Years Go By…

I’m starting to realize what it means to get older. Not in the “oh my God, I’m losing my memory”, or “I can’t control my bowels anymore…” sort of way. I’m speaking of a more social aspect of the term old. I mean hanging out with people who have been there and done that, and are thinking about (or having) families, thinking about quitting drinking, smoking, or whatever bad habit, and are generally “growing up”. There will always be those guys you know that will never settle down, the guys who have resolved to be single and never have children. They will always lack a certain amount of responsibility, and are generally only fun to hang out with when you’re drinking. What will they have left after everyone tires of hangovers?

Despite the fact that I’m not one of those guys, I am still finding that people hang out less and less as they get older. As we get older. I’m one of the youngest out of my group of friends, yet I find that even my younger friends hang out less, because of having wives, babies, or other more pressing matters. Most of my friends are doing such things, and I’m beginning to flow in this same direction. I don’t account this to being a follower, but being due to the fact that I am a bit younger than some of my immediate friends. I guess we all have to grow up sometime, and though I remember having these thoughts in years past, and maybe even wrote about them, it’s different now. There’s a finality in it.

The immortality that is associated with youth eventually makes way for the certainty and eventuality of one’s own death. Most would say I am still young. Yes, I haven’t been an adult for that long. It’s been ten years since I graduated, so I’m no expert on “real life”, but I’m beginning to figure it out. I’ve always been a bit on the outside, always a bit of a “watcher”. I tend to feel things out before I put myself out there for examination. I prefer to do the examination myself, first. It seems that none of us want to take risks anymore. None of us want to get arrested (or again in some instances), none of us want to get seriously hurt, none of us want to continue the health risks associated with the not giving a fuck that came with youth. And with being “safe” comes less time to go out, less time to hang out, less time to do anything… have to avoid those risks. So people my age and slightly older, are spending more time at home and spending more time away from friends to concentrate on further generations. And I’m right behind them. A few years ago I had a similar instance where I felt that I didn’t hang out with anyone anymore, and I was rather upset about it. These days, I don’t care.

So I spend a lot more time indoors, aside from when I have band practice or shows. Here and there I go out, but it’s cut down significantly, and I’m okay with that. Most times I would rather be playing video games than drinking anyway, and drinking seems to be the only social activity that anyone wants to do anymore. Boring, if you ask me. I love beer, and I’ll have some here and there, but to let it be the end all be all of your weekend just seems so pointless to me. Creating music and showing it off locally? That sounds like fun. Playing WoW for 4 hours in the evening? Sounds like a more constructive waste of time. Writing this blog? Well, at least it’s therapeutic.

Unlike the last time Coheed & Cambria released an album, where I posted every time they did with updates about the album and other associated goodies, I didn’t really keep up with their newest release. I mean, I heard the first single, “The Broken”, when they streamed it. I heard the second, “Here We Are Juggernaut” as well. I gave a brief teaser listen to the entire album when it was streamed right before release. I didn’t have the cash for the album when it was released last Tuesday. But I got paid on Friday, and I picked up a copy for $10 at Target. I like the album, as it’s still the same old Coheed, albeit completely different Coheed. Claudio adding in some synth was unexpected, but for the most part it works, particularly on “Guns of Summer”. Claudio’s vocals are a little annoying at times, because of an echo effect I think could have been done without. Chris Pennie’s drumming is amazing, and I love the more “metal” sound some of the songs have, but he has not over-influenced the band; there are still plenty of slow to mid-tempo songs. Love it or leave it, I’m still a fan of the band.

Because I was nearing level 55 on my Warlock, I got the itch to purchase the latest WoW expansion, Wrath of the Lich King, because once you have a level 55 character you can make a Death Knight. This of course, is old news to all WoW players, but it was my first level 55 toon, and the ability to instantaneously have a second high level toon was of great appeal. My prior MMO related posts should have given the impression that I have alt-itus, or whatever it’s been called these days. Despite having rolled multiple other characters already, I never took any beyond level 10 so that I would purposely level a main to cap. Having a second instantly leveled to my current main’s level was a cool feature. I’m sure there were a lot of people playing the game at the time of Wotlk’s release who wouldn’t feel the same way, but for someone who has just started the game 5 years after it’s release, it’s a nice way to bolster your forces. The only other MMO where I took a character to cap was EQ2, and I only did it with two characters. I know people with maxed toons on more than one MMO, so I’m definitely behind the curve. But now I have two toons that are almost ready to head into the Burning Crusade expansion, and not before I got sick of the original game’s content. And having two high level toons makes it even easier to narrow down the selection on another alt, should I decide to go there. Currently I’m toying with a lowbie Tauren Druid, and I’m thinking I will hold off on making a rogue until Cataclysm, so he can be a Goblin. Then I’ll have a toon from each archetype.

I did try to follow this same theme in EQ2, and only managed to level a tank (Paladin) and scout (Brigand) class to cap. I always wanted a high level Defiler (healer), and either a Wizard, Necro, or Warlock, but never managed to get any of them to cap. I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it with WoW, but so far I’m having fun with the two classes I have chosen thus far.

Funds have been rather low recently, so I ended up only having the money to splurge on the WoW expansion and that cd, both of which were on sale so I only spent $40. I was looking forward to buying a new PS3 game, but funds did not allow. I’m torn between what game to purchase, only because I want a FPS game, and I want an excellent online multi-player experience. From what I’ve read, and what I’ve discussed with other PS3 owners, Bad Company 2 is the game to get for awesome multi-player. But I haven’t heard anything too good about Modern Warfare 2, and I was a huge fan of the first game. I’m tempted to go with the tried and true, I’ve been playing Infinity Ward’s games for quite some time now (since COD2), but the new dog seems to have some advantages with multi-player, so I’m tempted more so by it. The third competitor for my attention is MAG, which is supposed to have a shitload of players online, but may be a little too tactical for my tastes… I like having the option to run and gun and/or go commando sometimes. Hopefully by my next post I’ll have something more to report on my decision.