Retirement

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Skarn
Skarn's picture
Retirement

I have made the exceptionally difficult decision to retire from raiding and the World of Warcraft. :(

I've procrastinated this post for waaaay too long because it hurts a lot. I've been playing WoW for over 13 years. I've been running this guild since sometime in Cataclysm, over 7 years ago. I've played with most of you for at least 2 years, several for longer. It's a huge, crazy shift and I'm a little scared, but I also know it's time.

So, why? Mostly it comes down to time. Honestly, my work at the school as a teacher has suffered because I stay up late playing Warcraft. I've been too tired for too many days, which leads to me not doing a good enough job teaching. That's not fair to the kids that I am responsible for. It's not the best for my own personal health either. (I'm fine, but fixing sleep before a problem occurs is good.) With the shifts I've had to make to my sleeping schedule to be up and at work early enough, I won't be able to stay for full raids. Beyond timing for raids, I'm tired of the time that WoW absorbs. For years, I have put off other things in order to spend 4 or more nights a week in Warcraft. Even as simple as other video games. I should train up my rusting piano skills, haha. I'd like to reclaim the time that WoW uses and do other things.

It doesn't help that I'm not excited by the next expansion. The Horde vs Alliance story has long been boring and stale. They fight and fight and fight and there are still two factions because there are millions of people playing each side and Blizzard won't just cut out half their players. Maybe they will actually end the war or make a neutral faction? That would be an impressive change! But there is still PvP in the game. The hype over the "big faction war" just seems pointless when it will all still be the same in 2 years. As I've seen the news over the past couple months of this new thing to collect and that many new battle pets or reputations or world quests, it all just made me feel weary. Anyway, I don't want to drag YOUR enjoyment down! I hope you all have a FANTASTIC time! If nothing else, I know that playing together will be a lot of fun. :)

The hardest part of leaving, why I've delayed this post so very long, is that I will miss everyone greatly. Each of you in the guild has been fantastic. It has been a true honor and SO much fun to raid with everyone. We have done super great and had a ton of fun beating bosses. Thank you so much for being a part of Game Theory, for following me for so long and for making it fun! Everyone has maintained an environment where, I hope, all have felt welcome to relax and be themselves.

Dysphoric will be taking over as Guild Master. We are promoting Serelyn to officer. Stonestorm is staying on as an officer too. The guild is in excellent hands and I know you'll do great in Battle for Azeroth!

I feel like that's everything, yet also like I didn't say enough. It's hard to make this shift, but the passion for Warcraft has faded. Maybe it will return someday! My sub runs out very soon, on July 10th. Like I said, I pushed this post off too long! I can still see these forums without a sub. :) I will be online in Overwatch here and there, no set schedule. You can always poke me and say hi!

I hope for all the best for each of you, my friends.

/salute

mutagen
mutagen's picture
Thank you!

Skarn, thank you for leading this guild and leading raids for almost 10 years. You've created a great deal of fun for me and dozens of other past and current guild-mates. You've kept this place a happy, functioning, respectable, and mature place for all of us to hang out in for a very long time.

Your reasons for retiring echo some of mine. The need for more sleep, the grind not being fun anymore, revisiting old skills, and maybe building some new ones. All valid reasons to hang it up and spend some time elsewhere.

Step away with a smile and with our appreciation and thanks. Step away from the game smiling at some of the wonderful memories you've enabled.

We hope you'll visit again sometime, or that we'll get to continue gaming with you in some fresh adventure, some new horizons.

sanzaru
I was afraid this was coming.

I was afraid this was coming. Hopefully we'll see you again in two or three expansions. Yeah, I'm playing the long game here. Maybe they'll be having us fight Naxx+Ony+VanCleef for a third time. :)

Thanks for all the fun you've made the game (and raids, and mumble, and whatever else) in the last few years. As a somewhat newcomer, GT has been a great place to waste my time, and I'll credit you with a lot of that. Enjoy working out the piano, algebra, and everything else you decide to pursue.

PS You had to play the "it's for the kids!" card, didn't you? /laugh

Euphoric
Hunter love

Hey Skarn,

I know I told you this earlier, but I just want to thank you for making this a safe and welcoming home for all of us. You've kept us having fun while still keeping us on track. I will greatly miss our hunter chats and miss you reminding us all to stay out of bad. That being said, I'm really glad you're taking care of your own physical and emotional needs. Please do stay in touch!

Dysphoric
Dysphoric's picture
I'll miss you

As we have discussed in the officer chat I was shocked by this decision and will miss you greatly but at the same time completely understand and support your decision. I hope you feel you have left the guild in good hands with Stone, Serelyn and I. You are always welcome to come back for a visit any time of course!

Take good care!
Dys

smagic
Thank you!

Just happened to be checking in due to expansion/etc...

Just want to thank you Skarn for making the game so much fun for me and, well, everyone else... even back to The Clique. You definitely have been a major reason why I keep on getting sucked back into WoW.

Definitely appreciate the trade-offs for how you spend your time and how that changes over time.

Wish you the best and hope to bump into you again... maybe in WoW. :)

-Smagic

Severs
Severs's picture
Awww

Thanks for taking me in when I was all alone, Skarn. Gonna miss you and hope life treats you well. Big hugs and thank you for everything. It was an honor and pleasure playing with you.

-F

Crescense
I came back....to THIS?!?!? Just kidding.

Skarn!

I just heard about this last night am truly sad you see this is where your road in WoW ends. . Although I wasn't with GT for very long, for those months I was happily looking forward to logging on to WoW and it was due to the people. Time IRL is a killer for lots of players. Best of luck boss.

-Cres

(So what am i suppose to do for this boss? ... skarn? ... Hello?)

sanzaru
/w tank and spank, and hope

/w tank and spank, and hope sanz dies first

:D

Heyya Cres!

Luvalot
Luvalot's picture
Thanks for leading the guild

Thanks for leading the guild/raiding for such a long time and for doing such a great job. I'll miss you a lot, but I hope that you're able to reclaim that WoW time for other things you enjoy more.

AutoGun
AutoGun's picture
Sad to see you go

You have been amazing in your time leading this group of ragtag people that we through together. You held us up to a higher standard then most would have and pushed us to progress through the tough wipes and many learning nights. The guild won't be the same without your leading but good luck in RL with all your endeavors!

Darkguns - Level 90 DK
Autogun - Retired Lock
Wilygun - Druid Extraordinaire
Shamgun - Shaman fun!

Swipenrake
Thank you!

Skarn
Thanks for all the time that you have put in over the years!
WOW can be a time suck but you always made raid time fun time.....
Especially when you let me kill Dark on trash pulls!
I am sure we will see you again down the road!

Your frequent toon changer
Swipe

Lairiel
=(

=(

Much sadness. You were the best guild leader and raid leader I ever had, in like 20 years of MMOs...

And I married one of them, so that's saying something (no one tell stef!)

You gotta do what's best for you and your students though. And I hope I get to see you around elsewhere still =)

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