If you haven't noticed, I haven't been updating very much. This isn't because I don't like you, or because I stopped playing - neither of which are true. It's simply because I haven't been keeping up with the times. I don't lead PUG raids very much anymore, nor do I raid 25-mans with my guild, nor do I get to instance much at all. And I'm not a PvP fanatic, so I haven't arena'ed a lick. I've been logging in sporadically, leveling a hunter alt or trying/failing to get a guild PUG raid going. I'm most often found online when there's a scheduled 10-man raid I'm going to, which is once a month or so, on average. (In a related note, has anyone seen Siha? She hasn't posted in over a month, I'm starting to get worried.)
That said, I can't fill the purpose of this blog anymore. I originally used the blog as a platform to lobby for the fair and ethical treatment of retribution raiders. With each successive patch and update, Blizzard brought retribution damage and contribution in line with other DPS'ers, making the need for a ret-lobbyist disappear. Then I began gearing it toward educating the masses about how to raid as retribution, so as to minimize the teeming masses of retnoobs that sully my/our good names. My increased responsibility at work combined with the master's program I'm in killed my ability to raid regularly and my ability to keep up with the latest theorycraft on EJ and elsewhere. Since I'm not raiding and I'm not scouring the forums, I'm just another uninformed ret paladin now. I can't educate or theorycraft with the authority I used to. I can't fulfill this blog's purpose to the standards that I've set for myself.
So, here we are, at the crossroads. Do I try to reinvent the blog into a "this is what I've been doing" sort of blog? Or do I try to scour the forums once more and become an armchair ret theorycrafter (since raiding regularly is out of the question)? Or, the third option, do I stop posting regularly and just bow out of the blogging scene, like several others have done recently.
I've never been one to like the personal chronicle-type blogs, and I don't have the time or the inclination to theorycraft without practicing what I preach, so option three is what needs to happen. Fear not, gentle readers, I have places to send you for your retribution needs:
- Ferraro knows her shiznit, and
she is an internal tester for Blizzard, so she doesn't just think things, she knows things.she may or may not be real. Either way, good guides on Paladin Schmaladin. - Suicidal Zebra is always spot-on when he analyzes a change or a trend in the paladin world. Give him some lovin'.
- Retpaladin.com has several knowledgable paladins on staff, among them Slayton (of Vis Maior fame)
and the aforementioned Ferraro. - Hofflerand is one of those Retpaladin.com folks that has spun off his own blog. He blogs about PvP tactics, from beginner to advanced. He is everything that I am not.
I hope that this blog has been useful in your adventures as a paladin in Azeroth. Good luck, safe travels, and Light be with you.
-Josh
Cathmor, Malfurion-US
formerly Baelor, Runetotem-US
EDIT 6/1/09: Ferraro may not actually be who she has been claiming to be, but the guides on Paladin Schmaladin are still good and accurate. I stand by my linkage.
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35 comments:
:(
It's strange that you feel so reluctant towards blogs that aren't extremely useful, more chronical like. Because I don't play a ret pala and I don't read your blog for that kind of stuff. I read it for the kind of posts, the softer ones.
I think you could write a very well readworthy blog witouht putting tons of time into researching - if you only wanted to. I would love to read about your perspectives on the game. But of course I can't force you... I'd just like to point ot that you can write blogs that aren't just diaries and aren't theorycrafting. There are many examples of this... Tobold... Spinksville... you know.
Anyway if you've made your decision I guess I have to respect it. Thank's for what you gave the community and good luck on your contionous adventures in Azeroth - even though they're not documented through a blog anymore.
@Larisa
I appreciate the kind words, but I don't like Tobold's blog and I don't know Spinksville. You may have enjoyed reading about my PUG raiding adventures, but those aren't the posts I enjoyed writing. The ones I loved were the boss explanations, the FAQ, the tips & tricks to a certain instance or encounter - the stuff that I knew from an assembled knowledge of theorycraft and participation.
I can't keep imparting knowledge since I no longer have the knowledge, and I refuse to proliferate misinformation. I joined Maintankadin in its early stages to combat misinformation regarding paladin tanking. I started this blog to combat misinformation about retribution. Anything I post now that is meant to be informational I don't have the time or the tools to verify before throwing it out there - I risk becoming that which I was blogging to end.
