New look, old friends...

Although Guarf has a short-term memory, and may accuse me of otherwise, I did say that I was going to revamp this blog around the New Year. I mention this because my dear dwarf friend did pick up on something I was feeling, and that is blog-envy. He just mistook the wrong one. Dwarfs, right? But I'll get to the envy in a moment.

The thing is about any of the blog services, be they Google Blogger, or Wordpress, Edublogs, etc. their templates are just that: cookie cutters for creativity. To make a blog site truly fit and work with one's themes there takes a bit of effort. In the past, I have (...see hand? pats self on back...) enjoyed hours of graphic design, technological creative and production, and know many talented souls who also lend a pixel wand or two when I need it. The template I tried yesterday was way too 'feminine hygiene product' in my opinion, so I took a bit of time after work, played around with some of the more simple font choices and customizable images (used one of my screen shots for the background), and whipped up this new look. It may not be the one I stay with, but it'll do, pig.*

But, just like being a guild master,  producing and creating technology for my WoW 'hobby' is not my real life job, and lately I just haven't spent time doing those multi-media conquests as I have in the past. (Subtext: I don't even do them for my real life job anymore: using a tiny, silly HP laptop that drives me bonkers.) For example, since I saw my first great, and horrible, Machinima, I have been wanting to create my own short films. Maybe someday. If I made one, it may be a scene out of The Paladin's Tale, but that might break my heart.

Guarf sent me this, and it is still one of my favorites:

Recently, the greatest bloggers of Azerothian adventures celebrated The Daily Frostwolf's two year blog anniversary. I had my own blog-aversary on December 14, 2011--to be honest, I had to look up, just now, when this blog began. Damn, should have bought myself a cake or something.

(Okay, Matty, get to the point, woman!): Since it has been a year since I first started chronicling my misadventures in Azeroth, I have grown to over 12,000 page views (not including my own, although I am sure a few Internet hackers and bots are represented). Here is where the proverbial Green-Eyed Dragon enters the room: not as many comments as I would hope. I implore my dear friends and readers, if you like a story, or drabble, or whatever, and if you have a second to say, "nice story," or even, "that sucked," that would be great. Creating anything in a vacuum is, well, just no fun. Guarf will again, justifiably, accuse me of being a needy artist, and he's most likely right.

Being my flip-floppy self, though, I must say, though I would love a 'thumbs-up' on my writing, ultimately, writing this blog has truly served its purposes: it keeps me in touch with game friends who may be absent, taking a break, helped me make new friends, give voice or inspire (a little bit) to new creative souls, and most importantly, helped me work on a craft I have loved since I was a little girl in a judgmental-free zone. How cool is that?

I get to connect with people all over the world:*

*New Zealand is the only country whose pageviews will actually go off my data. I am not kidding. About a week ago it was at 119 pageviews, and it dropped to 117, 115, and now standing at 110. I am seriously wondering if New Zealand is in a space/time vortex of Hobbit Holes where time itself does not bend to the rules of mortals. Good on you, New Zealand. Laws of physics are so overrated!


And, if I didn't have this blog, I wouldn't know there were such search phrases as this:

I will leave it up to your discretion to search the other URLs that have "surreal pair of panties."

In any case, please keep reading. I am grateful for every little happy dot I get on my map, surreal panties and all.


*I am not calling my readers pigs. Look up your movie references.

Theme Song: Something/The Beatles