What 2009 Meant for Me
stargrace Just a very quick post that I’m post dating to the 9th (even though today is the 15th) because I saw I had a blank spot on the calendar. Sneaky? Sure maybe but it’s my site so that’s what I get to do!
2009 was pretty impressive for me personally, especially in relation to work and games (since my work relates directly to games). Despite the fact that I spent a good 7 months of it sick and bedridden, I still think it was an alright year. I’m hoping that 2010 will be even more impressive. Here are a few things that really stand out in my mind about 2009, and memories that I’ll never forget.
– February 2009, I was informed that I would be heading to San Diego for a day to interview the good folks at SOE. I had about two weeks to prepare for the trip, including getting my passport, and it was probably the most hectic thing I’ve ever done in my entire life. It included 1 day flying, 1 day interviewing, and 1 day flying home (I do live on the other side of NA after all). It was also the most amazing thing I’ve ever done (to date). It was a very surreal experience to speak with developers of EQ, EQ2, and Vanguard, and I received an exceptionally warm welcome by the EQ2 community team. As my first ‘on site’ interview, it was not something I will ever forget.
– Sadly I caught the midori virus while I was there *snickers* and it stuck with me for a few months. I went through some pretty painful health issues, and it lasted until October. Not a happy camper, I had great support from my friends, and did my best, continued my work for Beckett although most of that was from my bed.
– Fall 2009 I received an unexpected phone call from Eric Bloom of Blue Oyster Cult. He was playing wizard 101, and wanted some game tips, and I learned about what a huge gamer he is. He talked about all sorts of things from World of Warcraft, EQ2, Wizard 101, and I have to admit one of the funniest comments from him was ‘I don’t have to explain to you who I am, right?’ when he was talking about how some times he lacked time to game, due to other press obligations. It was neat to finally realize that hey, everyone plays video games.
– Year long I continued to grow in terms of work, I went from writing 1-3 articles per issue to writing 6-7 on a steady basis. I also got a promotion, and now handle web news and all of my own PR when it comes to the games I cover. I think I’ve learned a lot, and still have a long way to go. I managed to make a blog post almost every single day on MmoQuests.com which is something I’m really happy about.
I’ve learned a lot about myself. I’ve learned even more about MMOs and even about players. I’ve met a wonderful community that I continue to hold close to me (granted I can’t really hold anyone close on Twitter) and I like that I managed to keep my values and morals in tact when it comes to writing about video games. I’ve kept a (mostly) positive attitude in everything I write, and I hope to continue that through 2010, whether it’s boring or not, it’s who I am.
I’m excited about what 2010 will bring, and I hope everyone else is too!
Happy gaming, no matter where you find yourself.