Hopefully that gives you a little more insight as to the "why."
I will be sad to see you go... seems like most every day now a blogger hangs up his keyboard and goes on a big non blogging adventure or something.
Best of luck to you!
Best of luck to you :) Blogging seems like a thankless job.
I suddenly have this old Queen song singing in my head.
I've enjoyed your work here, it let me be a part time Ret and not be totally clueless.
Thanks for the links, I'll add them to the reader. Feel free to drop by Honor's Code from time to time and if I every find myself up your way, I'm definately buying you a cold beverage.
Sorry to see you go Baelor :(
Good luck in your endeavors and congrats on the Figureprint
Thanks very much for all the time and effort you put into this blog.
You made my transition from a hunter to a ret. pally easy and my raiding alot of fun.
@Saresa
Warlocks read this blog? BEGONE, HELL-SPAWN!
(Just kidding)
@Honors
"... and another one down and another one down, another one bites the dust..."
If I'm ever in the Carolinas I'm doing the same for you, my friend.
@Mazar
I'm still playing (for now), I'm just not blogging about it. You can always drop by and say hi :-P Btw, what's your jump counter up to?
@kwin
I'm glad this space was useful for you. That was the goal :)
How about shifting to an idea focus? Find a good idea to advocate. Or a terrible one to either improve or explain why it's bad. I'm sure 15 seconds on the forums would get you the bad ideas; you'd have to make the good ones yourself.
Whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck.
I will start by whishing you goodluck on your journey. I have had a good time reading what you have wrote I have takend the info post with pleasure, to become a better Ret. Also enjoyed just reading about your adventures ingame, pugging and the like.
You was a big inspiration for me, and one of the reasons I started my own. Its one of the "personal chronicle-type blogs", with information in between. But as you say, and I know from myself. Its only fun to write the things you like to write, not to write just to write something.
Good luck in Azeroth and hopefully you will drop back once in a while.
Aw man another one of my favorite bloggers arent writing much no more! Thanks for all the information and help you have given me. It would be great to see you continue the boss spotlights beccause their very unique and cool the way you do them.
Sawyerjen-of Baelgun
You're gonna be missed, buddy. Your blog was my Ret bible and helped me go from Prot earlier in WotLK to very often the top DPSer for many a 25-man kill. You made a difference in my gameplay, and I'll keep referring Retnoobs to your FAQ. =D
At a time when more and more wow bloggers are leaving, it seems the easy choice to follow suit when readers need content more than ever. i can only hope that there are some talented writers out there that can pick up the slack.
Reading wow blogs bring happiness into an otherwise very boring day for me. My comments are harsh and self serving, but im sure many others feel the same way. To you and all of the other recently departed,
Thanks for nothing, you quitters.
@Klepsacovic
Forum commentary belongs on the forums. Paladin ability creation/change suggestions are more Rohan's realm. I deal with the here and now, not the could be.
@Stoico
Glad to be of service.
@Sawyerjen
Can't keep doing the Boss Spotlights, those are exactly the type of posts that I was referring to when I said that I can't in good conscience armchair theorycraft. Those were some of my favorite posts to write, but if I'm not actually experiencing the fights, I can't analyze them and break them down from several angles for a blog post. Ferraro is doing something similar in her "How to Heal Ulduar" series, perhaps she can be persuaded to do something similar for ret.
@fedaykin98
And the FAQ will always be there for your retnoobs. Glad I could help.
@Anonymous
Sorry you feel that way.
Baelor, Please ignore the worthless troll above. He does not represent the overall community as opposed to be a completely selfish, self absorbed prick.
It is a bummer that another of my favorite blogs is shutting down, especially one that was my inspiration to pick my hammer and discover the joys of smashing faces :), but as always, real life must come first.
I've enjoyed your blog immensely, good luck on the future.
