Preparation: H

"H" for heroic?

"H" for hope?

"H" for human resources?

"H" for help!

Some redemption is on the horizon--

Guild Master and his trusty druid recruitment head-hunterhave managed to put together our Team 2, first official raiding night is this Wednesday. But--I am nervous, and not for reasons you may believe.

Just need this Thermos, and this chair...and

Every so often, something weird happens - there must be, absolutely, positively, logical reasons, but every so often, my gameplay is completely sideways. If I move my character to zig, she zags, it is all wonky and damn frustrating. Hard to hold my own in DPS/damage when I can't reach the target. Imagine going to an archery contest and you bring a bowling ball. That's how bad it is. I wouldn't have been embarrassed except I did a guild run this afternoon for Bare-ly Made It, and I was third in DPS. Unacceptable, shaman. Turn in your maelstrom weapons and leave your shield at the door. I was relieved to finally save the last poor troll, although I did not win the bear mount, the lovely priest guildie who did needed it, purportedly having a bad week.*

I asked for some advice, and young leet druid tells me "It's something you did." Clearly. Ask another esteemed player, and he suggested cleaning off the debris from my mouse and mouse area. Debris? Not on my watch, sir, but clean it I will, and did. And will again. Recently I added Bartender, Quartz, and Tidy Plates to my add-ons, and of course DBM, and got rid of most everything else.


But--need NPC scan. And of course, Postal. Atlas Loot? Yes please. And don't forget Mogit!

We all have shit weeks. As my real-life friends know, I certainly have had my share recently, but everyone does. Everyone. A bear mount, or the weapon, or the pixelized boons are amazing. I suspect my guildmates have much more going on behind the scenes than they let on, and what I really hope I bring to the table is a good person to work with, and demonstrate patience, as I hope they do me, too. I think this is a great time to start a team, going into the expansion when all is new.

Recently I had an interesting conversation with someone who is responsible for hiring what many would consider their "dream job." He said one question that always stumps interviewees is the "What do you see yourself doing in five years?" question. They come prepared to talk about their skill sets, but rarely have they imagined what life might be like for them if they do get this 'dream job.' If they mention anything that is outside the company's mission, work, and philosophy, he knows it may not be a good fit. During the recruiting process, many potential candidates balked at having to fill out an application. I must admit I kind of did, maybe a little bit too, because it feels dismissive at first. I remember looking for work, going into place after place, being handed an application, enough to make a flotilla of origami boats, and knowing that the time and energy would most likely go in the trash. Yes, trash people - not even recycling. I told you I was 103 years old. I have always hated the "five year" question, too. How the hell should I know?! Life is too damn interesting to think a hundred things may or may not happen! Now I realize how pivotal that question can be. I am not thinking in terms of raiding, guilds, or game, but in terms of my own professional and personal growth. As far as the game goes, I'll think in shorter more internet-friendly realms of time --how about five months?

Well, pray a little technology prayer that I can fix my screwy play. Maybe it's as simple as a new mouse pad and change of batteries.

In the meantime, I hope I can finish this:

These were accomplished from May 1-May 15, 2011

I think I spotted a Hero on the horizon, and he looks like a Bear.

What you want.

During my lunch break yesterday, with a lingering cold, and just feeling a bit like my own active mitagation was nerfed, I read Vidyala's Manalicious post, "How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Nerfs." She touched on some thoughts I believe many people think or feel, at many times. Not just playing a mulit-player game, either.

I can't help but ask, again as relatively newer player (wonder what the statute of limitations is for that adjectival phrase?), perhaps WoW is just going through good old-fashioned growing pains? And players are sensing it. The level of nostalgia and "good old days" conversation is fairly thick, and this time of reflection for many players is interesting.

This observation or analogy may bristle some folks, but here it goes: I think about my own mom who used to play bridge or canasta, drink margaritas, and hang out in the summer time while the kids played. She wasn't in the kitchen baking cookies; she was having fun with other moms in the neighborhood, and made no apologies for it. We kids were well-fed, clean, and looked after, but she needed her social time, too. I am not suggesting Azeroth is one big bridge club (shudder). I am saying at no point in time of being a human have we homo sapiens have not banded with others. (And I will never learn how to play bridge. Lucky in love, not at cards. Now, a margarita sounds lovely.) My mom probably doesn't remember every bridge score, or when she gave Mrs. Perfect the smack-down with hearts and clubs, but she probably does remember having fun summers.

