So, I post this after reading it on a "dating site" that I frequent. Yes, a dating site, I said it. It's an awesome site for other WoW players to talk, share thoughts, etc., potentially even find a like-minded date. Anyway, here's the quote and few personal notes therafter:

"Hold up your badge of honor geekazoids! As it turns out, gamers excel in a lot of skills in other areas apart from gaming due to well, gaming itself.

Multi-tasking. Oh yeah, you are a master of this art more than Picasso ever was. I mean, all the guy did was paint. You, on the other hand, can take no prisoners in PvP, flirt on chatroulette, check your mail, download new tracks, grab a bite and let your tanning lotion dry all at the same time.

More brain power. Games give you the smarties! Who knew? Additional hours spent playing keeps your brain working overtime when your non-gaming buddies use their spare time to sleep or eat or relax. It’s fairly simple: the stronger your brain gets, the more intelligent you become.

Enhanced reflexes. Geeks got moves too! Countless days and nights of gives you better hand-eye coordination as the only way to play and advance to the next level is by getting the two―your hands and eyes―to work together.

Increased stamina. When watching long 3-hour movies at the theater, we usually have popcorn and drinks at hand. When reading a standard-sized pocketbook, we take longer because we usually take breaks, some of which involve eating a square meal or two. But what about games? We could go on for hours at a time…with very little sustenance. Achieving in-game goals with only Fritos and Redbull to get you by is certainly not for the weak.

Higher level of determination. Some days we feel like playing to relax or just have fun. Some days we just want to take out pent-up aggression and kick major ass and taking the bosses down is the quickest fix. It doesn’t matter if this takes days, weeks or months―gamers will get it done.

Noticeably absent in this list? Social skills. But that’s really no big deal, right? That’s what wingmen and wingwomen are for."

Personal Notes:
Being a gamer is all it's cracked up to be. Granted, the hidden truth is that most of the time the social aspect of the gamers' life can be hindered greatly but most don't care an ounce. I mean, why should we care? Anybody that can stand us is already hanging out with us anyway right? That's a joke by the way. Anybody in their right mind will always want to make new friends and expand their boundaries of social activity. That's why I attend local comic shops, conventions, tournaments, etc. whenever possible. Always stick to your conversational strengths when looking to make friends!

Getting the job done. - Just ask my boss or even my parents. I get the assignment done everytime on time! Okay, well maybe not on time everytime but it did/does eventually get done, and that's the point.

Increased Intelligence - It's no longer a modifier! That's an RPG joke. Over the years I have played and read many fantasy books that really envelop so many characters with deep characteristics and emotions. You can really learn alot from these characters, after all is it not a human being that pours soul and essence into these characters? I say, "Yes, yes they do"!

I post this just out of pure agreement with the author, it was contained on a blog I read a while back, though I forget where. I just now found it again from another blog of another post....anyway...been through this a couple of times personally and alot of truth is contained within.

"To those of you thinking you might like to apply for the job of Knight in Shining Armor...

STOP! This message is for you.

First of all I have to ask you why would you even want this job? Do you realize exactly what it is you'll be doing?

You will be climbing up to the tower, and rescuing the Damsel that's in Distress. Maybe slaying the odd dragon for her too. Whatever the situation requires. All because you decided that you are her champion and that is what they do.

So when its all said and done...She gets all her problems taken care of, but what exactly do you get out of it? Is it the gratitude from the Damsel? I suppose that could be sort of nice. A little boost to the ego. However, long term I don't see that being enough to make it worth it for you. You realize too, that rescuing a Damsel in Distress is sort of like feeding a stray dog. Once you do it, you can never get rid of them. They are then your responsibility for life. YES LIFE... That's a long time to be constantly having to fix things and pulling someone else's butt out of trouble.

While I'm sure it feels all Nobel and good in the beginning....Is that really the life you want forever? You could ask yourself this.....How did she get up in that tower in need of rescuing to begin with? Could it be that her trouble was of her own making? Hmmm now there's a thought.

Lets even take that one step further..If she is up there because she screwed up and deserves to be.....Why do you want to get her down? Because when you go and rescue a Damsel in Distress the only thing your left with is a Distressed Damsel. In my way of thinking that's not a real prize worth the trouble of climbing a tower or slaying a dragon. I don't care how cute she is when she's got that needy, eye lash batting, pouty face. That stuff only takes you so far.... I say leave her butt up there..Let her find her own way down.

Maybe its time to find a girl with her feet firmly planted on the ground. One who knows what she wants and can handle her own problems for herself. One that might even be able to lend you some assistance should you ever be in need of some dragon slaying yourself. One who might be a partner when building a castle instead of another burden to carry.

Maybe its time to take off the Armor and stop trying fix things. Maybe its time to be a regular man and find a regular woman you can share your life with. One that you like as is, no modifications needed.

Castles can be fixer uppers.....The partners we choose should be no assembly required."

