Thursday 5 January 2012

A man's pride vs. A father's pride vs. Priest gear

IRL
My job has changed. I'm now answering the phones and logging calls for the team I used to be a full member of. This is a weird transition for me. It's definitely a drop in position, and it's made the group dynamic a bit odd. The money's unchanged and they've signed me for a year's contract. I'm in an odd position because of an internal conflict. As a bloke and an IT engineer, my pride has taken a dent. I'm doing the job I shouldn't have been doing 6 years ago. I love going to see people and mingling on the floors. I'm trying to lose weight, and this sure won't help. On the other hand my pride as a father and the main breadwinner is telling me it's all good, and simply endure. I'm soldiering on, keeping myself in a job and the wolf from the door, the money's the same so no loss there, we have a home and it's still being paid for and I'm the one doing it. The issue I have is after the recent change, I wanted the option of saying bollocks, no! but I don't have that anymore, not without some olympic jobhunting. It's making me quite unhappy at the moment. I have to do my bit, but I still resent getting dumped on. It has eased in the past week or two, but it depends on how much sleep I get, and if my boss is still trying to stop smoking. I empathise, I did it, and I was a monster when I gave up. But it's still a situation with a glaring dichotomy.

One thing I'm not split on though, The Experience by the Prodigy. Finally went ahead and bought the mp3 of the 'Experience: Expanded' fully remastered album with extra tracks. It is beyond awesome and has made up most of my listening for the past 3 weeks.

Other news
I love Steam. (The system where you can buy games online, often at silly discounts, download and then play them; Not the fluffy hot stuff, that is still nice during baths but annoying otherwise)

WoW
2012! Ellyllaidd is now a full blown 5 man tank blood spec Deathknight. 'Tis awesome, I tell thee! Loving tanking. No funny comments, not amazing performance, but ticking over nicely, barely ever wiping. Also, Love is in the air/Lunar Festivals have made for some nice doodads. So far I've done the hour of Twilight 5 mans, if not entirely (Joined a group last night mid-wipe. Tank bailed. Why are most tanks such arseholes?) So far, only 3 heroics, but not one funny comment even though I know I'm not special. Disciplined maybe, but not special. I shall have to check my threat, but I pride myself on not letting it get crazy and letting the DPSers and healers get directly attacked through aggro. I like collecting the mobs and keeping them occupied. The little satchels of goodies are nice, too. Tanks get rewarded if there are a dearth of them online, which is AWSM!!

December I was mainly grinding away at my priest. Still fairly sad DPS, keep being the butt of jokes in PUGs. Been Shadow almost all the way but considering learning how to heal as Discipline spec. Enjoying the new Hour Of Twilight (4.3) 5 mans. The drops seem to favour plate and mail wearers if my last few sorties are anything to go by. I did roll need on the awesome Mallet 'Scepter of Azshara' from the Well of Eternity instance but didn't get it. Every time I roll I get the instance with the traitor Benedictus at the end. No problem with that per se, but it's a low chance of any desirable goodies run. Want me some Well of Eternity lovin'. Cloth and caster gear central! I'm slowly working my way towards shiny new weapon and trousers. My current selection is roo-barsh (As we say at home) The PvP cloth trousers have the appropriate level but do not have gem slots, or count towards being epically geared, and earn you scorn from other PuG members.