: It was so great to re-connect with everyone that could make it, however
: briefly, for the sake of some nostalgia-focused Halo.

: I loved getting to experience exactly what we got to experience last night.
: All the fumbling, all the awkwardness, all the real ness of the social
: experience of navigating tricky menus and random team-formations together.
: It gave us more time to laugh together in the lobby.
: That was reminiscent of my first days with multiplayer in Halo 1.
: And Halo 2 sometimes.
: And that was definitely the way that it was with Halo PC.

: If it had been any more streamlined or polished or well-planned, it just
: wouldn't have been as much of a trip down memory lane.

: While it is true that the next time that we do it, I hope that it will be
: more streamlined/polished/planned, that's only for the same reason that no
: one enjoys seeing the exact same performance being done twice in a row
: when they have the ability to anticipate new performances instead. Last
: night already sated that desire to go down memory lane in that particular
: way, so the next time, I will want to focus more on the actual experience
: itself, and less on the meta-experience. ;p

: As for the forum spats between Vagueness and munky, or whoever it might
: happen to be...

: Sure, at first I was disappointed to see any negativity at all in response to
: the experience, but then I just put it into context, and that made me
: realize how I wouldn't change a thing about it.

: Just like when families gather for Thanksgiving, it would just be so fake
: if everyone behaved around each other the way that they would with
: complete strangers. It's because of the familiarity that we have with
: each other, and the ability to take things for granted about our
: interactions with each other, that we are able to bicker with each other
: like this. You'll notice that neither party is leaving; that's probably
: what an outsider would do, right? Because they're not committed. They're
: not connected. They're not a part of this place. But we are.

: I liken the feeling to that of a soldier who has been deployed for a year and
: a half, who is coming home after his deployment, and a few days into his
: homecoming, he hears his 2 or 3 kids arguing in the backseat... you
: know... as kids do. :)

: If he had never left, he would probably not have the context of it, and might
: just be irritated that they're arguing at all. But because he has the
: context, he just appreciates it for what it is: authenticity . No one and
: nothing is perfect, and it's weird to require it to be. Doesn't make
: sense. So he's just grateful. And he'll take each day as it comes,
: grateful for the kinds of "problems" that he gets to deal with
: now.

: So thanks again, everyone, for the anniversary feels. Feels good, man. ^_^

Someone frame this and put it on the wall.