Ode to Rolanberry Fields...

I was listening to the winamp radio today, on the jpop/anime/game station, while working away at the computer. Suddenly I heard something achingly familiar - the song for the Rolanberry Fields. It's an area on the Final Fantasy XI game. For some reason, it made me happy, yet melancholy at the same time. That song unexpectedly brought back fond memories. Memories of friends left behind, of time spent together, of the intense concentration, of focussed teamwork. I miss that.

I learned something important from that game: the true essense of good teamwork, is TRUST.

It's not enough to do your job, and do it well; it's just as important to trust others to do their jobs, without interference from you. And it's important for them to trust you as well. Without that sense of trust, things break down.

It was a good thing to learn. Or relearn, anyway.

It's horrible when you've trapped yourself in a place where trust is non-existant. Where doing your best just makes the higher-ups nervous and hostile. Where it's better to under-perform than over-achieve, because you'll get yelled at either way - but at least if you won't be eyed by management as a threat. And where even the best of intentions can lead you astray.

Looking back, it's no wonder I enjoyed FFXI so much - it was the perfect escape from this evil place. Vana'diel was a place where people did trust each other, and worked together as a cohesive team. That's something I don't have anymore. Instead, everyone here is only concerned with their own agendas. No one is looking beyond themselves at the bigger picture.

It was nice to be an integral part of a working team. Not to mention the amount of fun roleplaying a tarutaru was.

My role in WoW is much different than my role was as the diminutive little taru. I'm still trying to work things out, but hopefully I'm doing okay.

Still... I love the music from FFXI. Just hearing the music again made me miss the game a bit. I wonder if the soundtrack for that game is available anywhere...