War Witch

*still shaking her head*

The only reason Positron got more air time is because he screwed up more.

AND...you will notice I never said...

I remember all of it:

* the skirts
* Omega Sektor
* Sister Flame
* the cape and the IV walking down the hospital wing
* Hello Kitty
* calling your cell phone to ask your buddy why he wasn't in Boston
* the hugs
* HeroCon
* bar trivia
* signing bellies
* the wedding proposal
* costume contests
* bowling
* Apples to Apples
* board games!
* my sweetly knitted scarf
* the treats at the office
* my beautiful rocks (Labradorite!)
* Ascendant Oh's on my desk!
* my hand-made War Witch action figure!
* my valentines
* the PMs (every one of which I read since the beginning, even if I never replied)
* Real World Hero
* lifting couches
* the letters and post cards (which I keep)
* the wine
* the drop-bys
* Mercedes and Larry at the office
* a fellow lover of pink - Arbiter Fabulous (who wears it better than I do)
* the wonderful CoH videos by Samuraiko (and her brownies)
* pizelles!
* all the wonderful CoH radio stations and podcasts
* Guitar Hero
* playing with you when you didn't know it was me
* playing with you as War Witch
* did you figure out the Praetorian Clockwork easter eggs yet? (Check your telephone)
*karaoke (oh heck no I didn't participate, but I did watch and laugh)
* the PAXs
* the Comic Cons
* the Freedom Player Summits
* that long hair and wonderfully sassy attitude
* that great accent
* the guy who recognized us at Starbucks
* the guy in the airport who saw the t-shirt
* Dave & Busters
* the book review
* the interviews (like the one where I interviewed the interviewer)
* that awesome blue wig

...and that is just off the top of my head! Some of you won't get it, but some of you might remember how we've interacted. There are a million more that I haven't listed, but if you hum a few bars I KNOW I will remember. You made an impact, too, you know.

WW

(I hope I don't get in trouble for posting this, but well... )

You know, I held it together really well yesterday. We were giving our goodbyes, some of the team members stood up and reminisced about what we really appreciated about working on such an amazing game and with the stellar team at Paragon over the last five years.

I had decided early on that I wasn't going to cry. (It was stupid, really, because I cry at Hallmark commercials for the love of pete.)

But when people I'd known for nearly a decade stood up and got tearful, it was the beginning of the end of my composure. Most of us are baffled, and in shock, and we are so sad that such a popular game is being shut down, but I made a personal choice to focus not on what we're losing, but on what has blessed me over the years. (I really do want to maintain grace about this because, in the end, I do not regret a moment of the last ten and a half years and I want to remember the good.)

So (of course) I got teary-eyed.

I could have gone on and on (and on) about all the great times we've had and how it is especially bittersweet for me to have been there before we launched, experienced launch, all of our updates and expansions, and initiatives up until we received the news about the studio shutting down and City of Heroes ending, but I knew I wouldn't get through it.

I did, however, look out at the sea of faces in front of me, knowing this was the last time I'd address them and I felt so PROUD to have worked with them, to have watched them create amazing things over the years, and I was especially proud of Brian, Destin, and Ross who fought so hard for the studio every single day since we opened the doors. More than any of us will ever know, I am sure. So I kept it brief and I said I was HONORED to have worked with them. And it is true.

It seems strange to be sitting here today, just a day after we heard the news. Yesterday was filled with numbness and disbelief. I was poking around the forums and reading your reactions and it just made me smile. Even as sad as I am, this outpouring has been - well - amazing. It's lifted me up and it has meant a lot.

In the past I have underestimated the impact our game has had on lives, but when I see things like this, I realize that as we toiled away from our studio we were making something that millions of people (probably more, if Marketing corrects me) have enjoyed over the years and that boggles my mind, quite frankly. But it makes me feel such gratitude for the support and such pride at the way CoH has touched so many lives.

I really want to say thank you, to all of you players and all of you devs (old and new) who have contributed to the awesome that is City of Heroes over the years.

I wish I could explain to you without sounding cheesy or rah-rah about how hard we worked on this game for you, how much gut and soul, on a daily basis so that we could give you guys our best. We read your posts (even the not-so-nice ones) and sometimes we took them personally (not one dev in the studio hasn't taken an opinion - right or wrong or even way off base - home for the weekend and really chewed on it - I know I have) and we have read your glowing posts and they have fueled us to try harder and be better.

