This makes me sad, but also more inspired.
IRL wins, as it should.
BRK ftw!
/cast [BRK] Blessing of Wisdom, Blessing of Kings, Blessing of Protection, Blessing of Might, Blessing of Freedom
-L-
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
When Worlds Collide
Foreward
I have always been a social person. Consequently I also place a lot of value in the quantity and quality of relationships I've been blessed to have established throughout my life thus far. Growing up an Army Brat made developing friendships early in life a difficult and frustrating process. Standard procedure was move to new a place (ususally opposite side of the world), settle down for a couple years, begin to grow roots, get ripped away from it all. By the time I was 12 I had moved 6 times (at least) and had grown weary of the constant turbulence. Getting into my teen years I was ready to start making some lasting relationships. At this time my dad retired from the military and he decided to settle us down in good ol' Texas. This is where the story begins.
Chapter 1
My 7th grade year I met some guys that would begin to help shape who I am today. We shared the same values, faith, interests, and humor, and life with them was really fun. REALLY FUN. After high school we started a band and that was REALLY FUN (for 4 years then life happened). As fate/God (take your pick, i pick Big G) would have it, life with them is STILL REALLY FUN . We've all grown up (wives might say otherwise and be mostly right), most have married, some have had kids and we're all doing our part to be productive in life. We are doing our best to be good men/husbands/fathers. A few have joined the military, done/doing tours in Iraq (we're all proud of you guys!!! I hope you know that even if we aren't always good at communicating it) while others are having their dreams realized (youth ministry/missions). We try to get together when we can (several of us still live in town) but there's always that blasted "life" to work around. Life hasn't stopped and time continues to take its toll, but life has also provided opportunity.
Chapter 2
Some years ago some of these guys started really getting into online games. Some guys did Starcraft, some did Warcraft, and some did Star Wars Galaxies. I'm sure there were some Diablo fans in there as well and likely others more than that. We all grew up playing consoles together so gaming has been a constant in our lives (Golden Eye FTW!!! [for the win]). About two years ago I was finally persuaded to do the 10 day World of Warcraft (WoW) free trial. And that's where the story really picks up. I did a trial, got a toon to level 13 then time ran out. So I did another trial. And another. And anoth...just kidding. I finally bought in at this point. At the time I was such a noob and didn't understand anything about "realms" or any of the technicalities of online gaming. I started the account, was suggested a realm and took it. A little while later I find out my friends were on another realm. Whoops. Not wanting to pay the fee to transfer I was just content to let it be. Eventually my wife started playing as well (one of many marriage highlights for me). We joined a guild, leveled, bought the expansions. And that's the way it's been. I've tried for awhile (not fanatically but made attempts) to get some of the other guys to join the fun and was met with no success. Until now.
Chapter 3
A few weeks ago one of the guys finally took the plunge. Free trial > purchased account. This eventually led to another guy taking the plunge. Free trial > purchased account. Now we're working on one more...your time's coming man, your time's coming. We're on the same realm, our accounts are linked and we're getting 3x more XP than normal (thank you "recruit-a-friend"). The other guys who've been playing heard about this and are now wanting in on the fun as well. A few of them have started toons on the realm and will be transferring some toons over soon. Even one of the dads is coming over. It's an exciting time in WoW life (heck who am i kidding, its a fun time IRL as well). You see, being the social guy that I am I really enjoy spending time with the people I love. As we've grown up and continue to walk our separate paths in life I'm always looking for ways to get us back together. Not for "the good ol' days" (though they were fun), but for the the "good ol' NOW days". Time will march on, so will our lives, but it's nice to have a commonality to share again. We did school. We did the band. We continue to do life. And now we have something new to add to the repertoire.
Look out Azeroth..."beware the 'Ides of March'!"
- L -
I have always been a social person. Consequently I also place a lot of value in the quantity and quality of relationships I've been blessed to have established throughout my life thus far. Growing up an Army Brat made developing friendships early in life a difficult and frustrating process. Standard procedure was move to new a place (ususally opposite side of the world), settle down for a couple years, begin to grow roots, get ripped away from it all. By the time I was 12 I had moved 6 times (at least) and had grown weary of the constant turbulence. Getting into my teen years I was ready to start making some lasting relationships. At this time my dad retired from the military and he decided to settle us down in good ol' Texas. This is where the story begins.
