It is a time for change for the druids of Azeroth. Patch 3.1 is at last on the horizon, tantalizing us all with thoughts of new raid bosses and daily quests to entertain our hours of sloth. However, despite the lure of the new, this is a sad day in the forests and wilds. Phaelia of Resto4Life, the greatest of all druid bloggers, has decided to retire for the happiest of reasons. I’ll let you read her big news in her own words here, but I will add my very public congratulations in this post.
A Tribute to Phaelia
Now that I sit down to try it, it is difficult to find words to express how profound Phaelia’s influence has been on me and my blogging work. I found Resto4Life when I had just started to raid seriously in BC. I had been toying with the idea of starting a druid blog myself, and gradually, reading Phaelia’s work helped me gain the confidence I needed to try writing. She exemplifies everything I love about the WoW community. Let me try, however inarticulately, to account for some of her contributions.
1. Phaelia showed us all that the blogosphere can be friendly. I know that I have experienced hateful and mean-spirited comments, both on my own posts and on others’ work. Somehow, Phaelia presents the content on her site with such grace that civil discussions have always flourished on her pages (pun intended). It has to do with Phaelia herself, I think. Phaelia’s tone exudes warmth and friendliness, and the druid community is a better place because of it. If new bloggers are looking for a style and tone to imitate, they should go to Resto4Life and start reading.
2. Phaelia helped us realize that we could be proud to be druids. In other places, I see more whining about class particularities than celebration of them. Through her wonderful artwork, both her own and the contributions from Andrige, Eggo, and other wonderful artists, druids have been able to represent themselves and witness themselves being represented in a positive way. I am personally going to buy a few more tree shirts. The one I had unfortunately got a big dribble of bleach on it the last time I cleaned. The artwork from Resto4Life is not fluffy content–in fact, it’s what I’ll miss most. I believe that symbols are important, and I don’t think being a druid would have felt as special without the artwork to remind me of it.
3. Phaelia instilled in us all a belief in the WoW blogging community. Through Blog Azeroth and meta-blogging posts on her own site, she helped many would-be bloggers, including me, get a start. I’m not always chatty myself (kind of a solitary walnut), but Phaelia reached out over google chat when I had first started posting. It meant a lot to me early on that she liked my work. I think she’s helped out very many druid bloggers and given us the confidence we needed to keep going. I think she realizes that the hardest thing to do, as a blogger, is put fingers to keys and write. Her site and the tools she gave us make that just a little bit easier.
And so, Phae, you will be much missed. I don’t think anyone will ever fill your particular shoes–and on that topic, you should all go look at Keeva’s delightful new comic. Please drop by from time to time as a reader and let us know how you and the little sprout are doing. This is an exciting time in your life!
As Pike said better than I could, we all know that our time as WoW bloggers is limited. I can see myself blogging–in some form, about something–for the rest of my life, but specific hobbies like WoW come and go. However, friendships and memories can stick with us. If the writing bug ever bites again, Phae, let us know about your new project. My experience tells me that truly talented writers like Phaelia always end up writing for publication, in some form or other.
Of all the days in the year to go public, She just had to do it on my birthday ;_;
Eventhough my pet druid is a space chicken I always loved catching up on the blogg for fun/in need of tree help.
Best wishes to Mrs and mr Phae and their new seedling 😀
I think we need to give Phae a 21 tree salute!
I, for one, predict a parenting blog,
The art of raising a child. Throw in some light theorycrafting, and patch notes per child development.
I’d read it.
Micahs last blog post..Image updates – What I do
As a guildmate of Phaelia in addition to someone who knows her very well in real life (we attended university together), I could not agree with Sydera more. Phae’s disposition on her blog mirrors her real life personality, and you are spot on in noting that her warm tone was a welcome diversion from the normal strident and combative discourse on blogs and subsequent comments. Fortunately for me, my contact with her will not end with the expiration of Resto4Life, but it is indeed a huge loss for the WoW Community.
Wow, thank you so much, Sydera. You know you really hit the nail on the head with your first point. I am a very non-confrontational person, and it was important to me that R4L be as constructive and positive as possible in the hopes that the community that arose as a result would share the same characteristics. To that end, I think it was very successful. I’ve really only ever had to moderate three comments in the two years I’ve been writing, and two of those were from visitors who probably had the best of intentions.
I have always been proud to be a Druid, but Resto4Life really helped bring that to a new level. Even as I railed against our limitations (no out of combat rez, speed reduction, horrible looking forms), I could find a dozen things to celebrate about the class that makes us unique and wonderful. And all that without changing my spec! 🙂 Viva la Druids!
I think most of all I am happy about the lasting impact Blog Azeroth and R4L have made on other bloggers. Knowing that other authors will have the chance to experience the joy of nurturing their own space because of something I contributed to warms my heart, and makes my decision to close up shop that much less painful.
Best of luck to you, Sydera! I know you will continue to be a great resource for Resto Druids everywhere, and it was a pleasure chatting with you. =)
Phaelias last blog post..Resto4Life Closing Its Doors
Awwww Phaelia. I would love to say please don’t go, but family > wow. Always.
Resto4Life was the first WoW related blog that I ever read. It’s where I learned to customize Grid exactly how I like it.
It seems to be an epidemic at the moment. I know a lot of people that are quitting for any number of reasons. I personally have been considering quitting for the past few months now. The only reason I’ve hung in this long is because the Arthas storyline in WC3 was my favorite and I don’t want to miss out on my chance to kill the Lich King.
Now that we’re clearing raid content in one day there’s not a whole lot for me to do in game. I sign on Tuesday evening, play anywhere from 4 – 6 hours and then barely touch the game after that. Most people don’t even show up for raid nights anymore or bring any number of alts. People are up to 4 – 5 alts that very nicely geared. I don’t know anybody that was doing that when Kara first came out.
When the casuals are saying that the content is too casual and they are getting bored then we know there is a problem. But I digress…
Sorry to see you go Phaelia. I know your going to be a great mom – you play a healing class, it’s your job to make sure life blooms (pun intended). Take care of yourself and the little sapling. And thanks for everything.