Behind these keyboards, we're all people and all we ever wanted was the best for City of Heroes. So I am humbled and really touched by the outpouring of love (and concern - I saw that thread and yes, I'm doing okay) from not only you guys, but everyone at the studio as well.

I wanted to take some time to call out people personally, but I swear this would turn into a Tolstoy novel so I'll try and be brief. (Ha ha - good one!)

Positron, especially, has been my partner in crime for the last few years at Paragon as my role in the company leveled up. He has cheered me, infuriated me, made me laugh, borrowed my fridge, made me laugh again, and been a great friend and resource as I navigated the waters of Lead Design and then supported me as I transitioned into Production and taking over CoH. He also sat right next to me, so I got my fair share of Matt-isms and "That's what she said's" (and now, he has a t-shirt to prove it).

We joked that one day we'd start one of two podcasts: "What did Melissa buy today? (Personally, I don't see the problem, I was just trying to keep the economy alive one purchase at a time) and the other would be the "Behind the Scenes at City of Heroes". We probably would have been fired, but I think it would have made a fantastic television show. Our design meetings were the stuff of legends.

Every day, those of us who got in early walked to Starbucks and before the day of stress or busy-ness or fun started, we'd just laugh and joke and talk about whatever was on our minds: sometimes it was innocuous sometimes it was super important, like My Little Pony and how truly brilliant it really is, or how I can't expect people not to ruin the ending of Lost for me years after it ended, or what Wil Wheaton was talking about on Google+ last night.

Every Tuesday and Thursday, the guys would VOLUNTARILY go to a field and play Ultimate Frisbee, which, I can assure you - we have discovered - is quite a dangerous sport! We even attempted Tennis - hahahaha. I mean, that was fun.

You can hear Destin's laugh from anywhere in the building. It is signature and infectious. Apparently, you can hear my laugh anywhere in the city. (Which is why my husband doesn't like to go to comedies with me, but Doc Delilah and I have a GREAT time). Our whiteboards were the stuff of legends. SNACKANOIDS villain group, guys? Really??? I'll have to see if I can dig that picture up from somewhere.

Time and time again, I saw us pull together and (one of the motto's I came up with for my team) "git 'er done". There has been a lot of that since Going Rogue launch. I watched people on different teams come together to help each other. The studio is what we were working on, not just one project or discipline. That was important because it showed an understanding that we're not just City of Heroes, but Paragon. And it really showed, right up until yesterday and continues in spirit as we move forward.

I can honestly say, I would work with any one of these people again and my respect for every single person at the studio is strong and unwavering.

I don't want to leave this on a sad note, even though I am obviously heartbroken about this. I'm sure one day very soon this will fully hit me. I am going to miss the love and support and the passion of the players and the studio because this amazing adventure proved to me that Can't Lives on Won't Street and that following your dreams, well, sometimes it takes you to some pretty fantastic places so I HIGHLY encourage it. "No" is sometimes just a few letters away from "Not yet".

So remember us as you play and know that we will not forget you. I may not know you individually, some of you I do, but I am truly grateful for every single one of you. You are and have always been the reason we worked so hard and you gave us so much by playing our game. I wish I could express in words what that means, but I can't.

I have so much more to say, but at some point, it just becomes repetition, so I'll close it out here. Thank you, my gosh, everyone, for everything. You have been a wonderful and beautiful adventure over these last 10+ years. I learned more than I ever thought possible and I made some really wonderful friendships along the way. At the end of the day, that is what I take away from this.

Can't regret a second of it, it has been too fun. I just wish it lasted another ten years.

Thank you, all!

Melissa

Thanks, everyone!! The birthday is great so far.

Thanks, CR, for the awesome awesome image !! Beautiful work!!

War Witch

P.S. I had a Princess Cake. :P

I think I'll bring Jungle Speed, though I've almost lost an eye every time I play it.
CUT THOSE FINGERNAILS! :P

That is SO amazing, you two!

I'm so happy for you both! How very exciting! I've known you two for so long and you are so wonderful together.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

War Witch

P.S. Give each other big big big *big* hugs of congratulations for me. Nevermind, when I see you next I'll do it myself!

Hey everyone!

