What's your number? How much are you willing to pay/be paid?

I had an amusing encounter yesterday with one of my friends, who is the GM of another mythic guild. He said to me "Navi, I'd like you to join our guild - we will make you an officer and when you come over, you can bring the best players from your guild over and we can make an awesome raiding team."

Screeech! Stop right there!

I totally understand ruthlessness when it comes to recruiting. And obviously, it's a little flattering to be asked. However, I've said before that I have no intentions of going anywhere, and all my efforts to do mythic raiding have not been the garden of roses I expected it to be.

I laughed and politely declined, saying I was happy where I was. I am the GM of my own guild, how could I go anywhere else?

He was perplexed and said I could leave an alt as the GM and still raid with them and go places, because he knows I would like to raid, and I am not reaching my full potential where I am, and that he could help me make my dreams come true.

It's fortunate that these conversations are through typing and not on voice chat or IRL because how could I stop laughing?

Of course it's true I love to raid. I have been pugging to meet my raiding requirements, but it's a learning process and I have learnt a lot from doing that this late in the expansion. A lot of things that I would do again, and a lot of things that I wouldn't. But I also enjoy raiding with my own guild and friends, and that is essentially what I want from my guild. Also, what message does that leave for my guild if I left an alt in charge? Frostwolves is not a guild that's failing, it's on a break! Sure, we don't do mythic, but we don't have numbers and I'm not recruiting just to make numbers, I'm recruiting to make a community, not a raid team. I want to teach, I want to make a nice raid environment with mature players who behave responsibly, and make a stand against racism, homophobia and sexism!

He countered me saying I could do that over there. As an officer I could ensure that behaviour

It was pointless arguing. I couldn't convince him, he couldn't convince me. We were at an impasse. I didn't want to offend him and I told him so.

Then he said to me, "Well, I didn't want to have to do this, but what's your number?"

"How is getting my phone number going to convince me?" I asked him. "As if I'm going to tell you."

"Everyone has a number, Navi," he said. "Name your price. 1k? 2k?"

Was he saying what I thought he was saying? "Are you talking REAL money?" I asked him.

"Everyone has a price, Navi," he said. "5k? I work in the insurance industry, money is no object."

NOW I really was laughing. He MUST be joking.

"I'm a doctor, silly," I said. "You know I have no need for money. Think Mastercard, it's PRICELESS. I wouldn't move for money."

Now I know why he was so relentless. HE WAS IN INSURANCE!!! However, who would really want to pay someone to play? I admit, I am guilty of handing over monetary gifts like pets, mounts, Blizzcon Virtual tickets, plushies (and Mylights!) to guildies because I love giving away things, but to pay someone to join my guild? I couldn't quite fathom that. Was it because I was a female? Was there some sort of implied favour/return? I very much doubt that. I have never put out that kind of vibe, nor made those sorts of comments or engaged in any sort of behaviour that would make him think that. I am sure that it could be plausible somewhere but not here. I'm also not that fantastic a player that I would be worth being paid to transfer. The only thing I have to offer are reliability and loyalty - and my loyalties are already with my own guild. After considering all the evidence, I am sure he was joking.

Some people might find this kind of behavior offensive. I didn't because I could SEE what he was trying to do, and he was doing it the best way he knew how. Lashing out and saying how silly he was wasn't going to solve anything - however, reasoning with him trying to get him to see my point of view wasn't working either. I had declined him, but continued talking as if nothing had happened. Not sure if this is a GOOD thing - the advantage is that I can't say anything that would accidentally offend him, but I'm not acting offended so he knows he hasn't offended me and we can still be friends. The disadvantage is that I'm not sure he got my message that I don't want to leave. But maybe if I keep doing it this way, he'll get the message. OR MAYBE he would read this post and that would REALLY get the message across. Hopefully he wouldn't be too offended. The problem with writing what I think is that people often get offended by what I write, though none is intended.

So, what is my number? I decided that 500k (Aussie dollars) is my number. And that nobody in their right mind would hand over that sort of money :P

Comments

  1. Never say never, Navi. You'd be surprised at what some people would pay to get what they want.

    Maybe it's the cynic in me who has watched American business act like it has over my adult life, but once you put down a number, somebody might try to meet it. Just because they can.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. But A$500,000? That's just super outrageous :P

      Delete
    2. I know I'd think so, but that doesn't mean that someone else won't. There's always a bigger fish, Navi.

      Delete

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