Chapter 1
My 7th grade year I met some guys that would begin to help shape who I am today. We shared the same values, faith, interests, and humor, and life with them was really fun. REALLY FUN. After high school we started a band and that was REALLY FUN (for 4 years then life happened). As fate/God (take your pick, i pick Big G) would have it, life with them is STILL REALLY FUN . We've all grown up (wives might say otherwise and be mostly right), most have married, some have had kids and we're all doing our part to be productive in life. We are doing our best to be good men/husbands/fathers. A few have joined the military, done/doing tours in Iraq (we're all proud of you guys!!! I hope you know that even if we aren't always good at communicating it) while others are having their dreams realized (youth ministry/missions). We try to get together when we can (several of us still live in town) but there's always that blasted "life" to work around. Life hasn't stopped and time continues to take its toll, but life has also provided opportunity.
Chapter 2
Some years ago some of these guys started really getting into online games. Some guys did Starcraft, some did Warcraft, and some did Star Wars Galaxies. I'm sure there were some Diablo fans in there as well and likely others more than that. We all grew up playing consoles together so gaming has been a constant in our lives (Golden Eye FTW!!! [for the win]). About two years ago I was finally persuaded to do the 10 day World of Warcraft (WoW) free trial. And that's where the story really picks up. I did a trial, got a toon to level 13 then time ran out. So I did another trial. And another. And anoth...just kidding. I finally bought in at this point. At the time I was such a noob and didn't understand anything about "realms" or any of the technicalities of online gaming. I started the account, was suggested a realm and took it. A little while later I find out my friends were on another realm. Whoops. Not wanting to pay the fee to transfer I was just content to let it be. Eventually my wife started playing as well (one of many marriage highlights for me). We joined a guild, leveled, bought the expansions. And that's the way it's been. I've tried for awhile (not fanatically but made attempts) to get some of the other guys to join the fun and was met with no success. Until now.
Chapter 3
A few weeks ago one of the guys finally took the plunge. Free trial > purchased account. This eventually led to another guy taking the plunge. Free trial > purchased account. Now we're working on one more...your time's coming man, your time's coming. We're on the same realm, our accounts are linked and we're getting 3x more XP than normal (thank you "recruit-a-friend"). The other guys who've been playing heard about this and are now wanting in on the fun as well. A few of them have started toons on the realm and will be transferring some toons over soon. Even one of the dads is coming over. It's an exciting time in WoW life (heck who am i kidding, its a fun time IRL as well). You see, being the social guy that I am I really enjoy spending time with the people I love. As we've grown up and continue to walk our separate paths in life I'm always looking for ways to get us back together. Not for "the good ol' days" (though they were fun), but for the the "good ol' NOW days". Time will march on, so will our lives, but it's nice to have a commonality to share again. We did school. We did the band. We continue to do life. And now we have something new to add to the repertoire.
Look out Azeroth..."beware the 'Ides of March'!"
- L -
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
The Broken Steed, a tale of Epic proportions...kind of.
The following is a true story. Names have been changed to protect the innocent.
This past weekend I set forth on a journey with my faithful squire "Noll". Our goal was to cheer on a local Arena team to victory. Midway through our journey to the Arena I noticed our Epic Steed was suffering from a limp. Through mastery of skill and deft handling I quickly reigned the beast off the main road and into the safest place I could find (this happened to be a small patch of earth nestled between the main thoroughfare and entrance to said thoroughfare). With other riders and their respective mounts flying by us at untold speeds we dismounted to observe the cause for our glorious Steed's distress. What we saw made us cringe. Our loyal Stallion had suffered quite a traumatic wound to one of its hind legs. It appeared to have somehow badly warped the shoe and it was now an entangled mess of iron and flesh. Luckily my BlackSmithing is almost maxed and i posses the skill and tools to repair the damage, or so i thought. After "Noll" and i retrieved the spare shoe from our bags i set to work on removing the old and now ravaged piece of scrap from my mount. And then...oh no...it can't be...REQUIRES BLACKSMITHING 450. "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Apparantly the last smith to have worked on it enlisted the help of an enigneer who replaced the normal anti-rogue locknut with a different one, and they didn't see fit to give me the key, "thanks"...i shoulda rolled a mage. /2 ... "LF MAGE TO PORT!!! WILL TIP NICELY!!!"...le sigh*.
So while i stood there in disbelief i began to closely examine my circumstances:
Wounded mount, check.
Middle of nowhere, check.
Late for tournament, check.
It appears I had unknowingly accepted a new quest.
"The Broken Steed"
Young "Noll" would like you to escort him to the Arena Tournament so he can cheer for his favorite team. But first you must repair your mount. To the north there is a workshop where you will find an engineer named "Fernandy 'The Handy' Gonzales", give him an item of value and he will gladly assist you with your repairs. There are two tools you must find at his shop. The Skeleton Key of Eternity and The Hammer of the Gods,. Once you posses these items you may return to repair your mount. But please hurry, the tournament will be over before long. You have 30 minutes...0:29:59, 0:29:58, 0:29: 57...