What is War Witch doing writing a Producer’s Letter? Funny you should ask! I moved into this role a few weeks ago and I’m getting settled in and checking out the view. What a change! I went from Office Manager nearly ten years ago to Producer of the whole enchilada. How’s that for the land of opportunity? I know I won’t get it all right, but I’ll try my best to keep development in line with the community and what we, as a studio, have always tried to accomplish with City of Heroes: quality, innovation, gobs of content and fun! (Notice I didn’t say anything about that bar.) I could go on and on, but that’s boring so let’s just cut to the chase.

Issue 22: Death Incarnate has plenty of exciting (or dark, depending on how you look at it) content coming your way from the newly updated Dark Astoria that is now in Incarnate Zone and Trial, to the Drowning in Blood Trial, new missions in Cap au Diable and Steel Canyon, to a bunch of quality of life fixes. That’s just the tip of the iceberg and I could regurgitate it for you, but it’s all on the website and with far more flowery language than I could produce so I’d like to focus on what is coming up for the game after that. By the way, I want to give a shout out of thanks to the players who have been giving us great feedback on the Beta boards. It’s been really helpful, so keep it coming.

I don’t want to be too sales-y on this, but since we’re talking about the Paragon Market, it’s kind of a given. March is going to have some cool stuff so l’ll break it down briefly. There’s the Flying Disc which is a fun temp power that allows you to, well, toss a disc back and forth. Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, there is a Leprechaun pet that follows you about spreading the luck of the Irish, a rainbow, a few four-leaf clovers, and a nice buff. But I’m sure all you Masterminds are just waiting on the Beast Mastery Power Set, which will include the ability to master the wolves of the wild to enforce your bidding. Finally, we round out the month with the final chapter of the Signature Story Arc in the Who Will Die series. With so many twists and turns so far, what could possibly be left to reveal? You’ll see.

There’s another Double XP weekend coming up on the weekend of Friday, March 16th, too, so if you’ve got some characters you want to level up, that’s the time to do it.

From a producer standpoint, at a very high level, we have been working on refining our planning approach for the next few years for MTX offerings (with a good degree of flexibility) and Content storylines. A lot of this is in direct response to feedback we’ve received from the boards, at Cons, and especially at the Pummit just a few months back. We’ll be doing this again really soon at the next one, so I’ll be taking notes then, too. And if you didn’t notice, many of these will be interactive, so that will be quite fun. (Or utter chaos, time will tell.)

We’re already on our final push for Issue 23 polish, in pre-production on Issue 24, and putting some exciting new content into place for the summer. You may have heard whispers, but it will be fun. Think: popcorn.

It’s not just been me that’s been busy here at Paragon Studios. All of the developers, QA staff, Publishing staff, and the Community team (yes, even Marketing!) have been working really hard to get some exciting content to you on a regular basis. If I could give you a snap shot of what it’s like here, it would be: one part elementary school playground, one part ultimate Frisbee, two parts awesome company culture, and nine parts freaking hard work every single day. This is an extremely exciting time for all of us and me especially. I’m not going to lie; it’s a little nerve-wracking trying to fill Second Measure’s shoes. Have you seen the guy? He’s over 6 feet tall.
Thanks for reading!

War Witch

P.S. For you trivia fans, we actually wanted to call the Incarnate Trial, “Death Becomes Her”, but there was that movie that time and it got pooh-pooh’d by Legal. But wouldn’t that have been awesome?

Join the Community Discussion here!

Hey all,

Thanks for the well wishes.

To sum up:

• Nope, I didn't go anywhere, just been working behind-the-scenes more
• Yes, I've been at the helm, as Lead Designer getting Going Rogue out the door (then moved into a more producery role with one, then two strike teams)
• Yes, I've been around for a long looooong time (longer than anyone currently on the project - ooo, scary!)
• Posi and I have worked together for so long now we may as well be siblings

Now, of course, I have to come up with a new title for myself since "Queen of World Design" no longer applies. I'm sure you guys could come up with something catchy.

Goodness knows, Zwill keeps taking stabs at it.

Anyway, thanks all for the really nice words and I hope to do you (and the game) proud! No pressure. :P

War Witch

P.S. And even though Zwill mocked "that phrase" -- I have kept to my word and not uttered it. Even though they torture me with "that phrase" at work constantly every chance they get.

P.P.S. Hat Day was a smashing success!

