And That’s a Wrap

After three years of playing World of Warcraft, and two and a half years at Frost is the New Black, it is my deepest regret to inform you that I will be leaving the game that I oh so love.  As well, I will no longer be writing for Frost is the New Black.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve written about overcoming obstacles, depending on your own strength, and dancing to the sound of your own music.  In a game that, at one point, was hardly kind to my favourite spec, it was almost like mental suicide to stick out for it for so long.  But I persisted, and enjoyed it to the fullest potential.  Now with Cataclysm, Frost is an acceptable spec, and I see more Water Elementals in my pugs and in capital cities than ever.  I feel like my patience has paid off dividends.

I’ve never intended to claim any particular position of authority or representation of my spec, but more rather a philosophy that you do what you want to do, but to do it well.  And while redhead stepchild specs and flavours of the month come and go, those who remain steadfast in playing what they love continue to do so, even if their preferences change as quickly as the shifts of the balances of power.  That said, I feel I’ve said what I needed to say on the subject, and there is not much left for me to say.  It’s so easy to pick up this game and do whatever you want.  There are endless possibilities.

As for me, I finally feel as if I’ve enjoyed as much as I could in the game.  There’s so much still to do and love, but to keep doing so will come at a cost of missing out on new opportunities.  New chances to feel the same spark I got when wandering through the dirt path of Elwyn Forest, and seeing for a fleeting moment, a level 70 riding an epic mount.  Discovering new zones, stepping into a raid for the first time, and all in between, has culminated in what I feel to be the best video gaming experience I’ve had in my later years.

Life goes on, and with it, our needs and responsibilities change as well.  I’ve stubbornly held on to what I’ve loved for a few too many moments, whether that be writing for this blog, or playing Warcraft.  And to ignore the new things that call out to me to enjoy, including my rekindled love for anime, and my hunger to write about the medium and culture, I feel that worrying about this blog, as well as the game, is holding me back from other things that I love as well.

I’ve also discovered a new spark in gaming.  It has opened a rift (figuratively, and to an extent, literally) in my curiosity towards other MMOs, and with the upcoming release of Rift, its incredible class combination potential, and a subscription fee that is too lucrative to pass up, I feel that I’ve found a nice place to move on to that I can satiate my curiosity without breaking the bank, or my time.

I don’t consider this a loss for WoW.  In fact, I honestly believe that WoW will never die, and it will always be the great game that it is.  More people will log into Azeroth for the first time, and more people will leave the game on their own accord.  For a game to sustain a living, breathing, and evolving playerbase, all the while retaining a plethora of things to do for newcomers and veterans alike, it will always by the best game in the market.  The very act of me closing my account is like closing the book on a wonderful story, because the best ones never last forever.

The game will always be great, and I will always value my experiences in it, as well as my experiences in blogging.  The amount that I have learned through writing, as well as blogging, will do wonders for me as I continue to blog about my lifelong passion of anime.  If only I had known back when I started Frost what I know now, perhaps I’d have been much more ‘successful’ as a blogger.  In the end, however, it doesn’t even matter.  I’ve learned now that regardless of whether I have one follower or a thousand, three comments on a post I’ve written, or thirty.  It is the love that I put into my writing, and the drive to never stop writing, that will determine your own feelings of satisfaction with your blog.  And to spread that passion over two different blogs simply does neither of the two any justice.

With all of this said, I must say goodbye to the blog and the game.  I thank everyone who has stopped by to leave comments on my posts, everyone who has enjoyed my blog in silence, everyone whose blogs I’ve commented on and enjoyed in return, and even those who may not agree with my values of gaming and writing.  You have all contributed to a wonderful experience here on Frost is the New Black.  I also thank everyone who I have played with in-game.  To my guilds, past and present, <Knights Templar>, <Ironwill Mercenaries>, <Exiled Legion>, <Stormwind University>, and every single person who I have interacted with in chat and RealID, you have made my joyful experience last for as long as it has.  It will never go away, and I will never forget.

It was a wonderful trip, and I will always look back at this without any regrets, and will always be grateful for everything.  Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful day.

– Krizzlybear