Maybe this anecdote will reaffirm Vidyala's sentiments:

A young druid, who was recently in a Horde guild, having reported downing boss after boss in Firelands, on normal, and then heroic mode, was quite proud of this. He was a tank and dps, often the top performer in scores, whatever the need be. Interestingly, as he and his guild downed more and more, he would make more side comments about guildmates, not mean spirited, but how one did something that was annoying, and in general, the other players were dull. Very, very dull. Perhaps that is the greatest sin of all in a social game: boring others to death before the bosses do. He finally had enough of one guildmate's particular brand of whining and tattling to the GM, and the young druid left. Took his DPS to another guild, one that is hopefully more fun and engaging.

Now, the guild I belong to has that in spades. No question. On the scales of shenanigans, they have been summarily tipped. When I think of the nerfs, though, I can just hear some of the unintended smugness and "there there dear's" of some of my guildmates. They can be a touch patronizing sometimes. I have shared a success or victory, only to hear the next statement, "Yes, but they nerfed that quite a bit."

Sigh. Like dating 10 Comic Book Guys. Worst. Guildchat. Ever.

(But really, we are all pretty sweet to one another, with hearty congratulations at every success--nice!)

But I do wonder what my GM wants. I will ask him next time I see him.  I count on his honesty. I may ask him if we can schedule a raid one hour earlier on one night, or what he would like from me. Reading a Matticus' post recently, one comment resonated, that when a player leaves, Matticus doesn't keep them in mind--if they're gone, they're gone. Fair enough. One reason I didn't join another raiding guild a few months ago was that the GM was very honest with me--basically, if I didn't perform, I'd be out. (And I wasn't ready. My DPS on little Miss Shaman pants is pretty solid now, ironically, when I don't have time to raid when I would like.) That cut-from-the-team attitude may not work for 4.2 or 4.3, and those who have enjoyed the strict raiding team line-ups may be in for a rude awakening and have to ask hard questions: "Do I have the player who can be trained and is intelligent, and spend time getting them geared up, or do I throw them all into the river and see which ones swim?"

Well, I know that is traditionally important for many guilds: just win. But that doesn't fit my personality. And I think---maybe I'm reading too much into this--many great players are feeling the same. Vidyala's openness about her full-circle reflection and coming to terms with what she and her guild has, and has not, accomplished is perhaps an eye-opener for many players. To me, what they really accomplished is something I yearn for: A guild that truly likes one another, gets together, and enjoys each other's quirks, humor, and personalities. Wow--that is awesome. And of that, I am a little envious.

At the heart, the only question one should ever ask and answer is, "What do I want?"

Vidyala, your humility and honesty are truly refreshing. I haven't yet read the 20+comments, but I can guess what the majority of them say at the heart: Thank you. I believe that this world, as we band together, make alliances, prove loyalty, and friendships, is where the strength endures. In any world. Recently, I have had to take a long, painful look at my own professional life, and rip up excuses or toss out crutches. I will do what I can do, but I will still need my colleague's support, as they need mine. We have all decided to be kinder, more positive, and supportive of one another.

Sounds like a solid plan. And again, f-it dude. Let's go bowling.

Forest for the trees.

Yesterday I listened to a day-long presentation on brain research. The speaker was highly engaging, intelligent, and humble. I know that when a very smarty-pants person has to address a group of laypeople, she must bring the jargon down to an understandable level. And to be honest, I was not in the frame of mind to listen to medical or psychological terms yesterday afternoon, so I appreciate her analogy of this concept:

There are tree people, and there are forest people. (I personally think most of us are squirrels holding our nuts or opossums swinging by our tails, but no matter.) The tree people are the organized, detail people. They like to have order out of chaos, fold their underwear, match their socks, make lists, and actually check off items from the list. Go to the far end of the spectrum of tree people, and you have someone who is so uptight and inflexible, they just can't bend. The forest people, depending on how far the other end of the spectrum you go, are the "big picture" people. These are those of us who can live with some clutter, chaos, and get into what we perceive is the 'higher ideal' of creativity and common good. But, forest people march to their own drum, are often late, and commit the greatest sin of all--forget birthdays. And forest people don't put the toilet seat down. Luckily, there are tree people to remind them.

I bring this up because you may want to consider your tree v. forest people while playing. Was talking with GM the other day, and his ability to see the 'big picture' as well as the details of missteps and fire pits. He strikes a balance of both, which is optimal for raid leading. Unfortunately, and I will speak for myself, I have grown to depend on that balance--in other words, won't do any of the heavy lifting myself. The 'tree' people I know in the game are the ones I turn to when I don't feel like going to wowwiki or joystiq to look up some NPC's name or find the quest chain. Too lazy. I'm a forest person, duh! Look at the scenary! Let's write a story!