P.P.P.S. I had to change my signature and I love this quote. It was either that or, "Be cool, Soda Pop." (Someone should know who uttered that and in what movie.)

Wow. Now this just made my day. Thanks!

Hey everyone,

Friday’s costume contest theme is Historical Figures (with a twist)! So here’s a bit of background on this wackily-themed contest so you can get those creative costume creator juices flowing!

A few years ago, Positron and I were creating characters for some mission content. He created a very short, coppery looking character called “Bad Penny” that looked suspiciously like Abraham Lincoln.

Bad Penny’s Description read:

“When a Circle of Thorns ritual in Perez Park accidentally enchanted a long forgotten coin, Bad Penny was born. His mean disposition came from many years trapped in coin jars, change trays, and the fact that he could no longer be used to even purchase a gumball.”

I thought this was perfectly hilarious and a great theme for a costume contest because there are millions of choices in historical figures! AAAAAND the creativity and flexibility comes in when you use the words “with a twist” because things like time, dimension, history – all that goes out the window! How utterly and amazingly creative and unique can you be while at the same time clear enough that people see your costume (and perhaps your description) and say, “Ohmigosh, I totally get it!”

What kind of Villain would Marie Antionette be if she'd kept all that cake to herself? A Rogue-y Michaelangelo after spending too many years with paint fumes? How about a Praetorian Einstein if he’d ever discovered a brush? The choice is yours, go nuts!

We’re super jazzed about seeing what you guys come up with on Friday (September 16th) starting at 11:00 AM PDT/2:00 PM EDT/7:00 PM BST/20.00 CEST on Exalted server in Pocket D.

Have fun!
War Witch

THAT's gonna leave a mark.

Can I just say, I'm LOVING reading this thread. Fine. I'll say it. "I'm loving reading this thread."

It brings me back to some of the original writers of the arcs from years gone by as well as the new ones who have come on board and kicked some serious arc hiney.

Thanks, everyone!

WW

We adjusted content that has players traveling to Galaxy City for kill tasks, etc. once it's removed because that would be, well, a drag. And quite impossible. (We're not planning on sending players to Echo: Galaxy either.)

WW

Awesome work! I loved how you segmented the styles. My personal favourites were the Victorian ones.

WW

Hahaha!

This is my new favourite thread.

What a fun read.

WW

It's Friday! Woo!

I had great fun yesterday both on the EU and North American servers hanging out with you guys, playin' some Incarnate Trials - some we won, some we lost, but in both, my hair looked perfect.

Kidding! (Well, it did, but that's not the point.)

So that is what I'm grateful for. Spending time again with you guys. It was a pleasure meeting many of you and talking to you and it was also a pleasure seeing some familiar faces. I also really enjoyed seeing some amazingly creative costumes! (Can I just say how FUN that is to see???)

You guys have this stuff down to a science! Right down to the costume change emotes! Perfect!

I will be out next Friday so no report from me and, I know, I keep saying this is my last one, so it may very well be. We'll see.

So thank you for showing up, thank you for all those wonderfully helpful people who had their Helper! status on, and thank you for spending time with myself, Zwillinger, Beastyle, Arbiter Hawk, Avatea, and your bud in the powered armor, Black Scorpion. (Man, I hope I didn't forget anyone. I probably did. If so...you, too!)

Have a wonderful day and I fantastic weekend!

War Witch

Is it Friday already?! When did that happen?!

I laughed when I read the "Now I know you're one of us" comment -- was it the "grade 7" or the "runners" that gave it away?

So since this is my thread and I get to make (and change) the rules as I like, let's talk about some of these odd sayings in Canada. How many Canadian words need American translations? If you ask my husband, who's been with me for over ten years, he'll tell you "Plenty!"

So I'll start a dictionary for you. We'll see where it goes from there. (Hopefully not a bad place! Keep it positive, peeps!)

Chesterfield - not only did I sit on one each night watching "The Beachcombers", but I lived on an Avenue of the same name.

Butter Tart - best. dessert. ever. (Think of it like a mini-pecan pie without the pecans)

Chocolate Bar - what is this "candy bar" you speak of? My favourite all-time chocolate bar is (ironically, since I hate coffee) Coffee Crisp.

Nanaimo Bar - originated in the lovely town of Nanaimo - it's crazy sweet and rich, but very yummy. (There's probably a recipe on the internets for it somewhere.)

Pop - I don't drink soda, I drink pop.

