It’s amazing how people see and react to things so differently. I am completely opposite with regards to tanking and healing. When I do find the nerve to tank it’s an absolute hoot but the rare time I have healed outside of a BG where you simply blend in I was absolutely terrified. Of course, what do i want to do the most…be a healer!

Anyways, thank-you for your quick response and make sure you have lots of warm clothes as the weather in Alberta can be pretty mean sometimes.

Bruiin

I’m really glad to hear that Paranoid has taken off. I wish you guys a long guild life!

That last one made me laugh out loud. I’m never deleting your comment ;D

I’m so happy to hear that you picked up some more members! I wish I could stop by and party with you guys Damn continent servers.

I don’t know of any equivalent US guilds, unfortunately. I would recommend my guild on Nerz’hul- they’re not shy but they’re easy going, have never given me any hassle over being quiet and go out of their way to try to include me- but they’re going through a lot of changes right now. I would want to recommend a server transfer only to have our guild environment change the next day.

On pugging… I get the same way with tanking. Tanking in front of strangers scares me to death. Yet, oddly enough, I find healing pugs much less scary than dps. I see dps getting abused constantly, but as a healer, I can’t say I’ve ever had any problems (with the exception of two occasions that were more bizarre than anything else).

And on being shy on the internet, it’s not weird at all. Some people who are shy offline really blossom in the virtual world, but not everyone. I’m actually a bit shier on the internet because I can’t use body language or read faces. (Same goes for talking on the phone…uggg…phones terrify me!)

One would think that playing a game in a virtual world where no one knows who you really are would be easy but it’s just not so, for me at least, or others apparently. I know this is probably a stretch but would you know of any guilds similar to Paranoid on this side of the pond, more specifically the Drenden U.S. server? Things are so bad for me that I go in 5 man pugs in a spec i don’t enjoy playing to collect my JP’s to gear up as Prot and Holy. My son always laughs at me for doing it because “….you never tank or heal…” and my response is, I will some day but…… If the opportunity does come I am usually AFk or have to go or some such thing /sigh.

Bruiin
Drenden

p.s. I have been following your exploits for some time now via your blog and totally enjoy your posts.

Thank you for writing about us, we’ve gained some new members who mentioned they were pointed to Paranoid by your post, as well as some encouraging emails! As Döra said, it’s early days yet, but we’re slowly getting there.

Hopefully our first Guild Party will happen this weekend or the next, for those who’d like to get virtually drunk while trying to make sense of 4 chat windows at the same time and the guild bank needs decluttering because everyone adds useful things but doesn’t take anything because someone else might need it more.

Thank you for your support!

“It’s at times like these that I feel like I’ve succeed as a part-time bit-of-an-artist.”
…feel like I’ve SUCCEEDED…

“You guys have build a network, a support system, and maybe even a stepping stone for a lot of people.”
You guys have BUILT…

“Except for the fact that it was an early post and my writing back then was atrocious!”
…my writing back then was EXCEPTIONAL…

Thank you for another great read!

So even if you think your writing was below your best back then – this is proof positive that your honesty and courage back then still resonates with people in a way that is very meaningful. When I was first pointed to your’s and Glorwynn’s posts, I saw so much of myself there, and it felt so nice to come across people who had put into words what I was feeling. Social Anxiety has a way of making you feel that no-one understands you, but there are more people out there just like you than you think, and when you meet them it is such a refreshing change.

To actually be able to play with people who totally get where you are coming from is an amazing experience! So much more relaxing & fun! Early days yet for the guild, but it already feels like a success for me, So thanks again