Many of my buddies will have a cocktail, or two - they want to change their real life role to another one in the game. It's frowned upon to drink on the job in most professions, say school bus driver or tiger dentist. Completely understandable. My point is, if you ever get frustrated, ask yourself, if the person who's upsetting the apple cart is in conflict with your own personality. Are you being all forest-y, when this person is being a tree? I find that the trees get far more irritated with the forests than the other way around. They are the steely-eyed missile men of the game -- know the phases, the goal, the details for every fight. We forest people just want to get the prize at the bottom of the cereal box. Oh, look! A squirrel!

Theme song: Rush/The Trees 

Itsy-Bitsy Spider

Down came the rain, indeed.

Damn, I don't think I have a screen shot, and that is a shame, because since I'm #29'th choice out of 10-man team, if that, I may not get another chance to go back in there. I signed up for the new Firelands raid instance, figuring that since we were all new and learning together, it would be a fun and safe time to see what's what.* When I said something to the guildmaster about, "Are we there yet?" the response was "We? Who is we?" or something to that effect, I realized that I may not be included. I did get to go, only because one of the solid players wasn't on-line, in fact, two of our best players couldn't make it, so I got a spot. I am not happy about that they couldn't make it, not at all, but I guess even ugly stepsisters get a chance to go out once in awhile. It was with the clear understanding that if either one of them showed up, I would be asked to go, and was I okay with that. Sure. I'm okay with that. The guild members who have paid their dues and have more experience have earned their places a hundred times over. (Blizzard doesn't allow for a lot of middle ground on this one: you're either doing raiding or not. There is no variance for learning curve. A player must know everything, it seems, before going into any new situation, about what abilities they should use in every situation: that is the high nerd-rage end of the spectrum. The other end allows for more cooperative strategies. And I would imagine every guild, every group, usually slides between the two variances at any given situational moment.)

Oh: let me know if you want to know what you can and can't hex or elemental bind. I've got your back. 

The Firelands Raid say it's "outdoors," which is kind of like saying going on a picnic with Satan. Sure, there is an atmosphere, but damn, that brimstone...your buns will get toasted.

Beth'Tilac, The Red Widow. is a crazy fight, too. It is a Cirque Du Soleil level of a performance from first impressions: little spiders, medium, large, and there are spinners you must climb up, and in the center of it all, The Red Widow. Before you can say "Charlotte's Web," you'd better put on your contortionist face and start spraying pesticide.

It was a lot of fun though. There is a double-edged sword, however: because it was "Patch Day" many of the add-ons weren't functioning. We all went in there somewhat blind, without the benefits and blaring of GTFO, or Recount. It was kind of refreshing in a way, just to strategize, not worry about DPS races, and figure out which thing to kill first. Gulidmaster is very good at this, and very good at listening to players' suggestions.

The GM and GO made up a fun game, an entertaining distraction between mobs. Oh, and by the way, I won! It was word game, category: "alcohol." I have never actually had most of the drinks (never has a Rusty Nail or Brandy Alexander crossed my lips). I am a reader, and that's how I knew. Yes, I have read bartending guides. Want something to wash the taste of spider guts out of your mouth? This might do the trick, a Chocolate Martini:

A Chocolate Martini—7 Square Restaurant, New York City
Ingredients
2 oz. vodka
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 oz. Frangelico
4 oz. chilled hot chocolate

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake, and pour into a stemmed glass. To make it even sweeter, dip the rim of the glass in honey and then in cookie crumbs

http://thejetsetgirls.blogspot.com/2011/05/cosmos-official-cocktail-book.html

I realize that my younger guildmates see me as this, and I cheated because of age:

For some guidance:
http://25man.com/firelands/bethtilac
Videos/For the Horde: http://manaflask.com/article/902/the-first-firelands-ptr-raid-in-picture-form


*There are a lot of great blogs written from the guildmasters' perspectives. Frustration with players' performances, attitudes, demands, etc. It occurred to me this morning that I am relating the other side, well, at least my side, from what it's like to be a newer player, to want to hang with the big dogs, and what obstacles we face. Mostly, the biggest obstacle is truth, and the truth hurts. I do mash the keyboard when I am in a tough fight. I do lose sight of some buff or debuff. But I also try my damnedest to listen to instructions. When the boss says "Kill the red X" I will go kill the Red X. I am the Spider Killer in my house, hobo, black widow, whatever. Have shoe, will squash.


Art-of-the-Day;
Stumbled across this manipulated image (found it intriguing):

ChrissieCool/Deviant Art

Postscripts:
No one can abstract-random like I can.
I am consciously making an editorial decision to create 'guild mates' as a compound word, 'guildmates.' I realize it is grammatically incorrect, but I can try to start language trends, too, can't I?