Smarties - these are like M&M's but they do melt in your hand...and on your fingers...and probably will smear stains on your clothes if you're not careful. But they're very yummy. (And I don't actually eat the red ones last, I usually make a SmartieBurger with my brown meat, beige buns, red ketchup, yellow mustard, orange cheese, green lettuce and toss the whole mess into my mouth.)

Housecoat - it's what I wear around the house over my pajamas. You may think of it as a robe.

Track Pants - I never wear them here in California, but I used to in Vancouver when I'd be running around for PE. (Think sweat pants.)

Deke Out - leave quickly, take off, slink away. It's like this, "Hey, look, I know we're halfway through the Sewer Trial, but I gotta deke out. My Mom's calling me." Or, more likely, "Let's deke out of C Block and head on over to Mac's Milk for a Slush Cat."

Okay, enough of that, though it was fun! I never get to speak my native tongue anymore. I'll re-focus:


This is what I'm grateful for, other than the other stuff I was grateful for:

• I always manage to find something good in a challenge (sometimes it takes a while, don't get me wrong, but eventually I get there!)
• City of Heroes has been my home away from home for over 9 years and it's safe to say, this is the longest-running job I've ever had (before that, I think the longest was 5 years)
  • Shortest job was cleaning stalls at an Equestrian Center in the middle of a cold Canadian winter - I lasted two weeks
  • Toughest job was tree planting in MacGregor (east of Prince George)
  • First job was at a Taco Bell knock-off in North Vancouver
• That people showed up at my game night last week! (It was great fun! More on that in a second.)
• I got to hang with the EU Community this week (even though we spent much of our time face-down musing at the cement rubbing at our noses)

So before I wrap-up I'll do a quick synopsis of how the game night went.

I was very happy to see a huge amalgamation of Designers, Coders, QA, Production, etc. mingling together over the "snack foods" I promised to provide. Chips, chips, and more chips, and Hot Tamales, and cookies, and I bought a meat and cheese tray, and I made a spinach dip. Doc Delilah, bless her, brought a veggie tray and a fruit tray. Television and his wife brought some nummy cucumber cream cheese sandwiches. Black Pebble brought Korean fried chicken, which was crazy yummy.

Positron, Second Measure, Black Scorpion, and others brought either video games (like Rock Band 3) or board games (like Pandemic, Munchkin Quest, or Jungle Speed).

So we took over the kitchen table with many rounds of Chrononauts, which I bought just a few days before the party because Television said it was fun. (Wow, see how that happened? Television made me buy stuff and I didn't even know I needed it! I see how it is!) The card game happened to arrive on game day. I think they played a round of Pandemic at some point and probably Dominion.

In the livingroom, Positron, Protean, Dr. Aeon, Arbiter Hawk, and others were slamming away on the Xbox 360/Kinect on either Rock Band 3, Bowling, Dance Central, or Boxing. Protean was unstoppable at boxing by the way.

In my office, we had a small table that fit four so this was where I got my first taste of bloo-- uh, Jungle Speed. Wow, what a fun game! I lost. If the purpose of the game was to grab everything, even the things you're not supposed to grab, out of turn, and in complete contradiction to the cards, I'd win every time. Black Scorpion was the master and schooled us all. Repeatedly. Without shame.

So this is my biggest appreciation for the week: Spending time with co-workers outside of the office where (yes, it's fun to make games, but it's also at times stressful and challenging) we could step away from our roles and just hang out with each other socially, relax, kick some ****, and have fun.

I'll probably have another one sometime when it's a bit warmer. Ironically, we didn't play Poker!

So have a great weekend, everyone!

War Witch

Happy Friday!!!

So I'm sure the flowers are more grateful for this rain than I am, but that's okay. (Insert last week's comment about rain quotient comparison between California to hometown.)

I remember fondly those grade 7 days in elementary school back in North Vancouver where we'd play on the adventure playground in pouring rain, soaked to the skin. Then after recess when lunch hit, we'd do it all over again with dodge ball or something equally outdoorsy until we all resembled pathetically drowned rats in t-shirts, shorts, and runners. (Did we consider long pants, jackets, and staying indoors? No.) And that was in February! How we all didn't expire from hypothermia or idiocy, I simply don't know.

