I'm sure this post will not come as a shock to those in guild that have been playing alongside Kybosh and I for the last several months (and years).  My account expired as of this afternoon, as I stopped my recurring payment a bit over a week ago.

It's definitely weird to be experiencing a variety of emotions over a video game, but I never realized when I bought this game 3 1/2 years ago that I'd enjoy it as much as I did or be able to make legitimate friends of those I played with.  It is very much a bittersweet feeling to be typing this up right now.

You all know that Ky (Jason) and I recently had our first child, and I would imagine many of you have noticed we haven't been on much (if at all) since.  It's not that we couldn't be playing if we really wanted too (which again, many of you know for a long time that we were really hoping to try).  It's just that well....we wouldn't be able to do anything else.  Obviously a newborn takes an enormous amount of time and energy, and it is definitely the cliched wonderful and challenging experience that all those before us say it will be.  As they say, having a baby changes your life. 

WoW and all the Downfall crew have been my relaxation, my hobby, and a good part of my social outlet for almost three years now.  And during those three years I have been able to maintain a balance between working full time, advancing my career, spending time with our relatively large and awesome group of friends here in Portland, doing other hobbies that I enjoy, and generally being a more or less responsible and productive member of society.

I don't think I'd be in the minority of gamers here to say that one area that has suffered since the start of my "wow career" is the time I spend with my friends here in town.  I also know that one of the other things new parents (and their friends) say the most is how much their relationships can suffer after the addition of a child.  It wouldn't be unfair to say that I have taken certain friends for granted and spent less time with them than they deserved, and it is primarily for this that I need to hang up my mage boots.  In short, Jason and I realize that yep, we could keep playing wow...but we'd end up losing all our friends in the process because there just isn't enough time in the day.

Another thing that is really worth saying is that again, we could keep playing, but honestly, what both of us loved doing was raiding, and raiding together.  I already miss the scramble to get home from work and pop on my computer to get ready for raid, and slay internet dragons with a group of people that I considered to be friends.  But the reality is that it would be irresponsible for Jason and I to attempt to get back into that kind of habit, and no other aspects of game play quite do it for either of us. 

I am unsure if we'll attempt to come back, and honestly it would probably be best if we didn't.  I don't do well trying to recapture the glory of good things past; they always fall short and end up leaving you disappointed in the end.

There are so many of you that I will truly miss and I know I will wonder and hope that you're doing well as time passes. 

To my Downfall ladies:  Melissa/Glowy, Cindy/Closer, Christine/Aidin, Dalene/Saja, Katie, Alli, Josalin, Jorence, Everstar, Jaibyrd, and Jasmine (even though she is fail for leaving)--thank you for not making me a sole pair of boobs in a sea of horny teenagers.

To other Downfall members who have been raiding alongside me all this time; Chris/Cat Herder, Sorahn, Tankard, Keisjaa, Grasen, James/Gares, Nuit, Agonub, Shin, Shihli, Diky, Rupta, Netti, Dufe, Saedo, Star, and in all reality too many more to name...thanks for the fun times and I will miss you all!

Those of you who are on my various social network sites, I hope you don't mind if I spy on you on occassion just to see what you're up to (and feel free to do the same =P).

Much Love,

(Your favorite reckless fire mage)

-Karin / Karli