Earlier this week I completed the overarching goal I’ve had since I began playing again. I set out to get a character to level 70 with an Epic Flying Mount before the expansion came out. Just over 20 days before Lich King drops, I became a pauper by buying my Artisan riding skill. In my eyes, I’ve now ‘won’ The Burning Crusade. Yes, it took me almost two years to do it. Yes, I realize everyone else did this months and months ago.

But I feel pretty darn good about it. I’ve really fallen hard for WoW again in the last month – likely the result of an awesomesauce guild – and I’m looking forward to Wrath in a way I never expected I would. My collector’s edition is showing up the day of or the day after launch, and I look forward to jumping into Howling Fjord with gusto. It’s weird to think that I’m actually invested in a game after all these years of being a wandering pariah.

When SWTOR launches in two years or whatever, I’ll play the guts out of that game, no doubt about it. I get to enjoy the build-up to BioWare’s revelation until then and, until then, enjoy what I consider now to be my virtual home away from home.