So! Hey, that reminded me of something else I'm grateful for! I'm not in grade 7 anymore! Because, you know, after grade 7 comes grade 8 and that means high school and all that other stress, so... (Waitaminit, I actually enjoyed high school. Nevermind! Not my point! What was my point?)

So here is my list for this week. The list I said I probably wasn't going to continue writing, yet here I am, writing it anyway. What can I say, I have puh-lenty to be grateful for and it's new every day. (And I just like talking to you guys about everyday things.)

• Black Pebble, because he's a very kind, caring, and generous person
• The off-the-wall insane conversations that end up becoming some really great features (and the ability to recognize when we're going to Crazy Town)
• The new pinball machine in the kitchen (I think it's called Champion Pub) which I haven't played yet, but it does look fun
• My aeron chair here at work that is so comfy! (Back in 2002, we had this "beige chair" which was a hand-me-down from the 70s that every new employee got stuck with because as soon as someone new started, we'd foist it on them. So glad that "beige chair" is no longer in rotation.)

Kind of an oddly eclectic mix of gratitude, but oh well. By the way, the mention of Arbiter Fabulous: he doesn't work here, but he did pop by to say hi. And with that, he brought goodies, which we can all appreciate. And not only that, bought fresh fruit for people who were trying to eat smart.

Have a great week, everyone!

War Witch

Happy Friday, All!!!

Here in sunny California it's not so sunny, at least where we're at, but that's ok! It gives me a chance to do my Singin' in the Rain interpretation which is neither amusing or particularly good. And I don't sing. But I do get wet, so there you go.

But all this rain does remind me of home (British Columbia) and, ah, why I don't miss the rain. So there you go, double bonus!

So here's my list for this week. I'll probably let this thread die down a little, unless I become utterly inspired, but I'll just keep an eye on the posts and see if it's run its course or not. Personally, I enjoy reading the comments and adding to them, but I can appreciate that we may run out of things to say.

We can't all be Pollyanna. Only Hayley Mills gets that honour. (See? Totally dated myself there.) Parent Trap! (I was channeling another thread I totally got sucked into. I blame you guys.)

So here's my list:

• Arbiter Fabulous for the wonderful goodies!
• The great laughs we have at work; we have some real comedians here
• Reading the creative threads you guys post
• The rain (because it makes me appreciate when it's sunny)
• My own thick skin because the comments about my brown poncho (think part Western part Star Wars) -- they're just jealous, my mom gave it to me!
• Pit's insane stories that never cease to entertain
• Doc Delilah because she walked with me in the rain yesterday and we got PELTED (and soaked and we are both pretty sure we're getting sick now)

That's it for now! Have a utterly amazing weekend, everyone!

War Witch

(And if you're wondering why I'm all spinny, it's because I had a Diet Coke and it was chock full of caffeine.)

I have, in fact, tried the Apple Pancake there. Nice catch

Ok, it's a day early but I'll be away this weekend so I'm sending this today. (I know, talk about breaking your own rules!)

This'll be quick, I promise!

• The incredible framed plaque that Ghost Falcon made for us devs for Going Rogue; mine is hanging up on my wall in my office at home!
• Watching the excitement that players are expressing about the Animal Pack (I know, get it out already!)
  • See? We heard you!
• The talented and passionate people I work with every day. It is truly a joy to come to work, even after, 9 years and be around people who care about this game as much as I do
• The Foodzie box that comes every month to work, so I can foist the goodies on my team rather than eat it all myself

See? Told you it'd be quick!

War Witch

Dude. I was here at 6:30 a.m.! No traffic this morning.

TPARN (t=third)

Hey all!

Friday Friday Friday! Last week it took me until the end of the work day to get on and post but this week I'm posting at the beginning!
Thank you, everyone, who has taken the time to post to this thread. I've been enjoying reading your posts and it kind of energizes me to think of more things that I am grateful for. (Not just in CoH, but in all parts of my life.)

So here's my list, so random, but that's the fun part of this.

Positron + Board Games

This is kind of a love/hate deal. Because I thank him for feeding my board game addiction by constantly introducing me to new ones that I think I'll love but then buy and don't seem to have the time or inclination to play (I do, however, take great pleasure in unwrapping and popping cardboard and organizing in Ziplocs). He gets an appreciation moment, even though he made that "eh" crack last week. And yes, I said it yesterday, too. Whatever! You can't box this Canadian girl in!)

