Hurts so good...

Cute things are especially evil...that's how they getcha...

Time to read: The Nature of Villainy by Anne Stickney

http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/08/11/know-your-lore-garrosh-hellscream-and-the-nature-of-villany/

Actually Mr. Snerguls pointed out she misspelled "villainy,' spelling it villany in her title, but that's okay. She has 5,000 Twitter followers, and she's awesome. Mr. Snerguls can go poke his eye out with a sharp red pencil. 

Okay, Matty, what's all this then? What grouping of random silliness have you conjured up this time? 

Well...

You all know I'm a big fan of Garrosh: nothing like a little psychopathology mixed with lore to keep things interesting. He certainly is clear on who he is, and I admire that in an Orc. I read a question/comment from an esteemed colleague noticing the dearth of true villains: most conflicts within cartoon characters "these days" come from inner/intrinsic conflict -- a personal dilemma of right and wrong. Think Davey and Goliath versus Bugs and Elmer. Better yet: Moral Orel. (Man, I miss that show...) There is an abundance of characters with inner conflicts: man versus self, as it were. But Garrosh, now there's a villain! And a helluva writer, too.

Now Tome allowed in her post today that her loving title of "Mimi" was in grave danger of being forever altered to "Dreambreaker." Dahhha-ammmm, Tome! That is one sharp little cookie ya got there! This led me to think what vicious titles of viscous vixenish villainy could I come up with?

Well to my co-workers:
The Meeting Slammer

CD Rogue: The Interrupter, the Sulker, the Mood-Swing Shifter

Baby cubs: The Driver

Also, let's not forget: The Weeper, the Nagger, the Sultan of Slacker, the Queen of Unmade Banana Bread, the Recycler, the Caffeinator, the Crumbler (yes, I leave crumbs. Ants gotta eat too!)

What grim title of infamy would you take on if you could?

In the meantime: I'm a hero in Azeroth:

It's a Dead Man's Party

Matty is disappointed she didn't get the Headless Horseman mount, yet again...

I feel sorry for countries/cultures that don't have some version of Halloween. Or should I say, some way to distribute candy in a doorbell-ringing festival. Well, suck it, Timbuktu: the U.S. is covered, and so is Canada. And Mexico has Dias de los Muertos, which I actully think is super-cool-awesomeness. Celebrate the dead, have a party, pour a shot on the grave for the homies, too, and get all Danny-Elfman-up-in-there.

Okay, you will need more than a pumpkin patch and a blue blanket for this one, but Hallow's End has begun yet again in Azeroth. (Yay, North and Central American cultures, with cultural influences from ancient Pagan times, hooray!!!) It has some great changes, and won't give you cavities:

http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/the-overachiever-guide-to-hallows-end-2011/

Theme song: Ain't No Rest for the Wicked/Cage the Elephant

What? This old thing!?

Interesting perspective on heirloom gear: http://www.furlinedteacup.com/bibleofdreams/2011/06/has-the-tyranny-of-boa-gear-ruined-alt-leveling-dungeons.html

That is a loaded, but dead-on word choice: "tyranny."

It is tyranny that ruins game play quite often, as it does, well, the world.

I had no idea that 'to heirloom or not to heirloom' was a big deal. A new guild member was throwing around some philosophical chatter about it the other day about how he missed the good old days. He says he's 17, so I'm not sure how good-old he can be. (Shrugging so much it looks like a human male shoulder roll motion.)

Luperci and Zeptepi have a few pieces, sure. Not too concerned, or at least I wasn't. The real work for a new wardrobe happens at level 80 now anyway. I don't have a weapons' room or closet full of gear: you know my bags are filled with junk and letters. (But it's important! I might need to read that letter again someday!)

But it's funny: I was feeling somewhat disloyal to not wanting to play...that shaman...as much lately. And I am not a raider ("not yet/will ever be?" yin-yang spin-out ), but something kind of snapped lately, not quite sure what: maybe it's been real world stuff, maybe the overwhelming desire or fantasy that I'll get the whisper: "Hey, Matty, come do this raid! We need you!," and I hop in there, down the boss with the highest DPS, everyone gets amazing loot, but mostly me, and hooray! And I sweep my long blond hair behind my new shoulder armor, wink at a dwarf or two, and fly away into the pink cotton-candy sunset.

"What would we do without her?!" 

But that is not the validation (and it would be greatly unearned) that is offered in Azeroth. So, I am finding some new pathways. Stumbled across this beautiful blog, too: Manalicious, and this article on alts. 

Theme Song: Devil with a blue dress on....

Long shadows.

Mat takes the long view...

They say no good deed goes unpunished. Mat politely takes umbrage with this. Mat has been the recipient of several good deeds lately, and for this she is exceedingly grateful. It would go against her nature and honor to hurt those who have been so kind and generous. And she knows that these good deeds are not puppet-characters' deeds: there is a human behind the pixels.

Quite frankly, they have saved her tail.

And while she/human are somewhat mystified by this generosity, the largess and nobility of these gifts only come at one easy price: friendship. And for that, she gives freely.

(Need to go to first person narrative now--yes, this is an abrupt switch, but this is about the human.)
I try to read all of the WoW insider posts, including RP, GM, etc. They are well written and interesting. And although I am not really interested in RP per se; for certain, I love to write, but the writing and creativity must remain on my terms. The true hardcore RP servers seem to have rules, and unless it's avoiding a comma splice or verb-subject agreement, writing rules aren't for me.

There was a post recently about players leaving in RP scenarios. This isn't solely the domain of RP servers; and, as some would argue, anyone who plays WoW is essentially in some kind of RP mode. Having already experienced some loss, admittedly I feel a pang when I log into play and sees a player missing or in a phase mode (there's no other way to put it): players who have had to stop for awhile, hidden behind other characters, people, and voices. I'm not intending to be coy here--you all know that players come and go.  I wasn't prepared to write them out of the script yet. No "lost at sea" or "it was all a dream" plot glue here*. And the truth is stranger than fiction in some cases.

WoW Insider had a blog post today calling for blogs to help players master the game. Threw this one in, too, but not really sure how it helps anyone "master" anything. It's become a series of anecdotes and insights. It's not quite RP...but not quite "how to" either. Personal narrative? Journaling? True blogging? Perhaps there are so many blogs and websites already geared and specified for which gem should go in what socket, that I am hoping you come here for a story. Perhaps you have seen yourself during your time in Azeroth in some of the tales, or have a personal connection to Mat's story.

There is a human behind that character. For whatever reason, they are here. Now. On that server with you. They may be incognito, stealthy, phased, or on an alt, but just like Mat can't go in a level 85 heroic by herself with a basket of muffins and red cape and get to grandma's house without encountering a wolf or two, I am sustained by your friendship and stories, as well. Sorry if I got a little schmaltzy two blog posts in a row: but, didn't want those good deeds to go unmentioned or honored. That would be punishing.

*Some narratives just have to sit in an ice trap for a bit though.

Theme song: The Way You Look Tonight - performed by Tony Bennett