Three.

Mr. and Mrs. WoW provided the most epic, elite, toughest challenge for us all: come up with the three best things without one iota of moaning, complaining or bitching. Though admittedly I like a little spicy sausage along with my syrupy waffles, and never do anything all sugar sans spice, ever, I’ll try. It might hurt. It may sting. But like a bandage, best to just rip it off and deal with it. Man up, Matty!

1. Other WoW Bloggers.

Friendships know no boundaries or political allegiances…

This is my true community – without friends like Tome and Navimie, Erinys, Dahahka, Plaid, and many more: all encouraging and inspiring me, not sure where I’d be. Well, I do know. Very sad.

Me. Without. You.

2. Information.

I vote “Best Pun In Azeroth.” Charles Dickens would approve.

Anything I want to find out about Azeroth is only a Google search away: think of the legions of passionate theory crafters, moggers, bloggers, vloggers, and occasionally joggers who fill our bandwidths with whatever we want to know. And yet, its paradox haunts me: all these players sharing what they love, and yet still feel shame when telling a friend or family member, and feeling like a complete nerd, and not the good kind either. I was in a dungeon the other day and a young player confessed he doesn’t even tell his dad he plays, he has a ‘rep’ to maintain, and was from New Zealand and plays rugby, hates basketball, and is now living in Colorado. I learned all this in fifteen minutes while killing ghouls, zombies, and banshees. Not a bad way to spend time.

In any case, Azeroth is kind of like living in Washington State. We want people to know how beautiful it is, but we don’t want them to visit.

3. Bonds.

Little ones, big ones. Little ones that lead me on butterfly chases and I discover the most fascinating things, such as one friend’s addiction to scented soaps, even when I tried to steer her toward Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs. The other day I treated myself to three scents, all based on their descriptions:

 

 

 

 

And I wonder why I am always broke. But what woman doesn’t need a dabble of dragon’s blood? 

The Big Bonds: friendships that have lasted years, knowing that my surface-level conversations maybe carried out in someone’s head later, just as I think about them. It fascinates me, this digital narrative.

Did I pass the test? Pass the pepper, please.

RTMT: Regrowth.

Regrowth (Photo by Matty)

I don’t know about this Azeroth place anymore.

I am beginning to understand why players stick with maybe one to three solid classes/specializations: truly and deeply specializing takes hours of intense scrutiny and practice. I am feeling somewhat a restoration druid ‘failure’ these days: I have the gear, and yet I still can’t produce the healing potential Momokawa possesses. One HUGE issue I had the other night was I tried to use Clique, and it was an abysmal failure. Well, it wasn’t: I was. I didn’t take the time to try to understand it, and it disrupted my targeting. That’s an understatement.

Matty-Shack 2018

Sitting here trying to decide what kind of player I want to be, after all these years: do I want to focus on one or two characters and dig into raiding? Do I want to go more solo, play with my Garrison?

Not this Garrison…

…this one

I don’t know. Don’t judge me, please –it could happen to anyone–but in my own little Matty-shack a mouse family has moved in (I have called in professionals to help them move out), and the wisteria vines engulfed over the eastern facade, growing into the crevices of shingles, denying their shoots of sunlight, producing pale whitish-yellow chlorophyll-depleted tendrils. In other words: I better look after my own garrison, instead of a make-believe one. I envision a not-too-distant-future where I’m sitting at my keyboard adding a pet or lighting sconce to pixelized castle while around me are mouse parties and Sleeping Beauty style thorny vines.

The mice didn’t seem to have any trouble…

Warlords of Draenor is going to be huge. Garrisons will be awesome. The story will be fine, and Draenei will have a role to play. It’ll all work out, and is not worth any iota of stress or concern.

Then why am I starting to wake up again at 5:30AM with headaches? 

I see your Raid Leader and raise you a Ragnaros!

Here is what I do know: summer is drawing to a fast close, and this summer has been wonderful for me. I consciously did nothing. I read one book (and I loved it, every word). I watched Game of Thrones repeats on Netflix. I played Hearthstone like a old card shark. I sat like Margot Tenenbaum (without the cigarettes) and relaxed as if it was my job.

Not a bad way to spend summer…

I had a great time yesterday goofing off with Starre in Blackwing Lair on various characters, and made a Red Knight ensemble for Luperci:

So mice, take notice: pack your little cheesy bags and get the hell out of Dodge. I know you’re not like Cinderella mice and will not sew any dresses or make pearl necklaces for me, so scram. I’ve got other things to do than worry about you.

Like go get a kitten.

PS If you’r bored, take this gamer quiz.