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 realness 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. ^_^