RTMT: Two out of three ain't bad

going around in fairy circles...

I always have mixed feelings on Tuesday mornings when I have: 1. time to play 2. nothing to play 3. other things to do 4. realize I don't really have time to play but what does it matter anyway the servers are down.

So what's a girl to do? Wander around the Internet, of course. Not sure how I missed my artistic hero Neil Gaiman's graduation speech from last year, because it almost snuck past me. I suppose I assumed he was telling the young, hopeful graduates to follow their dreams and don't do it for the money. I was basically correct. His drum-beat message: "make good art."

But the best advice starts around the 13:00 mark when he talks about how one keeps working, not just getting the work in the first place: 1. You're a pleasure to work with; 2. The work is good; 3. It's delivered on time. He suggests you just need two out of the three, and he is right. It's true in our creative life in Azeroth, too. If you are a pleasure to be with, your play style is good, you'll find a place on a raid team, or others will seek you out. If you're a grumpy ass, but you are good, you'll still keep your spot. Alternatively, if you're on time, and nice, well you get the idea.

This makes me think about those of us who wring ourselves out from trying to do all three, all the time. We try to keep our relationships bright, our work lives enjoyable, our families and friends entertained and delighted. If we are expected to be the caregivers, the nurturers; however, the instant the spotlight shifts from others to ourselves it becomes instead a search light, and we are in need of rescue.

It is a supreme act of selfishness to create art.

I always think about the first Mrs. Neil Gaiman, the one who gave him children, presumed security while he persued his craft, not the second, more artsy Mrs. Neil Gaiman, the one with the ukelele. But it's none of my business. I just hope she got to make art, too.

It's a week till 5.4 comes out, and there are some exciting things in the works. But like most things, it will probably have two out of three things that are awesome. In the meantime, going to go make some art.