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To plan or not to plan? I’ve never really considered it before, which is the same as not planning. Funny how that works. If this sounds familiar, read on.

Common pessimistic wisdom says that if you plan ahead you can only be disappointed. If you live by the seat of your pants, expecting nothing, only good can come your way. Is that really true? For me, it seems to cause more and more stress to be planless. If you’re stressed too, don’t worry - I’m not suggesting that you write up a life plan or know your 5-year goals at all times. If you’re like me, that’s just not possible. You have to know what you want first.

Knowing what you want isn’t as easy as it sounds for some of us. Well, not in the area of life, anyway. (I want a Wii. I won’t get one any time soon because of the ridiculous hordes, but I know I want one.) If you’re the type of person that’s always known what you wanted to do, and you’re actually doing it now, then congratulations. I’m half of the way there. I’m in the same general occupation. I’m in the right ballpark but the wrong position. Possibly the wrong team, if you anthropomorphize corporate America a bit. I’m a shortstop for the Yankees when I want to be an umpire in the minor leagues.

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The Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game craze is sweeping the globe, and there’s a game out there for almost everyone. Do you want to be a Jedi Knight? You can! Do you want to live in outer space like a pirate, mining resources and fighting enemy groups? You can! Do you want to be an elf, prancing around through the trees like Legolas? Go for it, fairy!

And the games keep on coming. Every gaming company out there seems to be working on their own online game, where millions of people across the globe can come together in a glorious bloodbath, shooting and stabbing or nuking each other for the sake of phat lewts and glory! Or they’re an elf traipsing through the treetops saying things like “Come thou brother, let us dine together on the fruit of the land and not our noble friends of ye olde forest!”

Given my current list of priorities and commitments, I really only have time for one online game. To pay for a second or third online game would be a waste - to me, anyway. (That $15 per month is latte money - and no one, not even a good game, is going to come between me and an egg nog latte.) However, I do like to sign up for the occasional beta if the title interests me. On the other hand, I have a friend who is kind of a gaming slut - he gives it away to all of the games. And as such, signs up for everything.

The Lord of the Rings Online Beta has opened its doors to a new batch of wannabe testers (myself included) for their stress test. When I received my notification, I emailed my game slut friend to ask him if he was also invited to the stress test. The email I received in response sounded offended, yet befuddled, as he relayed to me that he was not invited. Instead, he received the invitation for the following beta:

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