Starting over
Posted 08-14-2008 at 02:22 AM by Shorty
Firstly, a big thanks to Klimpy, Squeeg and Klorry for their words of advice and encouragement in the shoutbox. Apologies for the over-emotional last blog -- but I'm a girl I'm allowed to be overemotional 
So, after going public on our forums and asking everyone to give us until last night. The remaining officers (except one) met and chatted. Our GM and two others (both with the time and enthusiasm for 25mans) expressed a wish to pursue that with one of their characters. They hope to join a raiding guild together and wished to leave all alts, or in one case main in LotL. Another officer, who is currently not raiding is likely to transfer a character off-server to pursue sunwell raiding, leaving the other 6 (I've lost count but I think thats correct) with us. The officer who wasn't online I think is likely to stay as well. Our GM gave me GM'ship as well as posting on our forums explaining the situation: basically that given our server and recent problems we do not have the energy at the current time to pursue 25man raiding as a guild as well as wishing anyone who wanted to leave to raid all of the best.
Some guildies were understandably upset and wanted us to give it another go; others were just upset in general. I have no doubt that the next few days/weeks will be sad, seeing friends leave. But once the dust has settled, maybe we can start to look forward to a brighter future. Our main aim is to stick together until WotLK and then level up side-by-side. I can't pretend that I'm not permanently scarred by the last few days: by the betrayal of a fellow officer, who I believed was a friend, but hopefully I can add it to my "war scars" and continue on.
I'm daunted by the prospect of being GM, but I know the support of my hubby, who in all but name will be co-leading with me, will be incredible. We've also welcomed a new officer to the team - the world's most insane, most lovable Irishman, who I know will be much fun to have around, as well as bringing some previous GM'ing experience to the fold. What the future holds for Toodles, Kenty and BumblyBear - I don't know - but they are too good a raiders not to raid unless they truly don't want to; and although our friendships are likely to change, I truly hope they stay on-server.
Personal goals include hoping to get my druid to 70 before WotLK, and although I love being a moonkin, I'll be a good-little hybrid and collect healing gear as well - can't ever foresee tanking on anyone other than Shorty. She dinged 50 last night and stabbed a devilsaur (and then died) so Sunken Temple is next on her list.
If anyone has any advice on being GM of a social guild, I'd love to hear it, I'm sure no guild start with no "baggage" but ours probably starts with more than most, on the plus side I know several of the guildies, who are likely to stay, very well.
Thursday update:
So I drafted this at the beginning of the week, but due to work I haven't got round to posting it. It's now Thursday and we're still surviving. We've lost several people, mainly those I was expecting to leave, and no doubt will lose more over the coming days, as we've encouraged people to take their time in making decisions. The officer-group who want to raid are yet to leave, mainly as one of the guilds they were considering is the same one that the officer who jumped ship early joined and who has now quit WoW. I gather via the grapevine that a 3 hour gruul run (largely due to arguments about loot) and a 4 hour ZA run (with 2 bosses down) was the final straw. Weirdly this is the same guild who killed Akama a few weeks ago, so not sure what's going on there.
Our next big hurdle to overcome will be when the group of 3 officers do leave to raid. We've planned a couple of Kara and ZA runs and it will be interesting to see if we can get groups together for them, it promises to be a busy end of week and weekend - I'm trying to be online as much as possible, but with Olympic gymnastics on (I did gym when younger) I've been recording that as well to watch. Luckily the weather looks pretty miserable over the weekend, so perfect WoW-weather!
So, after going public on our forums and asking everyone to give us until last night. The remaining officers (except one) met and chatted. Our GM and two others (both with the time and enthusiasm for 25mans) expressed a wish to pursue that with one of their characters. They hope to join a raiding guild together and wished to leave all alts, or in one case main in LotL. Another officer, who is currently not raiding is likely to transfer a character off-server to pursue sunwell raiding, leaving the other 6 (I've lost count but I think thats correct) with us. The officer who wasn't online I think is likely to stay as well. Our GM gave me GM'ship as well as posting on our forums explaining the situation: basically that given our server and recent problems we do not have the energy at the current time to pursue 25man raiding as a guild as well as wishing anyone who wanted to leave to raid all of the best.
Some guildies were understandably upset and wanted us to give it another go; others were just upset in general. I have no doubt that the next few days/weeks will be sad, seeing friends leave. But once the dust has settled, maybe we can start to look forward to a brighter future. Our main aim is to stick together until WotLK and then level up side-by-side. I can't pretend that I'm not permanently scarred by the last few days: by the betrayal of a fellow officer, who I believed was a friend, but hopefully I can add it to my "war scars" and continue on.
I'm daunted by the prospect of being GM, but I know the support of my hubby, who in all but name will be co-leading with me, will be incredible. We've also welcomed a new officer to the team - the world's most insane, most lovable Irishman, who I know will be much fun to have around, as well as bringing some previous GM'ing experience to the fold. What the future holds for Toodles, Kenty and BumblyBear - I don't know - but they are too good a raiders not to raid unless they truly don't want to; and although our friendships are likely to change, I truly hope they stay on-server.
Personal goals include hoping to get my druid to 70 before WotLK, and although I love being a moonkin, I'll be a good-little hybrid and collect healing gear as well - can't ever foresee tanking on anyone other than Shorty. She dinged 50 last night and stabbed a devilsaur (and then died) so Sunken Temple is next on her list.
If anyone has any advice on being GM of a social guild, I'd love to hear it, I'm sure no guild start with no "baggage" but ours probably starts with more than most, on the plus side I know several of the guildies, who are likely to stay, very well.
Thursday update:
So I drafted this at the beginning of the week, but due to work I haven't got round to posting it. It's now Thursday and we're still surviving. We've lost several people, mainly those I was expecting to leave, and no doubt will lose more over the coming days, as we've encouraged people to take their time in making decisions. The officer-group who want to raid are yet to leave, mainly as one of the guilds they were considering is the same one that the officer who jumped ship early joined and who has now quit WoW. I gather via the grapevine that a 3 hour gruul run (largely due to arguments about loot) and a 4 hour ZA run (with 2 bosses down) was the final straw. Weirdly this is the same guild who killed Akama a few weeks ago, so not sure what's going on there.
Our next big hurdle to overcome will be when the group of 3 officers do leave to raid. We've planned a couple of Kara and ZA runs and it will be interesting to see if we can get groups together for them, it promises to be a busy end of week and weekend - I'm trying to be online as much as possible, but with Olympic gymnastics on (I did gym when younger) I've been recording that as well to watch. Luckily the weather looks pretty miserable over the weekend, so perfect WoW-weather!
Total Comments 2
Comments
 | Good luck Shorty, I'm sure LotL is in good hands now |
Posted 08-14-2008 at 03:00 AM by Squeegiemama  |
| |  Good luck Shorty. Guild upheaval and turmoil is always difficult but it sounds like your head is on straight. Concentrate on the important things and enjoy the game, the rest will fall into place. It might not be easy but it will be rewarding in the end. |
| Posted 08-14-2008 at 07:30 AM by Horacio |
Recent Blog Entries by Shorty
- Introducing Gnummitz & raid concerns (11-20-2008)
- Of Walruses, Storm Giants and Dragons (11-17-2008)
- The challenge: Loremaster of Kalimdor (11-11-2008)
- Sunwell Experiences (11-10-2008)
- The last few days (11-04-2008)