Dear Universe,

   Many suns, many planets, & many moons. But only one rock of life? What's wrong with this picture? We drift through the giant void unaware of any other life in the universe, aside from the multitudes that dwells within and on our own little satellite of Earth. Have you not any other life-forms to brag about? In all of your planes of existence, is there not one inkling of conscious life? Or, have we not been looking hard enough?
   Though we as a humans are a brilliant design of life, we can not be the last stop of creativity, let alone life itself. You must have something hidden up your sleeve, unyet to unveil a greater truth, a hidden being that would change the way we see our plane, albeit our way of thinking altogether. Or maybe this secret is seeking another of your greatest achievements and has yet to encounter us. Then again, perhaps our life-brothers & sisters have found us, but have yet to lift the veil of their existence for some unknown reason.
   Either scenario has it's ups and downs, both good and bad. And yet, I can't help but wonder still, are we the last stop? The last single entities to be brought about within this current state of reality. If so, why stop with us? There is so much more that could be brought to fruition with but a single molecule landing in the right spot in the right moment. A cataclysmic change that you know all too well. But, maybe that is your reason for not showing us, a cataclysm of change. Maybe, we aren't ready or perhaps you're not ready.
   Overall, humanity awaits your decision. Awaits the physical undeniable proof of the truth, that we are not alone in this existence that we have dominated since our creation. Rather by a single god, multiple gods, a moment of chance between chemicals, or even someone's experiment, we were created and we are waiting. Take your time.

Sincerely,
A Conscious Mind

Few things I would like to be able to accomplish:

- Learn to play guitar. I just recently acquired a pretty nice acoustic, should be kinda easy to start lessons.

- Lose weight. This is a given for any New Year hopes from anybody, but personally, it would help. Especially in the way of controlling my blood pressure.

- 3 level 80's. Hopefully, my attention to WoW will see this one through. Healer, Pure DPS, and Tankage is my goal. I've got the Hunter, now just have 2 more to go. Paladin in the works.

- Acquire PC repair certification. Started classes back in December, got a good ways to go for full certification.

- New people. I've joined a couple of local Anime & WoW groups, so this should spurn some new friendships and social interactions.

- World Domination! 'Nuff said. :D

   For the past few years, I have lived with the stubborn genetic defect that engrips my facial features and hair. 
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   In my line of work I come across hundreds of customers a week, most of which let their curiousity get the best of them and they end up staring and asking. "Can I ask why your face is all broken out?" or a personal favorite that I was asked one Halloween, "So, are you going as Two-Face for Halloween?". I laughed at the latter and stated, "I just may". For those that are not aware, "Two-Face" is one of the primary villains in the Batman comics (he is also played by a great actor in The Dark Knight) and like the character itself, I am plagued by "Why did this have to happen to me".  I, of course, on some level was hurt by the Two-Face remark but deep down, being the nerd I am, I recognized with the Harvey Dent (Two-Face) character at that moment. The trials he went through, the scrutiny he faces, and the insanity it caused him. Unlike the character however, I am not a gun-wielding villain bent on taking over Gotham. Though, I have been a villain in many online situations, it kind of goes with the territory being Horde and all.

   Living with a physical malice such as psoriasis...it's not easy. People view you as a lepper some of the time, some won't even get close enough to shake your hand. There is some, also, that will not make eye-contact for long b/c you can tell they are avoiding staring at the red splotches and flaking on my skin. It's hard not to think bad of those folks, but in the end, I remember they're human too. Also, these situations are not "all the time", I have my good days and bad days w/ outbreaks.
 
   For outsiders, it's all just a value of remembering that psoriasis itself is not contagious, it's not viral, and it's not easily remedied with diet and/or health plans. It's a part of the genetic code that lives within 15% of Americans. My own father struggles with it, and it costs him greatly, financially, to deal with it. It does for everybody.

   For all the folks that shy away, though, there are the folks that look past the abnormality. Family, for one, has been a saving grace for me through it all. Friends are another, they give the optimism and care that is truly needed for the strength to keep going outside and walking within the world...when I actually go outside. lol

    From day to day everybody has struggles: struggles to survive, struggles to break bad habits & addictions, struggles to accel, and even struggles to actually enjoy life. All too often these struggles can tire us out and sometimes even defeat us to such a point that we want to just give up and give in. But, if there is one thing that can be said about the human spirit, it is that it has the ability to recover from any blow. It is indestructible.

    Personally, I believe that the human spirit is the strongest thing in the world. It's capable of so much strength and good. Why not let it fly?

    Just take into remembrance the joy that can be felt from even the smallest moments, the ones that stick with you through the end, even if the end result of that memory was tarnished by an unlikely event. The joy that was held before-hand is all that should matter.

    Somebody once said, "You can never be too joyous or smile too much". I try to hold onto this and it helps alot, especially in the hard times. The good thing about joy, is that it is abundant. It can be found within anything: moments, movies, songs, books, and even people.