About the author

I was a big fan of the original Warcraft strategy games, so when Blizzard announced a new game I was excited. However, when I discovered it was an MMORPG I was really disappointed - firstly because I didn't have a reliable internet connection, and secondly I was worried that such a large world to explore would draw me in and I'd spend too much time on it. So I didn't buy it when it first came out.

But then in February 2007 I found myself with a temp job for a few months while I waited for a new job contract abroad to start. I was bored and I decided to try World of Warcraft as I'd heard such good things about it and I was more open-minded by now about the idea of an internet-based game. I knew there was no chance of becoming addicted as I'd soon be leaving the country (don't laugh). I tried out a couple of chars, and settled on an Orc Warlock - Orcs were my favourite race from the original games, and a warlock was recommended to me as an easy class to start with. I was soon hooked, and in 3 months I levelled my 'lock to 55, played around with a few alts and slowly learnt all the terminology, mechanics and etiquette involved in the game. I didn't join a guild but I did a few dungeons with pugs and made a few friends.

I left for my new job in Belgium at the end of May, and suspended my account. I was working and living at a private language school in a tiny village. Throughout the summer I was really busy, but as the autumn set in, things got a little quieter, and I soon found myself with hours to fill in the evenings and nothing to do except watch DVDs with my fellow teachers and the occaisional trip to the cinema when we could borrow the school car. I started to think more and more about playing wow again (ok so maybe I am addicted), and in February 2008, when the school finally installed wi-fi internet, I bought a laptop and installed the game.
This time I wanted to experience more content, and I knew that meant joining a guild if I ever wanted to raid. I checked out what classes were in demand, and I decided to make either a paladin or a resto druid. I levelled both to 20 to see which I preferred. Now, the first 10 levels of a druid are the most frustrating I have ever experienced - basically just root the target and spam wrath. Your dps is low, and you're pretty fragile. You certainly can't take on more than one mob at once. I nearly gave up, but then I got my bearform, and everything was easy, and with catform everything became much more fun. So I fell in love with my druid and levelled her as feral.

I remember I was in Hillsbrad Foothills, roughly level 30, when I got a wisp saying "How old are you?". Now sometimes I ignore random wisps, sometimes I make fun of them, and sometimes I'm friendly. I was obviously in a good mood that day, because I responded with my real age. I immediately got an invite to a guild I'd never heard of. I didn't really want to join, but I could always leave if they were a bunch of idiots. So I accepted. The officer who'd invited me helpfully wrote my joining date in the guild notes - March 18th, 2008.

And I'm still in that guild today. As I was feral, I was invited to tank many instances in Azeroth and Outland, and I slowly learnt the art of tanking. We did our first heroics in June / July 2008, our first raid (Kara) in Sept 08, and we'd cleared Kara and ZA by the time WotLK hit. We've now completed Naxx, EoE and OS on 10-man and we're working our way through Uludar and considering expanding to do 25-mans. We continue to find new, fun and interesting people for our guild, and I believe that's because of the friendly atmosphere which we've worked to maintain.
I'm now co-leader and MT of my guild - I never did carry out my plan to switch to resto, although maybe I'll learn one day. I met my guild leader in April 2009 when he visited the UK, and I made a trip to the Netherlands to meet half my guildies in June 2009. I hope to meet the other half in Sweden some day.

When I think of how much fun I've had with these guys and girls, how often we've laughed together, and the pride I feel when we work together and make progress in a raid, I'm so happy that I accepted that random guild invite, and didn't just tell that nosy girl who asked me my age to go mind her own business.