So onward we ventured, both "Noll" and I. On our voyage we were faced with many hardships and bravely fought the cruel elements of nature. Though we felt the creeping fingers of despair grasping at our souls we trudged wearily on towards the north with ever the softest whisper of hope alight in our hearts. Until finally..."Ahoy! The workshop, and Fernandy!"
Receive items:
The Skeleton Key of Eternity 1/1
The Hammer of the Gods 1/1
/cheer
Upon returning to our mount I feverishly set to work repairing the shoe so as to make up for lost time. 0:12:44, 0:12:43, 0:12:42...
and then. O...M...G!!!
"The Broken Steed: Part 2"
Now that you have proven your faithfulness to complete the task at hand, you must return to Fernandy's Workshop to recieve The Wrench of a Thousand Tourques. Return here with the wrench and you will recieve:
A Gimp Steed
The Smithy's Gauntlets (+10 Blacksmithing)
14 gold
Venture...hardships...elements...despair...trudge...north..."Ahoy!"
The Wrench of a Thousand Torques 1/1
"Ahoy!"...south...trudge...despair...elements...hardships...venture.
Congratulations! You have completed "The Broken Steed" with 0:00:18 left.
You receive:
A Gimp Steed
The Smithy's Gauntlets (+10 Blacksmithing)
14 gold
.....
We arrived at the tournament for the final period...and lost.
This past weekend I set forth on a journey with my faithful squire "Noll". Our goal was to cheer on a local Arena team to victory. Midway through our journey to the Arena I noticed our Epic Steed was suffering from a limp. Through mastery of skill and deft handling I quickly reigned the beast off the main road and into the safest place I could find (this happened to be a small patch of earth nestled between the main thoroughfare and entrance to said thoroughfare). With other riders and their respective mounts flying by us at untold speeds we dismounted to observe the cause for our glorious Steed's distress. What we saw made us cringe. Our loyal Stallion had suffered quite a traumatic wound to one of its hind legs. It appeared to have somehow badly warped the shoe and it was now an entangled mess of iron and flesh. Luckily my BlackSmithing is almost maxed and i posses the skill and tools to repair the damage, or so i thought. After "Noll" and i retrieved the spare shoe from our bags i set to work on removing the old and now ravaged piece of scrap from my mount. And then...oh no...it can't be...REQUIRES BLACKSMITHING 450. "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Apparantly the last smith to have worked on it enlisted the help of an enigneer who replaced the normal anti-rogue locknut with a different one, and they didn't see fit to give me the key, "thanks"...i shoulda rolled a mage. /2 ... "LF MAGE TO PORT!!! WILL TIP NICELY!!!"...le sigh*.
So while i stood there in disbelief i began to closely examine my circumstances:
Wounded mount, check.
Middle of nowhere, check.
Late for tournament, check.
It appears I had unknowingly accepted a new quest.
"The Broken Steed"
Young "Noll" would like you to escort him to the Arena Tournament so he can cheer for his favorite team. But first you must repair your mount. To the north there is a workshop where you will find an engineer named "Fernandy 'The Handy' Gonzales", give him an item of value and he will gladly assist you with your repairs. There are two tools you must find at his shop. The Skeleton Key of Eternity and The Hammer of the Gods,. Once you posses these items you may return to repair your mount. But please hurry, the tournament will be over before long. You have 30 minutes...0:29:59, 0:29:58, 0:29: 57...
So onward we ventured, both "Noll" and I. On our voyage we were faced with many hardships and bravely fought the cruel elements of nature. Though we felt the creeping fingers of despair grasping at our souls we trudged wearily on towards the north with ever the softest whisper of hope alight in our hearts. Until finally..."Ahoy! The workshop, and Fernandy!"
Receive items:
The Skeleton Key of Eternity 1/1
The Hammer of the Gods 1/1
/cheer
Upon returning to our mount I feverishly set to work repairing the shoe so as to make up for lost time. 0:12:44, 0:12:43, 0:12:42...
and then. O...M...G!!!
"The Broken Steed: Part 2"
Now that you have proven your faithfulness to complete the task at hand, you must return to Fernandy's Workshop to recieve The Wrench of a Thousand Tourques. Return here with the wrench and you will recieve:
A Gimp Steed
The Smithy's Gauntlets (+10 Blacksmithing)
14 gold
Venture...hardships...elements...despair...trudge...north..."Ahoy!"
The Wrench of a Thousand Torques 1/1
"Ahoy!"...south...trudge...despair...elements...hardships...venture.
Congratulations! You have completed "The Broken Steed" with 0:00:18 left.
You receive:
A Gimp Steed
The Smithy's Gauntlets (+10 Blacksmithing)
14 gold
.....
We arrived at the tournament for the final period...and lost.
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