How does this keep happening?

I'm hesitant to write this entry. Not so much because I'm ashamed or embarrassed by anything I'm about to write, but rather I feel I'm going to sound disingenuous or that I'm looking for validation or compliments. I'm not. Well, read on to understand...

So it's no surprise to my readers that I play World of Warcraft. Many of you reading do. The only thing that stinks about the whole thing is that y'all are spread out over so many servers, that I could never hope to keep up with y'all. Well, that's ok, I guess. It's the price I have to pay for the popularity of the game, I suppose.

Anyway, my primary character there is Franush, a L60 Dwarf paladin. I have two or three others there, but he's my main. Most of my chars belong to a guild called The Darklords. The guild has grown pretty well in the last few months - over 250 members. It's a good bunch of people, willing to help out and so forth. I help where I can & talk some in chat, mostly trying to be silly and/or a wiseass.

I know, hard to believe.

Anyway, I wasn't on for nearly two weeks around TCEP. Go figure. When I came back, the head officer/owner of the guild hits me up in private chat. Says that the other officers have been talking and that when a new officer slot opens up, they want to offer it to me.

Huh?

A bit flabbergasted, I tell him that I'm not sure what I did to earn this honor, but if offered, I will accept. He tells me that it's a combination of length of time in the guild and my willingness to help. Two days later, it's official. I am now the newest officer of The Darklords.

This happens to me more often than I care to admit, and every time it happens, I am genuinely taken aback and surprised by it. A few years ago, when I was involved in an online game called CarnageBlender, I was just as taken aback when, after a few months, I was tagged to become a chat moderator. I learned later that had I stayed around much longer than I did, I would have been made a officer there as well. At Origins, when there was a unanimous vote to have me be the liason for Origins 2008, I was again taken aback.

You see what I mean that it sounds like I'm looking for attention?

The thing is, it always surprises me when this happens. And I rarely, if ever, understand why it happens. I don't feel I did anything exceptional or noteworthy. I was just...being me. I don't see it.

I know I have a hard time seeing the positive qualities I might bring to the table. I know my self-esteem isn't, perhaps, all it should be. I was reminded not so long ago of a line by Julia Roberts' character in Pretty Woman that "People put you down enough, you start to believe it...the bad stuff is easier to believe." I don't know if that's the case in my life, but I'm sure it hasn't helped.

In any case, even if I don't see something, others do. I just wish it would stop surprising me so much. No, that's not true. I wish I could believe it. In me.

Maybe I should take the advice I've given others and not only listen, but take to heart the timeless words of those wisest philosophers of the late 20th century, The Muppets
( Lyrics behind cut for length )

Peas. Out.

::dancing in the aisles at work::

Before I go on proclaiming how much of a genius I am, let me get one or two things out of the way.

Administrivia: Welcome to a slew of fine people who have seen fit to friend me via dr_nebula's Friending Frenzy: becky_gardens, bethie_nova, fayestar, figment_j, shysylph, smashingstars, & writersblock_va. Pull up a chair, pour yerself a glass of your favorite beverage, and take a load off! Hope I don't bore you!

There's a few more people I friended, but so far, have not friended back. Well, that's ok. They may not find me interesting, or they may have simply not checked lately. No pressure, no worries, no problem. If they choose to friend, that's cool. If not, that, too, is cool.

Work: I rock on toast. The project that I've been working on is doing what it should. Which means that the next project becomes easier as well. Which means I also get to throw this back in the face of the naysayers. Although in a gentle, PC fashion. Don't wanna piss of the people you work with...much.

Wow, it's almost time to go home. Guess I oughta wrap things up. Not much planned for tonight at home. Maybe WoW.

Oh why not...

Per instructions from the slightly crazy dr_nebula, I give you this post.

IT'S A FRIENDING FRENZY!

Basically a "friending frenzy' is a chance for the readers on my f-list to add new, cool people to their respective friend lists. The rules are very simple - just say a few words about yourself and your journal so other readers can see what you're all about. Then comment and/or add away!

Go forth and pimp my frenzy on your El-Jay and also promote your own friending frenzy in your journals today!

Let's have a MAJOR, full-scale WAVE of friending throughout LJ-land today!