My First E3

This was wayyy back in the same year we launched City of Heroes. I'd never been to an event of this kind before (many of us devs drove down together in my minivan) and it blew me away. We were kiddie corner to Blizzard's booth so we were wandering back and forth checking out each other's wares. But not only that, the sheer awesome of the number of booths and the excitement and getting a chance to see what other games were doing before they were released. It was so amazing! (And loud. My goodness was it loud.) And not only that, I was so insanely proud when someone would come by the booth and play our game or spend hours on the costume creator.

Avatea and Traveling

I had great fun with her in San Diego and New York for Cons last year. We were roomies and had a few I Love Lucy moments. One time, in New York, we wanted to open the window to let some cold air in (yes, that lets the sound in, too, we discovered) and we couldn't quite figure out how the latch worked. Somehow we almost unhooked the entire window and dropped it out of its socket onto the street five stories below. (We saved it.) In San Diego, we discovered the Apple Pancake at Richard Walker's Pancake House and so we'd walk there every day on the way to the booth. (Good thing we walked, we had a LOT of calories to burn off.) So far no one's been able to replicate the awesome of Richard Walker's here up in Northern CA.

The Hospital Gown and the Cape

I discovered via a PM that one of our players had some major medical issues and her husband had been keeping a blog of her progress. So I went over while on a break to check it out (the blog). And that quick break went on about an hour and a half while I sat mesmerized (and heartache-y) over the struggles and trials that she had to endure. She was preparing for a major surgery and just seemed so, well, chipper about it. It was amazing.

I was so moved by her story that I asked if it would be ok to send a simple bit of SWAG her way since she was such a big CoH fan. Her husband agreed and off it went. And then I got an email a while later with a picture attached of her walking the halls in her hospital gown, her portable IV, and that CoV cape flowing behind her. Almost brought tears to my eyes. So the appreciation here is how everyday people show me in small and big ways that no matter what life throws at us, we have a choice in how we handle it. And she handled her circumstance with confidence, grace, and an amazing amount of spunk. A-mazing!

The People Behind the Mask

I think I've said this before, but it bears repeating. One of the biggest things I appreciate is meeting people at the meet n' greets because this is where I get a chance to stand face-to-face and meet the person behind the forum post or the avatar. It's so easy to forget that when we go about our day-to-day business. The person behind the name is a person with a life with struggles and joys and pressures and friendships. So when I get a chance to break that barrier of the internets and meet people first-hand, that is a major moment of joy for me.

Wow, that's less of a list than it is a journal entry, but oh well. It's Friday. It's February.

War Witch

P.S. I deliberately haven't mentioned names in case my dear warrior-ess wishes to retain her privacy. Just in case! (She might not, I don't know.)

P.P.S. Right on, Sweet...oh there must be others.

Wow, I meant to update this thread at 7 a.m. this morning and I'm just now sitting down to do it. Whirlwind!

How is everyone's Friday? Wonderful, I hope! You all deserve some great Fridays and I love that you take the time to write on here and let each other know how they, through the game, make your life better. That is awesome. (I wonder if I can trademark that word. Or does that belong to Barney Stinson?)

Maybe I should bring back the word 'choice'. As in, "That was so choice!" (Or is that a Canadianism? Wait, Ferris Beuller said it. It's valid.) It's close to awesome and no one uses it anymore. Verily? Most excellent?

Ok, without additional unnecessary preamble, which I did anyway, here's my list for today:

• Lunch time walks with Doc Delilah - two girls laughing, whining (oh, the heat! man it's cold!), supporting each other and, well, walking - about 4 miles actually
• Any CoH SWAG I can get my hands on - these are my reminders when I'm old and gray that I had a freaking awesome - er...choice - job!
• The day-to-day interactions with my team and the studio - there are some really really amazing people behind those red names (and those that don't have red names) that you can't even begin to reveal in a simple post, a Con, or a meet n' greet. What a blessing these people are!
• The first time anyone (I think it was the Community Team, now that I think about it) asked me to, gasp!, AUTOGRAPH something. I thought I was a freaking rock star! (And then I went home and my dog had thrown up on the rug, the kids were fighting, and I burnt dinner so I disabused myself of that notion pretty darn quick.)

Well that's it for this week. Thanks for being the absolute best community in the entire MMO space. Yes, I'm biased, I don't care.

War Witch