My Shifty Man

Nikon D50

Wes & Ryker, the first of many such cute pictures I plan to begin sharing with my Christmas present, the Nikon D50! <3

Unexpected Friendships

I spent some time before Thanksgiving thinking about what I was most thankful for this year, and I was pretty proud of what I came up with. So, I looked forward to the part of Thanksgiving Dinner where you go around the table and everyone says what you're most thankful for, but my folks didn't do it this year. That's why I'm going to post it here.

I am most thankful for the unexpected friendships I have found in unexpected places.

WoW, I bid you adu

Looking back over my time spent within the World of Warcraft it is hard to believe all that I accomplished, and how much I did not. Those who know me well know of the incredible obstacles I have had to overcome in my personal life these last few years. Distracting me from the depression I could have allowed myself to sink into was always WoW, and the incredible people who played it. I realized this game had become my way of filling the emptiness that had become my life, filler for the many things I wanted in my life but could not have.

I have spent the last year rebuilding my life, the requirements of leaving a dangerous situation being that I had to leave all but a small suitcase of clothes, my computer and my dog behind. Today I can sit down looking around at the home I have made, then back at all that I have accomplished in regaining my life and my happiness this past year, and be proud in knowing that I am on track once more.

In these thoughts, however, I come back to the realization that WoW has been a filler, a filler for those things I wanted to have within my life but could not obtain.

I will not lay in my deathbed wishing that I had just a little more time to progress in the latest raid dungeon or sharing the valuable lessons of life with my grandchildren through "old war stories" from WoW. It is for reasons such as these that the time has come for me to bid adu to this enchanting world and all of its inhabitants.

It is time for me to finish reclaiming my passion for all that life holds waiting for me.

Never will I forget the many blessings of friendship that I will take with me. (Nor can I express my lust for the latest feral druid changes and what is in store for them soon!) I do hope that as you are read this you will understand my feelings and appreciate how hard a choice this was for me to make.

Best wishes to you all in accomplishing your many goals, from a sincere friend.

~joa