Screen shots and Memories
stargrace 
Sitting here tonight and I can’t sleep, even though I’m tired. So I went through my folder of screen shots, I have over 220 of them in my collection now. I suppose since I naturally take pictures in real life, it is habit for me to also take them in game. They brought back some fantastic memories, some not-so-fantastic. Some of the things I remember the most from playing this ‘silly’ video game make me the most emotional. It’s odd how it affects our lives, and how the people in it affect us. For anyone who says this ‘is just a video game’, I have little other response then to laugh in their faces. We make friends, and enemies, and share memories and time with the people we meet, video game or not. I suppose that looks a little foolish for me to type out, but it doesn’t really matter at the moment.
I have a screen shot of the first time I went to visit vox, the hailable one, in Permafrost. While working on my prismatic 1.0 with my very first character, a templar halfling, who I never expected to actually level. Screen shots of the griffin station from the live event that I participated in (and subsequently lost after my house was not transferred with me when I moved servers), as well as the spires from the KoS live event. Screen shots of my very first three room house, as well as my two room house, where I thought I was so rich and it was exciting to move out. The first fire place I built out of furniture items, and the first dragon I bought for 5p, to spend that much on a house item was a huge deal to me. Though I eventually sold that dragon again when I was low on funds. I have screen shots of each one of my characters working on various heritage quests, when my warden was much much smaller and thundering stepps still proved to be dangerous. Her expeditions in Runneyeye, and my small guild making it to level 17. Screen shots of friends I made, some who still play, others who have left, a few I still talk to, most unfortunately I do not. Time changes things. Screen shots of humorous things, such as our group mate getting stuck in the stairs in Obelisk and unable to move. Graphic glitches that had half of our bodies sunk into the ground, and other randomness. A shot of doing the ‘raid’ in Bloodskull valley for that earring heritage, when the mases of orcs run at you and you stand there and fight or get insta-splatted. Screen shots of my warden at 55, trying to take on the Creature of Beauty in poets palace, who is level 65 and very red. I think I lived to tell the tale, but it was a while ago. Many screen shots of role play events. Poetry and songs told, and drinks shared. When my provisioner hit 70, and when my warden hit 70. Small things like that, they make me sit back and smile a little at them.
A lot of people consider this game a waste of time. When they ‘quit’ they claim they should have never started playing. But in my opinion, there is also a lot of good that comes from it. Granted it should never consume one’s life, that’s not good nor healthy, but memories of any sort, even a video game, can’t be all bad.