Yours was the site I sent all ret pallys too. As long as your still having fun with the game is all that really matters if blogging isn't going the way you want it by all means do what you want to do. Thanks for all the work you've done
Josh-
aka Cathmor
aka Baelor
You are the first blog that I started reading, and not just about WoW. I remember hitting 70 and respeccing from prot to ret (pre 2.4, before it was cool to be ret) and needing information. In the google bar I type "wow, ret, blog" and up pops your blog. It has been a while now and I've read your blog on an almost daily basis.
From you I've learned of other great bloggers, each with their own unique perspective on the game. I've learned to value and appreciate all of them (even Goblin's).
You've been my spring-board into the wow blogosphere. Without your help, I wouldn't have been the informed pally that I am today.
Thank you for all of your help and advice. My guild absolutley loves me now. Even though I went holy for the new Ulduar encounters, I attribute much of my success and knowledge to you and the many bloggers that you've referred me to. I can say with confidence now that I am a thoughtful and well-informed paladin.
From one Josh to another, thank you.
-Josh
Thanks for many great reads.
awww =(
I started reading your blog late, but I really enjoyed it. I'm sad you're leaving. Maybe at some later date you'll start it up again!
Either way, I wish you the best. Many happy journeys!
I know I've been following this thread sense I got my paladin up to 70 and started doing raiding content. You explained a lot of ideas and thoughts so easily. You definitely helped me become a force to be reckoned with in the game. Best of luck to all you do in game and out. Thanks for everything!
Not just Lock's reading your blog.. but a couple of Mages apparently.
You have been more than a great Pally blogger, you have been a great blogger.
I am sorry that you are hanging up the plate, but I wish you all the best!
Siha is still alive and kicking - I suspect that whipping her guild into shape is taking her time away from blogging :)
@gnomeaggedon
To be clear, I'm not hanging up the plate. I'm still playing. I'm just not blogging about it.
Your FAQ posts are very helpful. I'll be looking forward to updates. Take care and I hope you come back!
Definitely will miss your updates. =( Hope to see you back sometime in the future. And regarding the FigurePrint... epic, no? I drool over mine on a daily basis.
Good luck in your endevors. I am starting to give up hope one the wow blogging comunity. literally 90% of the blogs i read have stopped posting. Can someone please enlighten on some decent blogs that are still in existance?
Thanks for the good times!
I realize Josh listed a few blogs in his post but Suicidal Z, Ret pally smash and Ferraro dont post nearly as frequently as i would like, and Retpally.com is blocked at work and basically is a recycled version of Ferraros post anyways.
@Chrom
http://wiki.twistednether.net/index.php?title=WoW_Blog_List
The Twisted Nether wiki list.
http://caitsblogroll.blogspot.com/
Cait of "One Among Many" maintains an "ultimate blogroll."
Browse there and you can cherry-pick your blogs as you like.
Josh:
I was one of those readers who came on late as well. I only recently started reading the blog about a couple of months ago.
I have been contemplating moving into the blog-o-sphere and making my own blot - focused on retribution paladins.
You may have just sparked the start of a new blog :)
In any event - good luck in your future endeavors! We will miss you terribly.
*long, long hug*
You'll be missed, Josh. For what it's worth, I'll link this site from my blog. You were always a wonderful source of information and I read it frequently. As always, good luck and God bless you in whatever path you choose.
♥ Ferarro
Sorry to see you go mate, In the need of a new regular blog on ret paladins I've taken up the cause and will hopefully see how it goes.
Url www.dragon-slayer.org I'm drafting my Yogg Strat at the moment.
Drak
Quick update:
Despite the recent Ferraro-related shenanigans, I'm standing by my Paladin Schmaladin linkage in this post and on Maintankadin. No matter who the author really is, the guides are still valid, and the information about Blizzard testing is either coming from somewhere or wonderfully true-to-life fabrication. Either way, it's still a good site. I ignored most of the personal posts anyway.
Haha, I love your little update on Ferraro. Guess it might forever remain a mystery who he/she really is. I agree that if the guides are good it's worth a link, though the whole picture-snatching thing kinda weirds me out. But hey, I bet a lot more people do it than we realize.
Yes you are still on my blog reader and I still check up on you, no pressure or anything. /cough
Ironic that they recently nerfed Eye for an Eye in-game, eh? :(
Another one bite the Dust :D lol
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