Whistling a more serious tune

I know this is supposed to be about WoW. But I've got some real life stuff going on that I need to "get out". I guess this is as good of a place as any.

Over the last few months here where I work, two really good friends have moved on to other opportunities; the most recent to leave, his last day was yesterday. I wish them all the best. They are both awesome men and I'm glad to know them (if you read this, you know who you are). Today is my first day of neither of them being here.

So this all raises many questions for me and gives me solid assurances on some areas as well.

• I know who my friends really are. They are the guys that moved on/are moving on. The others here are just co-workers. Decent people, by and large, but just co-workers after all. These are the people that you talk to, you get to know on a "surface level" but no real depth. Sure you wish "co-workers" well but in the end, they are just ultimately strangers that you know slightly better than the "complete" kind.
• I did have some fears as to whether I could do my job here without these guys around. They are guys you depend on daily to get you to laugh when you're totally ticked at the world. You go to them when you're stuck on a problem. Sometimes not even a job-related problem. And when you get to that point, that you'll discuss personal issues with them, you need to realize as I have that you're trusting these people with your life to some degree. Because their input could alter your personal decisions. That affects your life. So not to be dramatic but it's a big deal when those folks move on and your communication is reduced to electronic means for the most part.
• It's lonely being alone, lol
• As far as my wondering if I can do this here alone ... I'm a programmer, k? But over the years I'd found myself slipping into a daily repertoire with these guys. Usually with me, not as the lead role in a conversation, but more as a support role. Kind of an off-healer, you know? So I began to doubt myself as to whether I'd be able to come up with "technical answers" like I used to do; or would I flop? On that note, I believe I will survive. Sure it's gonna not be as fun to figure out things without being able to collaborate; but at least I realized that I'm not a complete idiot.

This place where I work has changed so much. And with my friends being gone, it just really casts all of the "no fun" into sharp relief. I think I'm about done with this place as a developer.

Someone put it well the other day. "This place has always underpaid it's employees but they offset that by making it a fun work environment, not a consultant "get it done faster" atmosphere. Now they are bringing in the consultant atmosphere but not raising the pay to match it. So if you have that atmosphere already, you may as well go look for money somewhere else."

I think I will.