It's Up To You...

Day 943, 13:04 • Published in USA USA • by George Armstrong Custer
STOP!
HOLD THE PHONE...
please, go ahead and read the article, but there's no need to send anything... within the first couple hours I got totally straightened out by just a handful of solid friends and brothers in arms.
next up... I'll be running for Congress as a USWP candidate-- got some logistics and details to work out, but Custer is going to Congress!


Dateline: Sunday June 20 (Day 943)
Location: Sonoma, California
Reporter: George Armstrong "F-Bomb" Custer
:::

For readers who may have stumbled on this article out of curiosity and don't know me, I'm George Armstrong Custer and I used to be somebody.

I've laid off the game quite a bit recently-- some due to RL conditions, but more in dissatisfaction with the direction the game has taken the past few months. Between the changes in the game itself-- V2 promises to expand the divide between the have and have-nots, eRepublik is making a bundle but doesn't justify the expense of more reliable servers-- and the deterioration of human behavior among players-- neo-Nazis being elected and appointed to top level politics and power, populist cultism thrives while truly talented intellects are ignored, cheating has become an accepted standard-- I've found it difficult to participate in eRepublik with much enthusiasm. It seems the worst of business and humanity are winning here, the good guys have become cash cows and cannon fodder, and it's just gonna get worse.

However, as many of you will attest, eRepublik is an addictive game and I am addicted.
Even while I have cut my game play I find myself logging in to read articles and get on IRC with my old Army and National Guard buds.

eRep is the drug
I've even had a few nice PM chats (really!) with my old boss, NXNW, and we've buried the old hatchet that was at the root of my resignation from the USArmy. The "social networking" aspect of the game is what you make of it, and I have made some pretty good associations here that I would not otherwise have found outside my RL door.
:::

So here's the deal...
My Unemployment (your RL tax dollars at work, thank you!) ran out a while back and I've been playing online games more than job hunting, which has resulted in a bit of friction (understatement!) at home. A couple weeks ago I decided to quit not only eRepublik but also the other couple games and social networking sites I was involved with, and focus solely on job hunting.
Now I'm finding that I can get in about as much job hunting as I can stand in a day, and still have plenty of time for games... well, long as I leave the one out and limit this one.. anyways, you addicts know what a struggle it is to do that "moderation" thing instead of either going all in or quitting entirely, and I might be able to do eRepublik in reasonable moderation.

moderation... yeah, that's it... moderation... I can do that.. yeah.. sure...

BUT... I gave away all my sh*t... everything-- cash, gold, my Q3 house, a sh*tload of guns... everything. I have no RL funds, I can't buy myself back to playing Wellness. If I'm to pull out of the death spiral and get active again, it'll be up to my friends in the game and other players who might have a bit of faith in me to chip in to put me back in playing condition.

tl;dr
:::

So it's up to you... straight up-- do you want me to get back into the game or not? I'm at under 16% Wellness now, it'll be over in a few days if I'm just left to die.
But if I'm to rejoin the game, now would be the time for action.

It's been suggested that I might run for Congress.. I do have the American Military Party to build and can probably get a Top Five endorsement even on such short notice. One way to be sure soldiers get good representation in Congress is to get more soldiers into Congress.
Before dropping off the grid I was offered jobs in Media at the National Guard and both the Army East and Army West... one of those jobs may be still available to me.
My ego wouldn't suffer none to simply take my place as a fighting soldier in an ass-kicking platoon, either... brass is nice, but leadership on the V2 battlefield is going to take a greater grasp of game mechanics than I possess.
:::


Daily Wellness Gifts top out at ten, it'll take that and more to put me back in the game.
Wellness Packs are still 2 Gold each, and Gold is around $40 USD, so it'll take a good bit of that type of Donations to pick me up... couple bucks at a time or in big chunks, I'm a long ways off from anything resembling good health.
:::

So do you want me in the game, or not?
If so, Donate Gifts and Funds. Make a solid job offer. Leave a supportive comment.
If only the new players I've sponsored-- not just mentored but have flat out supported-- would see this and chip in I'll be fine.
If the current military officers who can say I've been instrumental in their advancement all chip in, I could be fat.

The Old Man just keeps comin' back!
If not... well, it's been fun. I've been trying to retire.. the addiction and a few good friends keep bringing me back, but if it's time to let 'er go then it's time to go.

Either way... thank you, my eRepublik friends.
And to my sworn enemies and detractors, one last "go F*** yourself!" for old times' sake.

:::
George Armstrong Custer
(got a resume longer than your friggin' arm!)

::: -|- :::
post-publication edit:
in just the first hour, Thank You to a few old friends who have dropped off stuff for me.
if my profile box is full when you go to drop stuff off to me, try my Org.
more than anything, it's gonna be Cash and Gold that'll make the biggest impact.. the ability to buy a few Wellness Packs and recover quickly is what any future employer or military or political connection will be looking at.