Gratitude

Day 1,077, 12:20 • Published in USA USA • by PigInZen
Gratitude

"Do not think I am not grateful for your small
kindness to me.
I like small kindnesses.
In fact I actually prefer them to the more
substantial kindness, that is always eying you
like a large animal on a rug,
until your whole life reduces
to nothing but waking up morning after morning
cramped, and the bright sun shining on its tusks."

– Louise Glück



A thank you PUNCH from PiZ


This morning I finished cleaning out my inbox from my time off and a few days before. If I remember correctly I was pretty burned out by the time my term as President was complete and had stopped checking my inbox a few days before then. Needless to say, there were over 400 unread messages in there, most from just before the end of my term to about a month or two afterward. I am astonished by the sheer number of messages received from people who barely knew me offering their support and comments for what was, for me, a rather trying time. My memory of the exact timing of events is quite hazy, now, for I literally walked away from eRepublic and didn't look back. But I had decided to take the eUS out of EDEN and my frustration with having to spend the majority of my presidency dealing with power struggles between the JCS and me and between EDEN and the US had just sucked all the life and enthusiasm I had for eRep out of me.

Which is why my going through my inbox this morning was such an eye-opener.

At the time I was so overwhelmed by what I perceived to be the "burdens of office" that I failed to see the amount of understanding and support that existed for my decision and my difficulties. I was so ready to just say "eff it" and toss it all aside that I, in some way, let down many of you out there. I cannot list all the people that sent me messages, some of which I responded to this morning, but allow me to take this moment to sincerely thank you. Thank you for your friendship and for your messages that have now given me a perspective that I knew I always held but neglected to accept back in late March and early April. The perspective that we're in this together and that one citizen's difficulty and frustration is shared by all.

Call me a sentimental idiot, but I believe this underscores why we continue to play eRepublic. It's not the gameplay or the strategy or the interface. It's the community, the concept that through daily menial tasks that we can somehow build something greater than ourselves, that we can build connections to relatively faceless and voiceless personas out there in the web through a damned video game of all places.

This idea still astounds me. It was the central theme of my campaign for the presidency and captured my sense of optimism and hope for all of us. And while seven months is long time, I still marvel at the observation that despite the comings and goings of friends new and old that the communal feeling of hope and achievement, together, has not faded from the eUSA. It might have faded in me for a bit but the rest of you did not let me down nor let me forget.

And for that I'm truly grateful. Thank you all for everything that you do. Sniff... sniff... "I love you guys!!!"




Day 5 - I'm hiring at my companies


That's right... I'm slowly nodding.


Those of you looking for an employer who gives a crap, contact me. I pay decent wages and can make special arrangments for those who desire. I'm always online and available for questions/concerns. I have upwards of seventy positions needing to be filled and will accept all skill levels. You'll start at a competitive salary and should you need to resign/be fired for a day or so I'll hold a position for you to return to - at your current salary.

In short, I try to run my industries as fairly and equitably as possible. Send me a PM.





Day 5 - GAME FIVE TONIGHT!


Tim Lincecum, aka the "Freaky Franchise"


Oh holy smokes, Game Five of the 2010 World Series is on the toob tonight and the Giants have two-time back-to-back NL Cy Young Award Winner Tim Lincecum going. SF needs only one more victory to win it all for the first time since relocating to San Francisco from New York in 1958.

Needless to say I'll be busy tonight. Special update to my avatar, take notice!





E Pluribus Unum. From Many, One.



Together we have strength beyond measure.