Aramec's Endorsement

Day 3,054, 15:20 • Published in USA USA • by Aeriadne
The greatest hazard of all, losing one’s self, can occur very quietly in the world, as if it were nothing at all. No other loss can occur so quietly; any other loss - an arm, a leg, five dollars, a wife, etc. - is sure to be noticed.

Were I to wander back in time but five years, to see where I was now would be a great pleasure to that person. I have always played this game with the intention of becoming something of a mover and a shaker: someone people relied on, someone they came to to get things done. I wanted to be the guy.

And I think I've done it, in my own way. I've helped set people on the path to becoming Country President. I've helped shape cabinets and elections in ways nobody probably knows. I've been the first person to go to for help or advice for many different people in many disparate parties. I've become friends with people who were once staunch enemies of me.

And it's been fun. It truly has. The epilogue of my Country Presidency has been, in many ways, more fulfilling than that month was. I like to think I've helped usher in a changing of the guard. And, more so, I've saved face.


And had a much easier time of doing so than this guy.

For a very long while, I was a player that could not be trusted. My words, while amusing, did not command any sort of respect. The only thing I had was writing, and I took refuge in that when I failed to make a nomination, or someone bullied me into feeling worthless, or I felt like I'd never get to where I wanted to be in this game.

And now I'm here. And still writing.

If you haven't read my Press Briefings, I don't fault you. I didn't write them so anyone would read them, necessarily. I wrote them because I had to. Because I wanted to. It was as innate to me as breathing, as needed. And it's been some of the best writing I've ever done in this game, and possibly my life.


The other day I was helping the Feds try and set up a candidate to run against Wild Owl. How this came about is because Jaden was basically disrespected by the Black Sheep Party, and so we all collectively said screw them, we'll run our own guy. So we started crunching numbers, and we started contacting Party Presidents and the like. It was all very last minute, very rushed. We were facing the clock now, and the grains falling were against us.

But in the midst of this, I saw that greeling was running for Speaker. And it stopped me in my tracks. And shook me violently.


I'm the mannequin baby in this visual metaphor.

Back in that time before I had any modicum of respect, I would often go to greeling and complain. He and I are very good friends, and he's one of a handful of people who I've kept in touch with whenever I've departed the game (and as remaining opponents to myself will quickly point out, that's been a number of times).

But most importantly, greeling was the person who - without any prompting - came to me when I said I was leaving this game for the last time and said "Don't go." He sent me a little PM, and told me what I, as a player had meant to him. That I had shown him fun, and made the game just a little brighter.

It wasn't a big thing. It wasn't like melodramatic or anything. Just one, kind little note.

It meant a lot.


In my desire to become a different player, I've lost the player I was. As dmj put it when I talked to him, I've become a "party man." And that was never me. I was the party hopper, the trouble maker, the firestarter, the rebel. When the dictatorship module was first implemented, before we even had legislation dealing with it, I tried to get rainy sunday installed as Dictatress. When Dioism lost it's flame in the United States, I made a new party and brought back old players to run under its banner. I spent Valentines Day sending poems and food to people, for no other reason than to do it.

And now I sit in the shadows and pull at a web. Don't get me wrong, it has been fun. And I will still probably engage in that. This isn't me burning that bridge, and it isn't me going back to burning bridges for sport. I've hung up my bridge gun, and taken more to canasta anyhow.

But at a time in my life and in this game where I've realized I've grown soft and lost, I need to find myself again. I've realized that I'm basically the Grandpa from Up at this point, after that 8 minute intro where we all cry and just after when he accidentally bashes John Ratzenberger's obligatory character. I was headed to the home, but they can't take me.


#hatersgonnahate

So, it's time to make some changes. Time to find the new me. Let's start now with a few things.

Thing 1: I'm endorsing greeling for Speaker of the House.

No, he's not gonna win. But I would consider it a moral betrayal to everything I have ever stood for if I did not vote for him. Which I have. Congress needs a shakeup, and while this month isn't gonna do that, good god do I hope one day he gets it.

It will be glorious.

And to those of you still holding out hope that this will be a Presidential endorsement article, well let me quash that hope.

Thing 2: I'm not endorsing either Melissa Rose or dmjohnston for CP.

I'm just not. I'm gonna be Press Secretary for the both of them. For dmj I'll wear a tie and dust off the old suit and be all professional like. For MR I'll continue to bleed nonsense and absurdities until I'm a husk, and then ground my husk into dough and make some bread for you guys. I'm set either way, I've found my calling and it is that position.

They're both gonna be fine CPs for different reasons. They're both my friends. They both deserve it and I love them.

And PilotPhil? I know you runnin' too? I'm really happy for you, I'ma let you finish, but Paul Proteus is the greatest PP of all time! The greatest PP of all time!

Thing 3: I'm leaving the Feds.

I've been talking about it for a long while. I've been told by every single person that I shouldn't. And that's exactly why, unfortunately, I have to.

Federalists: you have been great to me. I think I've been great to you. I'll probably be back, and I'll definitely keep the friendships. But there's at least 3 parties in this country I've still yet to explore, so I'll be spending an evening rolling dice and deciding which of them will be where I land.

I love you guys; and that's why I gotta Mary Poppins this bish.


I have no idea how active I'll be in the next month. There's a lot of real life stuff going on that I haven't even touched upon and that, despite my very dear interest in remaining here with you all, really demands my attention. You'll still get a Press Briefing every day. I promise you that. But outside of that?

Who knows... we'll see where I land.


Let the wander lust, and the heart roam. Gonna have a fun time picking between SFP, USWP, and WTP. Maybe you guys could host an auction for me? I don't think I'd be worth much. Dunno where I'll go to be honest.

And that's half the fun. 😁

JK, thanks Gnil! SFP here I come! 😃