He Came Out The Back Of A Glitter Truck!

So I was thinking about playing WoW again....The other two who stopped are back up again, albeit more casually then before. The triumvirate could be reborn.
"...The disorder of addiction involves the progression of acute drug use to the development of drug-seeking behavior, the vulnerability to relapse, and the decreased, slowed ability to respond to naturally rewarding stimuli....
....categorized three stages of addiction: preoccupation/anticipation, binge/intoxication, and withdrawal/negative affect. These stages are characterized, respectively, everywhere by constant cravings and preoccupation with obtaining the substance; using more of the substance than necessary to experience the intoxicating effects; and experiencing tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, and decreased motivation for normal life activities...."
Using an old friend's account - there are new customization techniques, I could have a Pally/Lock again like old times. Oh, I'd still practically be starting from scratch: No epic flyer, fresh lvl 70 gear, zero gold.
House:"I'm an addict."
Wilson: "Uh, okay."
House: "I'm not stopping."
Wilson: "There are programs. Cuddy would give you the time. You could get on a different pain management regimen."
House: "I don't need to stop."
Wilson: "You just said."
House: "I said I was an addict. I didn't say I had a problem. I pay my bills, I make my meals. I function."
Wilson: "Is that all you want? You have no relationships."
House: "I don't want any relationships."
Wilson: "You alienate people."
House: "I've been alienating people since I was three."
Wilson: "Oh, come on! Drop it! You don't think you've changed in the last few years?"
House: "Well, of, of course I have. I've, I've gotten older. My hair's gotten thinner. Sometimes I'm bored, sometimes I'm lonely, sometimes I wonder what it all means."
Wilson: "No, I was there! You are not just a regular guy who's getting older, you've changed! You're miserable, and you're afraid to face yourself."
House: "Of course I've changed!"
Wilson: "And everything's the leg? Nothing's the pills? They haven't done a thing to you?"
House: "They let me do my job, and they take away my pain."
It wouldn't be the same as my old account, and I'm coming to terms with that slowly. By no means have I made a decision. I'm just rolling the thought around for a while, seeing how it tastes.
When I first lost my account(s) I was too dumbstruck to really comprehend the magnitude of the event. It just....occurred, one day while I was at work. The day after hitting 70 on my new Deathknight, somehow my info was compromised and four characters got transferred/deleted/junkyarded. I have no idea what happened to any of them; they were never seen again. Total damages were four high-geared 70's - two with epic flyers, a grand total of 13,000 gold, a combined max of every gathering and crafting professions sans blacksmithing, and a thousand unmentionable achievements, RP items, pretty mounts, event rewards, and neat stuff clogging a span of five capped banks. Oh, and four elite twinks on a different server.
And I accepted it as a force of nature - I was working and going to school, and I had no desire to raid.
I dropped everything, canceled my other account, said "fuck it forever" and left without setting foot on Northrend.
And except for when I review my screenshots, I can get by without particularly missing it. But...

The truth of the matter is, I had been playing World of Warcraft almost steadily since the end of my freshman year of highschool - which is nearly five years ago. My....experience, my journey, my story within the game spanned six full characters and dozens of filler alts.
And that has weight, mass, meaning. Cutting through the nerdy bullshit, WoW was something I spent my time on at least a little every day. It was a giant interactive world in which cool shit happened. It was, IS, full of some of the most ridiculously ridiculous fantasy lore - I lapped it up. I could, without having ever read a book or seen a movie, regale you with multiple hours worth of history for a dozen fake civilizations. The origin stories, the pantheons, the countless wars and quests, the influential powers. Fucking DRAGONS!
I've gone through five years of content, and I have no doubt it's shaped my personality as much as anything else. If you stand in the sun, you get tanned (and, eventually, burned). I stood in Azeroth all day, and I....well, I'm not a fat load, at least. I could repel women at fifty paces if I really wanted to, but the point is those girls are dumb whores anyway.
I can....with confidence (and some lies)....say I've experienced a good 90% of the game's content. I've played (not just "played a friends for a day") every class but mage.
I've played Horde, then Alliance, then Horde, then Horde, then Alliance, then HordeHordeHorde.
Reputations were maxed. Items were ground for, back in the day when that actually meant something. PvP ranks were achieved back when that meant something. I was there when AV came out and the IBS was the only weapon you'd use from 51 to 60.
I was there when the druid ran around wearing Sulfuras and a million men cried tears of blood.
I've experienced every major raid of TBC, and several from Old World. Okay, well, I didnt kill Kil'jaeden, BUT I WAS THERE. Rag died Nelth died C'Thun died. Gruul/Mag/Vashj/Kael/Archi/Illidan ALL DEAD.

I cannot begin to explain how much plain stuff there has been that has gone in to and come out of WoW.

It must be told in episodes, and I haven't decided which way to say it. Rest assured, this isnt for you, readers. I spare no acronyms or names.
First, I need to specify there were Four Ages of Warcraft throughout my life so far. Stay tuned for further posts - I'm feeling nostalgic.
(PS - For those of you who dont...actually..play WoW? Take a break. I'll be talking continually about this until I reach a decision. For those of you who do know me, feel free to weigh in.)
(PPS - This is what has dominated my ears for the week)