Sabishii

Sabishii is a Japanese word meaning, "Lonely."  It can also be used to indicate you are missing someone . . . which I guess is sort of a lonely feeling, even if you aren't alone.

Last night, I received word that a few people from my guild decided to faction change and join a more progressed guild.  I understand that these people really enjoy achievements, as is evident by the 10-man progress they made on off-nights.  Also, they have been frustrated at the apparent unwillingness to accept advice on the part of the raid leaders.  (They point to the time when we were trying to down Yogg unsuccessfully.  After an entire evening of wiping, the raid leaders finally changed the strategy to one they had been advocating, and Yogg went down.)  Some have also been frustrated that the guild leadership has not always had performance standards, keeping in some players who consistently do not do as well as others, which in their minds, contributed to slow raid progress.

I prefer to think of a guild more as a family than a professional organization (although I treat my own performance as if I was a professional,) so I have a bit more patience with some of these things.  As I've posted before, the pleasure in raiding for me comes from the struggle and eventual triumph, especially when accomplished with a group of good people.  I do not understand the mentality of someone who would want to be carried through achievements or those who would value progression over raiding atmosphere.  (But I digress . . .)

At any rate, the announcement last night was a bit of a surprise--more so with some of the people than others.  Two of the people pre-dated me in the guild, although one was no longer an active raider.  We'd played Druids through Hyjal and beyond together, grumbled together, rejoiced, chatted, exchanged recipe ideas (yea, Druids can talk about a lot of things), stuck up for each other, etc., for almost two years.  The active raider of the two had rerolled shaman, but was still welcome among the Druids.  He was our healing lead, organizing healers for the encounters and making sure that healers who needed gear from certain boss fights had the opportunity to participate.

The other two were a couple--more recent to the guild, and with a long and varied WoW history.  They were movers and shakers, chasing achievements with pride.  The gal was a Druid, so she was in Druid chat, where "what happens in Druid chat stays in Druid chat."  We had argued (ok, not angry arguing, just discussed opposite opinions), chatted, talked about child-rearing, laughed at the foibles of men, and so forth.  I did not always agree with her; I sometimes thought she was being petty; I advised her to have patience; and sometimes I wanted to walk into another room and close the door.  (I think I actually left Druid chat for a while because I was tired of her negativity at the time.)  But just like a younger sister with whom I might disagree, argue over whose turn it is to do the dishes, or whatever, I will miss her.  Her husband was a generally nice, helpful sort of guy, who generally shared her views on many things, but wasn't in Druid chat (most of the time), so didn't end up voicing them where I could hear often.

They left their alts in the guild, if the guild leaders decide to allow them to stay.  That said, once they become acclimated in their new guild, I have to wonder how often they will come play on their alts.  It is hard to have divided loyalties.

I wish them well and hope they find what they are looking for.  Druid chat will seem mighty quiet without them there.