1) What did you do in the World of Warcraft in 2009 that you’d never done before?
I moved my Alliance druid and favorite Alliance alts off my original WoW server to go play with Psynister and Cynwise over on Durotan. I figured that if I liked chatting with these folks in blog comments and on twitter I’d probably also like being guilded with them. I was correct.
2) What was your favorite new place that you visited?
New Azeroth. There are too many fabulous new sights to mention, so I won’t even start. Here’s a picture instead.
3) What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
Better balance. And less drama. Our raiding was very successful in 2010. However, the interpersonal drama in our horde guild, much of it played out on forums, was a lot to stomach. I almost left the guild last Spring over the nasty behavior of several guildies. In 2011 I hope for a chill yet still progressing raid slate without all the BS, and to have time to raid. As of right now, having time to raid is honestly up in the air, pending how crazy work is.
4) What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Starcaller. Hands down. But I am still tickled that my Alliance druid got her Kingslayer title. Never would’ve seen that coming. From the feel-good POV, saving Bolvar that first time was unmatched in its awesomeness.
5) What was your biggest failure?
Working my butt off on the recruitment and raid readiness fronts, to a deafening lack of appreciation other than from my fellow officers. It was a significant time sink, the results of which I was very proud, but in retrospect it didn’t seem that most folks cared at all, which means it was time wasted that could have been better spent elsewhere.
6) What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My many awesome new vanity pets and mounts.
7) What do you wish you’d done less of?
Reading/writing in guild forums during the dramas.
8) What was your favorite WoW blog or podcast?
I absolutely loved all the Oddcraft Warchief Elections coverage. I was totally Team Basic Campfire right up until Sylvanas threw her helm into the ring…nice creative posts that were a lot of fun to read.
9) Tell us a valuable WoW lesson you learned in 2009.
I learned that on the whole, guild forums can be more hassle than they are worth. And that you may think you know people you’ve been playing with for a year, but if you truly only know them online, you best be prepared for the crazy. And it will strike in the least expected ways/most inopportune times. I’m not closing myself off to new online friends, but I am definitely a lot more cautious.
Sadly Anexxia from personal experience, the officer’s job is unappreciated. They invest time and effort to keep the guild running and to make raids happen and be successful. I can’t emphasize that enough “Successful”.
I remember now, on the guild where I was GM, after I left; the players that felt they were left out (because I always chose favorites, of course) tried to run Naxx when it was old content, WAAY into Ulduar, maybe even ToC and they failed miserably. Little later I was contacted by the player that used to blame me the most, who had stepped up as leader of that group; he apologized, realizing that “we”, me and my co-GM, had been right in our leaving that group out all the time of the raids.
I know I am a good healing lead and a decent raid leader, but dealing with people who expect their hands to be held all the time, was too much for me.
That’s what made me jumping into more raid oriented guilds, where everyone knows what’s expected of them, you know “do your job or get out”.