-grain brewing just yet. Brewing extract is comfortable and seems to fit our living situation better. It's also worth mentioning that the beer is not bad.

I have had one batch that I've been unimpressed with. I know that I brewed it and aged it appropriately, I'm just not a fan of fruit beer (much less extract fruit beer).

Anyways, Suhli has found his way back onto the Insane Horde Posse's roster and I couldn't be happier. In fact, it's a little bit of a relief to me knowing that I can be doing something that comes more natural. Less frantic......In fact, I am scheduled to be backup DPS this week...there's a good chance that I wont even be needed. I could (potentially) have an entire night off.

I bet Paola (and Heidi) would enjoy that. :P

4th of July at the Zoo!

This 4th of July, we elected to make use of our annual passes and head down to the zoo. The weather was a little gloomy at first and we experienced a little bit of drizzle, but it was only a light misting. We really only saw it during our drive down, but it was over by the time we got to the park. It was still a little chilly (I use that term lightly because: 1. It's never "chilly" in San Diego. 2. It's been so hot everywhere else that I feel bad if I complain.) A light sweater and I was good to go.

Personally, I love our zoo. It's not just the abundance of animals, but the layout and the terrain. It provides a real challenge for me and let's me get some work in on the legs. :P The annual pass also entitles us to rides on the Skyfari, so we could ride that down and up the hills as we got tired.

The peacocks did not disappoint. Immediately upon entering, there was one who had his feathers on full display in the flamingo's pond area. There was (of course) a huge crowd gathered around, but Paola managed to fight her way in and get a picture. We decided to head over to the new Reptile Walk exhibit and immediately saw a bunch of Galapagos Tortoise. One of them graced us with an up close experience and a volunteer walked over and let Heidi feed him some celery. His name was Oliver. He has the number 23 painted on his shell. I'll be keepin' an eye out for him next time we are there. :)

Oh, I almost forgot! Before we made our way down to the Reptile Walk, we went through the reptile house and got a closeup with a Komodo Dragon! That was cool. The monitor lizards are some of my favorite animals to see and the dragons are definitely the coolest. He hung out near the glass there for the entire day. We saw a crowd near that area when we were rollin' out.

The most exciting moments of the day were brought to us by the cats. First and foremost, tigers are one of my favorite animals to see. They are so beautiful, yet usually elusive....as you can see from the picture on this post, I managed to get a great shot of a tiger at rest just a few feet away! I was stoked after leaving that exhibit and certain that was going to be the highlight of my day.....it was not. We walked over to the lions. There was a male and a female in the pen but they weren't really in a good position for a picture, so I started to walk off. I noticed that there was a decent view behind some glass a few feet away, but it was still a long way off for my little camera. Just then, the male stood up and started walking my way. He ended up walking over to just a few feet from where I was standing at the glass. Nobody was there yet, so I had a good opportunity to get a few pictures and I had already staked out some real estate.....Well, I guess he wasn't too fond of the fact that people were looking at the leopard cubs instead of him, so he went ahead and got attention the only way he could.....he started bellowing. I don't know if I would call it a roar, but if there's one level below that...that's what he did. Everyone rushed over, but I had already snapped a few pictures. :)

If you click on the link to the leopard cubs, it's entirely self-explanatory. There's no reason to write about that, you can watch it, it was adorable.

All-in-all, we had a good time. We ended the night watching some live music on Front St. then headed back up to the house. We were on the road when the fireworks went off. The entire night sky in San Diego was brightened, it was a neat thing to see as we listened to patriotic music on loop. Not sure what the plan is for next 4th, but this 4th was a lot of fun.

I've Been Roguing!

I've taken a couple of days and dedicated them to Suhli. It was nice to get away from the druid and do what I've always done.

For those who don't know, Suhli wasn't always who he is today. Suhli started off on the Llane realm as a Blood Elf female named Kelenya. Kelenya had a long and storied history. I spent a lot of time in a guild over there named Requiem of Decay. Eventually, Kelenya became an officer of Requiem of Decay. It was a challenging part of my life where I was dealing with being recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and then separated.

There came a point where it was relevant to have control of the guild situation (due to an expansion and increased capability of the current raiders). Kelenya left Requiem of Decay and formed a guild named Perseverance. (This was around the time that Paola and I became an item and she subsequently got pregnant.) Kelenya lead Perseverance for a long time, but as fatherly duties and work became more demanding, I realized that it was time for a change. I had been listening to The Instance for a long time and it seemed like alea iacta est would be a good home for Kelenya because I would have a good chance of finding a group of people to play with since the guild population was astronomical.

I decided to go to an event the guild had that was essentially a memorial for people they had lost in real life. I'll always remember that day. That was the day that I realized how much more this game could be than just a game. I had already forged some life-long friendships, but I had no idea how close an online community could be. We marched through The Barrens into Thrall's (he was still the Warchief) room in Orgrimmar. I don't know how many people there were....there were at least a hundred. A hundred individual people walking (not running) unarmed in honor of those who had passed. I didn't even know these people. This was just a trial. I had only been around them for a day or two, but the sincerity of the moment cut straight to my heart. It was a sad event, but also a happy one. I left that night knowing that Kelenya was leaving Llane to come to Earthen Ring and join alea iacta est.

And it was so. Unfortunately, to this day, someone has the name Kelenya parked on a level 56 Death Knight who hasn't leveled in two years. That meant I had to change it up. I decided that I didn't have room for another woman in my life (my wife and I had a little girl, two was enough) so I paid to have Kelenya "re-imagined" into a male character. I had to change the name, so I went with "Suhli". I was also fortunate enough to find myself a team that raided once a week. Suhli joined Insane Horde Posse as an "alternate" but quickly found himself raiding with the team full-time.

Playing a rogue is like second nature. Half the time, I don't even realize which buttons I'm pushing, it just happens. A week or two ago, I was having a really tough time because of the medicine I take for MS and I raided on Suhli that night. I don't even remember thinking, I just remember I did well and it was all natural. The rogue hasn't changed much over the years. A few things here, some number tweaks there, but very few major mechanic changes have plagued the class.

I had a good time playing Suhli these last few days. It makes me feel normal and less anxious to be able to focus on the aspect of the game that I'd focused on for so long. :) I'm looking forward to getting back into the stabby-stabby game with Insane Horde Posse. It's been far too long since I got to relax my way into bloodying up some daggers.

Also, to boost my confidence, I got into Well of Eternity. The final fight in there is a major DPS boost. Talk about an e-peen inflation. :P I threw the recount from that one fight up on the picture for this post. If I wasn't already missing Suhli...I was after that!