I’ve found myself in a very strange place lately in regards to this blog.

You see, I’ve been trying not to post. Not because I don’t have anything to say – dear god, it seems like I always have something to say – but because it’s not politic to talk about the things weighing heavily on my mind in regards to the game right now.

In my mind, there is only one reason to choose to play an MMO instead of a normal single-player game. You play an MMO because you want the experience of gaming with other people. I mean, I’m sure there’s some dedicated WoW-solo-ers out there, and they really enjoy themselves. But out of the wholebunches of people who play WoW, I’m guessing they make up a very small minority.

There have been times, like when my warrior was newly 70 in BC and I couldn’t figure out how to even get a group for a heroic or starter raid, where I’ve been frustrated with the game, but I’ve stayed for the people.  I cannot recall a time I’ve been frustrated with the people but stayed purely for the game.*

I have reached the point again where I do not want to log onto WoW. I’ve made commitments to friends that I have no desire to break, so I am still playing. I have, for the time being, made the decision not to attend any more 25 man raids with my guild because that was feeling more like work** than play.

I am staying with my guild though, because although a few bad apples can spoil my raid experience, they cannot spoil my guild experience. On every server I’ve played on, I’ve made dear friends that have stayed with me long after I stopped playing WoW with them.

From my time on Bronzebeard, I’m still in touch with Jamilah, Mari, Teresa, Seana, and Celine.

My time on Shadow Council let me meet and spend time with Tammy, Matt and Aubrey.

My time on Azgalor has given me the opportunity to get to know and spend time with: Amber, Sara, Sarah, David, David (yep, there’s two), Garry, Christopher, Christopher (yep, two of those too), Brian, Steve, Andy, Robbie, Jill, Teresa, Neil, Mark and at least one or two other people who will yell at me later for leaving them off this list***.  These people are as real to me as the people I went to high school with, or the co-workers I’ve had through the years, with one difference. I know them purely through choice, I appreciate them through shared interests, and they are the reason I keep logging onto WoW, even when I’m bored with it. Even when I do nothing but wolf-dance in Dalaran and watch my green chat scroll by.

I think that’s what makes right now so hard for me. I’m watching people I care about be hurt and angry and stressed out, and I can’t fix it. The people always have been – and always will be – more important to me than the game. Always.

*When I wanted to quit WoW after my guild on Bronzebeard exploded in a fiery dramabomb, I stayed for my boyfriend. He wanted me to give it another chance. That was all for him, not a bit of it for Blizzard. Sorry Blizzard.

**By work, I don’t mean that dream job. I mean menial labor for 12 hours in 100 degree weather with jackhammers going all around you.  Barefoot in the snow, uphill both ways, blahblahblah. I exaggerate, but I can’t help it. It’s just the way I am.

***If you’re not on this list & you think you should be? I PROBABLY DON’T KNOW YOUR IRL NAME. FIX THAT!